Hello friends, family, and strangers (I flatter myself)!I am a recently-graduated girl finding my way in the "real world" (apparently, I've been floating around the fake world for the past two decades).Many of my friends' "real world"s consist of cubicles, nine-to-fives, marriage, babies, and other such grown-up things.My real world looks a little different.Yes, I still get up and go to work every morning, same as they do.But instead of battling fax machines, computer programs, disgruntled spouses and dirty diapers, I arm myself against a legion of 14-year-old boys.Well, 83 of them to be exact.You see, I teach 8th-grade boys' Science in an inner-city, high-poverty school.What it is not: glamorous, prestigious, boring.What it is: humorous, heartbreaking, and the most challenging thing I will ever do.
The stories I tell and the people I describe are real; you can't make this stuff up.If you are new to my blog, I hope you'll start at the beginningand fall in love with its characters, just as I have.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
1
I found myself tearing up a few times today at the cookout.
I'll say it was just because it was about 283746 degrees outside.
Luckily Que was there to cheer me up. This is Que. He has a special message for us in his hair.
In case you can't read, it says "SCHOOL OUT."
"Love it Que," I told him. "But shouldn't it say "SCHOOL'S OUT?"
"No." He shook his had and laughed at my stupidity. "I only go to one school!"
I am a friend of Paula Wilson in Gadsden. We were at the beach with the Wilson's last year and Paula told me about your blog and she thought I would enjoy it as I had been a Special Ed teacher for 25 years. I had no trouble identifying with your circumstances as I had been there many times. I laughed out loud and cried with you as you proceeded through your two years for Teach For America. I don't think you are ever prepared for an experience like the one you had. I hope you know that even though their end of the year tests scores weren't what you hoped for you brought more to those boys then you will ever know and I hope you feel good about that. I always looked forward to a new post from you about your life in the education trenches. I wish you the best and hope you will be able find a career that you are passionate about and continue to write.
Hi Ann,
ReplyDeleteI am a friend of Paula Wilson in Gadsden. We were at the beach with the Wilson's last year and Paula told me about your blog and she thought I would enjoy it as I had been a Special Ed teacher for 25 years. I had no trouble identifying with your circumstances as I had been there many times. I laughed out loud and cried with you as you proceeded through your two years for Teach For America. I don't think you are ever prepared for an experience like the one you had. I hope you know that even though their end of the year tests scores weren't what you hoped for you brought more to those boys then you will ever know and I hope you feel good about that. I always looked forward to a new post from you about your life in the education trenches. I wish you the best and hope you will be able find a career that you are passionate about and continue to write.
Kathy Andrews
Tuscaloosa, AL