This Saturday I am taking my homeroom of 8th graders camping at Mt.Blue State Park. I had initially planned to take my students on the 11th. However, that is the same day of our district's high school graduation. After feeling badly about my choice of dates, realizing that two of my students would be unable to join us, and being yelled at by one mother, I changed the date. Of course, that mother's child is not coming because she suddenly has plans.
The logistics of transportation, tents and food were developing nicely until today. One by one, ten students decided they would not join us. Is it a current of fear of not following the "cool kids" or being out of their comfort zone? I'm not sure, but I felt very slighted. "Never again will I do this," I declared to myself, scratching away frantically to figure out how I would transport the remaining students to the park and feed them. But then I looked at my list of who is still attending and smiled. Who cares that a couple of students aren't coming because they think it is sure to be boring? And yes, there was that mother who was supposed to drive 6 kids and contribute pasta salad, but o well.
I am so lucky to be going camping with the boy who tells me a story every day and dances and sings Chrisina Aguilera songs at recess. And the girl who has never been camping but loves the outdoors. And the kids who are always up for anything--even dorky math games! And the shy girl whose smile is a rare, spectacular gift. And the boy who talks a mile a minute about everything because he's got so much in his head. And the really hyper boy who likes more than anything to be helpful. I am so lucky to be camping with all of them. They are going to set up tents for the first time, build fires for the first time, fish for the first time, SUP for the first time and I will be there. I am giving this gift to my quirky, sweet, in-transition, students. I love them.
My lesson to myself: Change the focus, change the situation.
Students canoeing on Flagstaff Lake, Fall 2015
This feels so familiar! While working with kids (and parents!) can be frustrating, the same things that make you nuts can be the things that remind you why you love what you do. :)
ReplyDelete