More Confessions Part3

On tonight's episode of "Writings of a Modern Day English Teacher" we have Becca's final epiphany...for a while anyway.

On Wednesday of last week, it was finally test day.  Remember I had been stressing to my students how important it was that they do their best on the Chunk Test.  We had a long discussion about it on Tuesday where we talked about scholastic audit and everything.  Mr. Walters, our principal, even came around to every English teacher to ask us to please make sure we are up monitoring all day because the students might put more effort into it if we are walking around.  (As a side note:  although my feet don't care for walking around all day, I love it!  I've lost some weight and my clothes are starting to fit better!) 

During second period, my one "regular" class, my student completely freaked out when I gave them the test.  We are not supposed to know what the prompt is before we give them the test, and we certainly can't help them after we  hand the test out, so when they panicked, I didn't know what to do.  I ran to my desk and looked at the prompt, and then freaked out a bit myself. 

They told us our Chunk test would be over expository writing, but their prompt was asking them to write a letter.  I haven't taught them how to write a letter yet because that is in our pacing guide for the third nine weeks.  My students were asking me if they write an essay or a letter, and of course I could not answer them.  (We were told after the fact to tell our students to never write a letter even if they ask for it because they won't take off for not writing the greeting and salutation, but they will take off if you do it and it is incorrect.  That would have been good to know!)

After my initial shock, I told them to do what they thought and do their best, and they did alright, I think.  Next was third period, my challenge class.  I had three girls that would NOT quit talking, which is a HUGE no no during the test.  Other than that, that class period was okay.

Next was fourth period.  This was the class that I finally had time to calm down and notice what the students were doing.  I tried not to stare over their shoulder, because I did not want to make them nervous, but I did look long enough to see that MOST of them were using some form of prewriting to organize their thoughts.  My students, the ones who don't prewrite because it's a waste of time, were prewriting!  It was at that moment that I had my next epiphany:  They do listen to me...they just have to complain sometimes.  It was that moment that I realized I am a good teacher.  I do get my point across.  I just have to have more confidence.  I was ecstatic!  I decided at that point that I was going to have a great rest of the year, no matter what.  My students would not make me feel bad again because I know I can survive the year.  I would take control of my classroom again and love my job again! 

And I did just that...I still have a couple of classes that I struggle with, but they do not bring me down.  I absolutely love being a teacher.   I love the fact that I come to work everyday.  I love my students.  I love my job.  ;)  I think I'm pretty lucky for being able to say that.