I am in Love!

I've always been convinced that the very first, and most important job that I have, as an educator is to fall in love with my students. In each new school year, I have to, very quickly, come to the place where I look forward with real anticipation to seeing them each morning; the place where I wonder how they are; the place where I know their stories, understand their fears, and share their dreams.

Sometimes, that involves real work. Not all classes, and not all students, are easy to love. I manage to get there with every group.

This year, though, I am absolutely, head over heels in love with my class. They came with all sorts of labels and warnings attached. That is the reality when you teach 6th grade: all sorts of advance press precedes the arrival of every new group. What I was told about these kiddos was that they were "sweet but not very bright, charming but not very organized, compliant but not very motivated." It was that sort of "damning with faint praise" kind of characterization that had me thinking, back in early August, "well that's interesting, but I want to see them for myself."

Well -- they are wonderful! They work. Hard. They talk to me and they ask questions and they listen to the responses. They wonder about all kinds of things, and they seem genuinely interested in the world in which they find themselves. They are kind and helpful and willing to try just about anything. They are remarkably trusting -- if I tell them that we are going to do this or study that or look at something over here, they just come right along with eager hearts and heads. Wow! This bunch makes every single day a joy and a pleasure.

I am in love! What a great and fabulous gift life has handed me with this year's 6th grade class. We are going to have a great year, and we are going to be awfully lucky to have each other.

swan