They all seemed so precious and special today. Truly! Not in a sarcastic or ironic way.
Even when one of them literally vaulted his body over the couch I have in the classroom after coming up from lunch, it didn't seem like he was trying to be naughty or difficult (even though he clearly should have known better). He just seemed exuberant and full of life... Granted, that much life is just not admissible in a classroom environment, but I couldn't help thinking, man, if I wasn't your teacher I bet we'd have so much fun.
The Teacher part of me naturally had to admonish the culprit. I qued the lecture on impulse control and dispensed appropriate consequences. But the human being part of me marveled at his dexterity and chutzpah. The human being part of me wanted to go and see if I could do it myself.
Often the kids will say smartass things that, as a self-proclaimed coniosseur of smartassocity, strike me as really funny. It is both a learned skill and a delicate art form to be able to pull myself back from the line of inappropriate laughter that would not only totally derail any modicum of order I've been able to maintain, but also send the wrong message about what is generally considered acceptable in school.
Today, though, I got to have myself a hearty belly laugh, the likes of which I hadn't had in ages. I wish I could've had a video camera, because I'm sure words can't do this moment justice, but I'll try.
Dutifully, I was trying to instruct my class on how to find out the "author's message" in their reading by looking at the story's problem, solution, what the character realized from this ordeal and trying to put that "life lesson" into words. Sh---, totally one of my smartest kids, was moaning and bellyaching that his book really didn't have a lesson. I went over to him and he started to argue "Yeah, there's no lesson! Stuff just happens. The problem was that she didn't want to climb the tower, and the solution was that she climbed the tower and ---" he stopped mid-sentence, eyes wide, and looked almost crestfallen as he conceded, "Oh... Bravery."
Ha! Take that, Sh---! Betrayed by your own intelligence and gift for literary interpretation! Learning against your will and in spite of yourself! Author's message: 1, Sh--: zip.
God, it was so adorable, and at the same time it was like, holy crap, this "reading strategy" stuff actually works?
Same thoughts were going through my head as I conferenced with A--, my newest ELL [English Language Learner], who is celebrating one year in the U.S. this month. She totally blew me away with the level of thinking and understanding and literary interpretation that she did. I was like, shit, someone was actually listening as I was blabbering and gesticulating away up there all these months? And doesn't it figure that the one who was probably listening the most was the one with the least amount of English! I truly got a little verclemped, I'm just so proud of this girl.
So yeah, ask me again tomorrow and it could all be different. Some other day, I know, I will turn around and say that they are spiteful beasts and ungrateful brats. But for now, let it be known that 5-315 is the temporary home of some remarkable, ridiculous, absolutely preciously precocious individuals.
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