As I sit here I begin to think about this school year… 2010-2011. This would make my 2nd year in third grade and this year has been a struggle, but something I have been able to endure. I have learned a lot over this year from both my students and colleagues.
What I have learned from my students…
- patience
- nothing always come in a neatly wrapped package
- listen more, talk less
- mercy….have mercy
What I have leaned from my colleagues…
- a good team is worth a lot
- teach with LOVE not just LIKE
- everyone does not teach the same, but we can learn something from one another
- we don’t have to be friends to work together
- be careful what you say and how you behave in front of your students
I truly believe that the Lord called me to teach. There is NOTHING else that I could see myself doing. I am a single woman, who puts her all into her students. As I sit here and reminisce about things I realize that my students are my life. I know some people like to separate their work life from their personal life, but that is not something that I can do or would like to do.
As I sit here and close my eyes (for about 5 minutes) I start to cry. Why am I crying? The song “Something Inside So Strong” (click on link for vid) by Labi Siffre starts to play in my head.
The higher you build your barriers
The taller I become
The farther you take my rights away
The faster I will run
You can deny me
You can decide to turn your face away
The more you refuse to hear my voice
The louder I will sing
You hide behind walls of Jericho
Your lies will come tumbling
Deny my place in time
You squander wealth that’s mine
My light will shine so brightly
It will blind you
Brothers and sisters
When they insist we’re just not good enough
Brothers and sisters
When they insist we’re just not good enough
When we know better
Just look ’em in the eyes and say
I’m gonna do it anyway
I’m gonna do it anyway
Something inside so strong
And I know that I can make it
Tho’ you’re doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone
Oh no, something inside so strong
Oh oh oh oh oh something inside so strong
When I sing the lyrics to this song I think about my students…not just this year’s students, but my students over the last four years. I work in an inner city school and my students come from various walks of life. Some of my darlings come hungry, dirty, tired, and wanting of love. They all want so much to belong in this world and in their neighborhood. Some are escaping a “hard knocked life” and school and my classroom is a means to their escape.
Everyday is a struggle for both them and me. For me I have to be mommy, daddy, teacher, counselor, psychologist, and who knows what else depending on the day. For some of my students, something could have happened the night before or that very morning to cause 7:45 am drama, crying, or anger. It is my duty to sense what has taken place without knowing what has happened and to “fix” it right away. Most of the times there are tears, on both of our parts.
This year I did something different in my classroom. I LOVE to sing and to dance and so do my students. This year was a year of music videos and creation of songs. For almost every concept that my students were going to get tested on we put the learning objectives to music. The students loved it, went home teaching their little bothers and sisters that songs, and they were also able to retain the information.
I still have yet to finish up some of the videos and editing the recordings of songs, but as soon as I’m done I will up load them for you all!
As I close out this reflection I want to say this…
Parents, we as educators need YOU! Teachers, teach as if your life depends on it. These little ones need us!
~Love, Peace, and SOOOOOOOOUL!
live. love. teach. travel! 
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