As I was catching up some students that have been absent the past few days, I was at my kidney table watching the rest of my class do their morning work - silently. And I know I've complained about this year being rough (which it has been) but I keep forgetting to mention how much I love each one as individuals - mostly because they remind me so much of myself. Each one of them channels Ms. K is some way, shape or form.
- I have the studious one who reminds me a lot of myself when I was growing up. She's meticulous, organized, a perfectionist, loves to learn and a little awkward. She's a lot quirky, too. I mean - that's me in a nutshell. She's my favorite (althought I know I shouldn't be saying that).
- Then there's the tall girl who is REALLY awkward and clumsy. She's trips on everything. And each time she does, she looks around with a big smile and says "I'm okay." This one time she tripped on her own two feet and flew head first into my plastic bin of Expo markers, cracking it down the middle and knocking the entire shelf over. While other kids would have cried, she simply stood up and said "Oops, I'm okay." Atta girl!
- Then there's the ADHD student who I catch a lot of times daydreaming with a big goofy grin on his face. He does this when he's on his meds and off his meds. He's a dreamer at heart I guess, just like me.
- Then there's the nerdy boy who loves LOVES science and anything related to science/animals. He makes these weird faces while he reads about these things... faces that I catch myself making when I read, too. He often times will come up to me with his non-fiction book and point out something fascinating. I used to do this with my college roommate while I was taking Biology and she would just look at me, uninterested. I, at least, acknowledge what he's showing me (mostly because it's pretty cool).
- I know I've mentioned Mini-me. Well she is just adorable and has the best style in the classroom. Mostly because she's copies what I wear. If I wear my blue pants to school, she wears hers the very next day. If I wear my HK vans one day, she'll wear them the next (same with my TOMs). The reverse is not the same... if I were to come to school wearing some of the things she looks adorable in, I would just look ridiculous. There is no way I could pull off a HK shirt with grey sweatpants tucked into a pair of Uggs... but she makes it work. +1 for Mini-me.
- Then there is my other mini-me... she makes the same facial expressions as me. And just as children were created to make fun of, I often catch myself smiling at her with a big cheesy grin so that I can see her awkward smile... and then laugh silently to myself. Here is a picture of the kind of smile she gives me when I smile at her:
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| please note that this is not my student, duh! |
Then there is the quiet girl who watches people. And when she's ready, she joins in on the fun. She's also the first one to ask someone who is hurt or upset what the matter is. She's a gentle soul with a big heart. I connect with her on this level. Now if only people could see that she is hurting as her parents are going through a terrible divorce and return sympathy and kindess....
- How about my student who takes things personally. But he also thinks things through before he does anything. I can look at him and see the wheels in his head turning. He takes time to come up with an answer but whe he does it's usually very deep and reflective. Shoot, I've always been know to do that myself.
Those are only a few of my students this year. Each student is so different yet so similar in their own way. It's been a challenging year, both professionally and personally, but as each day goes by I grow stronger. They've taught me so much already about how strong I am and how capable I am. There's only 15 1/2 days left of school and I can honestly say that I will miss these students terribly.
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