So, I just sent out my first icky parent e-mail. Not a fun thing to do, but it had to be done (I just used passive voice and I LOVED it!).
I, as I'm assuming everyone that reads this knows, recently embarked on my journey as a first year high school teacher/third year grad school student. I teach 12th grade Language Arts at a high school in sunny East Orlando, where I also sponsor the drama club.
There are many things I love about my new position. Parent e-mails is not one of them.
Don't get me wrong. I have so many parents that are just the sweetest -- I really should count my blessings. I recently took on designing costumes for our show on TOP of directing it, and the amount of support and energy from these generous parents just overwhelms me.
But it's a matter of FOCUSING that energy. When that energy seems attacking, or negative, or accusatory, it is NOT a good thing.
And you know what I hate? I hate that I feel like so much of it is because I'm young. And I've realized -- it's not a matter of me waiting to get older. If I am soggy and wishy-washy now as a young drama sponsor, what makes me think that merely aging will earn me their respect? I must go forth, from this moment on, determined, head strong, and balls to the walls!
In other news, because this is a blog so I can ramble, these are the things about my job that I love:
-When my kids think of amazing things in rehearsals and production that I would never have thought of
-My kids getting crowned homecoming king and queen
-My kids convincing me to have "Pie Day Friday" ... yes, we had about eight pies for a cast of fourteen
-My kids getting to school by 9 a.m. and staying until 6 p.m. on the day of the homecoming dance
-My kids all being ridiculously multi-talented -- I love listening to them play piano on the other side of my classroom (most of the time)
-Pay day ... yes, this seems like a lot of money to me
-My kids incessant teasing of me for my obsession with baby carrots and my over use of the phrase "Rock on"
-That my kids are not just talents, they're intellectual, kind, and caring actors
-Kids that are not only in drama, but in cheerleading, or on the football team, or in SGA
-My co-workers Sean and Holly
-The random things my kids find to decorate my classroom
-My administrators -- sometimes they let me go shopping on what I've termed "Daddy's money"
-My administrators -- they're letting me do a show with a pool on stage! And one that is risque, at that!
-One-on-one chats with my kids about life
-Thank yous from my kids -- I had one tell me she learned more from me in the past few weeks than she learned in the past three years
-Summer vacation
-Smiles and giggles
There. I've officially blogged.
-Elizabeth
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Yay for blogging! Ya know, you can blog as yourself, too. You don't have to hide behind the admin email :)
ReplyDeleteYour job sounds amazing. I can't wait to see your show.
Mucho-love
Oooh ... yeah, I need to figure that out.
ReplyDeleteI also need to check for typos if I'm going to claim myself as an English teacher.
I'll figure it out ...
I love how much you love your kids!!! That'll make the blech-ness less blech-y! (Hey English teacher, did you like the way I made up a word? I think you should teach it in you AP English classes. If you'd like, I could be a guest sometime to help them to understand the proper usage of "blech.")
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