I am Alive!

So, I realized today how tragic it is that I have not been blogging this semester. Frankly, I have been ridiculously busy. Even so, it is no excuse for not making time for the hilarious, tragic, and every day moments of my semester.

I can't believe that on Sunday it will be April. What does this mean? Well, for starters it means student teaching will be coming to an end!!! Which means I will be graduating!!! Which means I have to get a grown up job. All of these things are exciting, but also scary. Because I've neglected to blog for so long, allow me to share with you the top ten moments of my student teaching experience (the good, the bad, and the ugly, and in no particular order):

10. Having a student elect to announce to the entire class that he's going to write about, "Why student teachers suck!" after I gave students permission to write about a student issue of their choice.

9. Writing delightfully pleasant comments on a student paper, only to suddenly discover that what I am reading seems vaguely familiar. AH! But wait! It wasn't vaguely familiar AT ALL! It was word-for-word the exact same project turned in by a student in another class that I teach!

8. Giving both students a zero on a 400 point project because they made the choice to disregard plagiarism/cheating policies and turn in the same project anyway.

7. Having students genuinely seem sad to find out I'm leaving soon and hearing them actually suggest that I stay the entire school year (It's nice to feel loved).

6. Listening to the buzz/hum in the classroom when real learning is happening and knowing that I made that happen.

5. Watching a student who has never passed English work so hard he made a C+! (I never knew a C+ could make me want to cry with joy!)

4. Actually talking about books with students and finding out that, yes, some of them do choose to read, despite their efforts to attempt to convince me they were illiterate when we read Pride and Prejudice.

3. Overhearing the following conversation and wanting to leap for joy:

Random High School Junior - UGH! I have to read Pride and Prejudice for English this
term.

My Student - We just finished reading that. I hated it at first. But it's a pretty good book
actually!

2. Having the quietest girl in the class, who never says a thing, actually volunteer to respond during group discussions.

1. Realizing that, yes, I am a teacher. Knowing how much I genuinely care for every student that I teach. Knowing that, even though days are hard, I really am making a difference for some. Crying for kids. Worrying about kids. Rejoicing in their successes. Giving them my all. This is what I have chosen as my profession, and I love it.

Now, someone hire me.