Throughout the fire saga, my Term 3 students were awesome. They were supportive and empathic and attentive....almost compliant little creatures who thirsted for my knowledge.
Then the term ended and my Term 4 classes entered.
On the first day of class, I had to pause many times to get their attention. I do not speak while students are speaking, and I usually don't have troubles with that. But these kids are chatty. I also have quite a few special education students in class, and that's no big deal, but when you have 20 kids and 6 are needy it tips the scale against the teacher a bit.
Plus, I do an activity where I assess the students' personality styles on the second day of class and 3/4 of the classes are extroverts this term. I love my extroverts -- hell I'M an extrovert, but wow, these kids have ENERGY! It takes all my years of experience to keep myself calm, and try to focus the kids on the lesson at hand. I just flail my arms and speak animatedly and PAUSE when I don't have their attention. Then, if that doesn't work, I take the offenders into the hallway for a little folksy chat -- always giving them a choice of settling down or removing themselves from class. I don't kick kids out, they kick themselves out, as my hubby always says.
So, I will end the school year by working my ass off, it appears. What happened to my little sponges who hung on my every word? Oh well, this too shall pass...and I love them all anyway, so I'm sure it'll be fine.
Oh one other side-note: I went to the local middle school today to visit their student council, who held a can deposit drive for us. The little shits raised over $1,200 for our family -- and as I told them the story of the fire and accepted the donation, I almost cried for the first time.
Almost....I'm sure the floodgates will open eventually, but for now, I'm just concentrating on moving forward. And moving forward we are.
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