Every day on my way to and from work I pass this Lebanese Catholic Church which always has clever and thoughtful "sayings" on the billboard out front. I enjoy reading the sign multiple times a day, and more often than not, I find the theme/idea to be true and pertinent to life.
Today was no exception. I have been out of work for the past 2 days on account of a nasty flu bug and sinus infection. I felt poorly Friday upon leaving work, but figured a relaxing weekend would straighten things out. Yah right! The past 5 days have been beyond miserable, not only due to my body hating every single thing about me, but also because this is one of the WORST WEEKS EVER to be gone from school!!! I have been stressed thinking about everything that was due this up-coming Friday... wondering how on earth I was going to get it all done when I could not even get out of bed?! I mean, grades due... teacher self-report due... summative tests to grade... French/Haitian comparative essays to grade... course cards to sign and pick up... copies to make for next week... lesson plans to write...
You're stressed too, aren't you??!! Welcome to the life of a teacher.
Anywho, I drug my sorry behind out of bed today and made it into work. I read the sign on the way in, not really thinking too much about it because well... my brain is a little behind right now. Oh, and did I mention I have no voice? Well... I don't. Add that factor in to the whole "your job is to VERBALLY teach information to 180 students and CONVERSE with each and every one of them each day."
Bless all those students... many of whom I want to smack around on a daily basis... they were all so very glad to see me today. Everyone wanted to know where I had been. Everyone wanted to tell me about their life from this past weekend, even the past 2 days (this is an every day thing. Think about all of the information I know because 180 of them tell me stuff EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.) Even realizing I could not respond or converse with them didn't stop the majority. Here are some of the many things I learned today from my students...
1. You're back! Good, because the mornings have been blah the past few days. I'm not a morning person, but you are. You always smile at us at like.. 9:45 in the AM and I find myself smiling back because I think you are nuts at 9:45 AM, but, you make me smile. So, glad you're back.
2. Mrs. Carey, I forgot to study for the test today and it's because you were not here yesterday. Every class period before we have a test you tell us like 10 million times during class "study this information. you will have a test tomorrow" and usually I get so annoyed at you, in my head, of course! because you keep saying the same phrase over and over again, but you know what?! I remember to study! And... you didn't tell me 10 million times to study yesterday so.. I forgot.
3. Mrs. Carey, I forgot to study too, but I just tried to remember the words/notes you kept repeating in class and had underlined on the board in that obnoxious orange color. Words like Socialism. P for Proletariat. Steam Engine by the guy who sounds like a light bulb (James Watt). Imperialism sounds like Empire...what's the biggest empire in 1800s? B for Britain. A.F.L. American, French, Latin America.
Hey.. that orange color works!
4. Mrs. Carey, there were so many shenanigans (I use this word all the time. My kids think it is funny, so I taught them the meaning. They now use it too) going down in the hall the past 2 days. You would never have let that crap fly. I kept thinking you were going to open that door and tell those kids "what's up" in your "I'm Mrs. Carey and I don't put up with that" voice. So, get your voice back quick okay. The halls are out of control!
5. What do you mean you don't have a voice?! How are we supposed to learn anything? How am I supposed to remember the information? I only know half this stuff because your voice gets all excited when you talk about the information. Who is going to get me excited about world history??!!
6. Mrs. Carey, you are the best! Even though you don't have a voice and you don't feel good, you are still trying to get us caught up with our grades and talk to us about course cards and our classes for next year. You care, always, and that is just awesome.
I left work with a smile on my face... sans voice. I drove past the church sign... re-read it and went wow. So unbelievably true.
I told myself I was going to write this all down today so when I'm having a bad day at work, I can go back and remind myself of how each day matters. How every single time I say something in class or set forth in motion some action, it matters. Someone is always watching and taking notice. We are not meant to see those "moments" on a daily basis; otherwise, they would become common place and un-special. However, when God does allow them to shine through, they warm the soul and remind me to press on and be a "Light unto the World"
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