Am I thankful?

My students signed a courage contract to start the year. I was so proud!

A student approached me today, and I uttered my now famous phrase, "I don't answer questions for students who are standing up." Exasperated she walked back to her seat, and raised her hand. I walked over to her and leaned down next to the desk to better hear her.

"Ms. H," she said. "Are you thankful we are your students?"

I quickly uttered an "of course" and walked away to deal with the students throwing the folded paper squares they call ninja stars across the class. My public relations training had kicked in and I told her exactly what she wanted to hear. Now that the day is done, I can't get her question out of my mind.

This week my focus has been on going home. I've been excited and thankful for the chance to see my family again after nearly 6 months. I'm also thankful that I'll have the chance to see the Huskers play and even just for 4 days off. Am I really thankful for these kids?

Yes, I am. Though I don't always show them, there are some very important reasons I'm grateful that those 132 sixth graders are mine.

The first is innocence. Most of my 6th graders maintain a sense of innocence that hasn't hardened them into teenagers yet. They still believe the world is supposed to be fair, and haven't had very many hard "adult" truths to face yet. The world around them is still largely a mystery, and they can't wait to discover the possibilities. The best bonus of innocence is that they still laugh at their teacher's antics.

Next is creativity and wonder. Every day I hear something new that makes me smile. I can't always share this laughter with my kids, but the things they say, and the things they write are never boring. Each day brings a new comment or question. Too often I dismiss these as annoyances because they interrupt my lesson, but they should be appreciated and celebrated. Lord grant me the patience to recognize that in the moment!

Finally I appreciate my kid's emotionality. I say that begrudgingly because most of the time I hate it. Middle school is a roller coaster for students AND teachers. They will cry big tears or scream at me in class, and the next day meet me at the door with a hug. While this makes me crazy, it also makes me grateful. It goes both ways. When I have a rough day, they are usually very accepting of my apology, and even are willing to laugh with me the next day.

No, they aren't perfect, but neither am I. My students fill each day with a challenge and a purpose. The biggest thing I'm thankful for is that they are truly showing me the miracles of prayer.

'till the cows come home,
Ellie