On Having A Good Day Teaching

I left the school on Friday smiling. This isn't something that happens on a daily basis, so it's a noteworthy event. I must admit that when I entered the building in the morning I was unsure about how the day would unfold. It was our last day with the year 11 students; they're off for the rest of the year, only coming in to write exams. This is the only time I've seen the British system try to let the students access their learning in an independent fashion. It's the only time that anything they learn is up to them. I doubt they'll use it though; most of my students simply see it as the start to their summer, with a few pesky exams in the middle. Ah well, those students who are worried about doing well will do well; those who muck about will have an eye opening experience ahead of them.

Anyways, on Friday's I typically have my higher 11s first period, then a free, then my bottoms, lunch, my 9s and finish with my 8s. Fridays are usually a pretty high-energy day, with the kids coming in with bucketloads of food, sugar and hyperactive hormones. I usually have to brace myself for a day in which I am constantly using my 'high' voice - the high pitched voice I reserve for trying to shout over students who are in a constant state of titters and giggles. I stock myself well with tea.

When the 11s came in, they were mostly subdued. All of them commented on how this was their last ever English lesson at the school, and with me. The got their folders out (binders, for my Canadian readers), and sat looking at me wistfully. We shared a few jokes, and then I powered up the projector and started in on the 'quiz' like Literature exam revision. It was a silly thing my colleagues had made, where a character name and image came on the board, and then the kids had to see who could talk about that character for a minute. They were apprehensive about doing it. I stood there for a good five minutes trying to coax someone into trying to do it. I was met with a few arguments about how the game was 'unrealistic' and 'unfair', as it put too much 'on the spot pressure' on the students. I scoffed at them, and said they were making excuses for their possible lack of knowledge. They rebuffed me for that, but thats what I had wanted them to do. I pushed their buttons some more, telling them that if they couldn't talk about the character for a minute, then they were going to struggle to write about the character for ten. That got them. A few shot worried glances at each other, a few pulled some nasty faces at me for scaring them.

Finally, a student volunteered to go. They didn't make it to a minute, but the ice was finally broken. Only a few students did any of the talking, while the others kind of mucked about, but it was the best I could do with them, and frankly went better than I had expected.

At the end of lesson, they all got together at the front of the class for a picture. I took one for them, and then they asked me to be in one as well. We took a few, some kids hugged each other, and then the bell went.

"Make sure to take your folders! I don't want them here!" I said as they started to pack up.

"Aw Miss, you don't want the memories?" one of them asked.

"I've got enough in my head, thanks," I replied.

As they left, they all thanked me, and said I'd done a really great job. A few said sorry for being prats sometimes. I smiled at them, and wished them luck. I'll miss them.

My bottom 11s were even cuter. They asked for individual pictures with me, and asked me to sign their leavers books. I did. It was cute. They gave me sweets as well.

During the lesson, I asked them to write a letter, to work on their letter writing skills for the exam. At the end of it, one of the boys stays behind, hands me a folded piece of paper, and leaves. I unfolded it after he had left, and saw it was a letter written to me. In it, he said that he was sorry for not working hard enough in lesson, and for being a pain in the ass. He said it wasn't just with me that he did this, but with all his teachers, and was no reflection on my teaching ability. He then signed it, and added a postscript: "I will get a C on the exam, and make you proud. I promise."

As I read it, my eyes watered up a bit, because it was really very sweet.

The rest of the day went by without incident. My 9s were good; they have been ever since I got rid of the one annoying student; the one that made me lose my cool before the Easter break. After sorting out the fact that he wasn't meant to be with me these last few weeks, I happily sent him packing, and the lessons the rest of the week went fine. It really was just him that was holding me, and everyone else, back. If only I'd done it sooner.

My 8s came in after their lunch for the last period of the day bouncing off the walls. They usually come in quite hyper, but today they seemed especially ridiculous. They're a great bunch though, so I kind of did the 'fake mad teacher look' and they settled. It helps that they're really loving the Dracula unit.

As we were reading through the play, I saw a note being passed around. This was something new for me, in any of my lessons. I chose to ignore it though, as they were otherwise following along very well. At the end of the lesson, they came up to me with the note, and said it was for me.

At the top of the page was written : The following students want Miss Carson to stay next year.

They had all signed it.

It was so cute. I smiled at them, and said it was a very sweet thought. They asked me if it would do any good to hand it in to someone. I said I doubted it, and then tacked it beside my desk, on the wall, and said I'd use it to remember them. They all smiled, and then left as the bell rang.

Overall, it was a very cute day. The students made me feel appreciated, which is something I've been lacking lately.

In fact, I must admit this entire week has been a good one for me. Things are going well, and I'm in a good place. Feeling good, feeling great. Hopefully things remain on the sunny side.

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