When people find out I teach middle school, their reactions are often very similar...once they are able to shake the visions of themselves trapped in a classroom with 35 smelly, hormonal, obnoxious tweens, they ask me how I manage to go to work every day.
I haven't really been able to come up with a great answer to those types of questions, except to say that I simply love it. Of course, there are all the deep, philosophical reasons why I love my job ("to teach is to touch a life forever"...*YAWN*) - but let's just be honest...that's boring! I love interacting with kids who are discovering themselves and establishing their identities as young adults. And what day would be complete without more tween-age drama than any average human being can take?
Tonight, however, I was reminded of another compelling reason as to why I choose to place myself in the chaos that is 6th, 7th, and 8th grade life every day (at least for 180 days a year!...but seriously, parents, get a clue when you think teachers have it easy because of "June, July, and August"...I have student loan bills and educational materials strewn about my house...and NO, they aren't the latest interior design craze...)....*sigh*...I digress, but it will prove my point....
Every day, I place my head in lion's mouth because I know, on the inside, I am very much like that lion! In the paragraph above, you may have noticed my weird, tangental thinking...have you ever read the writing of a tween? I promise, it is almost as hard to read! So back to this evening...
The husband told me he needed to go to the party store to buy balloons and ribbons for the holiday dance at his school this week. Since I needed to go to Target, we asked Grandma if she would mind spending some time with her grandson (we are still enjoying "honeymoon" stage...she was all over it!). After a quick, costly trip to Target, we soon found ourselves in the party supply store...party heaven...Seriously, I have never been in a party store as well-stocked as this one was. While husband quickly set out to find balloons, I wandered their overflowing aisles in awe of their wares (a cardboard Barrack Obama and three different cardboard Liberaces? Who doesn't need that?!)...
And then I saw it...every young tween boy's reason for living.... instantly I was warped back to 1990 - 7th grade - what a year. Growing up, my mom would never let me buy fake poo. Tonight, though, I was an adult, and my mom was at home. After purchasing my 99 cent boyhood dream, I plotted. Husband thought I was absolutely off my rocker because I giggled and laughed all the way home....
The poo? It ended up on mom's pillow...and she found it almost 10 minutes ago. She called for dad....I laughed. She failed to see the humor...but then again, she isn't the middle school teacher. I am still laughing. I can't wait until our son is old enough to appreciate my fake poo purchase!
His2Dads
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4 comments:
Fake poo. Ah the memories... Sharing my first fake poo gag with my son will rank somewhere between giving him the keys to his first car and sharing our first legal scotch together.
I taught 8th grade for two years and by far it was my most favorite age group. They keep you on your toes, don't they? You sure do keep your husband on his toes... poop? Classy. LOL
don't know how I got here, as usual, late night wanderings through the blogosphere..... but as a fellow (former) middle school teacher, I concur with you that they (middleschoolers) are theee most fascinating creatures. I think, as teachers, that perhaps we choose to teach the age that somehow was meaningful for us. I teach adults now, and love it, but sometimes I miss the 6th graders...
I'll be checking your blog regularly. NICE!
BusyDad...at 99 cents, you had better enjoy the fake poo moment...it seems moments cost "more" as children age! *grin*
Thanks, Ohmommy...You have opened my eyes...I never would have put "classy" and "poop" together...but I am honored to be a "classy" "poop" guy...
And thanks Suesun, for stopping by! You are welcome any time...I can't promise anything but to be me.
And for what it's worth, I have to disagree with you both...I prefer my 7th graders! *grin*
Have a wonderful evening!!!
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