grouchy teacher

I started this week with the best of intentions. Last week, I found out about some (more) discouraging, broken situations that a couple of my third graders are facing at home, and I resolved to offer a place of stability and safety for them in our classroom this week. I remember praying as I drove to school Monday morning that I would be able to be a voice of life, truth and grace for my students. Instead, my words have been characterized by grouchiness, I can’t seem to find any extra in my reserves of patience, and my kiddos have been making me nuts! Then, this afternoon, three of my students said the most endearing things.

R: “I made a prediction and it’s coming true! Your belly IS starting to float out past your shirt!” (Let’s hope that he means, “You’re starting to show,” not, “We’re getting a eyeful.”)

U: “Mrs. G, I am GOOD at coupons, huh?”

And then, at the end of the day, I had this conversation as I met with L to fill out her behavior form.

Me: “How do you think the day went?”

L: “Goooo-ooood.”

Me: “Yep, we did have a good day. I am so proud of you. You didn’t hit, kick, push, shove, poke or otherwise touch D all day long.”

L: “Yeah, because yesterday you told me it would be a better choice to stay away from him.”

Now I’ll be honest. I tell this darling 100 things a day, and usually all 100 of them leave my mouth and float out into the abyss, or somewhere, but certainly not into her memory. But if she’s going to choose one direction to listen to, staying away from D is a terrific one to choose. Better for D, better for her (he likes to retaliate in kind), better for the peace of our classroom, and better for those aforementioned sorely low patience reserves. Let’s just hope that she can remember this gem again tomorrow. And let’s hope that I stumble upon some extra patience and a more loving attitude. Because I much prefer the nice Mrs. G. to this grouchy one... and I'm sure my kiddos do too!

*Ok, this is too funny not to add. Today, one of my kiddos wrote, "I feel as spacktakeler as a monkey winning a trophy full of bananas." I can feel the grouchiness dissipating already...