SUMMERTIME! At last! Which is why (perhaps unbeknownst to our readers) I didn’t end up writing a piece Monday like I was supposed to and am writing one today instead. Thanks again to Shelby for sending out that archive piece on Monday in honor of my first wedding anniversary! I was so caught up with the last two days of school that OTF completely slipped my mind. But today, since I’m not working…well, here I am!
Monday’s piece was supposed to be a retrospective on my first year of marriage, but I think I’ll save that for a joint piece with Kayla in a few weeks instead. (She is the one who started the Marriage Managed series, after all).
Instead, I’ll reflect on my fourth year of teaching. And for once, I’m going to allow myself to pat myself on the back a bit here. I may not always feel appreciated by the powers that be at school OR by the students, but the end of the year is when the truth comes out. I want to share some of the best messages my students wrote for me in my yearbook, along with my thoughts on some of the said messages and students.
From the Students of My Lovely Class
“Dear Ms. Record, I enjoyed your class the most this year. You are one of the nicest teachers in this school. Your students are lucky to have an amazing teacher like you.” -VB
“I loved your classroom, the energy was amazing! I hope that you have a wonderful and relaxing summer!! :)” -HB
These first two sweet girls were some of my favorites. They often came to my room at lunch and helped me out with things here and there. I knew they’d write me something sweet, but it was still nice to see!
“I had a really great time in your class and I’m glad I had you as my teacher this year. (Although I’m sure not as glad as you were to have me! ;) ) I really appreciate how you always tried to make lessons fun and include activities that we like. I hope you have a great summer, and good luck next year!” -MA
“I always looked forward to going to your class and thank you for putting in the effort to make your class enjoyable for all of us.” -AM
Kids have been telling me I’m nice/friendly/sweet since the beginning of my career, but these compliments about my fun/enjoyable teaching are newer for me. I think now that my classroom management has improved so much (and this class in particular was so wonderful), I really got to teach the way I wanted to this year. I’m so glad they saw that and appreciated it.
“You taught me so much and inspired a lot of what I know today. You were by far the most empathetic and energetic teacher I’ve met. Best of luck with your future classes.” -SA
I cry. I loved this boy. He reads for fun and writes beautiful poetry—what more could an English teacher want in a student?
“Thank you for being such a sweet and funny teacher. I love that I can talk to you about my boy problems. I love you, have a great summer <3” -EK
Lol at the boy problems comment, but omg the kids who literally wrote “I love you” have my heart forever.
“Keep working hard. I see your passion for what you are doing and that’s all you need.” -NM
This message caught me off guard, but after thinking about who wrote it, it made sense. NM was a great student, though rather quiet. I’m glad he noticed and appreciated my passion!
“I know you might forget me someday but thank you for always believing in me and helping me when I first came. I really wish you the best in the future. I hope one day you’ll read this and it’ll bring a smile on your face.” -AV
This boy was a bit of a mess (and I’m pretty sure high AF when he wrote this), but I really did see a lot of potential in him. I got annoyed with him a lot for skipping class and such, but I was always willing to answer his questions and guide him through assignments. He’s wrong, though—I’ll never forget him!
From My ENL (English as a New Language) Students
“I loved your class with my whole life. Don’t forget about me!” -HS
I won’t forget her either! It was amazing to see an ELL (English Language Learner) comprehend so much of a complicated text like To Kill a Mockingbird.
“You’re the best teacher I’ve ever seen. I love you and I’m going to miss you so much <3” -HE
Again with the “I love you”…I can’t! So sweet.
“Ms. Record, thank you very much for being there whenever I need it, by having so much patience. Thank you very much, I will not forget it.” -ER
This boy started the year speaking ONLY Spanish and truly came so far by the end of the year. He busted his ass every day in class and was kind to everyone, always. He took the time (as did a lot of the kids in this class) to use Google translate to formulate a nice message for my yearbook, which just melted my heart.
“Dear Ms. Record, I have enjoyed your class during this year and I have learned a lot from you and I’m grateful.” -HA
The “I’m grateful” is what does it for me.
From the Students of My Very Challenging Class
“Thank you for always being patient and dealing with me and [redacted]’s bad behavior. You are my favorite ELA teacher and the nicest.” -MG
“Thank you for being patient with me and teaching me the best” -MA
See, in this class, they’re not going to say much about my lessons being enjoyable, because I had to spend so much time disciplining them. However, the acknowledgments of my patience are just as appreciated.
“Bob killed Boo” -KM
Okay, I included this one for a reason. This kid was in La La Land the majority of the time, but apparently the ending of To Kill a Mockingbird stuck with him. I’ll call that a win!
“Coolest teacher in my opinion :)” -ID
I got mad at this boy all the time, so I’m glad he still found me to be cool!
“
I might be gay for youI’m going to miss you as my teacher” -GP
Lmao this dumb-dumb thought he was signing a classmate’s yearbook and literally wrote “I might be gay for you.” I called him out on it and asked him to change it, causing him to turn bright red. Classic!
Even though I spend quite a bit more time complaining about my job than gushing about it, it goes without saying that I do love it. Or, I love THIS part of it anyway. Shaping the lives of children, building relationships with them, teaching them not just how to write well and think critically but to be empathetic individuals…there’s really nothing I’d rather do. I finished this year on good terms with all 70 of my students, and I’m very proud and appreciative of that.
…but I’m also appreciative that I now get a two month break! 🤙
Shit We’re Loving: WATCH
Aimée’s Pick: Derry Girls on Netflix
I finally watched the final season (or, as they say in the UK, “series”) of Derry Girls, only to realize that I remembered very little of the first two seasons. They’re really short, so naturally I jumped right into a full rewatch! It’s such a witty, fun, and heartwarming show. Subtitles help a lot, but I think it’s something just about anyone can appreciate and enjoy.
One big takeaway I had this time around is sort of a niche 2023 teacher take. As much as I love the parent characters on this show, it made me genuinely sad to see such caring and involved 90s parents, knowing that that’s simply not how it is for most kids now. The reactions the parents on Derry Girls have to their daughters’ antics feel so appropriate and effective. Nowadays, these kids practically run their households (and, thus, run their schools). I wish I could tell my students’ parents to go watch this show for a lesson on how to handle adolescent misbehavior.
Show Your Support: Bee City USA
In 2023, OTF will now spotlight four charities, showing our support on a quarterly basis instead of monthly. Though this does mean we’re not highlighting as many organizations as before, this will allow for more time on the important aspect of writing, while still doing what OTF was created to do which is support writing and each other. For the new quarterly SYS organizations, OTF will donate $200 to each hand-selected charity. This Spring Quarter (April, May, June), we spotlight Bee City USA.
With Earth Day happening late April (the 22nd), and with spring being a time for absolute renewal, we chose an environmental charity to support this quarter. Bee City USA provides a framework for communities to come together to conserve native pollinators by providing them with a healthy habitat that is rich in a variety of native plants, that provides nest sites, and that is protected from pesticides. As the name suggests, the focus of Bee City USA is bees, and primarily our native species.
Since 2019, there have been more than 2,566 habitat projects (think gardens, meadows, orchards) completed, totaling over 3,800 acres.
The steps that Bee City affiliates take to conserve our native bees, including creating safe habitats and hosting community events, will also help other pollinators, including butterflies and moths, as well as the non-native honeybee. One of the most impactful actions any affiliate can take is to encourage others to think beyond the honeybee—there are more than 3,600 species of bees in this country!—and recognize the true diversity of bees that sustain our communities. For the quarter, OTF has already donated $200 to Bee City and encourages you to give and/or promote what you can.
Daily Intention:
Today I choose…
To do whatever I want!
Here’s some nifty buttons for you to press, enjoy: