Actual Appreciation

OK, for all my whining about teacher appreciation week, I got appreciated today. By one of my former students. He came in when we were in the middle of a test and I said, "Marcel, you're not supposed to be in this building during testing." (Someone suggested using aliases for the kids because it makes the stories easier to remember and more personal, so I'll try that.) He said, "Oh, I just wanted to bring you something." The something was a little stuffed Taco Bell dog that says, "Feliz Navidad, amigos," when you squeeze it. It looks like it's been well loved - I'll put a picture of it up later. I asked him what it was for and he said it was for Teacher's Day! And he's not even my student any more.

Later, the class had a little conversation that also made me feel appreciated. D'Anthony called some girl ugly, and the girl was sad, and I said that if someone were to call me ugly I'd just think to myself, "Well, I know I"m pretty!" and ignore them. The peanut gallery chimed in and it went like this,

"Teacher, you more like beautiful than pretty."

"You more than beautiful."

"You always beautiful."

"You the beautifulest and prettiest teacher I had."

So, sometimes I do feel affirmed here. At least by the kids.

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