Miss McCallister

About two weeks ago I started teaching reading at Rockway Middle School.

I have 26 sixth graders.

I love it!

But it didn't start out that way.

I went into this semester hesitant with my major and wondering if I actually wanted to teach.
I have many dreams and I feared my major would not take me where I want to go.
I began questioning if I should change my major or just graduate
You only have one more year.

I prayed a lot about it and everyone told me to just hold on.

So I held on.

Yesterday, after being back with my students from spring break, I felt content.
I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be and I was excited.

We are reading the book Holes.
And I am having so much fun with it.

Today, I asked them to journal about a quote that one of the counselors says to Stanley (the main character).
Mr. Pendanski says "you may have done some bad things, but that doesn't mean you're a bad kid"
I asked them to explain if they agreed or disagreed with this statement.

I never expected the responses I got.

Their writing screams redemption.
It's beautiful.

Here's some examples:

        "There are ups and downs to life"

        "No one can be exactly perfect"

        "Say your sorry and forgive"

        "Everyone has done something bad in their lifetime"

        "Everybody screws up in life, nobody's perfect"

And my favorite, I jumped when I read this one:

        "Jesus is always willing to welcome you back as one of his children"

You can bet I put a smiley next to that sentence!

I also gave everyone a check plus when I graded these. I was so pumped that some of them GET IT!

I'm learning that it's not about being good at the subject you are teaching it's about knowing how to teach and being good at teaching.

It was a happy day :)

Melanie