Good Days

Find something good... Look for it, wait for it, insist on it, remind each other of our higher selves...~Camika Royal

When things get rough, I remind myself that there are good things happening here. There are good days, and they buoy me longer than bad days can bring me down. I usually don't write about teaching here, but I have a few anecdotes that definitely fall under the "good day" umbrella, so here goes...

Yesterday was a bad day. Geometry was fine, but my algebra students were much worse than usual. I chalked it up to everyone's readjustment to school after one glorious week of break. And I think I was right, because today was a lot better. Not just relatively, but absolutely. My geometry students were, for the most part, really on the ball; my algebra students, at least in period 6-7, were rocking the lesson on simplifying rational expressions by factoring trinomials into binomials. I was so proud of them: in geometry, they argued about reflections and translations (rotations tomorrow, kids, prepare for your minds to be blown); in algebra, they tried to out-shout each other to give me the right answer, and I could have kissed all of them. They asked me, "Aren't you happy we're yelling about math answers?" and I responded, "Yes! Yes, I am!"

Another tiny victory, though it is way too early to celebrate for real: a student who consistently misbehaves and is completely disrespectful stayed after school to get help with a worksheet today. Now, he didn't stay very long and didn't get nearly enough practice in for me to feel confident that his "I'll work on it at home" will actually produce right answers, but still, I was pleased that he at least came for help. I think this may have had to do with the fact that his grandfather came up to the school today to have a conference with me...

After tutoring, I took my papers outside to grade at my school's home baseball game. It was a beautiful day, perfect weather, and I felt really productive. One of my students was oh-so-close to scoring a run, which was pretty exciting, but our team was getting trounced by the other one when I left during the fifth inning.

There were still incredibly disheartening things that happened today, students who made me angry with their lack of concern for passing the end-of-course test, passing the class, or learning in general, but today was a good day. Let's continue the positive party.

In non-school-related news, I got a job at the Atlanta institute this summer! I'll be a School Operations Manager. I'll find out what school soon, but it doesn't matter much to me: a high school would be great, obviously, but a middle school is close enough, and an elementary school? Can we say adorableness overload? I'm totally excited that I'll be employed, first of all, though after a week off, I was really digging the idea of not having a job this summer and getting to be lazy for two months. But I'm even more excited to be working for TFA again with some of the most driven, goal-oriented people ever. There will be a few of us from Memphis, which is also very cool. I can't say enough good things about the people within this organization.

In TFA-related news, this evening, I went to a panel discussion regarding Wendy Kopp's new book, A Chance to Make History. (It's a good read so far; I might write about it once I finish.) Big names in Memphis/education/Memphis education were there: soon-to-be Tennessee Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman, the Hydes, Irving Hamer, deputy superintendent of MCS. It was fascinating to hear everyone speak, though I'm not sure anything ground-breaking was said.

In non-teaching-related news, my old car was retrieved by my insurance company today. Not so happy, but it does mean that soon I will be receiving a considerable amount of money. Hooray for that.

Other good things: the soccer team that Jill coaches at her school won their first game today, 2-1! I found out today about two engagements among my friends (please, for the love of God, someone invite me to a wedding already!)!

I hope there are many many more good days to come.