Through my student teaching experience and experience as a substitute, I have had many teaching and learning experiences. My fifth grade students have been some of the best teachers. Not only did they give me a hard time while student teaching, they also gave me a hard time as a sub. Not all of them, but a select hand full of them.
I had a couple of tough cookies in my class and they made sure to make me as miserable as possible when I was at school. They would do anything and everything to find my buttons and push them and all I could do was pray to get through the day.
I'm not bashing my students or anything, just simply explaining how one of my students really came around at the end of the year. One of my girls was always getting into trouble. It was practically a daily routine for her to visit the office because of something she did, said or was caught doing. Nothing changed her attitude and she was sure to give me a challenging day. I have extrememly high hopes and dreams for her, as she is an amazing writer and a great student, but her negative attitude always out shine these positive aspects.
Well, the last day of school was approaching, and I had a job interview at the school the day before. One of the questions I was asked was what grade I least liked teaching and why. I admitted that fifth grade had been quite a challenge, but it wasn't the curriculum or subjects that had been the challenge. I told of my experience and how I had a student that had repeatedly told me she hated me. This occurred through my student teaching ad through subbing. I had never done anything to this girl and no one else had a problem with me. The principal said she understood what I had went through and said that sometimes the students that give you the hardest time are the ones that love you the most but haven't found the right way to show that love.
With this being said, I remembered it as I walked to the gym on the last day of school for intermediate awards day. I had just been told that I didn't get one of the two jobs I had applied for and was pretty disappointed, but I wanted to be there for my students. I watched as many of my fifth graders received AR awards, AM awards, and many other awards during that hour.
Finally awards were over and students were sent back to their classrooms. I walked down the fifth grade hall one last time to go see my students. It was quite bitter-sweet, as my babies had all grown and will be middle schoolers. I talked to several of my students and one came up and told me he was going to miss me and didn't want to leave. I looked over and my lovely little girl that gave me so much trouble was sitting at her desk alone. I walked over and told her that no matter what we had been through that year, that I was going to miss her regardless of everything that had been said. She said she'd miss me too.
I talked to several of my other students and before everyone lined up to leave my little trouble maker walked over to me crying and said she would miss me...of course I burst into tears as well.... This was a huge deal! She had finally shown she really did care for me!
I went to the principal and had to tell her what had happened. She said, see I told you.
Lessons can be learned not just from our teachers, but from out students as well.
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