An Apple for a Teacher

I know that I have said it before, and I must say it again: "I teach some of the greatest students in the entire world." Saying this does not mean that they do not have typical teenager behaviors such as loving to laugh, talk, and be silly etc. However, laughing, talking, and being silly are not necessary bad behavior is it?

The end of the school year can really test the patience of teachers and students. Yesterday was the seniors last day, and I must say that the last two or three weeks with them has been what I call "A True Test of Patience." Not that they were disrespectful or anything like that, but they were mentally through with school, meaning that it was very difficult to get them to review for the AP exam or do anything that was academic related. So, I had to try and review creatively and just let the end of their school year "Sail On."

The underclassmen have about four more weeks and they are trying to hold it together. What is working to our advantage is the irregular schedules for standardized testing. With the irregular schedule, we see the students sporadically. After the standardized testing, we try and review for final exams. After exams, all of the pressure that is built up over the school year is released, just like a balloon when all of the air is released from it. Oh, the joy of the end of school!!

Teacher Appreciation Week was the week of May 7th , approximately two weeks ago. Last Thursday, a week after teacher appreciation week, I was feeling a little overwhelmed with trying to get the seniors to finish up those last few things before they stampeded out of the school doors forever.  One of my freshmen, one week after Teacher Appreciation Week, approached me as she was urgently digging for something in her book bag. She said "Ms. Stallworth, I forgot to give this to you last week," and she pulled out a red, shiny apple. Being pleasantly surprised, I stopped, gave her a huge hug, and "eased on down the road."

The apple that she gave to me looks very similar to this one!

The apple was given to me a week after teacher appreciation week, but it was right on time :)

See, I do have some of the greatest students in the world!

Everything is gonna be alright!