Blessings

For years I've heard that teachers are overworked and underpaid. Show me a profession where that isn't the case. OK, maybe some professionals ... but don't most of us feel that way at times? I sure do. And I know it is the end of the school year and she's ready for a break. She should be thankful she's in a position where she gets a summer break. Most of us don't.

So here are some excerpts:

The mere thought of finally being rid of this particular class makes me break into a fine rendition of "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands..."!!! In two weeks when I head off to the beach I'll be changing the lyrics to "If you're happy and you know it have a cocktail"...I'm not a lush, so don't go AA on me but this year has been really difficult.  

* 3 ADHD kids NOT on any medication. I'm not a proponent of drugging our children, just drugging them when I'm expected to teach them something. I promise if any of the parents in question had to actually be with these kids for 7+ hours a day and if they were held accountable for actually teaching them a skill they would do something about their children's lack of ability to sit for longer than 10 seconds. 

* One girl in my room lost her mother this year, she and her 2 siblings moved in to live with an aunt who is fabulous, but not her mom. She's buried her mom, moved to another state, changed schools, moved into another living situation, and has earned straight A's all year...she's a superstar! But, still I haven't had time to help her deal with her life because of the other idiots in my classroom.

Here are my thoughts (and no, I'm not a teacher. I used to be substitute teacher years ago. Discovered that wasn't my calling.). These kids all have problems that are not going to go away. They need TLC, extra attention, love, patience, affirmation, and anything else positive you can think of. What they don't need is a critical teacher who doesn't seem to care about them as individuals. My gosh ... any one of those problems she mentioned is enough to push any sane person over the edge ... but a kid? We can't expect them to process life as a adult does. They can't pick themselves up by their bootstraps and go on by themselves. Not every child has 2 loving, healthy parents. Many kids almost raise themselves ... come home to an empty house, fix their own meals, care for younger siblings, and so forth. Many have single parents who work 2-3 jobs just to make ends meet. Live in substandard housing. Mentally ill parents. Self-centered parents. Foster parents. Abusive relationships. Addictive parents. Homeless. The list goes on and on. Some kids have physical problems that cause a lot of issues. She mentioned the kid who soils his pants several times a day. I know from personal experience that autistic children have digestive problems. For years Jay had that same problem. He hated it, but he could not control it. He's been on medication now for 2 years and almost accident free. Reckon that ever crossed her mind? I'm sure the child doesn't enjoy soiling his pants several times a day. It breaks my heart.

I heard on tonight's local news that there are 5,000 young people between the ages of 16-24 who are neither in school or gainfully employed. Just "hanging out." Makes me wonder how many of this woman's students will end up in the same situation.

This same teacher says she is single and about to adopt a daughter from China. I hope to goodness she has a perfect child or I'm afraid that child will feel the same rejection her classroom kids obviously feel. Read the last paragraph again where she call them idiots. Perhaps she was just having a bad day when she penned these words. I don't know her heart, but she breaks mine. I feel so sorry for these children who have had to endure 9 months of this daily treatment. My prayers are with them.