basketball season begins

After school today I went to the first middle school boys' and girls' basketball games of the season. A lot of my students play on the teams and asked me if I would come and to be honest, I really had nothing else better to do and I was really looking forward to them. It was fun watching my students in a completely different atmosphere. I felt so proud when I would see some of my girl students plow over the other team and just snatch the ball out of their opponents' hands. i thought to myself, "yeah, I teach that girl." Both teams won. The girls clearly outplayed the other team but the boys' game was a nail biter until the end. It was so exciting to see my boys shoot 3 pointers and and free throws. When I first walked into the gym before the girls game started, all the boys on the team cheered for me. They were glad I was there. The parents all thought it was so great of me to come support the team. I didn't want to tell the parents that it was either that or sit at home alone...actually I'm hoping for better Christmas gifts now that the parents see I really do care about their kids :)

Big news of the week: I rearranged my classroom so that the kids are sitting 4-5 at a table instead of 3 so now when can do more group work easier--my life is exciting I know.

Today I also found out one of my best students is leaving at christmas to go to public school. I will miss her. I always counted on her in first period to have an answer when everyone else in the class had no idea what i was talking about. It is weird to think that my first year is almost half over. I feel like there is still so much that I don't know about the students and I wonder am I really making a difference in their lives? Right now a year seems so short. I think I really do love my kids and I don't want to look back and wish I had given more to them while I had them.

I have no good stories right now. Each moment at school is a story and by the end of the day there are so many I can't even think of them, you just have to come visit sometime and you can witness it all first hand. sometimes I ask myself what I was thinking when I decided to move here and take this job, honestly I don't think I was thinking or else I wouldn't have done it but I am so glad I did get this job. Now I just wish my life outside of my job was more exciting...maybe my life will just become my job especially now that it is basketball season.....................just kidding