As we charge into the 2nd month of this semester there seem to be more things frustrating, more challenges than successes. Kids missing due to field trips, skipping, parents pulling kids to take vacations, students not buying into the learning program. As an educator I find it so easy to get caught up in the fray and find myself more and more stressed.  As I find myself bogged down in the “little things”,  I realize that these are chances for me to learn what’s really key in my class…

It’s about the relationships. Today I had a senior student skip – and then he came to me to talk about it. His reasons were very personal and he had come to class late – but then walked away. “I know how interactive your classes are and today – I just couldn’t do it.”. We spoke, he cried and talked about the stresses in his life and I learned. It isn’t about the missed assignment and the empty chair in class. Its about someone feeling comfortable enough to talk and needing someone to listen. My job isn’t content – it’s people.

Tomorrow is another day. Yesterday was horrid with my Gr11 8am class. It’s a combination of kids who have finished a rushed 1 semester prep course and others who have done 2 full semesters. The prep course kids are scared to talk and tend to use minimal target language. Others were goofy and nobody was buying totally into the interactive task. Yet today – when they needed to be on – they were. They had support and resources for the activity and they willingly bought in to the task. Yup – a great reminder to relax and realize that Scarlett O’Hara was right “Tomorrow is another day”

For every frustration there is invariably a silver lining. That underlying lesson can be tough to see but I think it’s what makes me a better educator. Hang in there people!

Colleen