Are your parents still together?

This week has been very challenging.....again.


Thursday, while my students were doing a writing sample for the state, they had to write about someone they admire or someone who has influenced their lives (positively or negatively).


While writing, a student in my fourth period class, whom I call Barney Bernabe, asked, "Mrs. Clemens, are your parents still together?"


I responded, "Yes, they are."


He took a deep breath and said, "Wow!  You are SO lucky!" At the same time the rest of the class exhaled in awe.


This gave me pause.  


Earlier this week I was reminded (through the misfortune of one of my students) how lucky I am to have my parents for a completely different reason, but just two short days later, I have realized that I take for granted the good things that come with having parents that are still HAPPILY and JOYFULLY married.


For being so much older than my students, they teach me so much daily.  Their lives are remarkably challenging.  The sadness seems to never end.  My heart breaks...


There is no "organized chaos" in their lives, and I am beyond grateful to share the understanding that 90% of the time the chaos in my life is organized, albeit chaos.


Maybe the changes that need to happen in my classroom this year are supposed to happen in me!  I hate learning lessons....especially when it is my goonies teaching me. 


They make me feel like I do not have anything useful to teach them when their thoughts, fears and feelings are so profound.  I know that this is NOT the case; I do have things to teach them; however, that does not make it any easier  to know my life is blessed, and theirs seems so disheveled and unstable.  I want them to live the blessed life I did....or at least one excruciatingly similar.

Leap Day/Leap Year

After school today, I had ONE student show up for tutoring.  During this time I was filling out a form that needed the date.  As I wrote, "2.28.12" on the form, I remarked that this is a weird year.  

The student said, "Weird year...what do you mean?"  

I said, "February has 29 days in it this year.  That is weird; it only happens ONCE every four years."

His expression was completely priceless.  He looked at me as if he had NEVER before heard about this phenomenon.

I said, "The 29th of February, when it happens...is called Leap Day and it makes the year 'Leap Year'.  You've never heard of this before?"

He said, "Huh....nope. Leap day?"

This is just another shock to my system.....it absolutely BLOWS MY MIND......my goonies have such little prior knowledge......social knowledge.  It is no wonder that putting things into perspective for them is so difficult.

He didn't even know that February normally DOES NOT have 29 days....

I wonder how many other students would be just as baffled by my statement.

Prayers for sanity are appreciated....AND prayers for helping me know how to best reach my rugrats....

Thanks,

Mrs. ABC

Sudden shock

Today, I received an email for a withdrawal grade for one of my best students.  This student is a very strong reader and writer and although, too talkative most of the time, like many of my students, this student is precious.

I was so surprised by this, as was another co-worker of mine, so we did some research.  I found out that this student was living with friends currently.  Mom was in the picture, but has been AWOL for quite some time, leaving this student with the friends. 

At some point in the past this student and Mom were beaten while at the friends' house, and had to spend some time in an abuse shelter.  The threat was finally out of the picture and this student and Mom were able to move back in with the friends.  Since then is when Mom went  AWOL. 

This past week Mom tried to commit suicide, she was unsuccessful, but was subsequently placed on life support.  This weekend the family made the decision to pull Mom off life-support. 

So fairly short story, even shorter, this student lost Mom.  This student will be moving to live with older brother in a completely different city.

I feel so sorry for my student.  I CANNOT imagine having to deal with ANY of this history at my age, but especially not in the transforming and challenging years of pre-teen adolescents. 

Life is too short.  Make sure you regularly, if not daily, tell those around you that you love them, and how special they are to you.

Please keep this student in your prayers.  Comfort, peace, and eternal love are definitely needed right now.

Blessings,

Mrs. ABC