Why I Love 6th Graders

This has been one of the most stressful two weeks that I can remember since I have been teaching. It is really hard to put my finger on why that is. Just more on my plate I guess. I am staying late at school and bringing even more work at home than ever. I hope it will prove beneficial by the end of the year.

This week I took all of my classes to the brand new Mac computer lab. We learned how to access their textbook online so they do not have to take it home. We learned how to use a TCAP test prep website called Study Island. And we learned how to use the Knox County website SchoolFusion. Students can see all of their grades online. They can even look at each teacher's individual assignments and see what they have turned in, what they are missing and exactly what their average is. They learned how to send me messages as well. So Friday when I came home and opened my email, I found 38 messages! Here are some examples....

1. You rock!
2. Heeeeyyyyyy!!!!!!!
3. You are awesome MOST of the time! jk,hahaha

and my very favorite...
4. Hi mrs.cole you rock please bring my grade up from a F to a A

Also this week I lost the teacher's edition of my textbook. I had two copies, one at home and one at school. The one at school, I never took out of the classroom. And one day last week someone wanted to borrow it and I said out loud--

"You can't use my book, it has all of the answers in it!"

And now it is gone. So I have told everyone I am giving a $10.00 reward to get it back. But the funniest thing happened when I was talking to them about looking for it. I explained that it always stayed on my front table or the back table and it never went anywhere else. I said I had looked everywhere though. In all the cabinets and shelves....

and out of the blue one of my students said "Did you look in your snack closet?"

SNACK CLOSET? What exactly do you mean by that??

This closet?

Why.... this is my storage closet.

Or maybe not....

I guess they must see me go in and out of here several times a day. I make my iced tea in here, grab a small piece of chocolate when I need it or even fix my lunch!!!

They just totally crack me up and they don't even mean to!

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Also one little girl ripped my heart out yesterday. She is a tiny little girl. She looks about 8 years old and sounds like she is 5! She came to my desk and asked if she could call home to get some Advil. I said yes-do you have a headache? She said- as she started to tear up- Yes, my granny died a few months ago and I just haven't felt good ever since then. I said- Could I give you a hug? And she grinned a little bit and said- Yes. Love her!