Exam Week

This first part will only make sense if you know this bit by Da*ne Co*ok. If you click on that link, be forewarned of vulgarity. Catherine, do not click on the link.

Due to the events of last week, our exam schedule was pushed forward a little bit and, as a result, I had two classes write their exams back to back today. Walking the early morning halls, I was taken back to my high school days when stomach altering butterflies would flutter and when breathing no longer seemed automatic.

As my students nervously filtered into the room this morning and again in the afternoon, my heart beat for them. They were scared and the nervous chatter was comical if you were standing on the other side of teen. For them, not so much. I ran through the 16 page exam with them and added the requisite direction to stop and breathe if need be. Sometimes, we all need a reminder to stop and breathe.

Once the directions were given, I stood with my arms heavy under the weight of 30 exam packages and asked my students if there were any last questions before they were given the direction to begin. From the back of the class, a hand followed by the following question:

"Um...where can I puke blood?"

S. gave us what we all needed at that moment. A huge belly laugh and the expulsion of a great amount of nervous energy.

Sigh...it's why I teach.

______________________________________________________________________________________

As I sat in my office in this late afternoon marking two sets of class exams and feeling the tension in my already strained neck, I found a note written to me by one of my students. In her note, she thanked me for a great semester and said that, "As an Ath*eist in a Cath*olic school, I never felt patronized or disrespected for my views. You allowed me to take a stand, argue my principles and never feel less than."

Nice.

She also said that if I ever come across a novel called "Cross*roads", to check out the dedication because I would be in it.

Cool.

If students only knew how little it takes to make a teacher feel valued...

For that matter, if teachers only knew how little it takes to make a student feel valued...

I hope I did my part.