On bigness and pettiness...
Today is a great day, in the sense that...
On a day when one of my older colleagues basically tried to tell me that I didn't know what I was doing because I was too young and not because he was just kind of dumb...
I had several kids and parents and one meeting with a parent, in particular, that reminded what an outstanding teacher I am...no matter how jealous and petty my older colleagues can be...
I have this girl in my first and second hour class...who has just come out of her shell and really turned on her academic burners this semester in a way that she does, to some degree, in other classes, but doesn't always do in ways that even approach how much she has been excelling in my class...
This kid is really on fire in my class...but she lacks the confidence to act similarly in other situations where she is much more shy...
She is the one most serious prospect I have of a special education student with potential to compete in the big leagues of school with much higher achievers because she just takes class that seriously with me...
And noone else appears to get to experience this really marvelous thing happen in their class in the same way...
I have another parent, tonight, who said that she called because her daughter really looks up to me...and she wants me to both help her daughter and to look out for her in this conflict that she's having with another girl in school...
And this mother just thinks that I am the greatest thing since sliced bread...
And on a day when an older colleague of mine was just being kind of dumb, frankly...and arguing that I shouldn't help a kid who might get identified because we just might raise her achievement out of the roof (which would be a good thing, right, if that were possible?:):):)...but it's not because she really needs the help...this guy's just kind of a moron, really)...and unwilling to face just how much stupid limits his thinking about teaching and his own teaching ability, as a consequence (every time I have a conversation with a teacher where they imply that smart doesn't matter in teaching, I think, "You're in school, you moron...and you think smart doesn't matter?")...
After a day of utter and complete denial from one of my more foolish colleagues...
It was nice to remember how good I am at this business...and how it just must eat him the fuck alive that I would be this good in my first year of teaching, while he still struggles so much well into his career...
Too fuckin' bad, I think...take smart seriously...and stop trying to hold me back so you don't feel so bad...fuck you and your feeling bad about your teaching and reasoning...get on the schtick, follow my lead, and become a better teacher, you old geezer...
Or be left behind...
Far behind, at this point...
I've got some IEP's and some grading to do...
Have a greet week, everyone:):)...
Love,
Ben
