study session

Let me tell you about last night. I will never forget it. It probably makes it into my top ten...

Next week is the final exam for summer school. We decided to buy dinner for our students and have a study session at a restaurant down the street from our high school. Seven out of eighteen students came last night. And it was a beautiful, hilarious time.

1. Our students were so hesitant to get any food. They thought it was so weird that we offered to buy them something. I had to stress the fact that we are family now in order to convince them to get food. [And it was hilarious because one of my boys asked if he had to tell people he was from Missouri now that we are family. bahah. Love it.] Oh, we also had donuts. Hilarious.

2. I need to start wearing sunglasses to teach. Or buy color changing contacts. Not even kidding.

3. I'm so proud of all of my students for studying and asking questions. Let me tell you about one super exciting thing. One of my boys who has a B in our class came last night. He only needed help for about 10 minutes in the beginning. Even though he was done, he stayed for two more hours. He sat there and read, circled things in his study guide, and asked questions to clarify. This might not sound too exciting to you, but it is amazing. This kid was pretty resistant at the beginning of the summer. On the weekend he hangs out with his gang and does who knows what. Yet he stayed to study with his teachers on a Saturday night.

4. I had an amazing talk with one of my students. He basically told me his life story. This kid is fairly quiet in class and his a "tough guy." He gets 100% on almost every exit exam in my class and he doesn't know why. I told him it is because he is brilliant. I can see it in him. He wants to be a police officer. He told me how he gets so frustrated while taking tests and gives up. He didn't learn to write until the eighth grade. He told me that his family has been trying to get him to drop out of school since eighth grade. His father only has a fifth grade education. His father also thinks joining a gang would be better than staying in school. He told me how his family has been going through some tough stuff - they want him to get a job and forget school (he is upset they don't understand that education will get them more money). He said he had never had anyone tell him he was smart or actually care until this summer. During this entire jumbled conversation, both of us were fighting back tears. I can't leave.

5. I am hating the American education system more and more each day. Three of my boys told me they have never had teachers who actually care. They are usually pushed to the side if they don't do well. Because of this, they cause trouble. They don't deserve that. They told me we can't leave. These boys are usually the first out the door (unless they are in trouble). Last night, one fought with his mom on the phone because he didn't want to leave the study session. He wants to do well. As he left, he hugged all three of us teachers. This is so out of his character. These kids need love. One parent came in when she dropped her daughter off. She stayed for a while going from teacher to teacher thanking us. She told us how smart her daughter is (so true), but she falls behind because teachers don't care. She was amazed by a study session. I can't leave.

6. I know these kids can go so far. I need someone to step up and push them next year. They deserve it. I know I will have more amazing kids next year. I will love them. I will teach them. I will push them. But right now, I can't fathom leaving my Los Angeles family.  I don't think these kids will ever understand how deeply I love them.