The Weekend...

What a week! After a slightly dismal last week and a long weekend that I thought I needed but ended up dreading, the students definitely came through with a solid performance. Going around my school and the other school next door (we are connected to the regular, non-Yupik classrooms) I constantly hear from other teachers such things as "It's finally Friday" and "It's the weekend!" and all sorts of other curiously obvious statements. You'd think with everyone being a teacher they would know what day it was... Anyways, I can't say that I've never said those sorts of things, but I really try to steer clear of them as much as I can. Today, I felt like saying, "Only three days til Monday!" The kids are finally getting it. The sixth graders are becoming more conscious of the way they treat others (my main goal with them) and the fifth graders are getting their work done and basically completing a years' work in a semester. I feel bad pushing them, but they are hard workers and are doing everything possible to make me feel worse about leaving (not purposely).

Being these are my inaugural students they will always be a little more special than the rest. Sure some will be better behaved or more excited about learning or certain other things, but MAN!

My 6th graders: They have become closer in the last two months than I would have imagined. They watch out for each other, can crank out a paper like you've never seen, and have such a deep respect for their culture that it makes me sad to see them go to the high school next year.

The 5th grade: If someone would have shown me a snapshot of today compared to the first day of school I wouldn't believe it. We had class discussions now. They work independently without tackling each other. The first week of school there were close to ten removals from my classroom. There is seldom one now.

Even though none of them read this (or at least don't think they do) I am grateful for everything they do.

Stay tuned Sunday for another big update and a chance to win something. Maybe I will have to think of a bigger prize than a bumper sticker to get some people casting their votes.