I am 63 years old. I think I am supposed to retire soon. But I really, really, really love teaching. I love my sixth graders. They are such goofballs. Today, I went out to pick up my kids after recess, and when I came back, my scissors were padlocked, with a ransom note. The kids laughed all afternoon about that. I confiscated two origami swords, at least until after school, when a full-on sword fight ensued on the playground. And yet, in the same two hours, I explained a caste system, in Spanish, and then during planning time, helped one of my girls call her dad to tell him she really wanted to talk to someone about how sad she is feeling. All in the two-hour period after lunch. Phew!!
I am trying to use form to help me write shorter. This is a nonet, 9 lines, first line-nine syllables, second line- eight, etc. It's hard. This one took me four hours!!!!
I want to teach sixth grade forever
crazy kids pretend they are grown
I recognize imposters.
Silly jokes and belly laughs,
fidgeting fingers,
wide-eyed wonder
teary days
reveal
truth
(c) Carol Wilcox, 2022
Carol, I love sixth graders too! For all these reasons you mentioned...
ReplyDelete+ their ever ready supply of enthusiasm!
"Silly jokes and belly laughs,
fidgeting fingers,
wide-eyed wonder
teary days . . ."
Surely you could find a sixth grade classroom that would let you volunteer your time and expertise once you retire! It's why I ran the after school book club for four years after I retired. I just couldn't leave quite yet.
You saw how long I managed to stay away from teaching, learning, and the hijinks of children!!
ReplyDeleteI stayed a long time, too, Carol, & loved my middle schoolers! You wrote this quite beautifully on pointe!
ReplyDelete