Saturday 2 November 2013

Adventurer's Log #11: Miss S becomes "Mama Slyke"

My grade 10 boys have decided I warrant a new nickname.

See, when they found out I was getting married they wanted to know what my new last name would be.  They didn't mind the last name, they just didn't like how it sounded when they shortened it (heaven forbid my boys just call me "Miss S"). :)

For a while I became "Miss Slyke" but that didn't fully stick either.  And then, for some reason I am unsure as to, one boy decided I should be "Mama Slyke."

I thought for sure this would be a passing, fleeting thing and they would return to my real name.

Apparently I was wrong.  This happens for more often than I care to admit.

Now the majority of the class calls me this.  Which means when I walk in for English I am greeted to a chorus of "Yo!  Mama Slyke!"  This is also the name I am heralded with as I walk down the halls at lunch time.

Yesterday I was talking with another teacher in the hallway.  I have this thing.  I tend to refer to my students as my "kids."  As two grade 10 boys approached to help this other teacher move a table, they overheard me refer to "my kids."

One of the boys remarked, "Hey!  You really do call us your kids!"

I affirmed this.

Something really interesting happened at this point.  I turned to face the two boys, and what I saw on their faces was pride.  And contentment.

It hit me that my students really do appreciate knowing that I care enough about them to think of them as if they are mine.  As if they are "my kids."

Two of my grade 8 girls had to stay late after school yesterday (the mom of one of them works at the school).  While sitting at my desk, I look up to see the two of them not-so-sneakily creep (maybe lurk would be a better word), into my classroom.  They approached my desk, grins spread across their faces as they each place a fist over my desk.

"We want to give you a kiss, Miss S."

They then each dropped a chocolate kiss on my desk and quickly left the room.

Shortly thereafter they found out a had a full card of stickers from McDonalds and so could receive a free coffee.  They asked if they could run down to McDonalds and get a coffee for me.  Ten minutes later they returned.

With two coffees.

And my full card of stickers.

Yesterday was a long day.  I had to do a lesson on the Holocaust in History 12.  I haven't had to focus on that topic since I did a semester course on it in university.  And the fact is it is a very emotional subject.  Somehow my Cooking 9 class turned potato soup into mashed potatoes (I used the exact same recipe today and got a very delicious batch of soup).  I had to call Canadian Tire about winter tires (yes, I know it is November already) and the guy was initially kind of rude to me on the phone.  To be honest, I almost dropped my head on my desk and broke down in tears a few times yesterday.

But despite that, God gave me moments like the ones above.  I got to watch my kids that you wouldn't call "academic" throw themselves into acting out the play Cyrano de Bergerac.  I had active participation from my Social Studies 8 class as we did an assignment that I didn't think was all that exciting.  On Thursday my grade 10s told me that if I have to move away I should only go to Saskatchewan because then at least I can look in the distance and still see them (cute, right?).  They also asked me if I thought it would work to have the school Skype me in and teach them.

I realize I haven't written in a few weeks.  To be honest life has been pretty crazy.  I discovered that Mr. Charming and I are the kind of people who plan weddings in about three weeks.  As in we got engaged three weeks ago today and now have a church, a reception venue, and I have my dress and bridesmaid dresses.

I have battled being sick, being lonely, and dealing with the fact that a piece of me feels like it is constantly absent.

But God has also given me moments of such brightness.  Of joy.  Moments where I get to watch my students engage with a lesson or concept.  Moments where I get to witness how happy it makes them to know that I do genuinely care about them.

Moments where they show up at my classroom door with chocolate and coffee :)

So here's to preparing for another week.

And here's to only have 258 days to go.

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