waiting for my fingernails to dry...

yesterday was career day at school. the students and staff were encouraged to wear an outfit of who they wanted to be. i decided to rock the SMS polo and be who i am - a titser! so two stories from yesterday that show the clear distinction in the teaching world.

1.) during my 7th grade science class, i confiscated a note that two students were passing between each other. it read:

i did nothing
yeah she just wants to make you mad and get you in troubles you no teachers
i [dispi] hate her

WACK! well, that's a slap in the face. a month and a half ago, i probably would have cried. "a student hates me? i don't want to be the hated, mean teacher." well, that thought is out the window. obviously, i don't want someone to hate me, but i'd rather teach than be stepped all over and not respected. i think i'd rather gain respect as a mean disciplinarian (even if that makes them hate me) than be an unrespectable teacher that allows her class to control her. humbling. very humbling.

2.) rewind back to 7:45 a.m. of career day. i'm standing outside for morning duty and a first-grader comes up to me in her PE uniform. she says,

"ms. catalla! i'm a PE teacher today!"
*TEAR "really? that's good! what games are you gonna teach your class?"
"the games you teach us."
"which one is your favorite?"
"octopus."
"awww i like that one..."

about 1/2 hour later, i visit the 3rd grade classroom and the homeroom teacher says,

"guess who angela is."
"who?"
angela responds, "i'm YOU today! i'm ms. catalla!"

she becomes mini-ms. catalla and proceeds to call me "mommy" the rest of the day.

you win some and you lose some, right? and it's those ones you can somehow reach, even if for a little bit, that make this profession all the more worthwhile. i say this not because i am a teacher, but because of my teachers, those in my family, and my co-workers - they are noble people for doing what they do and putting up with what they have to. teachers have the job of believing in someone. sounds simple, but it's more complicated than it seems. that's a pretty damn important job.

am i meant to believe in someone as my professional career? is this where You want me to be?