A Humble Reminder

I have officially arrived at the Coulter Bed and Breakfast! I am now safely in Houston, TX to begin my luxuriously long weekend with my wonderful friend Valorie. I'm so pumped; I've never been to Houston. Be ready for many awkward moments!

I have to tell you about a conversation I had with one of my students. So I won't violate FERPA, I will call her Alice. First of all, let me preface this story by telling you what happened on November 16. I went to a workshop (teachers, I know what you are thinking...yuck) that changed my life. It changed the way I will teach forever. It was called Teach Like a Rockstar, and Hal (the rockstar man) caused me to laugh and cry. But most importantly he allowed me the opportunity to think about why I actually teach. Of course, I wrote down the obvious: to help students succeed, because I love Spanish, because I love kids. Hal said that wasn't good enough. I needed to search my soul to find the real meaning. And then it hit me. I teach for those moments when I see the light bulb go on, the student gets the information, and produces. I get chills and sometimes misty eyed. THAT is why I teach. I also teach because I know I am the hope some of those kids have.

The next day, I go into my classroom, and I tell them why I'm here. I said, "Thank you so much for coming today. This is going to be your best day ever, and I love you." And one girl said, "You don't love us." And I said, "Yes, I do. Let me tell you why. I come here every day to see the light bulb come on, to see you trying something that is difficult, and it makes me proud." Then another girl said, "Say it again." I wasn't sure what she was wanting me to say again, so I told her my reason again. Then she said, "Say IT again." Then I realized she was wanting me to tell the class I loved them again. I told them, and she said, "I love you too." I knew she meant it, and it felt good. She smiled from ear to ear. From that moment, each student was more motivated...every day. The results were amazing! I told them I love them every single day. I still do.

That was my preface to this. Alice came into my little office one day during lunch "asking about an assignment." I knew she wasn't there for that assignment, but I wasn't exactly sure why she was there. She's super smart, but she's not very talkative. The flood gates opened, and she said she wants to go to college. I told her she can. She said she wants to learn Spanish so that she can talk to Hispanics when she's a doctor. I told her she can. And that's when the tears came. She said, "But I live in the projects." It was a humble reminder of the weight these kids carry around. They think they can't ever get out of the conditions they currently live in, that there will never be opportunities for them. My thoughts melted. I wanted to cry with her, but I said, "Alice, I grew up in the country on a farm. You can't get more country than that. And look at me? I teach Spanish." She then proceeds to tell me about her sister that has been living on the streets for seven years, since her father's death from a drug overdose. And her longing to just talk to her.


These moments haunt me. I can't let them go. They are a constant reminder that no matter how frustrated I get at my students, they are my students. I am their Spanish momma, and I love them. Sometimes I just need reminders.