I gotta tell you, NYC, after that sarcastic and witty comment, they seem to be taking after you. I love my subject, though. It gets me excited when they get excited about math, and making the concrete into abstract ideas, not to mention when they come up with the rules of math on their own.
One of the "steps" on the Buddhist path to enlightenment is "right occupation." I think you've got it!
I understand where you're coming from, except my students go from not speaking a single word of German to being able to hold a conversation and participate in a three week homestay program in Berlin.
And the jokes really are the best part. It's great when the students take boring vocabulary from the textbook and start cracking jokes with it.
I know other teachers like their subjects too, but I gotta tell you being a foreign/second/world language teacher is awesome!
I loved teaching Freshman English, especially when I worked with my at-risk kids, for so many reasons. There's obviously the payout in June when kids who could barely string together a sentence in September are now writing essays on their final exam. But there's more to it, too.
I found them very willing to try a lot of the work and different, more effective, approaches my college-prep kids looked down on. When we read something, they aren't afraid to ask questions--not just about what happened in the story, but about the why of it all. They expect to be graded on the work they do--or don't do--rather than on the 'brilliance' they've shown in the past.
I guess the bottom line is that teaching those students is actually about *teaching* rather than about the dance of convincing a bunch of kids who already 'know it all' that you actually have something to teach them. Funny, isn't it--I think the most disenfranchised students hate school, but can love their teachers, while the ones school are made for seem to love school but resent their teachers.
Wow ... that's a little dark, isn't it?
It's good to read a blog that makes you smile. This article does just that.
Jose,
Thanks for the kind words, and for sticking up for math--which I surely don't give enough respect.
Short Woman,
I've often wondered what it would take to be a Buddhist. Maybe I'm a little closer.
Frau E.,
That's the same thing I watch. I think it's a little easier for those of us with the home team advantage, though, so I gotta respect that job you do.
Jon,
Dark or not, it sounds like the kids are lucky to have you.
Chaz,
Thanks!
I love to read the softer side of you - the side that talks about your children and your students - just as much as the side that rants about the politics.
I love my job - I am a middle school remedial math teacher and I have at most 6 students at a time. They are scheduled with me for many different reasons, and I have the opportunity to find out why and help them through whatever it is that has put a mathematical roadblock in their way. I do much more than teach math - and they learn much more than math in my class - with the small numbers, they learn about life too. What more can a teacher ask for?
JLM
First of all, we already discussed the beauty of isosceles triangles on these pages. I'm not quite sure how ESL matches up to that, but whatever floats your boat.
Secondly, and seriously, when I see kids who didn't know how to change a fraction into a decimal at the beginning of the year (just about everybody) effortlessly divide 13 into 2 by the end of the year...that's awesome.
I loved teaching ESL and am so glad I have the certification- it's such a wonderful feeling to help kids not only learn to speak English, but also to adapt to a new culture. My first year of teaching, I had a bunch of new ESL students from VietNam. They had never seen snow- what a joy to see them experience it for the first time!
I do love my current job, too. It was such a rush to be able to speak with one of my 3rd year students about art - IN Spanish. "El arte tradicional es de este mundo; el arte moderno es del otro mundo." WOW!
Thanks for the story.
Incidently- does it ever sadden you when some of your beginners get proficient enough that they lose some of their "ESL speak"? I used to get kind of sad when they didn't say "I am go" - even though I'd jump up and down to get them to say "I went".
I don't teach ESL, but I mentor a beginning ESL teacher and they are my absolute favorite children in the school. I find myself adjusting my schedule and making excuses to visit the class. The beginners in my school have such an innocence and enthusiasm. It's really refreshing.
Moments/stories like your example are what it's all about. Hell, how do people do our job without laughing? Although, I have some prudish collegagues who definitely don't. I teach "beginners" also...in the sense that I teach struggling high school readers. Obviously, we write a lot, too. I live in Alabama, where it rarely snows. It started flurrying one day and a kid says to another "Don't look out the window. She'll make us write about it."
JLM,
Thanks for the comment. I like writing about things like these, but they either don't happen every day or I fail to recognize them as often as I should.
NYC Math Teacher,
Naturally we are all bowled over by the absolute wonder of isosceles triangles, and no one would challenge that. But I am impressed by your ability to enlighten, even though I'd be a reluctant pupil. But despite that, my daughter adores math.
Mrs. T. and Voice,
I'm glad you've both seen the light. It really is a joy to teach these kids and I often try to steer prospective teachers into ESL. You don't know how good it is until you do it.
AW,
What a great story. It sounds like your kids know you all too well.
It is a joy to watch kids master and learn to love every subject. I get a high watching my kids factor trinomials (is that too big a math word for you NYC ED? 
?)
Hi! I just found your blog featured on Google Reader today 
I LOVE my job as a gifted services specialist....very gratifying! Many of my students are ELL students too
I just started a blog for my teacher stories and haven't found any other teachers to read it yet! Stop on over when you have a chance
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