TPE HELL

Today, I have spent the whole day working on my TPE reflections. I am close to being done with 8, and working on 9. I am hoping to be done with this drivel by tomorrow evening.

I have a student who is constantly hanging around me when I am in my classroom during my free period. She is a wonderful kid. She is really into anime and poetry, and what was really interesting was that she liked my three day solo so much last semester that she and her friend signed up for my class this semester. Anyway, she always comes in with a treat or just to talk or just to do homework while I prep.

Last week after the VTECH shootings, I told the kids to just be happy and live life to the fullest because you can't predict what is going to happen. I even said, "I can't promise you that a mango won't fly through that window right now, so have fun, don't worry, study har, sometimes we are not in control of the craziness around us, and be glad it's a nice day."

The student then came to me and asked me if I had heard of a band called the Guillemots and I said no. She said that there is a song she would like to bring me the next day. I told her that would be swell, as long is it's not a song with profanity. Anyway, the next day she brought this beautiful drawing and the lyrics of the song. Then she said that something I said in class reminded her of the song. I was so moved! This is why I love this job, these serendipitous moments when kids try to connect to the teacher. I don't even remember what I said, but I guess it made an impression. I just remember the mango thing because the kids laughed. What a deep kid.

Anyway, I went home and that night, I went on itunes and there it was. It was already on my ipod and I didn't know it because it was one of those "free songs" once. Well, I listened to the song. I guess it must be the line about being thankful for facing the day and that you don't know when these things can happen to you. Quite interesting actually, and I actually like the song. What a great kid.

I guess that day is here, because my husband had to go to the doctor and has a strange growth on his throat. They don't know what it is, that it may be a thyroid issue and have to run some tests. There is the mango. I'm just looking forward to the end of this program. I'm finishing these TPEs because I don't know what will happen tomorrow. I think i'll start smoking.