Sometimes, though, to be so far involved in so many activities, I forget to remember. I was writing just the other day when I remembered to...well...remember. So for all the teachers out there- you may not agree with all of these reminders, but hopefully you'll find one that you can keep in the big, black school bag you lug around (full of papers, grading pens, and clips of course!) with you all week.
*Remember to keep the positive attitude that has gotten you much further than any previous negative one.
*Remember patience is key! You too were once an unknowing 13 year old and not an all knowing and experienced adult.
*Remember to find out the entire story before jumping to conclusions.
*Remember that they are just kids and it felt like it all flew by and went too fast, so let them be kids.
*Remember they have the rest of their lives to be adults, so let them relish in their childhood and garnish it with the immaturity and curiosity that so many of us adults forget to dine on daily.
*Remember the movie "Big" and its message- we all want to grow up and then we get there...
*Remember it's just middle school.
*Remember life is bigger and more important.
*Remember relationships matter. They will remember how you treated them and what you meant to them for much longer than they will remember when to use 'raise' and 'rise.'
*Remember how you make a child feel will effect their life and matter more than spelling "your" correctly.
*Remember who you are so they know who they can be.
*Remember what it was like to be 13 (everyone is watching you, it's always a big deal, etc.), remember that you were the same way, and let them be 13.
*Remember that you loudly sang lyrics to dirty songs that you had no idea were dirty lyrics.
*Remember that you laughed at 'gross' words (and sometimes still do).
*Remember that at 13 your life seemed impossibly busy and complicated, at 18 it seemed even more impossibly busy and complicated, and at 25 it got even worse. They are busy and their lives are complicated- it's just on a scale for a 13 year old.
*Remember you made poor choices too but you turned out just fine.
*Remember that as long as they learn something, you're doing your job.
*Think of what middle school teachers you remember and why you remember them and decided what you want to be remembered for.
No one said it would be easy, but a ton did say that it would be worth it. I'll back that statement up with gold.
