I have decided to start blogging.  Being a teacher is an amazing journey, and I would like to share this passion of English and my amazing students.  It is my hope to share encouraging stories to prove that there really are great teenagers out in this world, even the ones that some people would say, "There's no hope for that one!"  I beg to differ.  When students are cared for, they want to learn and give forth their best effort.

I will start with a blessing that happened. It's not the first, but it's to show the  heart of students.  By the way, I need to mention that I teach high school kids; yeah, those kids that most of society dreads because of their hormone fluxes and attitudes that come with them.  But, I love these kids and I would rather teach teens than elementary school kids.  Here is the story:  I was wearing dresses to school last week.  That may not seem unusual to you, reader, but I have not worn a dress to school all year due to the weather.  My students have been used to me wearing khaki pants and a Lauren button down shirt to school all year.  Yes, I have a Lauren for every day of the week.  I'm a utilitarian type and like to have the minimum to get by.  Fast forward to spring - I am wearing dresses with the beautiful weather.  One of those days last week, I wore a scarf with my dress, and one of my students noticed.  She asked me if I enjoyed wearing scarves.  I said that I did, but only the small ones.  The next day, she came to school with four different scarves and said, "My uncle imports these from Vietnam.  Would you like them?"  I was overwhelmed.  This dear student was trying to show her appreciation for me in a way I could never pay her back.  I told her that there was one scarf that matched a number of my dresses, so I would take one.  I asked her if I could pay for it.  She was shocked this time and said, "NO!"  Was I insulting her?  Her culture?  Either way, I graciously accepted this gift of gratitude.  The only payment she allowed me to give her was a gracious hug.

Teenagers deserve more credit than we give them...