Saturday, November 3, 2012

Which part of the roller coaster is this?

Seriously! My week could not have been more of a roller coaster. The ups downs and all arounds were quite the ordeal. Jumped on the ol' scale today and my stress diet is working- down 8 pounds since school started. Hmmm... not sure that's how I want to do it though.

I have to share a moment in a teaching career that only comes along every once in a blue moon. I started my students blogging. It has been an interesting adventure with the older students. Many aren't taking it seriously, some don't get it, others think it's boring. Well one student blew me away with what he posted. 
The Truth 
"I love to work with computers. I want to be able to work with computer hardware such as hard disk drives, ram, cpu, etc. So what if i’m not like other (not to be racists) black people running down the streets selling drugs and alcohol and other bad stuff. No one should be criticized for the good things they do. I like fried chicken and Kool-aid but that doesn’t mean you have to make fun of me. They say that black people are good at every sport. I’m not that good at every sport but I give it a try regardless how hard or easy it is. No I’m not a nerd I just want to be a good black person to be a good example of what a black person should do that are making us look bad. So what if like to work with computer a least I make tons of money. I’m not trying to be mean but I’m just telling you the truth."
 I didn't prompt him to write this in any way which makes it even more beautiful. I was beyond floored with it. I decided being a computer dork myself I realized I could try to connect him with a couple friends who were in the biz. One friend posted a comment to his blog offering words of wisdom. He even took it a step further with this email.

Gia,

I was moved by this request. I’ve posted on the blog but I’d like to take this a step or two further.

I recently moved into a smaller place. I have 3 computers ( no monitors, but I might be able to find one ) I would like to donate to this to your student. I would even be willing to work with him and teach him a thing or two about building computers. Let me know if this is something your student would be interested in.

Thank you so much for this opportunity, I started just like him. The black sheep, with little or no friends due to my “nerd” like talents.

Simply amazing, thank you.


 A friend of mine put it perfectly, "It's moments like this where our passion, our love and our dreams collide."

If you've been reading my posts along the way you know my struggles and the experiences I've had fall a lot to being told that what I've asked them to do is F-in BS. So I have to say this event could not have come at a more perfect time. I shed a lot of tears and was questioning why I'm doing this A LOT this week but I have to say I would do it all again because of this one moment. 

So I'm not sure what part of the roller coaster this is but I'll take it! I will also take this weekend and smile from ear to ear because it will be spent being with amazing friends and eating an omelete my dad makes. 

3 comments:

  1. So good.
    I'd love to hear your classes write a "what if" blog series.
    Sky's the limit. What could "it" look like?
    Offer some static topics, but invite them to add to the list, then schedule and... go.
    Chase the knowledge and research they do to vett their what ifs. It will be rigor with authenticity. #winning #eduwin

    Possible topics to "what if" : Subtopics aplenty... :)
    School
    Sports
    Community
    Media
    Family
    Love
    Fairness
    Global-centrci
    Entrepreneurship


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  2. The teacher stress diet...I bought new pants during the summer and now they don't. I thought I was the only person who lost weight in the winter and gained during the summer :)

    Love this line "It's moments like this where our passion, our love and our dreams collide."

    Sometimes we need to keep our dreams and simply scale them down. When we enter the profession we want to save the world...ummm...no, not happening. I always go back to the words of my college professor 25 years ago (yikes) who said, "All you have to do is make a difference in one kid's life each day." There are many days in which I will go into school with that name in my head just to make sure I don't walk out of the school having missed my opportunity. When you leave you end up focusing on how you did with that one kid, and not the other 130.

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    Replies
    1. Paul-
      I cannot express how much it means that you read my blog and made a comment. I've followed yours for a few years and always look forward to a new post. I so needed your words about going into school with one student's name in my head to make a difference. What a great way to think it! Certainly reminds me of the starfish story where throwing one back into the ocean to survive amongst many is important.

      Thank you!!!

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