I love my job

I'm 25 years old.

I've had a good chance to know a lot of people younger then me.

I've babysat since I was 13 years old.

I volunteered at the local elementary schools during high school.

In third year university, I taught ballet to 3-6 year olds.

In fourth year, I was in a grade 5/6 classroom.

When it was time to choose a discipline and age level to teach for teachers' college, I decided to focus on the older kids, after all my experience with the younger ones.

During teachers college, I taught Grades 1, 3, 7, 8, 9 and 12.

I was glad I was going to teach high school.

I like to be able to reason with the kids. I like that they can discuss a subject with passion, with different views, and I can hear things that I've never heard before. I love the artwork that they are able to create. I like to help them through one of the most angsty and challenging times in their lives.

Sure I have to deal with attitude, with blatant disrespect, but darnit, my kids don't pee their pants in class.

Sure my kids will fight me on every assignment I give (when it would take less time to just DO the work), but they don't cry in class unless it's really serious.

So far this year, they have managed not to get any paint on their clothing or anything other than paper (although some flourescent green hand prints appeared "magically" on my wall a few months ago...) and they are pretty good when it comes to listening. If I don't talk for too long.

I thought the eating paste thing was more of a grade 1 thing to do. Maybe grade 2. Grade 4 if they are a clown.

My students take the cake.

A few days ago, I was standing in my far classroom (my classroom is made up of three small rooms in an L-shape) and I heard from the other side in a thick arabic accent...

"Mi-iss! Miss! Lulu is eating the glue!"

All I can hope at this point is that glue is not made from horses anymore...I'd assume they are not okay for muslims to eat - but I hoped they were just being their silly selves.

And then I saw Lulu.

Mouth full of white paste.

PVA glue, as Neil would call it.
Being in high school, I first reasoned with scared her - "that's full of chemicals!! It's made from horses!"

And sent her to wash out her mouth - except that being in the Middle East, the water coming out of the taps is not exactly potable. It's brown. And sometimes smelly. She would have none of that and I sent her to get a bottle of water from her locker.

But when she returned she tried to find the ingredients on the side of the glue bottle to see what kinds of chemicals she had actually ingested. I assured her that it was non-toxic and she wasn't going to die, but she shouldn't do it again because it certainly wasn't healthy.

And now when I ask the kids not to eat the paste, they think I'm joking.

...but I'm certainly not.