I heart them

My Pre-AP class is amazing. Absolutely amazing. I love challenging kids, I really do. I like when the punk kid discovers that Walter Dean Meyers is kind of one of the coolest people on earth. And this kid suddenly discovers he likes to read and maybe he doesn't need to tag desks all period. I love that look on those faces. But getting that look can be totally and completely exhausting. In case you were wondering, it's not as easy as it looks in all those movies. You don't just show up and tell them you love them and suddenly they like school.

My pre-AP class is like no other group I've ever had. They challenge me in ways I didn't know 12-year-olds could challenge me. Alejandra asks me higher level questions before I ask the lower level questions. They ask for tutorials and extra credit. Every single time I give them an assignment they're sharing answers, ideas and thoughts with each other before I can finish my breath. They're actually talking about the assignment.

So, that said, I'm still fighting the good fight with my bad-asses, but I love my pre-AP class. Some days waking up every morning trying to find the magic switch of motivation is completely draining. I think it makes me a better teacher, but I think having kids who walk in the door motivated will also make me a better teacher too.

Now if I could just get Marcus to read Walter Dean Meyers my life would be at peace.