So many good stories from Casa, and nothing written!
Travel trivia - all in all, I spent 29 hours in the air over the course of spring break. That just counts lift-off to touch-down, not to mention all the time spent taxiing, loading, waiting, etc.
That's not why I'm writing today, though.
I'm on an interesting high note after this week. My grade 12s, my very first own class, wrote their IB physics exams (there are 3 papers) on Thursday and Friday.
I like this class a lot, for a few reasons. First, there are only 5 of them, so I've gotten to know them a lot better than my other classes, and have been able to do more for them in terms of hours spent getting ready for this week. It's such a chill group. I enjoy them as people. Second, they are my first class. My first group, on the first day of school back in August. I was so scared that I couldn't eat breakfast. I showed them "Frames of Reference" because it was familiar and comforting for me. Third, we've really become a group. Other teachers call them the "physics kids." We have these little jokes and routines and experiences of belonging.
Like the coffee.
I always saw them either first or second period in the morning, and one in particular is always really sleepy and out of it. I made a joke one day that I would have to start bringing him coffee. A few days later, two of the others show up with a French press, coffee, and mugs to keep in the lab. So it became our "thing." Almost every class, we'd make coffee. One didn't like it, and one had tea instead, so it only took 5 minutes to make one press worth for the other three kids. No time out of the lesson, but a great class identity thing.
I made sure to tell them once they were done how proud I was of them and how much I appreciated their group and the experience of this class.
Some words of life for them:
Thing 1 - As Joni Mitchell would say, you don't know what you got 'til it's gone. What if I'd needed those files! Learn and keep hold of what is important. Buy a hard drive :)
Thing 2 - You are going to be great if you give yourself a chance. A wise friend once told me, don't *should* on your life. Don't should on your life! You decide what you are worth.
Thing 3 - I admire how you have hints of serving others in you. It's just simple things, like opening doors and doing our coffee dishes, but still appreciated. I hope that side of you develops. You have a great personality - light and fun and willing. Thanks for making me smile.
Thing 4 - Seriously, read the book. Keep thinking about big ideas. I really hope that you find yourself a niche in university because you have every chance to do anything you want if you just do it. I can only imagine how many times you've heard that. And you know it! Come on! Look me up when you're doing your thesis on something cool.
Thing 5 - Oh, thing 5. I can't believe how hard you work, My favourite memory is working out in the sun on the balcony during this last week of physics. I appreciate your company and the chances we've had to just talk. I was marking at Starbucks today and something was missing. I hope you take some down time this summer before the next bit starts, where ever that ends up being.
I remember a few teachers from my time at SMA who were particularly impactful. Mrs. Stapleton. Chris. Deb. If I've had even a small piece of that kind of influence, if the physics kids remember this year when they themselves are approaching their 10-year reunion, then I'd put this one in the success column. I'm curious to know what their final physics grades will be, but really, I'm more interested to see where they will be and WHO they will be a few years from now. Possibly sentimental and cheesy, but I couldn't ask for a better "my first class ever."
Your biggest physics fan, and the biggest "physics kid" of the bunch,
Ms.H.
Travel trivia - all in all, I spent 29 hours in the air over the course of spring break. That just counts lift-off to touch-down, not to mention all the time spent taxiing, loading, waiting, etc.
That's not why I'm writing today, though.
I'm on an interesting high note after this week. My grade 12s, my very first own class, wrote their IB physics exams (there are 3 papers) on Thursday and Friday.
I like this class a lot, for a few reasons. First, there are only 5 of them, so I've gotten to know them a lot better than my other classes, and have been able to do more for them in terms of hours spent getting ready for this week. It's such a chill group. I enjoy them as people. Second, they are my first class. My first group, on the first day of school back in August. I was so scared that I couldn't eat breakfast. I showed them "Frames of Reference" because it was familiar and comforting for me. Third, we've really become a group. Other teachers call them the "physics kids." We have these little jokes and routines and experiences of belonging.
Like the coffee.
I always saw them either first or second period in the morning, and one in particular is always really sleepy and out of it. I made a joke one day that I would have to start bringing him coffee. A few days later, two of the others show up with a French press, coffee, and mugs to keep in the lab. So it became our "thing." Almost every class, we'd make coffee. One didn't like it, and one had tea instead, so it only took 5 minutes to make one press worth for the other three kids. No time out of the lesson, but a great class identity thing.
I made sure to tell them once they were done how proud I was of them and how much I appreciated their group and the experience of this class.
Some words of life for them:
Thing 1 - As Joni Mitchell would say, you don't know what you got 'til it's gone. What if I'd needed those files! Learn and keep hold of what is important. Buy a hard drive :)
Thing 2 - You are going to be great if you give yourself a chance. A wise friend once told me, don't *should* on your life. Don't should on your life! You decide what you are worth.
Thing 3 - I admire how you have hints of serving others in you. It's just simple things, like opening doors and doing our coffee dishes, but still appreciated. I hope that side of you develops. You have a great personality - light and fun and willing. Thanks for making me smile.
Thing 4 - Seriously, read the book. Keep thinking about big ideas. I really hope that you find yourself a niche in university because you have every chance to do anything you want if you just do it. I can only imagine how many times you've heard that. And you know it! Come on! Look me up when you're doing your thesis on something cool.
Thing 5 - Oh, thing 5. I can't believe how hard you work, My favourite memory is working out in the sun on the balcony during this last week of physics. I appreciate your company and the chances we've had to just talk. I was marking at Starbucks today and something was missing. I hope you take some down time this summer before the next bit starts, where ever that ends up being.
I remember a few teachers from my time at SMA who were particularly impactful. Mrs. Stapleton. Chris. Deb. If I've had even a small piece of that kind of influence, if the physics kids remember this year when they themselves are approaching their 10-year reunion, then I'd put this one in the success column. I'm curious to know what their final physics grades will be, but really, I'm more interested to see where they will be and WHO they will be a few years from now. Possibly sentimental and cheesy, but I couldn't ask for a better "my first class ever."
Your biggest physics fan, and the biggest "physics kid" of the bunch,
Ms.H.
