Friday, October 29, 2004

Thank God For The Blessings

Since becoming a substitute, I have been around many types of kids. The tries-too-hard-to-be-cool kid is very popular. The tries-too-hard-to-be-different kid is now into cutting, which is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. It's not even attempting suicide, which is a cry for attention in itself. Cutting is the biggest scream you can belt out.
While looking at some of these kids work, I have learned three things. The first is my heart goes out to the kids who don't understand their work but still try as hard as they can to do their best. What an arousing feat this child does to not have any clue what the answer is and have to ask for help four times, but he/she still tries. That's very encouraging.
The second thing I've learned is kids are too dramatic today. I don't remember being so sensational in high school and junior high. Was I? Did I write poems about how the only true peace is eternal sleep which I'm looking forward to someday? No, I didn't. I was normal.
The final thing I have learned is most students, while some resist this stereotype, are stupid. I mean they are really dumb. They can't add. They can't write a coherent sentence. I want to write this blog to God and thank Him for making me smart. I'm not trying to sound conceited, but I know I am not stupid. I can add, subtract, multiply and divide. I can edit a poorly written sentence. I can learn to do just about anything, except chemistry. The sciences are my Achilles' heel.
I had a class the other day with 14 kids. You know how many could write out 6,347,592.019. Zero. They couldn't figure out where the commas or hyphens went or how to spell forty. The answer is six million, three hundred forty-seven thousand, five hundred ninety-two and nineteen thousandths for the 15-year-olds who didn't know that. Is it really so hard to spell this, especially when 75% of the words are on the chalkboard or walls of the classroom.
I would just like You to know I am grateful for everything You have given me. Thank you for the blessings I have in my life.

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