I found this quote today and I keep pondering it and smiling. It's a professional and tasteful way of telling society where to put it.
Teaching has been hard because I'm a people person. I like people to like me, so having some flagrantly hate me has been shocking. Horrible. Discouraging. Someday I will care only for how God sees me. Until then, every day provides ample opportunity for me to practice.
"I don't care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do. The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it."
--William S. Borroughs (American Writer)
2 comments:
I'm glad you posted this, Jami. I feel exactly how you do. Just this week, two girls came in after school for some help, and before leaving, one said, "You know, Mrs. G, you're really nice. I don't know why so many people hate you." I was totally shocked. And sad. I wanted to hold them hostage until they named every single student who hates me, but I didn't. Afterwards, I called Brad. He wisely directed me to my gradebook and asked me to count how many people had Ds or Fs. Then he reminded me that anyone who is failing in my class probably hates me whether they have attempted to do their work or not.
I think that if I get too involved in recognizing that not everyone is going to like me as a teacher--or person--then I'll forget to teach the students who are there to learn.
You're doing a great job. I wish I could teach across the hall from you so we could switch ideas and stories.
I have a very different problem with first graders. None of them hate me. They should, but they're only six. They don't know how to hate yet. But I hate myself after I yell at them all day for being rowdy when I know very well it's my fault they are so unruly.
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