Well I’m back and we will see how I do at keeping up with this blog, I do know from personal experience that it is frustrating when my friends don’t update their blogs, so I guess I should lead by example. Maybe that is just the teacher inside of me. Well the last time that I updated this thing I was in Boston with friend from TFA. Thanksgiving in Boston was amazing and I also had the opportunity to meet up with Lihn Aven a friend from Whitworth who is working on a PhD in Biology there. Seeing such a great friend after more than a year was really great. I feel as though I am learning much more about how to relate to friends from a distance now than I used to be able to. I guess it is sort of a necessity to do if I really want to maintain friendships.
Thanksgiving was really great break simply because it gave me a chance to recharge before heading back into the classroom for three more weeks. I was very pleased to discover that I reentered the classroom with a vigor that I didn’t have at the beginning of the break. That isn’t saying that I was stoked to go back into the classroom. I actually really wanted to stay in Boston or head home, but once classes resumed I felt that being in my classroom was where I belonged. It was really encouraging to feel that I missed seeing my students.
Christmas break was also quite a blessing even if it was a little bit too short. I’m not sure who in the DOE suggested that Christmas break shouldn’t start until December 24th, but I strongly disagree with them. Christmas was the first time that I was home since June. After a very long flight, I was met at the airport by my entire family (including my brothers in law) who were all blowing noise makers and holding balloons. I love my family even if I was a bit grouchy after such a long day. Being home reminded me of all of the important relationships that I left behind and how much I miss them. I don’t think that I have has as productive of a break ever. I had the opportunity to meet up with friends and family and had a minimal of downtime without being completely overwhelmed. After a wonderful Christmas eve service I was able to visit with friends and then go hot tubbing. Christmas day consisted of family celebrations with both my mother’s and my father’s sides of the family as well as meeting up with Scott Meek that night. The next morning I was able to visit with Amanda Shagren and Hillary Haddow. I don’t even know when the last time that I saw Hillary was. More time with family and a great overall day. Josh Westeren, my childhood best friend and I were also able to catch up a couple of times over my days back home. We realized that it had been more than a year and a half since we had actually been in the same place at the same time. Other friends who I was able to visit with included Kimmy Stokesbary, Jen Beck, and Beth Lewis.
On the 27th I began a road trip up to Sylvan Lake Canada with my brother, sister, and brother in law. We got off to a pretty interesting start in a ditch due to snowfall and trying to pass the snow plow. Normally I dislike driving long distances, but I found this trip to be great, I think that was partly because I slept through most of it, but also because I was thrilled to be able to spend so much time with my family. I like my new brother in law significantly better because of the time I was able to spend with him. Something that I learned in Canada, was that for me home is where my family is. I really don’t feel as strong of a connection with my home as I used to. All through college I would have considered home Fircrest, but I no longer really care about where I am as much as I care about who I am with. I see this change in mindset also coming around in part because of how much I see Stacia making Canada a home. She has friends and family there and I realize that the important thing is the relationships, not the location. While in Canada I also had the opportunity to go ice fishing. What an experience, driving a truck out on the ice, spinning out on an atv, and setting up a campfire in the middle of the lake aren’t really things that I have ever done or even thought about doing before. It all came to an end sooner than I would have liked, but I guess we have to get back to real life sooner or later.
Coming back to NYC was bitter sweet. Overall I was prepared to come back and I am doing well in the classroom. I received a number of comments from friends who appreciate all of the quotes I have put on facebook. I have compiled a list of those quotes here. I’m sure my students will provide me with significantly more.
-"Mr. Hamilton, I don't know how to do this." Me- "I don't believe you." Student- "You know me too well Mr. Hamilton."
-"Mr. Hamilton, there are too many steps to this problem. You should make some of them disappear?"
-"Mr. Hamilton, why are you so prepared today? When you have everything set up in advance it is almost like you expect us to do work."
-"Mr. Hamilton, you must be a real party animal when you aren't in school." "What makes you think that?" "Cuz you love math too much."
-"Mr. Hamilton, I refuse to do this work because it is too easy. I will not do any work until you give me something that I can't do."
-"Mr. Hamilton I see what you are doing...that is real sneaky of you trying to convince me to finish my quiz when I already did more than I was planning on doing."
-"I be walking in and all my shorties get up on me." 4'10" 6th grader.
- "Yo, it was the cop's fault I'm back here. He chased me instead of everyone else."
-3 new students today. "I am Mr. Hamilton. Welcome to class." Response..."you can call me Mrs. Hamilton." Yikes!
-"I don't have a crush on you no more Mr. Hamilton. You give out too much homework." Apparently two days in a row of homework is overwhelming.
-"Mr. Hamilton...why to do we always have to do work in your class?" I responded, "Well we need to learn and it is my job to teach you, plus teaching can be fun. When you get a job you need to show up and do your work everyday even when you don't feel like it." He then said, "I wouldn't ever hire some like you for a job. You too perfect, I couldn't trust you."
These quotes show some fun and shocking moment in my room. I have had some not so perfect moments as well. This past week one of my students attacked one of the Department of Justice Staff during my class which followed in a fight that was quite unnerving. Along with some destroyed furniture the fight shook me back into the reality of how dangerous some of my students can be. I am glad that I am here trying to allow them opportunities to have a future that differs from the choices they have made in the past.
I love the excitement of NYC. In the past month I have been to see American Idiot, Chicago, and Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Yesterday I was given the opportunity to see an orchestra along with a famous pianist play in Carnegie Hall. At this point I guess these types of things have become normal. I will end with an invitation to come visit me. I love having guests.
