G is for Gratitude...

Today was one of those good days...It seems that there have been so few truly good days this school year (I mean the whole day was good...every class period!) that, as I was driving home, I was almost giddy. I talked with my students about really ending the year strong, making goals and committing to working on them. Students were receptive, listened, and (most of them), worked quietly throughout each period. It was pretty awesome!

I am grateful for days like today. They remind me why I do what I do...to teach children math. This is their last nine weeks before they go to high school and I feel that they have so much to learn, not necessarily just math content, but rather math confidence. I have just nine weeks to convince them that they can be successful during their next four years of school and their next three years of math.

It is overwhelming...usually I feel that I have done so much more groundwork by now and this year has been such a challenge that I feel my groundwork has not been as complete as I'd hoped.

Sometimes it's the small things...a student saying thank you, hard work where there is normally none. Sometimes it's a note from a friend...

So tonight I am feeling gratitude...for my students, for my job, for my friends...