Side-Benefits

Okay, so teaching has its ups and downs that is for sure, but lately I have been realizing some new side benefits that I hadn't ever been warned about. I think it is so rewarding to help kids find their potenial and acheive their dreams. I helped one of my students edit and edit and edit and rewrite and rewrite and take the swear words out of, and edit again a personal essay he was submitting for a Reflections writing contest. He won! I just have to say he wouldn't have pre-edit-and-offensive-language-removal. Now, I am not taking the credit on myself, but we REALLY worked on it, and he had entered the writing contest every year for the last several years and he won this year, and was very, very proud of it! He is a hispanic-emo 17 year old, and he wrote about appearances and being misunderstood for his emo-ness, spanish descent, and the fact he is a teenager.

I have had a journalism student for the last two years who is a pretty good writer, but we've been polishing her up, a lot. And we just went to a journalism conference/competition on Friday at UVU and she won a $500 scholarship for her writing abilities! It was just really cool, knowing, again not taking credit, but we have been improving her writing~blood, sweat, and tears~for quite a while~.

I have written 7 lettters of recommendation now and have helped several students pass English class for the first time in years. You have to really take it as a compliment when kids say things, like my little cute-drugie-boy, "I don't why Miss E, but I just get something out of your class, I don't know why--but I do!"

Hmm, okay, I am miles away from some movie like Freedom Writers or whatever, but I am pleasantly suprised at how rewarding it really is, to know in a small way, you are making a difference in kid's lives.

p.s. Badly written post, don't judge, stream of consciousness:D