Not Me...

This cartoon cracked me up, but since I don't update mine that often, I'm not the kid in the middle there. I wonder, however, how many of my students fit into that category. How many of them religiously update their Myspace or other social page, but rarely see or have meaningful conversations with their own parents? How many of them don't even spend more than 30 minutes in the same room with their parents? As I continue on in this first quarter of the school year, I am still learning so much about my new group of 150+ young people. What do they enjoy? What are their strengths? What are their weaknesses? Who are their heroes? How can I challenge them to push their limits while still encouraging them to take chances in their education? What elements will make my classroom safe, fun, and an exciting place to learn? All of these questions have answers that change each year, depending on the new young people in my classes.

That's what makes teaching both a challenge and an adventure. :-)