Tuesday, 05 February 2008

I must be doing something right

"Character is what you do when no one is watching."

I learned that little maxim from Mr. Kirby, my teacher for 7th grade P.E. and Strength & Conditioning in 10th grade. Today, Mr. DeBoer heard me say that to my students. I guess he liked it enough that I heard him say it to another class later in the day. It made me happy-teaching really is an exchange of ideas not only from teacher-to-student and student-to-teacher but teacher-to-teacher.

I know Mr. DeBoer is still watching me most of the time when I'm working with the students, but occasionally he steps out of the classroom to give me some time with the students by myself. I'm pretty sure he listens for a bit before coming back in. But I can never be sure who else is listening, I guess.

Apparently the teacher in the room across the hall overheard me busily teaching the students about Johann Sebastian Bach, the Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, and a piccolo trumpet. She made a comment to Mr. DeBoer that was what I needed to hear.

"You have a good student teacher in there."

Yes, I CAN do this. I don't care what last semester brought and what happened. If I can get a comment like that from a colleague in the building who isn't a music specialist, I must be doing something right.

Thank you, God. I think my prayers, my family's prayers, and my friends' prayers are finally starting to get some answers. Some badly needed answers.