Today the high school chorus came to our school to perform for the 7th and 8th graders. They make the rounds of the middle school classes every year to basically recruit the incoming freshmen.
I was monitoring my class, of course, and probably spending more energy doing that than actually listening to the singing. I cast a glance up onto the chorus risers to see if I recognized any of the kids as former graduates of my middle school crew. Not recognizing any of the kids, I turned my attention back to my own students. Toward the end of the performance, the chorus director asked any kids who had attended my school in 8th grade to raise their hands. I was shocked when five hands popped up. I neared the risers to look again at the faces. I've been teaching 8th grade at my school for 7 years, so clearly all of the kids on the risers had passed through my class within the last four years.
A few of the faces suddenly took on a familiar air, but the others were still completely unfamiliar.
After the performance, the kids who had attended my school ran over to say hello, give hugs, report on what's new in their lives, etc. As soon as they neared and started talking, I immediately remembered every single one of them, and could imagine what they looked like as they sat in my class. But my goodness, they look so different now. They are "all growed up." The hair. The makeup. The clothes.
Anyway, yeah, I'm getting a little long in the tooth!!
Seeing former students is always GREAT, but it always makes me feel over the hill. Ha ha.
3 comments:
Oh yeah...I've worked early childhood for a long time. It gives me a jolt every time I see that one of my kids has graduated from grade school...middle school...
And now that I'm working in an elementary school, I see my infant toddler kids filter through. That's kind of freaky, too.
My main indicators of age, though, are my white hair, bad back, crow's feet, conservative dress and fear of being home alone, etc.
My dear you are not even NEAR the HILL!!! I know what you mean though when I see kids of the guys I work with after time has passed ... I always go back to when I met the kids and think, "hey you can't be going to college, you're only 8 years old ... man I don't feel old but gray hairs, oh yes there are those, and sun wrinkles show my age...yikes!!
I second that, Mo. Nants doesn't even know what the hill looks like yet! Of course, I'm goinng by pictures since I've never actually MET her in person, but anybody who works in a Mac store -- that's a spring chicken.
Post a Comment