Poisson

words
in the course of a day
i must use hundreds
thousands
of them
i talk and talk and talk
to an unresponsive
uninterested
unmotivated audience

i can't be expected
to remember
everything i say

i want them to like me
too much
i want my students
to be my friend
and respect me
and like me
hard to achieve all of that
i am the teacher
they are the students
over and over
in my head
i can't get there

i try to tell them
funny things
interesting things
sometimes
i completely ignore the curriculum

you know in france
i said
for april fools day
they cut out paper fish
and put them on each other's backs
it is called
"les poissons d'avril"
they think it is funny

why would they think that is funny
that is stupid

well
they are french
what else can i say

friday afternoon
8th grade field trip
i had two students
who were left behind

i feel like i taught more then
than i ever have
they actually had to listen to me
they laughed at my story
about not liking the smell of shaving cream
they agreed
they made a powerpoint
they colored pictures
extra credit for them?
yes

they say it is all about relationships
get to know your students
and all your problems
discipline
lack of motivation
family strife
you name it
will disappear

good in theory
but it is hard to get to know a student
when there are 24 others

i am interested in treating my students as people
not prisoners

friday with 2 students
a pretty good day

the bell rang
i said goodbye
have a good spring break
my students went home

i let out a sigh
put on my rainbow sandals
stretched my arms
behind my back

and there i found a piece of paper
a paper fish
cut out
taped on my back
with the message
"les poissons d'avril"
spelled correctly

the best moment
so far
of the year

too little
too late

happy april fish