Those kids.

 I love working with kids (for the most part). After having strep two days this week, and then parent-teacher conferences for two days, the students were left with a sub for four days in a row. I've never felt so loved as when I saw them after a four-day absence. I love kids because they are so "without guile" and they are so so so so so so, SO forgiving. They don't hold grudges or make judgements. What kind of adult is like that? No one. Somehow life turns us into these prideful crazy people, who think we know it all. How does that happen? Anyway.
 Parent-Teacher conferences, although they are a lot of work and I end up working two 12 hour days in a row, are also a very sweet opportunity to recognize the unique strengths of each child in the classroom. One of my favorite things is to shower a little kid with praise and to just watch their face light up as we talk about how awesome they are in front of their parents. It also is a cool, cool opportunity for me to see how much they are actually learning - and for them to showcase that to their parents. It is the reward for those days that seem long, exhausting, and for those hours when I start to wonder if what I'm doing is actually working. It is also the payoff for all the other aspects of my job that sometimes seem frustrating.

I have come to truly love each of the kids in my class and to love watching them grow and learn and get excited about the language.

There's Naomi, who is a s-p-o-n-g-e when it comes to learning. Her fiery red hair and her excited green eyes always greet me with an enthusiastic, "你好!"(hello) when she walks into the class. She soaks it all up, and talks to all her friends in Chinese about how her dog ate this-and-that, and how she "went crazy" at her grandma's house with her cousins. She's a chatter, but she should be. She's got a lot to tell the world!

And then there is Tyler. His shiny black hair is usually accompanied with a red shirt or jacket (he loves that color). He is a little sluggish when it comes to transitioning from activity to the other, but once you get going on something that's fun he is quick to respond with "我可以吗？"(can I!?) Apparently he wants to be a Jedi when he grows up. When asked to write sentences in Chinese with the sentence frame, "I take _____to______." he will inevitably write something having to do with star wars, whether it's "I take my lightsaber to yoda." or "I take my baby brother to star wars."

And no one can forget about Joey. He has cute little freckles on his cheeks and is about half the size of everyone else, but no one could sense any insecurities from him once you turn on the music. He is the class clown and even his mom has no idea where he learned those "John Travolta gone wild" dance moves. His shoes are always untied and I am always amazed that I've never seen him or anyone else trip over his shoelaces. He has terrible handwriting but great intentions. He is a goofball, but if you call him out, he's straight as a board and responds with, "Oh. Ok." about 80% of the time. Despite a difficult family situation, he still seems to be a resilient and happy kid.

Oh and let's not leave out Lauren. She seemed to be a more serious girl in the beginning of the year, kind of quiet, super conscientious and hard-working. But in the past few months, I think she "found her voice." Her pronunciation is off-da-hook and I'm amazed at the volumes of vocabulary she picks up every day. Sponge, I tell you. At recess, she'll often be found "playing teacher," standing in front of the classroom, mimicking all the things that I say up there, word for word. It's adorable and reminds me of why I teach. For moments like that.