Just when you think.....

Just when you think that one of your students hates you and mutters mean things under his breath at you.......he is the only one to notice you putting equipment away after class and ask if he can help. 
Just when you think you love teaching in 60 degree weather and going outside in January.......there is a severe winter storm warning for the entire weekend. 
Just when you think you really kind of like teaching......you have to teach sixth graders about HIV and STDs. 


Today was my midterm evaluation by my University Supervisor. I was not hugely concerned or nervous, I just figured it would be another day in the classroom. Well, he told us what day and time slot he was coming to observe, and mine happened to land in the 6th grade Health time frame... on the day that we are starting the HIV and STD lesson. Lovely. I do not know how I have pulled it off, but both of my first significant teaching experiences (the first being my three day capstone at Lincoln Lutheran) I have managed to pull out of the hat of ALL health topics, HIV and AIDs both times. I know that they are very important topics, and they really do need to be taught, but really? I would at least like to observe one lesson being taught on them at some point before I dive right in. The first time I taught on this topic I was teaching to high schoolers, immature enough as it is, but at least they know some of the terminology. I taught the lesson today, and was thoroughly shocked with how much of a knowledge base they did NOT have about this sort of stuff. I realize that they are in sixth grade, and I was not expecting a huge vocabulary, but I guess I just failed to realize that I would literally be starting at square one. I heard one of my students whisper to her neighbor after looking at the "How do you get HIV?" handout, and she asked "what is semen?" I just said a little prayer(and by little I mean really frantic, pleading type of prayer)  in my head that she would not ask that question out loud to the whole group. That was one I was not prepared to answer on this particular day, especially since we have some differing opinions among some as to how much we should be teaching the kids of this age. (not sure if that story is appropriate, so I apologize to anyone I offended, but I figured if it happened in a 6th grade classroom, it can't be that bad).So needless to say my one to two day lesson plan for them has now turned into at least a three to four day lesson plan. The positive from today was that the lesson did go very well, my class handled it well, and I think that they are learning a lot. It is just difficult to try and get all of that learning done in the 25 minute time slot I have to work with. 
Keep me in your prayers as I enter the next few days on this very important and sensitive topic. It has to be all down hill after that.....right?


Psalm 105:4 "Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always."