End of the Year...Again

This year has been particularly stressful for me. I have gone back and forth between wanting to quit my job at the drop of a hat to wanting to teach my whole career because of the potential I see in a few bright students. Overall I feel that teaching was a good choice, but now I feel I need to move up the ladder, so to speak, in the education world. I may only be 25 years old, but I need more rigor in my day to day than just the mindless drivel I am forced to teach. (Thus why my students find me extremely hard, because I find a way around what I HAVE to teach to what I need to teach...)

I am both proud and disappointed in myself for this year. I feel like I made an impact on a few students this year, but I still feel that I failed so many seniors and they will not be ready for life outside of school. It scares me. One tidbit of hope I did get today was a philosophy paper I have my seniors write for their portfolio. In it, this student talks about being "straight edge," which means that they don't partake in drugs, alcohol, or sex. She spoke about how she doesn't understand why people think she's boring because of this and why all of the kids her age go to raves, get drunk, and have sex. This paper let me know that at least one student will be going out of here on the right path. I really hope she keeps those beliefs and holds on tight. This world is crumbling down around our ears and we're too busy to even notice it.

Hopefully the end of the year will come uneventfully and I will continue to fight the good fight against ignorance next year. Who knows where my path will lead though...I could end up losing my job because of all of the budget cuts. I can only hope and pray I will have a job next year.