My Eighth Graders!

You might think by the title that I am going to write on all the woes of the eighth grade class, but quite the opposite. I have really been enjoying them! HONESTLY! I really feel like a lot of this has to do with prayer. I have been praying, along with many others, for a love for these crazy eighth graders and to be able to connect with them, along with their salvation because it has been pretty clear that many are in great need of that. I have to say I really love those two classes and the kids. I really enjoy the kids and I really am learning from them.

Don’t get me wrong they are still a challenging group to work with, but I’ve been having good classes with this challenging group. Plus I think some how my attitude is changing towards them. I was sick the other day, but didn’t want to take off. I decided I was going to have one of my most challenging students teach in each of my eighth grade classes. (We were reading a chapter of a book and discussing it.) I learned so much from that experience. One I learned that no matter how much they complain they still do have a certain expectation for the teacher to discipline and keep order. Both students were on their peers and had that class in line. The two kids that taught wanted to take off more points than I usually do. The first to teach had better classroom management skills than I do. (Although it did help that I was taking off points behind him and I could watch and see the whole time what everyone was doing.)

On the bus ride to the club (where they do gym day) they have been asking me many questions, some irrelevant, but many about the Bible. If I don’t know the answer many times they say, “If I can find the answer to that can you give me extra credit.” My answer is always yes. One student asked what the names of the two thieves on Jesus side were. I said, “thief one and thief two.” He is going to search for the answer for extra credit, if he finds it. I have also found how weird the power of extra credit is. I give an assignment and several won’t turn it in period. I call it extra credit, say the first to turn it in will get the most and I have kids staying after class to finish.

I told a few of the eighth graders today they were preparing me for when my kids become teenagers. One said, “You just wait, the more you get to know us, you will realize we are a lot worse.” Probably a true statement, but I still like them even more, the more I get to know them!