Eight Days Left, But Who's Counting?

We are getting down to the wire and I feel very much like the woman in the picture to the left. My sixth graders are in a tizzy. They want to be out for the summer, but “It gets boring pretty quick.” They are nervous about junior high, especially the showers. Ach! Remember that? How awful! Nobody does actually die from embarrassment, you just think you will.

We just finished reading my beloved Johnny Tremain and I showed the ghastly old Disney film. (My principal said, “Quit torturing those kids!) They were properly outraged at how the movie ravaged the book. Years ago one boy said in righteous indignation, “They made Johnny a wimp!” There are always a couple of students who’ll claim they like the movie better just to be pills. I have learned not to respond to this. They are probably planning a career in politics. I advise the kids to use Rab as a role model, but not to get themselves killed. This book always seems to help a few kids make the leap to 7th grade with some dignity.

Sixth graders are some-what human, at least for most of the year, but they really need love and patience now. Someone needs to do that and that seems to be my job in life. These last few days I will try to be a horse whisperer to these wild broncos.

Please send me your prayers and any extra patience you can spare.