i haven't blogged for an age. but here are some reflections on the day before winter break (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

1. kid #1: jonathan, aka "absolute gold." i don't know what makes this kid tick, but i want him to know Jesus because he is such a FABULOUS little person. he's quirky, smart as hell, thoughtful, caring, generous, funny ... and in a fourteen-year-old BOY. here are a few examples of jonathan the great ...

a. we did project angel tree (i conveniently left out the part where it's a Jesus organization) and i told each kid he/she had to cough up $10 for presents. jonathan bakes a zillion cookies and sells them to his classmates and fundraises like $20+.

b. we went on a field trip to the exploratorium yesterday and another kid forgot to bring money. jon doesn't even really know him, and certainly doesn't hang out with him, but they're in the same advisory class (mine, oh-so-fortunately) and so he was like "don't worry. i got you."

c. usually at this time of the year, teachers get lots of bizarre gifts from students. lots of generic chocolate gifts and gyrating santas ... that kind of stuff. jon totally wraps this present for me (i can tell it's his wrapping, b/c it's got odd corners) and it's a glass ornament of the world. because we've been studying GEOGRAPHY. i could cry.

d. funny story ... we had a pajama party after school yesterday and when jon had to leave, he comes back like 2 minutes later and he's like "ms chiu, i have a problem." "what's up jon?" "umm ... nick kicked me, and now my shoe is on the roof." only for this kid will i climb up on the roof of the school to retrieve his shoe.

ah jon. the kid you get up for in the morning.


kid #2: alex, aka "the silent buddha." this kid, aforementioned below ... who the hell knows what makes him tick. i've made it one of my goals (yes, sad ambitions) to really get this kid to crack. nothing makes him mad. nothing makes him happy. nothing makes him anything really. he only talks in monosyllables. i think he said a complete sentence yesterday. it was shocking. i heard him laugh yesterday ... not like a jenie-laugh ... it sounded more like a soft hiccup. but it was something. i'd like to see him be a little more real? NO ONE can be that calm. as solid gold jonathan said "hey, ms chiu, maybe we should put alex in a padded room and poke him until he screams. or talks ... whichever comes first." but alex is so cute and so sweet and so buddha ... it's hard not to love him to pieces.


kid #3: travis, aka "i want to be satan." this kid had his halcyon moment 8 weeks ago. ever since then, he's turned into CT from the real world. he's so mean, he's so unpleasant, he's got so much attitude ... i really can't stand him right now. i hope he gets a clue soon.


and there is a bird's-eye-view of the gamut of personalities in my school. some days, i really can't wait to get out and go back to graduate school. there are a few kids that it would kill me to leave ... but on the other hand ... when you still have a 25% rate of failure b/c the kids can't be bothered to stop drinking and smoking pot for like a SECOND, and do a smidgeon of homework ... i mean, it's pretty disheartening.

so here i am, at the end of the year ... wondering how much of a difference i can really make here. i don't doubt that i'm doing His work ... but kids like alex and jonathan don't need me, and kids like travis give me the finger. every day. i can only hope that He is glorified and probably pray a little harder for the salvation of my monkey-children.