This weekend was my school’s homecoming, and truly and honestly – awesome. All the teachers in my department encouraged the student teachers to go to the game and dance, telling us hilarious stories of years past. Promises of epically bad wardrobe decisions, crazy dancing, and a hometown football game was all it took to convince me and my friend “Mike” to go. Both of us have a few football players and cheerleaders in our classes, and it was so cute how excited they were about us going to the game. That whole week I had students asking if I was going, and promising to come over and say “hey” at the game Friday. When we got there, the kids were beyond pumped to see us. It’s funny how different they act around teachers outside of the classroom. There’s definitely an awkwardness for a little bit, almost like they don’t know how to react to seeing the human side of teachers. One kid made a comment about how weird it was to see us in jeans…I guess it’s the little things that surprise them?
Even better than their reactions at seeing us at the game was their reactions at seeing us at the dance. At least 5 groups of girls ran by screaming “Heyyyyy Ms. B,” and almost every student I had stopped by for at least a second or two just to say hey and see if I was enjoying myself. My school has had a reputation in the past for having some wild dancing (think rap video – on crack) and I think every kid that came up to me wanted to know what I thought of the dancing, and what it was like at my own high school homecoming. The response from the students was just so overwhelmingly positive, that I wish the other student teachers had found time to come. Even better, the principle of the school came up to Mike and I repeatedly throughout the night, talking about the dance and how happy he was that we came. Best moment of the night – him telling us that showing up to these events tells him we care, and is step one in getting a job in our county or school after student teaching. Helloooooo opportunity! I think Mike and I freaked out at that comment the second he walked away. Before the night was over, the principle and teachers went out and danced for the last song, which was the ever so appropriate “Love in this club.” There’s a good chance there’s a picture of us on facebook somewhere dancing to it, but it was worth it. I’ve never seen a dance crowd clear out faster or, tragically, any students laugh that hard before. But the kids loved it, and my hope is that come Monday, there will be more of a relationship established with a lot of the students who were there and I really got to talk to.
I do have to say – the clothes and dancing were better than I imagined. Joan Rivers would have had a fashion police field day.