Moments!

To say i have moments just would not do the word justice. I can not spell...ask Jacob, ask my mom, ask my best friends. I can not, yet here i sit teaching 5Th grade and every day I am placed in moments where I hope that what i am writing and what i am meaning to write are the same. B or P, M or N even the simple word of science i have to look at and make sure is spelled correctly . I think it has gotten worse since leaving school. It is hard and consuming and at times makes teaching the hardest thing I have done.

I was discussing this with my Aunt and found to my surprise her say..."tell the students, don't live in fear of spelling something wrong. Just be honest, tell them your story and bring them into the journey with you' (a little ad-lib there but you get the gist) So i did, we as a class moved to the rug and had "story time!"

After discussing my journey to reading and how being dyslexic works for me. We discussed how i as a teacher Will push them to to pass the TEST, and to become wonderful individuals, while at the same time they need to help puss me to become a better speller and together we can accomplish both.

We talked about how we all have "moments". Moments where we know something but it just is not coming to mind, or moments where we know there should be an N in that word but we just forgot.

"Moments"

That same day a student went to say an answer and missed the wording all together and he said "I think I'm having a moment." The class took it with greatness and helped him out. Later a student who also has issues with spelling raised his hand and said "ms. Rod I think I, having a moment, how do you spell (insert word here)"

It was that moment for our class when we became one. The students look around and then they all helped him spell the word.

Yesterday I was having an issue with spelling, and a student said "Ms. Rodriguez's, I think you are having a moment" and another student giggled. To which student number 3 replied with..."we dont laugh when she is having a moment, we respect Ms. Rod and she respects us!" Oh what a joy those words where to my heart.

So today we are living in moments, moments where words dont look right but are, moments where children are learning, and moments where "I think i can not do this" are turning into "I think I can!"

You see what I am learning is in a "moment" you can change the world. I can write a students name down on a traveling white board and change the tone of the class in seconds, in a moment I can raise my hand and in seconds the whole class can fall silent, in a moment I can see the heart of a child who has not eaten dinner and breakfast and I am asking them to stay awake in my class, in a moment I can lean down and hear a student who speaks little English say the correct answer.

In a moment I can change the world.

So i think I am going to, I am going to piece these moments together and change the world of 52 fifth graders! I ask that you join me and if I across your mind please pray not only for me but for my students, who are having "moments".

Moments that will change their lives and mine forever.