For the last two years our Spanish teacher--and my dear friend-- has had the students create ofrendas for teachers at our school. She used to have the students make one for themselves, but then she decided to turn her little project in to a school event. It's a great idea, and she has planned it very well with clear and precise instructions and rubrics. Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, the group of students who chose to honor me have done a crappy job. I thought last year's was pretty bad, but at least one could get a sense of who I was.
This year my ofrenda had about 8 pictures on it--pictures printed from the Internet to represent things I would like. No captions. One of the pictures, which happens to be a focal point picture, is particularly troublesome. It is a picture of a teacher leaning over and helping a student. Yes, I am a teacher. Good symbol. Only, through this picture is a big red X!
When I asked the students what the heck that was--and these "accelerated" students are in my class--they told me they chose that picture because when they asked if I'd always wanted to be a teacher, I told them I hadn't. Well, considering I've been a teacher a lot longer than I considered not being a teacher, that isn't really a main detail of my life. Whatever, though. It's the way they represent it that is just WRONG!
Nearly all the teachers and administrators and at a couple hundred students saw that ofrenda displays. In the short time I was in the room to view the displays, I had several people ask me what that picture with the big red X was about. Well, wouldn't it have been nice if the students who made it had bothered to include some captions with my pictures? I suggested it, as did their Spanish teacher, but they still thought it would be fine.
It's fine that my ego is a little dented because it's really not a huge deal. It's a stupid kid thing, and they truly didn't not mean to be malicious. I can tell you though, that they won't think their grades are fine. Too bad they couldn't do a little thinking or take any advice from their teachers.
I'm just shaking my head. Merely another crazy thing in the crazy life as a teacher.
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