Red - What does it mean to be a professional? I remember this past summer getting constantly yelled at for the things I do for the kids. I always try to go out of the way for some of them that I know and whom I have a relationship with the parents. However, now that I am in a school building where I can't always be as Stone Cold as I want to be, it gets harder. I am starting to learn that a lot of my kids come from low income families. I mean, this is The Heights, and The U we are talkin bout here. So here is the story I got about my Shorty from a parent today.

There is this Halloween Party at the end of October, which costs $5 for each student. Shorty is not going and a lot of the parents would like her to come since she is on Student Counsel. I was told at last year's party, she paid in all change and the theory is that she probably broke open a piggy bank just to go. I walked her out the door today because she lives across the street. She is one of my favs because she is not an all A student, more of a B-C student. However, it is her effort, respect, and responsibility that sticks out to me. She is always the last one to leave my room because she wants to help me get the floors clean for the janitor. She is always thinking of others first.

I feel restricted about what I want to do for my students if I stay in the public school system. I remember talking to a Christian private school system, and I like that a lil better because of the relationships built there. I just want to be somewhere where I can give all that I can to my students, and not have to worry about certain BS. It's like I try to do things with the best of intentions yet it gets twisted and backfires. It's wierd, I have like 2 months left of my OU undergrad year it seems like.

Sprung