Dear Children (or as I like to call you monsters),
You took a survey back in January. It had about 100 questions on it. It was REALLY long. Some of them were about drug use. We spent a long time googling skittles to find out what those were (still unclear). In that survey it asked you to rate the following statement,
I believe that an adult on campus cares about my well being
agree, mostly agree, somewhat agree, disagree
Only 40% of the 9th graders put agree. I don’t know what to do with that. I am so very very sad. I am also super pissed. In fact when we talked about it in class today I told you we were in a fight. You didn’t really believe me. I should of said this:
I really truly care about you. Sometimes I stay up at night worrying about you. I love this job. I work incredibly hard to get you to do math not because I think math is the most important thing but because I think that if you can be successful in my class you can take that and transfer it to other classes. I say that so you understand I push you not because I care about your no marks but because I care about you. I care that you feel smart and important and respected.
I’m sorry if I haven’t been doing a good job of making you feel that way lately.
Sincerely,
Ms. Schwartz
In other news:
Personal Stuffs: Joanna was here! Two best friends visiting in a month. I have also been working on handwriting letters. I’ve sent probably 16 in the last 2 months. Want one? Email me your real life address.
Classroom Stuffs: I’ve been a bit out of sorts since spring break I want to focus back in and get good again.
Personal Change: Started walking this week. I’ve done about 4/6 days about 2.5 miles.
Classroom Change: I need to focus back in on student voice and how they talk to each other.
Reading: I JUST READ THE MARTIAN!!!!!!! It was the best book I’ve read in year. Buy it and read it so good.
Watching: Marvel’s Daredevil on Netflix. Netflix is really doing it right.
Your assigned reading: I’ve just bought this book and it’s on it’s way. Also, this article hit home hard.
Two last things.
1. I am really excited about Hilz. I need her to put out some t-shirts now.
2. I am thinking about a post called supporting friends with loved ones with cancer. I have a lot right now. Any advice?
a brand new line. 
Dear dear Annie, Good to hear your voice again. And thank you for the de-cluttering reference. This sounds like exactly what I need for this summer. Putting the article and the book on my front burner.
Can’t wait to see you at #TMC15!
Love, Elizabeth (@cheesemonkeysf)
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I don’t know what you were like as a 9th grader, but that was the single most depressed and self-loathing year of my life. In your students’ position I would have felt that it was either impossible for an adult to care about me or that if they did, they were just caring about some fake image, not my true horrible self. I could be wrong, I just think perhaps their answers were more about them than about you and the other adults. If so, the answers still highlight the need to care and to make sure they know about it, but maybe you would feel less misunderstood.
You didn’t mean 60% put disagree, did you? What % flat-out disagreed that an adult on campus cared about their well-being?
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I am with you on the survey – it makes me very sad and shocked too. I love that you had the conversation about it.
I’m so glad you read the Martian – let’s talk about it!!!!
I want to hear your Cliff’s notes from the decluttering book – sounds awesome!
On suggestions of supporting friends with loved ones with cancer. My advice may be outdated since I was a child. But what I wanted from my friends was most of all love. 2nd of all a place to talk if I wanted but not someone who treated me like I needed to always be talking and always sad (no pity) and 3rd, people who realize that most of that crap in life that gets you upset really doesn’t matter when you have a loved one dying of cancer. I need to remember my own advice now as an adult.
When I read your posts, I realize how little we talk for real at school. Love your blog as always.
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Hello! This post was recommended for MTBoS 2015: a collection of people’s favorite blog posts of the year. We would like to publish an edited volume of the posts and use the money raised toward a scholarship for TMC. Please let us know by responding via email to tina.cardone1@gmail.com whether or not you grant us permission to include your post. Thank you, Tina and Lani.
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