First Week in 6th Grade

I love it.

Being a 6th grade teacher is pretty hilarious. Having taught some of the the same kids just two years ago makes this transition all the better.

On the first day of class, a kid running in to avoid a tardy doesn't even look up until he finds an empty seat and suddenly yells "Ms. Dominique, is that you!?!?!" It's probably a miracle the kid even found the right classroom since he didn't notice my name on the door or on
his personalized schedule.

Or the student who fabricated a five-minute story to try to change her seat by making up some strange excuses that I wasn't buying until finally she says "Ok, really I just want to sit by my best friend."

How about the 6th graders at recess who just walk around looking like they own the place since they share their lunch hour with the 5th grader newbies? Or the 5th graders who are seen hunched over running from class to class with a backpack that can't even be zipped with all the materials they're carting around in fear of bringing the wrong book to class?

The random hugs I get one day and the grumpy scowls I'm given the next day. These kids are full of energy, hormones and forgetfulness.

I love it.

I remember when I was in 6th grade. My glasses were too big for my face, I started noticing the boys in my class, my Michael Jordan basketball jersey went nearly to my knees, I started being mean to another girl in my class only to be friends with the popular girls. I was a mess in 5th-6th grade. I thought I was independent, but I still needed so much guidance.

Feeling insecure and the need for acceptance was what drove me in 6th grade. It may seem like I was or even these kids are a complete disaster at times. But really, it's a beautiful mess.

6th graders have this energy and creativity that surrounds them. They may constantly forget to finish an assignment or bring the wrong notebook every single day to class, but if you ask them to dream or what they're passionate about they can't stop talking.

I love it.

My first week as a 6th grade teacher has been pretty awesome. I've heard kids telling their peers that they want to find the cure for cancer. They are going to invent ways to reduce the waste with the food we eat. These kids want to use solar panels for everything. They are sick of garbage and of discrimination.

These 6th graders want to change the world.

I only hope that as their teacher I can guide them in the right direction. That I may never squash their enthusiasm. These young men and women are our future and they truly amaze me. Yes, they make me laugh everyday and perhaps roll my eyes a time or two after they leave the room.

But seriously, I think 6th graders are on to something.

I love it.

Take a Seat

“Do people really have nothing to do and can just come here and sit?” asked my aunt while visiting me in Guadalajara, Mexico. We were downtown and visiting some of the historical buildings while taking in the surroundings. Her question struck me as odd.

My aunt was amazed that people have time to sit on the benches watching the kids swimming in the public fountain while eating their paletas or papas con limon y chile. Grandparents were led by the hand of their nietos while strolling up and down the plaza. Spray Paint artists were surrounded by onlookers who appeared to have all the time in world to sit and watch the painting come to life.

Is it that after 7 years of living in Mexico I have changed so much? I remember the rat race of life back in the States and hardly having a minute to myself each day. What is it about life in Latin America that allows us to slow down and sit every now and then?

I admit, by nature, I’m not someone to sit still. I’m guilty of filling my time with anything and everything and the word “No” is not a frequent word in my vocabulary. Yet, I realized when my Aunt posed the question that I too have changed.

Thanks to the people around me and the culture here, I’ve learned that sometimes life is not about a schedule and it’s about the relationships in our lives. Sometimes it’s more important to sit and listen than it is to get up and accomplish something.

There are times that “culturally” things drive me crazy here, yet in the midst of the chaos, I’m thankful for this culture. I’m grateful for having learned to appreciate the relationships with those in my life. Whether it be sitting down for a coffee, making that phone call or writing that e-mail, it’s important to keep the relationships alive. And, yes, it’s important to sometimes have nothing more to do than sit and enjoy our surroundings.

Downtown Guadalajara by: Dominique Dynes

Did that really happen?

You know that feeling when you wake up from a dream and can’t determine if was real or not. That feeling of “Wait a minute, did that really happen?” As cliche as that sounds, I think that is how I feel right now.

My mind is reeling after so much effort paid off and I’m sitting on a somewhat bumpy bus leaving San Jose, California and moving on. I just spent two days at the Googleplex in Mountain View learning with amazing individuals from around the world. I heard the passion, I felt the understanding amongst us, it was surreal to say the least.

Yet as quickly as it came upon us it also rapidly came to an end. The high we were all on hearing similar stories from schools around Canada, the US and Mexico sizzled as it’s the day after saying goodbye and our brains are reeling from the nonstop energy.

I’m honestly dreading the question, “So what’d you learn?” which I know that I’ll hear ASAP. It’s one of those answers that I can’t quite put into words (hence the wordiness in this attempt at a post.). My head needs some time to process not only the information but more importantly the responsibility and motivation needed to make a difference.

How can I help the professional development that is lacking at so many schools? How can I stay current and include coding in what I’m doing at school? How can gamification change my game plan in social studies? How can different mapping tools empower students to embrace their learning? How can I be an ambassador of change in my school and more so in Mexico where there is so much opportunity for growth?

I understand that I don’t need all the answers right now. The awesome thing is that I can now count on an international cohort to make sure this wasn’t all a dream. This is just the beginning of something bigger than my questions and curiosity.

I’m not alone in the fight. There’s a team of us swimming upstream and dreaming big. We may feel like small fish at our schools or in our districts but we need to “just keep swimming.” (thanks Dory for the reminder). This can be real and doesn’t need to be a dream. It did happen and more can happen when we stick together.