Every day is a mixed bag

 Yesterday:

One of my harder students was absent and I must say, I noticed.

I read A Wish for Wings that Work aloud to them.  They loved it.

Multiple students hugged me and one told me she loves me before she left for the day.

A girl's glasses were lost and after an elusive search, I sent an email to all the other teachers and I vowed we would search again tomorrow.  Her mom texted me later and said they'd been found in a hidden pocket of her jacket.  Hurray!

A boy's birthday is during Christmas break.  His mom was so happy when I suggested we celebrate it early.  She said he had never celebrated his birthday in class.

But also:

Several of my students made hardly any growth on their middle of year math diagnostic.  And it matters to me.

Alissa's two hardest students moved.  Miriam's two hardest students are about to move.  My two hardest students are staying put.

Two students moaned, "This is impossible..." during phonics and wouldn't get to work.  (Another student said "whine less and work more" and that could really be in the above list of positives because I was privately high-fiving her in my mind.)

A boy who (isn't moving) but is difficult all day every day finally had to just come and stand by me during song practice because he was being such a pain.  

They keep me on my toes.  But I'll keep going back.