What happens in Vegas...

This post is in reference to the new movie that's out by the same title, not something that's recently happened in Vegas on my behalf. The movie was one of those cute, predictable but really fun movies that Hollywood is so apt at putting out every few weeks. The one thing I have to say about it, however, is this: When is Cameron Diaz going to stop taking roles that require her audience to belive that she's still a 20-something, up-and-coming career mistress and start playing characters a little truer to her almost-36-year-old self? She's talented, yes, but at some point her audience isn't going to be able to overlook her wrinkles and split ends as something younger men (as was her male lead in this movie) lust after.

Teacher Compliments

Today marks the last day of my first year of teaching. I thought that, on this occasion, I would relay the two best compliments I received all year from students.

The first was a couple of months ago. I was in the classroom after school one day with a couple of girls who were writing silly things on my board. Then they left and I left and I just figured I'd erase my board when I got there the next morning. The next morning was when I finally paid attention to what they put on my board. The entire space was full of things like "Ms. Hagans rocks" and "I [heart] Ms. Hagans," but right there in the middle was a note that said "Ms. Hagans is a teacher who actually teaches things." It meant so much that I teared up and took a picture with my phone.

And the second was yesterday in a thank you card I received from a student. In her card, among other things, she said, "Your classroom is a place where I feel like I can speak my mind, be myself and have fun." And that, my friends, is one of my biggest goals in teaching - and she said it without me even telling her that that's what I was shooting for this entire time!

So, congrats to me on a job well done. You know, I sort of like this teaching thing. I think I'll give it another try next year. ;-)