Why I Miss Teaching 7th Grade

About a month ago I went to a local San Diego middle school and presented about my job and what I do as a biologist to seventh grade students.  A couple of weeks ago I received a large packet of handwritten thank-you's from the hundreds of the students I presented to (over the course of the entire day, mind you) in the mail.  


First, their teacher needs some serious props for organizing the whole thing and having them so prepared for my visit and taking the time to write me thank-you's afterwards (as a former teacher, I know she had to have read through ALL of them, just to make sure the content was appropriate).


Second, some, nay, make that many, of their letters needed to be shared.  I love 7th graders for their honesty (see the "funny" category),  how easily excited they are (see the "inspiring" category"), and for the random things they are curious about or want to tell you (see the "miscellaneous" category).  Most of all, I love how they remind me of how much I do love my current job, even though I really miss teaching.


The Funny
"It was cool to you that you came and wasted your time on us."
"I liked that we could walk in class and I learned many cool seal facts.  Your friend, E."
"Gracias for the awesome presentation (gracias=thank you)."  
"I hope you get to find the muscles you were looking for."
"Learning that you went to college in Texas made me interested."
"It was amazing like no lie."
"I had much more fun than usual in science."


The Inspiring
"I want to be a biologist like you."
"I very much appreciate you coming and telling us what you do in your life.  It actually made me second guess my career and become one as well!  I've never been so interested in seal in my life!"
"Thank you for coming.  You inspired me to be a marine biologist.  Now I know the difference between seals and sea lions."
"I kind of want to be like you.  It is a very interesting job and it looks like fun."
"I want to work with animals as an adult and you make that dream stronger."
"You are a big inspiration on me because when you came and started to talk to us about what you do, it gave a big impact on me.  When I get older I hope to grow up to be a marine biologist like you and study the elephant seal."
"P.S. I want to be like you when I get older."
"I loved how you seem so interested in all these types of seals.  That's really interesting how someone can love their job for not only what they do but for how you have fun."

The Don't-Fit-In-Another-Category

"I have a question: Do you speak Latin?"

"I personally liked asking questions the best because you answered a lot of the unanswered questions I had in my head."

"P.S. I'm going to SDSU too!"

"It would be cool if we went whale watching."

"Also, I was the kid who was asleep in class.  I'm sure you thought I was bored but I was not.  I was really interested in your knowledge.  I actually decided to go to sleep at 2:00am and then had to get up at 6:00am so it was my fault."

"Thank you, love you!"

The Pictures

I think the picture is of a skull.  Or a ghost.

Underneath the letter, R. wrote
"P.S. I'm from San Antonio, Texas."