Study Hall from School News Network
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Study Hall from School News Network
After first year in the classroom, new teacher loves her job: ‘I feel like I could just keep going’
At the start of the school year, Kent City first-grade teacher Marla Anderson said she was excited to begin her rookie year as a public-school teacher. At the end of the school year, she said she’s excited to begin her second year next fall. After talking with Anderson last September, we caught up with her on the day before school let out to see if she was still happy she went into teaching. The short answer? “I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
For more great stories about the changes and challenges of school districts in West Michigan, check out our website, School News Network.org. And if you have ideas for future programs, feel free to send them to us at SNN@kentisd.org. Thanks for listening, and happy studying!
Hello everyone and welcome back to Study Hall from Schools Network, your window into the public schools of Kent County, michigan. We are here today at Kent City Elementary School in the first grade classroom of Marla Anderson, who is concluding her very first year of teaching. We spoke with Marla or Miss Anderson as her students call her at the beginning of the school year about her hopes and expectations for her rookie year in the teaching profession. That episode turned out to be one of the most popular episodes of Study Hall so we thought we'd check back in with her at the end of the school year so our listeners could hear how things went in Marla's very first year of teaching. So welcome back, marla.
Speaker 1:Thank you, I'm glad to be back, yeah it's great to have you back again and we're really looking forward to hearing how this all went for you. Kent City Elementary's last day of school is tomorrow.
Speaker 2:Yes, yep.
Speaker 1:And, yeah, how are you feeling about the last day of school?
Speaker 2:I'm definitely feeling like overwhelmed, but I'm also feeling like that bittersweet kind of feeling like I'm excited for my kids to go into second grade and that feeling of summer and having that break. But I'm also going to miss these kids so much because they're just my first kids and, like I said in the beginning of the last podcast, we talked about how I was here for my teacher assisting last fall and some of these kids I had in that class. So having some of them for like a year and a half makes them feel like my own little babies. I don't want to let them go, but they will definitely do great and I'm glad that I had them in my own class.
Speaker 1:You were kids, you had as a teacher assistant when you're still in training to be a teacher yeah so you had them again this year that was really cool, super fun. Yeah, what are your? What are your plan? What do you plan to do with your kiddos on the last day?
Speaker 2:We're definitely going to just celebrate all the hard work they did. Today. We actually did a fun celebration in the park to celebrate the ending of first grade. That was like our last celebration and just having fun with them tomorrow and telling them how happy I am for them and proud of them. And then they're going to do great in second grade and just have fun with them.
Speaker 1:For the last three hours I have them oh boy, but part of you is feeling a little sad to see it.
Speaker 2:I am for sure. Yeah, but special group of kids for you Very special.
Speaker 1:And some of them, I mean, I would think, having them all year long, every day, you form some pretty strong attachments with students.
Speaker 2:Definitely, I feel like every single one of them. I have an attachment with them, even if it's not, if they don't feel as strong. I feel like it's a strong bond because I feel like there's always something about each kid that I try to focus on and something that they do. I connect with them to make sure that they know we have a connection and that I care about them Just as a person too, and not as a student.
Speaker 2:I care about their personality and them as a person and how well they can grow, and I feel like all of my kids have said something like that or made it apparent to me that they felt that way, so there's like a special connection with every student, every student yeah, something you like.
Speaker 1:Remember about them, so you know. When we talked in the fall, when you were just getting started, you talked about how overjoyed you were to have gotten this job. It was a job you wanted? Yes, at the school where your own father attended. He did In third grade in this very classroom.
Speaker 2:In this very classroom.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's so crazy it is still think about that, and in the town where you grew up Kent City, michigan, right, so you were very excited at that time. Just tell me, sort of like emotionally, what was this first year like for you? Did it meet your expectations? Was it different?
Speaker 2:It was definitely a roller coaster. The first few months were definitely that overwhelming feeling like am I doing this right? Am I doing it wrong? What should I be doing, what should I not be doing, and kind of that still that rookie feeling of like I really don't know what I'm doing and I'm the adult in the room. But it definitely was. I was very lucky to have these kids, because not only did I know it's kind of like that cliche saying like not only do I teach them, but they teach me. But I really do feel like these kids taught me how to be a better teacher. And it's because they knew that it was my first year and we talked about how it's okay to make mistakes. It's okay to, you know, fix something if something doesn't work out the right the first time. And, um, I feel like it definitely was just that really rollercoaster of emotions.
Speaker 2:Like it was happy, and then there was some definitely like sadder and more moments you didn't expect to happen. But then you know you came back up from that and it was just that I feel like the last couple of months have been like that up and up and up, Like these kids are just great and I think they realize how much I love them and so I think that just made everything better.
Speaker 1:So were there any days, marla, where you at the end of the day went home and said, man, I just didn't do that well, you know, you just kind of felt bummed out, like you didn't feel like you did well enough for these kids.
Speaker 2:Many times there was many times, even right after the lesson, we would go into something else, like in a transition. I was like man, I really should have done this better or I should have transitioned differently or done something different. Like in that moment. So even right after things, but definitely after the end of the day, I was like man, reflecting back on everything like this could have been better, I could have done this better.
Speaker 2:I should have taken longer on this or just kind of tweaking things already in my head for the next year, but it's definitely just a good self-reflection thing. I feel like at the end of every lesson like what could I have changed or what did I do well?
Speaker 1:So you're learning about teaching as you're teaching right, I mean it had to be challenging. You're doing lesson plans, you're grading, you're managing the classroom. At this point, do you feel like some sense of relief that you're done with this year, or like you need a break to rest, or how are you feeling about that?
Speaker 2:I feel like it's. A lot of teachers are always like, yeah, it's good to have a summer break, and I feel like it's good to have a summer break and I feel like it is nice to have that break to just kind of reset and get our minds ready to start back in the fall. But I feel like it's that point where now I'm like okay, now for next year, I know what I can start with or what I wanted to change or what didn't work this year that I know I can change for next year, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I feel like this break will be helpful to be like okay, let's sit down and look at something and how can I change that for next year. But I feel like I could just keep going.
Speaker 1:Really, yeah, I just keep teaching. Yeah, I feel like I could kind of you're, kind of rolling now, you want to just let's get so you're going to be back in first grade here next year.
Speaker 2:That's great, it is great.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's so cool. Tell me about your plans for the summer. Are you doing any further teacher development, any further education stuff, or what?
Speaker 2:This summer I won't be able to because I'm finishing planning my wedding. So just trying to get that wrapped up so that I can start focusing on the next school year. But I'm hoping next school year or starting at the end of next school year, I can start letters training, which is where they talk more about like why we do certain things and why certain letters make sounds and talk about reading and all that stuff. So I'm hoping I can get into that after my second year yeah, yeah, just to not rush it so like I need to get everything in but, also taking it slow.
Speaker 1:So sorry, getting married this summer, this fall, this fall, yeah, okay, congratulations thank you as well it's wonderful and are getting away from it all at any point this summer.
Speaker 2:I am. I'm actually taking a big family trip out to Maine this summer. We're going to Acadia National Park and just doing all the fun outdoor things Going whale watching catching lobsters.
Speaker 1:I think that's how you say it, but yeah, so all the fun outdoor stuff. Cool, cool. So sound like it's good, like you're still glad you became a teacher. Yeah, I would never change it for the world.
Speaker 2:It's the best job. People say that you know why are you going to teaching. I think I said that in the last podcast. And it's like I think every day I had that realization like this is why I did it, and these kids, I feel like, helped me understand that Like this is they always say like what's your why?
Speaker 2:Find the why and more about that I mean they're like remember your why, remember why you're doing the job, remember why you're a teacher. And it's just like because sometimes it can get tough, it can be a lot at once or it can be very overwhelming and you feel like you just want to quit and just not continue to work. But you also need to find the why. Like the kids are the reason and they make your job fun, they make every day coming to work. Like Angela said in the last podcast, she doesn't feel like she's coming to work every day because the kids are just so much fun and going through my first year, I can definitely agree with her on that Like it doesn't feel like I'm coming to work every day.
Speaker 1:Angela's your mentor, my mentor, yeah, and she helped you through this year whenever you had a question or ran up against something you didn't know what to do with.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Her and my first grade team were definitely the people that I referred to so much just because I really needed them, and just that extra buddy to be like hey, I'm doing okay, are you doing okay? Just like that extra little quick check-in. Sure, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:It seemed like you guys had a good, close relationship. So let's talk about the school year that you're just wrapping up with. Here, I'm seeing signs of learning and teaching on the wall. I like these little signs about how to end sentences. Tell me about that.
Speaker 2:We were having some hard times with how we can stop our sentences and how we know when to stop and not just keep running on and have one huge sentence on our papers. So we really talked about how we can use different punctuations and when to use them, and we started to read more books that have dialogue in them and they kept saying what are those floating little like comma? What are they doing up there in the air? So then we talked about how those are quotation marks and they're around what's being said and just all like the question mark, and how we can raise our voice when that's there and just being strong and loud for exclamation points, because we're excited and we're happy.
Speaker 1:And then for periods it's just the voice stays the same, because it's the end of a sentence For our listeners.
Speaker 2:I'll just say that the period that Marla has drawn looks kind of like an acorn with eyes and a smile, 21 kids is that what you ended? Up with. I had 20 this year, 20.
Speaker 1:Okay, were they all gen ed kids or did you have any special needs kind of students?
Speaker 2:I had a couple of special needs students Okay.
Speaker 1:Okay, all right Now. At the beginning of the year, you said you were going to let them pick where they sat. I did.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and how did that go?
Speaker 2:I did for the first week just to get a feeling Should I not do it, should I do it or not? And the first day I think it was fun to have them pick where they wanted because it was the first day. And then I think at the end of the week they were like we want new seats. They were like we're done sitting next to these people. So I feel like that's one thing I wish I did change more was their seating this year, just because I feel like they need to move around more and be around different people and I wish I would have done that more. But definitely them picking their seats was really fun to watch them. They would come in every day. Who gravitated towards who and then who kind of was like, oh, I'm going to try something new today and sit over here.
Speaker 2:So it's fun to see their personalities that first week. To see like will they jump out of the box? Are they more of like I'm going to stay in my own little corner? Yeah, so it's fun to see that and to see how it unraveled.
Speaker 1:So did you assign seats eventually.
Speaker 2:Yes, I did. You're going to sit here now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so tell me about the basics of what you covered academically, because I know you had a certain number of things you want to get in place for them right, like reading, math and so forth.
Speaker 2:What are some of?
Speaker 1:the things that you focused on with them.
Speaker 2:So for a lot of the reading, we really focused on a lot of comprehension too and it's like, are we understanding what we're reading? Because some of my kids could just fly through words but then I want them to really understand like what does that mean when you're reading it? And kind of retelling stories talked a lot about story elements and story structure and why we have to have like a problem in the beginning. So we have a solution in the end. A lot of that for reading, writing, we focus a lot on letter formation and just making sure we have like words in the right order, because a lot of my kids would flip-fl, flop them and to make sure that the sentences make sense, because we always talk about like if I read that, does it make sense? And they're like no, I'm like yeah, how can we fix that? So just making sure it goes like the right order and making sense for writing, yeah, and then for math.
Speaker 2:We did great in math this year. We really flew through a lot of the stuff that we had to learn. My kids did great because we were talking about counting up to 120 and then adding multiples of 10 and getting there. So like if we had like 30 plus 40,. What is that? Talking about place value, so many different things that the kids just grabbed onto and they were like this is so much fun.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:So it was fun to see them having fun with the learning because I was having fun with it, teaching them so I wanted them to have that same experience, with them having fun so did you?
Speaker 1:did you pretty much get to where you wanted to get? I think so.
Speaker 2:Subject areas yeah it feels like I feel like we got to where we wanted to and I feel like the kids were like this is a good spot to like, you know, stop our learning and stuff. And yeah, I don't know, I feel like they were just like, yeah, this is good. And like we did our, stop our learning and stuff. And yeah, I don't know, I feel like they were just like, yeah, this is good. And then we did our last test, our math test, and they were like, woo, like we finished our last math test and it was just fun to see them grow from all those things.
Speaker 1:Sure, yeah, Did you. As the year was going along, did you learn some things about how these kids learn and how they learn the best?
Speaker 2:Yes for sure, I feel like that was one of the one things I really wanted to focus on was how can they learn the best, because then I can cater to their needs.
Speaker 2:And we talked a lot about even at Grand Valley too.
Speaker 2:We talked about differentiation, and even here we talk about how can you differentiate those lessons to meet every kid where they are and not stretching them. And you still want to challenge them, but not to enough where they're not understanding the concept. And I feel like I really I want to say almost like October November is when I was starting to be like, oh, my goodness, this kid needs this to help them learn, and I was like repeatedly seeing it. I'm like maybe that's what it is Like, that's what I'm seeing, that's what they need. And that's when I really caught on like, oh, they really need this, they need this, they don't need me as much so I can have them go do it on their own and just kind of tweaking little things like that in the moment which I feel like really struck me in, like October November, when I finally started doing more curriculum and the actual hard writing and reading, and that's when I was like, oh, my goodness, I really need to change how I'm delivering the instruction so that they're also understanding what I'm saying to them.
Speaker 1:Right, right, right. You mentioned Grand Valley, grand Valley State University right, yes, yep, you got your undergrad there. I did, yeah, yeah yep, let's talk about the social-emotional aspect and the discipline and so forth. You know you had stressed at the beginning of the year you wanted your students to feel comfortable and welcome here. How well do?
Speaker 2:you feel like you succeeded in setting that atmosphere for them. I feel like I did a pretty good job. Something that my principal and I talked about in my observations and evaluations was that just that sense of community and the kids knew they belonged in here and that they had a voice in here and if they had a problem they knew who to come to or just to tell that little like I love you and like to succumb to me, and they knew that they were welcome and comfortable here and that was my main goal.
Speaker 1:So I think I accomplished it pretty well yeah, but yeah, and in terms of the discipline, the voice levels, you had your cow, your cow, betsy.
Speaker 2:Yes, my lovely little assistant. Yeah, she was wonderful. I would have her as red. If they couldn't like talk, it was like independent work.
Speaker 1:Then she'd be the color red, just like on top of the screen.
Speaker 2:I would have her as red. If they couldn't like talk, if it was like independent work, then she'd be the color red, just like on top of the screen. I would just set her up there and if I saw kids talking, I would just point at her and be like she's watching you and they're like, oh my goodness, I need to stop talking.
Speaker 1:So you don't want to upset Betsy?
Speaker 2:yeah, she would if she got mad, she would get redder she would get more red yeah, and I was. She's going to be more upset if you just keep talking had to be effective. They loved her. I love Betsy.
Speaker 1:I'm like me too, okay, and I'm noticing a few other cows in here, yes, my favorite animal. Where did you get these extra cows?
Speaker 2:I got these three that are over here on my bookshelf. I got as gifts from students because they know that I love them and one know that I love them. And one of them I actually got as a gift from a student who got a matching one because she didn't want me to ever forget her, so she got us matching ones. So yeah, and then I got one with a fun pink disco cowgirl hat on it and it's so cute I was like this is adorable.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah, they just. It just shows that they know me so well and I know them because we have that relationship and, yeah, it's just fun to see them catch on to those things because you grew up on a farm. I did yeah, a little bonding thing with the kids and the cows. Yeah, it's fun.
Speaker 1:So what did you find Marla to be like? The most challenging or difficult parts, especially of having students behave? Be in a place where they can learn what was really tough there.
Speaker 2:I think the hardest part was just understanding, like, that boundary of like. If I respect them, they're going to respect me. But how do I create that and how do I know that I'm not trying to be like mean and they're not trying to be mean to me either? But how can we be respectful to each other and respectful to other friends around?
Speaker 2:Like, trying to do our work, especially with disruptions, I feel like was a lot like in the beginning of the year and I was like how do I stop this? How do I make it so that other kids can learn and they're not being distracted by someone or somebody that's, you know, continuing to disrupt? And that was definitely the biggest thing that I felt like I struggled with. And that's when I went home and I was like how can I change this and how can I adjust what I'm saying or how I'm doing something to help them better understand Like now is not the time to disrupt, or so that definitely was that big learning curve of how do I make sure that all kids are comfortable in here?
Speaker 2:So, and making sure that they don't disrupt Right because if one kid is acting up, the other kids aren't learning the way that you need them to we talked a lot about how like it's not fair to the other kids that if you're disrupting, then how do we like it's not fair to them that they can't learn then?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Because if you're trying to learn someone's disrupting, is that fair to you?
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:So talking about just like the fairness and the kindness because a lot of our big theme this year was kindness starts with me, and we talked a lot about kindness can start with you when you do these things. So did those kind of disruptions. Were you able to manage them a little better as the year went along? Once I thought through the process about how can I really curb these?
Speaker 2:and make them to stop or limited, not necessarily stop all the way, because I feel like you're never going to completely eliminate something like that, but I feel like to definitely stop them or make them not happen as much.
Speaker 1:it definitely helped did students present you with any problems or issues that you hadn't expected or anticipated?
Speaker 2:that's a good question. I feel like every day they would come up with a question I just like would never expect that or I wouldn't expect it in the moment, type of question. But there was definitely some ones that I was like wow, wow, what do I do in this situation? And I would be like let me think about that so I can give you a good answer and that's when I would go to like Angela or my team and be like. This happened to me today. How do I deal with it?
Speaker 1:What do?
Speaker 2:I say to them or the grownups that messaged me, or something like that. So it was just kind of like, let me really think about that because I want to really make sure that I'm giving you the answer that can help you.
Speaker 1:Was there ever a moment you feel like geez?
Speaker 2:I wish I learned about this in college, because yeah, I didn't know this could happen, yeah, a lot of just the management stuff I feel like would have helped. They give you like little tips and everything, but it still feels like once you're in the moment and you're by yourself it's like, how do you yourself not with like a student teacher? Like when you're in the moment and you're by yourself. It's like how do you yourself not with like a student teacher? Like when you're in that position with another teacher in the room how do you?
Speaker 2:do it all on your own with nobody else to rely on in the moment.
Speaker 1:It gets back to being the only adult in the room.
Speaker 2:Exactly yeah, like oh my goodness, it's all on me.
Speaker 1:You talked about this really an overwhelming feeling. Yeah, over time, you got to be comfortable with being the only child, definitely yeah. So you know. You talked a lot first of the year about how fun kids are at this age. You really want to work with them. What brought you joy about these kids? About?
Speaker 2:being with them every day. There's so many things I could pinpoint about each kid. I feel like each one had their own thing that I look forward to every day, or even just like seeing their faces walking in and they were excited to see me in the morning. Or there'll be some days where I had to like go to a meeting in the middle of the day and they're like, no, don't leave. It's just like that moment of like wow, they really want you to be here and it's just that showing up and seeing them is what really just makes every day great.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, there also had to be times, I assume, thinking back on my own school experience, where you know kids like somebody steps on them or somebody you know gets really upset because something's happening that they don't like and you know you really have to comfort them. I mean did that call on aspects of yourself that were kind of challenging, like, wow, I've really got to be the comforter to this kid right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it almost brought out in me like how would I deal with it and how would I help somebody else If it was even if it wasn't a kid, like if I was just like out in public?
Speaker 2:or something and it happened, like how would I help that person? But then how can I translate it into like kid kind of friendly, and how can I make them feel comfortable, know that they're being heard but also know that they're safe? And like my kids could tell you that my number one job is to keep them safe, because I want to make sure that they're all safe, like in their own bodies, but also with people around them. So I feel like just comforting them whenever possible. They had a problem, but also making sure like they understand what really happened too, because sometimes they come up and they're like this so-and-so did this or they did this.
Speaker 2:I'm like let's take a minute, let's think about what happened and kind of just like reflect to ourselves, like, how did it make us feel? And we talked in the beginning of, or the last podcast that we implemented the TRAILS curriculum, which is a social-emotional learning curriculum, and I think that really helped the kids understand what those feelings mean and how they can deal with them. We talked about, like, when you're angry instead of just like shouting or doing something that you know you might not regret later on how we can like stop and breathe and think about how we are feeling and how we can like what we can do in our action to help with that.
Speaker 1:So it sounds like you did have some training in that area, yeah, which I feel like helped me with those kids that came to me for comfort. Yeah, yeah, what would you say was just, you know, kind of zooming back, what was the hardest thing for you about teaching this year? The most challenging thing?
Speaker 2:Is it that roller?
Speaker 1:coaster thing or every day is going to be.
Speaker 2:I don't know. That's a really good question. The hardest thing I think it could change daily what?
Speaker 1:the hardest thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because I feel like there's different challenges every day of what you get, because it could be like a kid's having a really rough day, yeah, and that could be the challenge, or the challenge could be my lesson didn't go so well. And I feel like I didn't do a good job, so like that internal like problem or like the external like something else is happening, type of thing.
Speaker 1:Well, I would think, just the energy it takes to teach, right? I think it seems to me it could be draining physically, emotionally I mean, you're a former athlete basketball player, so you're probably pretty good at that, but you know, just keeping yourself going day after day, five days a week, however many hours a day, was that pretty demanding for you every day.
Speaker 2:I think there were times where it felt more demanding than other times, just because I feel like, with like, when you get closer to breaks and stuff, you feel like you have to like squeeze so many things in before that long break, like before Christmas break, like we need to get this, this and this done, and I feel like that times it feels more demanding.
Speaker 2:But I just like going back to. I don't feel like I'm coming to work. I feel like it's just like I'm having a blast every day, which I'm thankful for, because I mean, it would be a fun job if you felt like you had to not have fun.
Speaker 1:No, yeah for sure. Interactions with parents did that go okay? Parent-teacher conferences and stuff, yeah.
Speaker 2:I was so lucky this year I had great parents.
Speaker 1:Okay, cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah, every single one of them was helpful to me and I tell them all the time and every message I send out at the end of the week I say thank you for all that you do, because I could not do it on my own. We're a team and I talked about that, I think the last podcast too that I want to make sure the parents know we're a team and their kiddo's learning because it needs to come from both ends. I feel like I was so lucky to have great parents and great families in general.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and it seems like you really love your work.
Speaker 1:I mean I love it. Yeah, that's what you want in a teacher. So nothing happened this year that made you doubt that this was the right path for you.
Speaker 2:Never, yeah, never, never, never I was like why am I doing this? I was never like that, which is I feel like a surprising thing for a lot of first year teachers, because a lot of them are like oh, I'm so burnt then, I also just feel like the environment that I'm in, like my school and just the district itself. I feel like they're just so supportive. I never felt like, why am I doing this?
Speaker 1:yeah, well, that's, that's a great thing to say about any job, isn't it? I mean?
Speaker 1:right and we talked in the first time about the challenges of teaching, and there is some burnout going on and and a lot. I don't think teaching is as respected as it should be. It's. It probably doesn't get as much respect or pay as it should, in my opinion, but you don't regret your choice at all. So so for anybody else who's going into teaching like, say, next fall is their first year, what, what kind of advice would you give to them?
Speaker 2:I would say, just to have fun.
Speaker 2:I feel like that's so like cliche and everything to say it, but I really feel like that's.
Speaker 2:The root of a lot of it is that if you're not going to even have fun with the curriculum teaching it, then your kids won't have fun.
Speaker 2:That's not fun for you. So it's kind of like a big cycle, like if you're not having fun, they will have fun, and then it's just not fun overall and I feel like that really just makes a job like it's going to be hard. There's going to be days, like I said, like it depends on the challenge of what it is, but just really having fun and just let them have fun with the learning themselves, because if they don't have fun with learning, then it's like okay, it didn't get through to them all the way. I feel like like they need to have that fun aspect, and I think that goes too for even upper L, even for, like the big kids, like they still need to have fun too with learning so so you need to have fun as a teacher so that your students have fun as students exactly, yeah fun and learning, I know is a big big thing for you and don't forget to ask questions.
Speaker 2:I feel like that's a lot, of a lot of first year teachers I talk to or people that I went to college with who are also in their first year. They're like I never knew to do this. I'm like why didn't you ask? Don't be afraid to ask questions. You're not going to know everything. It's okay if you mess up on something, just try it again, either the next day or the next time you teach it. Like, if I talk about it with my kids, it's okay to make mistakes. We can fix it the next time.
Speaker 1:You mean ask other teachers.
Speaker 2:Ask other teachers even sometimes ask the kids. I'd be like what should I like what should we do? Because it helps them with that problem-solving aspect, Like this is our problem, like how do we solve it?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And it's fun to hear like what they say, sometimes too.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:So I feel like, like I said like they also taught me this year, so them say I could use some help here, right, yeah, like what could I do? Like there was one night I said I'm like, yeah, I'm going out for pizza tonight with my grandparents for her my grandma's birthday. I'm like what should I get my pizza? Like I don't know what I should get. And they, we were around the circle and they were like you should get this, this and this, and I was like I don't know about pineapple.
Speaker 2:Right, they're so good at that Well.
Speaker 1:Marla, it's been wonderful talking to you again. I'm so glad your first year was a positive experience for you and that you're going to be back at it next fall. Sure am Eat. More people like you. That's so great and to our listeners, thanks so much for coming to Study Hall again. It's been a pleasure to be with you and I look forward to joining you again soon on the School News Network webpage or wherever you get your podcasts. See you next time and don't forget your pencils.
