Teaching: A Rollercoaster filled with 40 Thai Kids

As with any job, teaching has its ups and downs.  There are days that I feel almost drunk off the amazing interactions I have with my students.  I get a new surge of energy after a class goes really well, and I talk Scott's ear off about this funny thing a student did, or another student who did really well, or a lesson plan that the students really seemed to respond to.  However there are also days that don't go so well, and I experience the same intense emotions, but on the other side of the spectrum.  A class that misbehaves, seems uninterested or comes completely unprepared really gets to me, and I find that I have to remind myself to go into the next class with a renewed sense of energy so I don't foster the same lackluster attitude.
Luckily, most of the time I have great classes that participate, try hard, and love playing games.  Last week however, was not one of those weeks.  I had some great classes, but I find that they were completely overshadowed by 2 of my difficult classes.  (Difficult is putting it nicely.)  I came out of those classes so frustrated and upset and actually angry, that I asked for some advice from one of the senior Thai teachers in my department.  I felt, at the time, that I completely lost control of the class and looking back I realize that I kind of gave up toward the end.  I was dreading going back to that class today and having to introduce a new unit with new vocabulary and grammar structure, something that the students are definitely not interested in.  I got quite the surprise, though, this morning when my troublesome class from last week shuffled into my office after taking off their shoes outside the door, knelt neatly in 3 rows and said in unison:  "I'm sorry teacher."  They gave me a beautiful hand-folded flower wreath and a card.  I was so taken aback (I'm sure I turned bright red) but moreover I was really moved by their apology.  I learned later that the strictest Thai teacher in our department went into their class the next day and told them that if they misbehaved again she would be their teacher for the rest of the year.  I think that changed their minds :) 
More than just an apology, it reminded me that one bad class is not the end of the world, and that as hard as it may be, going into each class (and each day) with a fresh energetic perspective could be all that's needed to really turn things around.  I hope I can remember that as I continue teaching.