Success Story

Given no guidelines on what constitutes a true "success story," this topic intimidates me a little. I worry that if I describe a student who has turned it around in my classroom, describing their success will somehow jinx them and lead them to a quick reversal. An alternative is to write about success on a more macro level; I could talk about an aspect of teaching I suppose that I am doing well. Both of these options seem imperfect in their own way. So I am writing about a third kind of success: my "success story" is that 50+ days into the school year, I am happy, healthy, and upbeat.
At the beginning of the year I knew I wanted my kids to know two things: I cared about them, and I expected them to conduct themselves in a manner conducive to learning. I wish I could say my success was that all my kids love me and are cherubs within the walls of my classroom, but that would be an outright lie. My kids still question my decisions, they still act persecuted, and they are sometimes nasty little brats. But at a basic level, I believe they respect me and understand that I do care about them and want them to do well. I have never yelled at them, never disrespected them purposefully, and have treated them as fairly as possible. And, over time, the rudeness, and disrespect, and the egregious assaults on my human sensibilities have gradually decreased. This is my success.
By the end of the year, I will hopefully have dozens of students I can hold up as shining success stories. Right now, I feel more democratic about this situation. I still believe that success is something that classes can achieve together. If I can remain positive, and my attitude remains unassailable, then my students and I will all be successful this year and beyond.