Today I was in the conference room with a student, saying that I was frustrated because I can't read his mind and feel like he's not giving me anything to work with, and something he said (unusual, since he rarely talks) gave me a glimpse of what his mental life is like, and as I told him that I wanted more for him, I just started crying. I felt so overwhelmingly depressingly powerless.
After school in one of our many teacher meetings, other teachers told me that I'm really a teacher now that I've cried in front of a student. D. says it sounds like that student needs a psychologist. I think he's unlikely to get one. It's at times like this that I feel like I'd do more good teaching elementary school, because by the time I get these kids, they're so old and have built such tough shells around themselves. I think I'll be ready for summer break.