Little things that make you smile

After a long day at school (it’s our benchmark testing week) and an even longer few hours at the gym (I’m just now realizing how incredibly out of shape I am…and I have a half marathon the first weekend of October, ha!), I came home to this note from a former student:

I just wanted to say thanks to you for helping me with my writing. I wasn’t aware of how much your class has helped me until I had to peer-edit essays for other students in my English class. The essays for these other students are horrible. They have problems ranging from multiple sentence fragments to not even having a thesis. I am super thankful for the education that you have given me to make me a better writer.

[Made my day.]

Teacher Brain

…is in full effect. I think most of us have this at some time or another, right? [Or I could really be suffering from insomnia!] Anyway, I’m the good kind of exhausted [you all know what I’m talking about because you know how it feels when you give your all and see the results as discussions blossom, minds think outside of the box, kids ask to borrow books (randomly)…the list continues…it’s the little things], but I cannot sleep. So, instead of lying restlessly awake trying to fall asleep without success, I decide to write about some of the random things running through my teacher brain.

1. I’m about 5 weeks into the school year. New room. Room that needs some “life.” I always worry about decorating and fixing it up the “right” way. Maybe I’m just not a very good decorator. Nevertheless, I think a trip to Jo-Ann’s might be in the works because I have some ideas (and did I mention that they give teacher discounts?).
2. iPads. are. AMAZING. Seriously, I’m loving having them in class. Now to actually start applying all of those great ideas I have suggested to others on how-to use them in their own rooms!
3. Speaking of #2, since I have access, I need to get kids blogging. More writing = more practice = stronger skills = sharing ideas = growing together.
4. I’ve challenged my students to read at least 5 minutes at home. Several laughed. “I don’t read” and “I don’t like to read” filled the room. I told them they just hadn’t found the right book yet and still challenged them to find a book [or talk to me and I’d find one for them]. And guess what? Several came up to me the next day either a) asking for book suggestions, b) with their own books, c) with several books. [Again, it’s the little things.]
5. Hearing about my past students and their success makes me so happy. Not to mention how honored/humbled I am when they tell me I helped them…that I made a difference. That’s pretty cool.
6. Ancient Greece, Ancient Greece! We are wrapping up Oedipus Rex. I’m not going to lie, Antigone is my favorite, but overall I think the kids liked it because it was SO different from anything they had ever really read before or even thought about for that matter. [“You mean he marries his mom? He stabs his eyes out? Yo, that is sick!”] I’m really proud of them for a) stepping outside of their comfort zones and reading in “dramatic” fashion, b) working SO hard, c) keeping open minds…the list continues. I’ve got a great group of kids in both 10th World [and 12th AP Lit]…it’s going to be awesome to watch them grow as readers, writers, and thinkers this year!
7. I need to read and write more. A lot more.

4:30 comes very early, so I guess I better MAKE myself sleep or attempt to sleep. Tomorrow is a half day, and we are having a PD meeting [higher order thinking and high impact practices] and team collaborative meetings. I love that a) we are valued and b) we believe in collaboration. Anyway, off to sleep [well, hopefully, ha!]. Happy end of the week, everyone!

4 weeks down!

That’s right! I’m heading into the 5th week of teaching and things are going great! I know I sort of broke my own promise to myself with writing more, but up to this point, I had to get settled in both my new place and my new school. Now that I’m finally on solid ground, expect several catch-up posts on my thoughts, new ideas, and overall excitement about another year of teaching!

Hope everyone’s back-to-school’s have been great as well!

The Power of Positivity

I finally am back up and running after moving into my new place AND moving into my new school/classroom. To be honest, I’m exhausted, ha! However, I am so incredibly excited that I cannot even begin to explain exactly how I’m feeling. Nevertheless, I’ll give it a try 🙂

My new school is one of the most positive, energizing environments I have ever seen. The support I have already received is like none other, and everyone is truly on the same page. (Did I mention that there is TONS of cross-curricular writing taking place? I love that reading and writing skills are focused on so heavily in every discipline!)

Positivity is so incredibly important in all we do as educators. It’s contagious. So, as we all begin school next week (or in the next few weeks for many of you all up north, ha!), just remember the power of positivity!

ps I wanted to share the funny video clip below with you all…it’s one we viewed in our orientation on differentiated learning. Enjoy!

 

Let’s Go HOKIES!!!

As a former student athlete at Virginia Tech (VTSB), I know how challenging it is to do your best in the classroom AND on the field. Too many times I would hear people laugh or joke about “athletes” (especially at the collegiate level) and their performance in the classroom. “No one is here for the school…it’s all about the sport!” Jokes aside, this couldn’t be as far from the truth as possible.

You see, if your grades slip, you can’t play. Academics truly come first. If your grades slip, you’re

I SO can relate to that

Random question for everyone out there…

Have you ever read a book and had one particular character, quote, setting, etc. stick out to you? If so, what was it?

I can think of several times in which my students struggled with a text because they didn’t like it/the language was challenging/etc. until suddenly everything made sense with one quote that changed their entire perspective. These little gems are things I have tried to capitalize on when teaching various novels to help kids make connections by reading through a specific lens. [And, lets’ be honest here…there are TONS of lines/characters/places in TONS of books out there that anyone can relate to at one point or another!]

Though I can think of a lot of really moving pieces, my quote of the moment comes from Ian McEwan‘s novel Atonement.

“It wasn’t only wickedness and scheming that made people unhappy, it was confusion and misunderstanding; above all, it was the failure to grasp the simple truth that other people are as real as you.” (p. 38)

I’m not sure why I find it so powerful, but it is for me. I think the idea of people being confused and misunderstood relates to a lot of issues we see in the world today, but that’s another story within itself 🙂 Anyway, please share your quotes! I’d love to see what you all think!

Digital Essays

I’ve been intrigued with the idea of a “digital essay” ever since Jim Burke posted an example of one awhile ago. When I asked him what his assignment sheet included, Burke said that he didn’t really have a “formal” one and just told the kids to create. I think the biggest reason I’m drawn to the idea of a “digital” essay and what that “format” might encompass (beside my love for rhetoric and comp!) is the fact that I see this format as one that would be more real-world applicable in many ways versus a traditional essay for English class.

When I tried it out with my students

More ideas on grading essays

I’m always interested in how others handle the paper load that comes with being an English teacher. I’ve tried many different techniques myself ranging from jing videos to tablet pc mark-up options and Word commenting, as well as good old fashioned pen and paper (oh, how I LOVE my teal pens!). I also have had to learn to curb my copy editor mode and bite back the frustration of seeing a draft paper with all of my copious remarks land in the trash can 5 minutes after I hand the essays back.

As I think most teachers do, I strive to find new techniques to test out here and there especially if I think one might help with a particular assignment or even class. (I also like to get feedback from the kids on what

You call THAT reading?

I keep thinking about two specific comments from my AP Lit workshop that I am struggling with in regards to adolescent reading and writing practices today. When I first started researching new literacies and the ways in which students (and really all of us) are becoming increasingly multiliterate, I truly believed that “Literacy as we know it is not in a crisis, but instead evolving as we know it.” This belief still holds true today as I think the majority of kids are reading and writing, a lot, just not in ways that the traditional classroom has always valued.

With my belief in place, I think many of you will see why the two comments below got my attention…

Book Talk: The Tiger’s Wife

Another amazing book I’ve read recently is The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht. First, I’m amazed at how young she is! WOW! What an incredible, fresh writer! Next, the Balkan folklores immediately pull you in on a wild chase as Natalia, the main character, explores the mystery of her grandfather’s death.

I really appreciated the fact that there were so many unique superstitions woven together in this novel because it mimics all of the family stories you know you have heard once or twice (or hundreds of times) at gatherings. In addition, I think it is important to respect the past while still looking ahead at what’s to come. Thus, Natalia balances that line and continues along her journey.

The vivid description apparent within the novel made me feel as if I was trekking along the back woods and watching the “diggers” myself. Even though this story originated from continents and time periods away, there’s something here that just draws you in…something that we all can connect to no matter who we are or where we are from…that “thing” is the power of story telling and how those stories are passed down and shape each and every one of us.

I would highly recommend this book and can already think of several students who would jump on this for an IR read! Definitely check it out; it’s a must-read!