NaNoWriMo, day one

Sarah has some struggles.  She's had a rough life, and she constantly compares herself to others... wants what everyone else has.  It's not that it in itself is so uncommon, but what gets her into trouble is that she doesn't see how that desire clouds her world and limits her from finding her own choices, learning from her mistakes, and realizing that, although she goes without a lot, she does have some reasons to be thankful.

One particular night that will bring about a pivotal point in Sarah's life is two nights before she begins high school.  It's a late summer night of Labor Day weekend, and all the high school kids have gathered where they have for as long as anyone can remember:  The Shack Out Back, they call it.  The location of lots of kids' parties, a place that is out of the way, a little drive outside a little town... the beginning of Sarah's lesson.  But will she learn from it?

16th First Day

I was shocked to calculate that this marks the beginning of my sixteenth year of teaching.  How much I've grown and changed - that's a year of blogging in itself!  Listening to students, that's probably the most important development I've made.  If I can just listen a little more, take a step back & watch them go, I'm certain that all will be well.  Better than well! 

Year #16, here we go!

Insight from The Perks of Being a Wallflower

My lessons are always lofty and beautiful.  In the early stages.  The students are going to love, love, love this book!  I love, love, love this book!  Can't wait to share!  And, oftentimes, they do love it, but I always come to find that they find their own love, and that love isn't necessarily the same as mine.  Which is the way it should be, but I generally have a bittersweet realization of, "Oh, you're right.  On point.  Totally relevant.  Just not exactly what I thought it would be."  In Perks, the narrator is dismayed because he only earned a C on an essay.  The teacher said that he runs his sentences together.  I cringe, because I know I've been guilty of giving the same abstract response in the past.  The funny thing, though, is that this relates to yesterday's lesson with my students.  The teacher recommended that he incorporate new vocabulary words in his writing.  The student goes on about how he doesn't know how to do that, but a few short paragraphs later, he uses the new words.  Correctly.  Beautiful.  And I realize it's a matter of waiting for the few paragraphs to elapse (or days, weeks, multiple assignments, whatever...); they do it when it makes sense to them.

I would do well to remember that they are most likely trying, and I simply need to wait for it all to gel, their way.

Who is the teacher here?

Yesterday, my media specialist and I introduced vocaroo.com to our students.  I was, as per usual, equally excited and nervous to try something new.  As we launched into our carefully crafted Anticipatory Set, Screech!, the students proclaimed they'd already used the program and it is super easy.  My colleague and I looked at each other.  "Great!" we exclaimed.  Wow, just when I think something is going to be so tough, I learn - no, not so difficult after all.  Thanks, kids, you schooled me again.