Monday, March 18, 2024

Really?

Today's SEL theme was resilience. I shouldn't be surprised that only 2 of my 16 homeroom students had heard of the word. No one knew exactly what it meant but we figured that out together. 

The lesson asked students to write 2 positive emotions and 1 negative emotion they've experienced recently on a piece of paper. Past lessons have taught me that my homeroom students have a limited vocabulary when it comes to explaining their emotions, so I found a resource to help them identify what they've been feeling.

The last part of the lesson asked them to take their paper and fold it up to make a paper airplane so we could fly it around to one part of the classroom. Then students would choose a paper that was not theirs to see if they felt similar emotions to the ones that flew to them.

It was then that I discovered that 95% of my homeroom students did not know how to make a paper airplane. I found that statistic to be even more shocking than when I realized they don't know what resilience means.


Sunday, March 17, 2024

This Week's Advice

The weekend is usually my time to tidy up around the house and catch up on laundry. This weekend I was out of town so I'm sort of starting the week already a bit behind the 8-ball.

Spring break begins on Friday afternoon so I'm okay with feeling a little behind for five days.  Of course, some things must be done. Clothes must be cleaned, and food prep of some sort must occur.

This week I'll take my advice from Anne Lamott and take it all bird by bird. 

Before I know it, Friday afternoon will arrive.

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Love Trains

My first big train ride was an overnight trip through the small villages of the Soviet Union. I was 17 and traveling with a small group from my high school. Somehow we all managed to survive 4 years of Russian class. The 8-day trip was the reward for sticking it out.

I can't remember where the train started or ended, but I remember traveling through the darkness only being able to see the occasional illuminated windows in the cottages that dotted the countryside. Russia was like nothing I'd ever seen, but when I think about it these days I'd say the director of Dr. Zhivago got the landscape right.

On that overnight journey, I absolutely fell in love with train travel. 

Twenty years ago I was lucky enough to travel across the US and Canada by rail. I spent about 3 weeks on and off the train, sometimes for as much as 35 hours. At night I'd sleep curled up in my seat, unable to afford the luxury of a sleeper car at that time. I loved the gentle jostling of the car as it rocked me to sleep each night.  Upon waking I would look out the window and see how the landscape had changed while I slumbered. I was fortunate to see a few bears, sea lions, and a moose.

Yesterday I boarded the train again. I left the tiny train station in Alexandria, VA ready for a 2-hour journey to Charlottesville. When I heard the first clickety-clack sounds of the train's wheels passing over the rail joints my heart soared as a smile spread across my face.  I opened up my book fully intending to get some reading in but spent most of the time gazing out the window at the passing scenery.

I thought back to that first train ride in 1979 before texting my high school buddy Ed.

When we took the train in USSR what was our route?

Maybe we took the train from Leningrad to... I can't remember 

I told him I was on the way to Charlottesville. Through text, we tried to recall the details of the trip that took place so long ago. We couldn't agree on where we were but we agreed on one thing. 

Ed texted, I love trains.

Me too!

Friday, March 15, 2024

Busy, Busy Day

 Student-led conferences means:

  1. Tons of talking.
  2. Numerous head nods.
  3. Smiles for miles.
  4. Applause for all.
  5. Delivering tough news directly, but respectfully.
I know it's not a favorite day for many teachers, but it's one of my favorites.

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Let Me Tell You About Inflation Kid

 The young man at the counter was probably about 10 or 11. He hadn't come to Ayers Hardware and Variety to get anything in the hardware department. He and his friend were there for the variety items, specifically, they were there for candy and a soda.

I remember doing the same thing at his age. Summer days in the 70s meant a walk up Route 24 with my best friend, Suzanne. Our destination was 7-11, and our choices were a soda and a snack. My go-to was a Dr. Pepper and a Slim Jim. Suzanne was a Mountain Dew girl, her pairing was usually a bag of Fritos. I have fond memories of those walks, which we usually took barefoot. Honestly, most of the summer was spent barefoot.

So, I watched intently this afternoon as the young man waited for his friend to pay before he placed his items on the counter. He had some delightful choices: a cold Pepsi and a dispenser of Bubble Yum tape. The cashier rang up his items and I'd say we were both surprised to hear that the total was $2.50. He did an obvious double-take before slowly reaching into the pockets of his blue gym shorts. He pulled out his young-man wad of ones and was obviously disappointed when his wad of ones turned out to be two folded dollar bills. His face fell a bit before he pushed the Bubble Yum tape back toward the cashier.

"Uhm, can I just put this back?"

The cashier was just about to delete the item. In that second all those memories of Suzanne and I came rushing back. 

"I'll spot him the 50 cents," I piped up.

Because after all, how often are you presented with the opportunity to help someone and go back 50 years at the same time?

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Uhm, That Sounds Made Up

These days before Spring Break are always tricky ones. The pupils are having a tough time staying tuned in. I think if I could present my lesson on Snapchat I might have a chance. 

This afternoon I noticed a student spending a lot of time looking down at the floor on the side of his desk. It was obvious to me that he was on his phone but I couldn't quite catch him in the act. Finally, I took a chance, "Brandon, give me your phone."

I was intrigued when he offered no resistance. There was no "I don't have a phone," he simply stood up and handed it to me.

"It's off, right?" I asked.

"Uh, yeah, it's off," he answered.

With the phone in my palm, I tapped the screen and watched it come alive- it was very much on.

And then there was a buzz.

"Hey," I called, "a new Snapchat just came in."

The phone sat on my desk all through lunch. By the end of that time, there were about 6 or 7 Snapchat notifications, a few text messages, a phone call, and a couple of TikTok notifications.

After lunch, I called Brandon out into the hall where he explained that his phone was off, but he turned it on to check the time.

I tilted my face and gave him a look. The kind of look a teacher gives when they know what they're hearing is absolutely made up. 

"The time? That's on your iPad and the clock on the wall. So, how about you tell me the truth now."

He stopped and considered his options before finally relenting, "I was checking my messages."

"So, it was on the whole time?" I asked. 

"Yes."

"Thanks for telling the truth, I appreciate it," I replied with true sincerity, "Your phone will be in the office at the end of the day."

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Can I Get More Work To Make Up For The Work I DIdn't Do Before?

Spring conferences are this Friday. Since students are the star of the Student-led conference, interest in grades has increased in the past few days. 

It's not uncommon to see a dip in grades during the third quarter. Teachers expect more and some students would rather put effort into their social life than academic life. I expect I'll be getting a few extra emails tomorrow and Thursday asking for advice on the steps needed to bring up a grade.

Oh, if only these students knew about the days of extra credit. It was only a few years ago that those student procrastinators could wait until practically the zero-hour before a teacher waved a white flag of sorts- the extra credit assignment. I broke up with extra credit assignments over 10 years ago. 

When asked about such a thing I'd shake my head and ask, "So, you want me to give you work to bring up your grade? So you want to give me more work because you didn't do your work the first time around? Sorry, I'm not up for that."