It's the little things...

I should be grading right now, but I chose to write instead.  It felt too amazing outside not to soak it up.    It's like Texas just wanted to give us a glimpse of what fall is supposed to feel like - cool, stagnant air just relaxing in the peaceful silence.  Sadly, these envied temperatures will be melted away by the end of the week.  Oh well, we can always hope for more rain.

As I'm sitting out in the coolness, I'm reflecting on my teaching week.  Everyday I feel a little more drained than the last, so by Friday, it's a miracle I'm still walking.  However, this Friday (yesterday), was different.  After three years of teaching, I felt like the best teacher version of myself. We were working on our first personal narrative essays of the year, and yesterday was revising day.  As usual, I wrote an essay of my own as an example, but I did something with it I've never done before.  I put my rough draft - my sloppiness, open and exposed - under our document camera for the kids to see. I have done that before.  I've written with them and modeled how to start an essay.  I've given check lists of what makes a good essay or what they should have in theirs.  We've answered questions about revising essays.  I've even done musical revising, where they get up and move around while music plays and they revise whichever paper they arrive at when the music stops.  But I've never had them revise mine or modeled what revising looks like.  To tell the truth, it was one of my least favorite things to teach because I could never really find a good, meaningful way to do it.  I'm sure there plenty of simple ways out there that much better teachers breeze through.   But Friday, although small, I had a victory.

I put my rough draft under the camera, so everyone could see.  I read it to them and had them follow along.  Occasionally, I stopped and told them what I was thinking when I wrote a part or when I though I needed to get rid of something.  I also told them to revise it.  I wanted to see if they would pick up on the many things I did wrong.  At first they were unsure when I opened the floor for discussion of my essay.

"You mean, we won't get in trouble for correcting you?"
"No ma'am, This is a conversation - writer-to-writer."

Once they realized I was serious, they jumped in, excited for the opportunity to correct the teacher.    More importantly, I finally started hearing music to my ears.  They were genuinely decoding the message of my essay and thinking through the words I chose.

"You went on too long about your courage."
"I think you repeated yourself when you said mountains twice."
"I think that sentence is too long.  I can't understand it."
"You said one thing in that paragraph that doesn't go with your story."

Just when I had them right where I wanted them, I brought my lesson home.

"This is revising.  What you just corrected is my first draft.  Clearly, it was not ready to be my final draft.  You had to figure out what I was trying to say and delete the extra stuff."

I saw some lightbulbs begin to click.  It wasn't profound or even that creative and it may not sound like it, but I felt like I finally taught them that revising is not just replacing a word or fixing a comma.  Revising is about shaping and molding your words to paint the picture you want your reader to see.  Words are the clay and students can mold them into any art form they want.  It won't be perfect the first time, which is why they have to keep running their fingers through it.

Again, it is pretty insignificant, and I'm sure all you other more talented teachers are laughing at me, but I'll take a small victory.  I know I have a long way to go to becoming a "great" teacher, but I had so much fun watching my students genuinely revise and shape their essays, crafting their words into little masterpieces.  Even though I was so drained and nearly dragging, my students turned my day completely around.  It was refreshing to watch them work and actually realize why we do this.  Sometimes it's the little things that keep me going on days when I don't want to get out of bed.

6 word memoirs. Coolest assignment ever.

I've made it through the first two weeks of school so far!  Two very... long... weeks.  Tryouts the first week almost killed me.  13-14 hour days feels like someone pressed thumb tacks all the way into the bottoms of my feet.  But my hilarious co-workers lifted my spirits and made every minute worth it.  I'd make fun of Miley and dance to "Started from the bottom..." all day with tacks in my feet all over again.  Labor Day weekend brought me enough sleep to recoup in time for the next round.  Morning practices.  My body still doesn't understand what's going on with a 4:45-5:00am wake up time.  Though, somehow my brain finds a way to wake itself up enough to function.  Too bad I don't drink coffee.  Once I realize I'm awake and at practice, I can see that we have some really talented athletes (and great kiddos) that make my job well worth the loss of sleep.  Plus, we kicked butt at our first scrimmage, so now I'm pumped for the season.

Then, there is the classroom side of my job.  While I have more students in my classes this year than I've ever had, it's been pretty smooth sailing (knock on wood).  Granted, after the second week, kids are starting to come out of their angel shells and test the waters, but I love all of them regardless.  I feel privileged to be able to teach these guys.  I've got some super sweet, respectful, intriguing babies who make my job a little easier.  Let's just hope it stays that way.  :)

Already, though, I'm impressed by them.  The first week of school they wrote me a letter introducing themselves, and I was impressed by their ability to write so well already.  (Good job 6th grade teachers!! You are amazing!)  The second week we continued to do some reflective writing with some 6 word memoirs.  This is definitely the COOLEST assignment I've ever done, and I learned so much about them.  I can't tell you how much I LOVE 6 word memoirs!  It was so cool to watch my kids dig inside themselves and splatter their stories in 6 words.  I can't wait to hang these up in my room.  I can't wait to see their reactions to how inspirational, strong, and deep their peers are.   Whenever I get time, I'd like to make a cool video of these, but until then check out these 6 word memoirs and see how awesome my kids are...

I can trust anyone... I think?
Bruised legs. Dirt Everywhere. That's fashion.
Lost in life.  Dad is dead.
Football, best sport for teaching character.
Sounded much better in my head.
Creativity big, height small, heart huge.
Swinging so high, falling down hard...
Stress me out, Starbucks saves me.
Without books, life's black and white.
Finding who you are is hard.
Quiet has never been any louder.
My mind is a forest... lost.
Life's a song you're the lyrics.
Lost in thought, slowly falling apart.
Life's a game without extra lives.
Misunderstood, mistaken, mistreated, but still here.
Gooey on inside, rock solid out.
I'm not quiet, I'm just listening.
Like a rose, falls for nothing.
Knowing not all feats are impossible.
Slow learner, but still get it.
Still waiting for that one day.
Today's biggest worries. Tomorrow's funniest memories.
Love bacon, love mustaches, love life.
Used to be shy, not anymore.
I'm short, but touching cloud nine.

This one about sums it up:

12 years old, blinded by life.

I wish I could put all of them up here, but that might take a while.  I'm so thankful that they took the risk to be so transparent with me and each other.  I think we can agree my kids are awesome (and smarter than me)!

If I could sum up the first two weeks, even though I've been dog-tired and dragging through most of it, it has been surprisingly refreshing.  It's refreshing to be able to work with people that make every day better than the last.  To work with coaches who love the kids they coach and who dress up like gangstas.  To work with teachers who I can learn from and who share the same goals and approach to writing as I do.  Suffice it say that I'm excited for the year, and I love my job!


Long hours. Frustrating days. Worth it.