For J
Author: TMH
Writer. Former teacher. Baker. Spoiler of dogs.
Could there really be two of him?
My question is: Will kids get double the presents?
If they don’t run into each other, that is…
If these two met up, what would their conversation sound like?
If it helps, use the script format:
Santa #1:
Santa #2:
Santa #1:
Santa #2:
Santa Claus getting adventurous…
Santa seems to have been steered off-course.
Or is he in search of something?
What’s missing?
If you had access to our devoted friend via cell phone, what three questions would you ask him? Write up a quick conversation you might have with him.
If it helps, use the script format:
You:
Santa:
You:
Santa:
The Next Page Entry 67: In the deep end…continued…and continued some more
Yes, so here I am writing, as I should be, and the kids are writing as they should be and all the world makes sense. We’ll see how long that lasts.
In the meantime, it appears our custodian is not at all pleased that the kids are doing some of the room clean-up that she is supposed to be doing. Silly me, I would’ve thought she’d welcome the opportunity to slide on even more of her room-to-room duties, but I guess it got back to Mrs. Nix that the kids were using the vacuum cleaner I brought from home.
How do I know Shaina isn’t pleased? She huffed and she puffed and she slid-slammed the trash cans into their corners after emptying them. And while she spent at least ten more minutes in my room than she usually does, she said not one word to me. She usually tries to pry a little info (i.e. ‘dirt’) out of me, no matter how many times I’ve shown no interest in playing along with her interrogations. This time, not word one.
What can I say? Yes, I’m glad I’m letting the kids join me in the classroom earlier than before, and yes, I realize now (and should have realized beforehand) that there is a price to be paid for sidestepping a few school policies.
The Next Page Entry 66: In the deep end…continued
Image by LEEROY Agency from Pixabay
No surprise.
Mrs. Nix was not thrilled with my ‘8:00 entry’ idea.
I find it helps to just expect pushback from her, so when it comes, I’ve already worked through some of the arguments on both sides and my own general uneasiness. (As I wrote that word ‘uneasiness’, I realized that even a month ago, I would have written ‘fears’. To me, that’s progress.)
Anyway, I heard the expected ‘Why should I make an exception for you?’ and ‘Now other teachers will be asked to do the same thing.’ arguments.
I told her that Room 36 IS an exception because of its location. (I’m always tempted to revisit the sorry state of the room back in August, as well, but I rein myself in.)
And then I called up a photo of one of the wet kids from a couple of days ago.
And then I pulled out an extra surprise–a note from Sanjay’s parents thanking me for the new policy.
(I kept their reasons to myself…something to tuck away for ‘a rainy day’, so to speak.)
Result: The exception will be granted on an interim basis.
I’ll take it.
***
The Next Page Entry 65: A classroom manifesto…
I ran across this quote and loved it for the classroom.
So I made this poster.
Kind of lofty goals, yes.
But they give us so much to think about, starting with me.
I have assured the kids we can’t live up to all of these all the time, but if they give us a reason to pause and reflect, then those words are doing their job.
Pretty sure I’ll be using parts of this for journal prompts and classroom discussions as well.
***
The Next Page Entry 64: In the deep end…
Photo by sydney Rae on Unsplash
Lately, some kids have knocked on my door before school starts
asking if they could retrieve a book, a lunch box, even a retainer [ick!]. And I noticed once they came in, they lingered until the bell sounded to ‘officially’ admit kids into their classrooms.
Yesterday, it was dry when I got to Room 36.
But by the time the kids were let loose to head to the classroom, it was pouring rain. Kids soaked–not a good way for them [or me] to start the day.
And I had an idea…take photos of the drenched kids. I didn’t tell them why, but I figured the shots might come in handy.
After journal time, I made the announcement: Room 36 kids can enter the classroom at 8:00 instead of 8:15.
And I laid the ground rules:
If you want to enter early, just come straight to the room. No need to attract attention.
- Once you’re here, school work comes first.
- If school work is completed, there might be classroom ‘chores’ that are completely optional.
- Quiet conversation is encouraged.
So yes, I should have probably checked with Mrs. Nix first, but this was one of those ‘easier to ask forgiveness than get permission’ moments. And I kept envisioning those rained-on, drowned-rat kids.
We’ll see how this plays out…
***
Use online images to spark prewriting
I just figured this five-minute video
offers a good way to shake writers out of a prewriting rut.
I hope it helps.
Feel free to share comments.
Pass this along to students
Just a collage I made on Canva.com.
Use it in your virtual classroom to greet your students.
Download and share with colleagues.
Make an ecard out of it.
Hang in there, teachers and kids!
The Next Page Entry 63: Hand me that mop!
It’s been two straight nights Shaina has skipped cleaning my room. It must be easy to forget a whole building, right? I mean, we’re all of 104 paces away, if you go by Sanjay’s after-lunch demonstration last week.
That must be sheer drudgery.
And it’s probably easy to ‘forget’ to clean a classroom when the teacher doesn’t complain…except inside a journal.
And that same teacher who recently snagged from the custodian’s closet a bottle of the district-approved non-toxic spray to wipe down the desks… and last weekend brought in her own vacuum cleaner for those now inevitable ‘missed assignments’.
Then again, maybe Shaina is more prone to show up when I am around, hoping she can dig up a little dirt.
Am I being paranoid?
***
Maybe I’m in the wrong line of work. I should buck for a promotion to custodial assistant. I might even get a little more respect from Mrs. Nix.
On second thought, if Shaina found out I was the one who slapped her name on eight unlabeled items in the staff fridge, she’d hardly be on board with me as a ‘team member’, now would she?
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