My sweet husband strikes again!

at Two Writing Teachers!

Last Monday was my birthday.  I was going to write this slice last Tuesday, but then my students threw me a surprise party in class, so I just HAD to write about that!

Anyway, last Monday afternoon I got home a little earlier than usual.  (It was my birthday, after all!)  Humming whatever song had just been on the radio and reminiscing about all the nice birthday wishes I had received all day at school, I shoved the door open.

Oooh!  Husband left me a birthday balloon!  (He's still home when I leave for school.)  He's so sweet!

One of my favorite stuffed animals was holding the balloon.  Thumper has a note!  I thought back to this winter, when Husband set up my stuffed moose Evergreen with a note to cheer me up after school. Giggling, I bent closer.

"Oh boy, Jennifer!  It's your Birthday!!!
Before you do anything else, could you take me to watch some Star Trek?"

What did he do?  Maybe he made me a video?  I scurried off to the family room, where the Blu-ray player is.  After scanning the room for a moment, I found another friend on the couch, with another note!

"Happy Birthday Jennifer!  My feet are sore from all this marching.
Could you take me to get my feet massaged?"

OH BOY, OH BOY!  It's a SCAVENGER HUNT!!!  I practically ran to the living room.  Sure enough, Figment was sitting on my foot massager with another note!

"Can you imagine?  It's your birthday!  Could you take me to watch some birds at the bird feeder?"

The bird feeder?  I scurried to the kitchen, hoping I didn't actually have to go outside.  This one was tougher, but I eventually spotted Flopsy on a kitchen chair, facing the window to the backyard.

"Go Bucks!  Happy Birthday!  Could you take me to listen to some wake-up music?"

I nearly fell up the stairs in my hurry to get to my iPod dock.  (Since I hate mornings, Husband made me a special "Wake-up" playlist with happy music and got me the dock so I can listen to it while I get ready in the mornings.)  My stuffed version of Boo, "The World's Cutest Dog," was happily waiting to greet me with another clue.

"Happy BOOfday! I'm sleepy 'cause I like to sleep a lot! Could you take me to bed?"

Scampering around the corner, I suddenly saw the rest of my favorite stuffed animals waiting to greet me.   Aww, they have my birthday card!  I wonder if I should open it now?

Is it obvious that we love bunnies, turtles, and Wall-E?

Well, Thumper's note at the beginning DID say I should do this before I did anything else.  I guess it's ok to open the card!  I reached for the card... and suddenly noticed that a new addition to the gaggle of animals!  I hadn't even seen him at first!

Itty-bitty Boo in a sweatsuit!!!

Little Boo is now sitting on my desk at school, reminding me of how my sweet husband always knows exactly how to make me happy!

What do ELLs appreciate?

For Teacher Appreciation Week, I wanted my ELL students to thank our whole staff for their hard work and support.  Last year, the ELL teacher I co-taught one class with at my spring middle school had students write thank-you statements to their teachers, which he then put on the school video announcements.  When he was presenting the assignment to his students, he asked them to consider the best ways their teachers supported them in their other classes.  Thus, it was more than just a nice thank-you gesture: it was a reflective exercise for students and an opportunity to remind teachers how they can best support ELLs.

I always love chances to get feedback from my students, and I really wanted to know what THEY appreciate about their teachers.  By thanking their teachers, my students would have to reflect on WHY they like certain teachers and what teaching strategies help them learn successfully in their different classes.  And if we really shared their messages with the teachers, like we did last year with the video announcements, it would be a truly authentic task, which I believe is so crucial to student learning.

With all these goals in mind, I decided to create a Padlet wall so my students could all add their thoughts to a public display simultaneously.  I knew that my students have always enjoyed using Padlet and other similar web tools to collaborate and share ideas in real-time, and it would be easy to send the link to the staff when the wall was complete.  However, I didn't anticipate how excited my students would be to thank their teachers.  Many students wrote note after note listing activities they enjoy and thanking specific teachers for the special things they do.  They mentioned ELL-specific strategies like teaching vocabulary, speaking more clearly, alternate explanations, and extra time.  They remembered special projects, class activities, and ways that teachers made class fun.  Most of all, they wrote about teachers being kind and showing they care by smiling, attending after-school events, helping them through tough times, and making class fun.

Please take a few minutes to read their thoughts! (Or visit the full page, since the formatting seems to be a little goofy on the embedded version!)

Created with Padlet

When I saw the honesty and truth in their thoughts, I couldn't wait to send the link out to the staff!  After I did, several teachers stopped by to say how much they enjoyed reading the students' notes. I even got a few emails from teachers that demonstrate how meaningful my students' words were to them:

(from a history teacher)

(from a reading & credit recovery teacher)

During class today, I showed the emails to my students. They were so proud and happy that their messages really touched their teachers' hearts.

Birthday surprises!

at Two Writing Teachers!

Yesterday morning on the way to school, I spent most of the drive wondering if anybody would remember that it was my birthday.  Yes, the secretary sends out a list of staff birthdays each month, but since I usually glance at them and promptly forget, I figured other people probably do the same.

I shouldn't have worried!

First, I walked up to my classroom to find birthday decorations outside my door!  I thought they were from my fellow ELL teacher (with whom I share the room), but she claimed they were already there when she got to school.

must have been from my secret pal!

Another handmade sign adorned the front chalkboard, and TWO bright presents (one from my secret pal and one from my ELL colleague) stood cheerily on my desk.  While I love presents, I think I loved the signs and balloons even more, because they let everyone know it was my birthday.  All day long, students and staff members greeted me with "Happy Birthday!"  However, the biggest surprise was still to come.

This morning, several of my students were acting a little silly and secretive.  Chart paper in hand, claiming they were "working on a project" (while refusing to offer more details), they asked to visit other teachers, begged me to let them pull individual students out in the hallway for a few minutes at a time, and huddled around something in the hallway between classes.  Were they making something for Teacher Appreciation Day, perhaps?  Not wanting to ruin what was obviously some kind of surprise for someone, I tried not to get too nosy.

By the time lunch ended, I had forgotten all about it... until I got back to my classroom.  As soon as I walked in and set my lunch box on my desk, my colleague dragged me back out. "We have to go to the office," she claimed, but I saw a few of my girls forming a busy hive in the corner front of the room.  Sure enough, the principal who supposedly needed us was nowhere to be found when we arrived at the office.

Under any other circumstances, I would have panicked at being in the hallway when the bell rang, imagining chaos in my classroom, but by now I knew what was going on.  As we approached the room, one of my girls came running out to catch me.
"Can I talk to you, alone?"
Stifling a grin, I tried to put on a concerned face.  "Of course!  What's wrong?"
"Well, I just have a lot of problems, and I um, I have a C in your class and I was wondering what I can do, and..."  Her words tripped over themselves and turned into giggles.
"You're not a very good actress!"

After a couple minutes of checking her phone obsessively, she finally let me walk back toward the classroom.  The blinds by the door were closed, and the lights were obviously off.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!"  The wavering glow of candles from a bright pink cake lit up my students' faces in the center of the room.  Behind them, on the chalkboard, hung a huge banner made out of chart paper:

Amidst a sea of cellphones taking pictures, I took a deep breath, made the obligatory wish, and blew out the candles.  When I opened my eyes again, I realized that some of my students from other periods were even there!  "Your teachers know you guys are here, right?"
"Yeah, you just have to give us a pass back to class."

"LA MORDIDA!  LA MORDIDA!" My Mexican students started chanting and holding the cake up to my face.  I tried to protest: "I don't know guys, at school? Besides, the cake is so pretty!"  However, I couldn't resist their pleading faces.  Cautiously bringing my mouth down toward the corner of the cake, I opened wide and took a bite. To the gleeful giggles of the rest of the class, the boy holding the cake tipped the tray up to make sure my nose and face got decorated with plenty of icing.

"Let's take a class picture!"
"Come read the poster!"
"I want a picture with you!"
"Put on the song!  Put on the song!"  (They had even tricked me into writing down my favorite song, under the pretense of a survey for history class.)
"Now just me and Mrs. M!"
"You should have told us on Friday that Monday was your birthday!  We would've had this done yesterday!"

so sweet!

And finally, with mouths full of cake and pop: "So what are we going to do today?"

Celebrating excellence

at Two Writing Teachers!

Last Wednesday evening, after rushing home to change clothes and stuff some Wendy's into my mouth, I found myself back at school.  Decked out in dresses and ties, teachersand students milled around the atrium, exchanging excited pleasantries.

"Wow, you look so nice in that shirt and tie!"

"What a pretty dress!"

"Which family members are here for you?"

Finally, we formed a long snake with two stripes: teachers on one side and students on the other.  A peaceful processional drifted to our ears, and the snake slithered through the auditorium doors and down the steps, splitting as the students continued onto the stage and the teachers took our reserved seats.

One by one, each student came to center stage, met by his or her nominating teacher.  As each pair stood together on stage, the Master of Ceremonies read the nominator's special description of the student.  Many were outstanding for their academic work, but there were also students who were recognized for their superior effort, dramatic improvement, or leadership.  All were certainly outstanding young people, but I knew that none compared to my student.

Finally, it was our turn.  Wondering why standing on a stage still gives me such jitters, I took a deep breath and strode out to meet my student, congratulating him with a handshake.  As someone else's voice floated my words through the air, we faced the audience with smiles.

Is that guy reading too fast?  I wish he would have paused there.  I hope everybody hasn't stopped listening since we're so late in the program.  I hope they can hear what he's saying clearly enough!  My mind raced, and I felt sweat running down my back from the nervousness of being on stage.

Halfway through my words, I noticed my student tilt his head back, blinking back tears.  Time seemed to slow down as my words ran out. "Thank you!" he said, but the gratitude in his eyes was enough.  We hugged to powerful applause that resonated through the auditorium as I gave him the certificate and walked off the stage.  Is it just me, or was that WAY louder than the applause for all the other kids?

I squeezed back into my seat to whispers from the principals and other teachers.

"Good job!"             "Great choice!"           "What an amazing kid!"    

At the cookie reception after the ceremony, countless teachers and parents came up to personally congratulate my student, even people who didn't know him!
"Do you have to work tonight?"  one couple asked.
"Oh yes, 10-7!" His teeth flashed against his dark skin as that signature smile stretched across his face. "I miss my bed.  It's ok though!"

Each time someone expressed their admiration, he'd just grin, shrug, and turn to me.  "Everyone is acting like I'm special."
"You ARE special."

Tristeza terrible

at Latinaish!

Today is Spanish Friday, so this post is in Spanish!

El miércoles por la mañana, al final de la primera clase, el altavoz de repente sonó con un anuncio.

-- Maestros, acabo de mandar un correo electrónico que Uds. deben leer. -- declaró nuestra secretaria en voz seria.

Uy, eso no es bueno, nunca.  Abrí mi portátil y entré en mi cuenta del correo electrónico.

 -- MUERTE DE UN MAESTRO -- El corazón me cayó cuando leí el asunto.  ¡Que horrible!  -- Ha muerto el estimado Sr. ______ después de sufrir un paro cardiaco mientras entraba en [otro colegio en nuestro distrito escolar, donde trabaja mi mamá como la directora]. -- Ay, dios, mi mamá tuviera que haber sido uno de los primeros en responder.  

Ese señor había trabajado por muchos años en el colegio donde enseño ahora, y este año se había traslado al colegio de mi mamá.  Iba a jubilarse en sólo un mes.  Muchos maestros y estudiantes de mi colegio lo conocían como un maestro amable y chistoso.  Durante toda la mañana, tuvimos que ayudar a los maestros de su departamento antiguo para que no tuvieran que enseñar después de las noticias tan inesperadas.  Me preocupaba por mi mamá, pero sabía que ella estaría muy ocupada.

Por la tarde, después de sonó la última timbre, ella me llamó por fin.
-- Mami, ¿Estás bien? --
-- Le agarraba de la mano cuando se murió. -- Me contestó tristemente. -- Estaba en la oficina cuando recibimos el aviso de que alguien había llamado 911 de un aula.  Salí corriendo y lo vi caído en la escalera. Intenté hablarle para mantenerle alerto, pero... se murió, allí, antes de la llegada de los médicos.  [Un director asistente] le hizo CPR, y luego los médicos usaron su desfibrilador allí en el pasillo, pero... nada.  Todos nuestros maestros se pusieron tan angustiados... fue tan traumático.  --
-- Ay, lo siento Mami... --

Así que ahora hay dos colegios en nuestro distrito escolar con los corazones destrozados.  Y hay muchísimas personas que quieren decir -- Te amo -- más frecuentemente.

Why I Teach

at Two Writing Teachers!

Last week, I wrote about what it's like to face those discouraging days in the classroom.  I also hinted at why I persevere through those tough days, a topic which is on many minds lately.  In the midst of testing, blaming, "It must be so nice to have the summers off"-ing, and "You're too smart to be a teacher!"-ing (not to mention all the regular classroom challenges!), teachers are speaking out.  We are sharing Why We Stay and Why We Teach.

I'm going to be completely honest: sometimes I think about quitting.  Occasionally, I used to wonder if I'd become part of those sad statistics about the incredible number of new teachers who quit within the first three or five years of teaching.  But here I am, still pushing through year six!

Some days, I battle back tears as I drive home, and I wonder if I can keep doing this for years.  I wonder what my life would be like if I had become an engineer (my major through my freshman year of college).  In the morning, I pry my exhausted body out of bed in the dark and do my best imitation of Mr. Holland's Opus: "What kind of person goes to work at 7:00 in the morning?!"  But I get up anyway, and by the time my students walk through my classroom door, I'm waiting to greet them with a huge smile.

Here's why:

I teach because I want to change the world.

• I believe that I can design my instruction and my classroom in a way that will help my students become more tolerant, empathetic, compassionate people.
• I believe that I can give my students skills and confidence they can use to follow their dreams and affect the world in ways I can't even imagine.
• I believe that my life can shine in a way that helps my students see what is possible when you live with love and enthusiasm.

I teach because I want to change lives.

• I believe that every student has a reader and a writer hiding somewhere inside.  I want to help all of my students discover how to lose themselves in books and how to pour out the stories of their hearts.
• I believe that students who flick their eyes from the ceiling to the clock to the floor during reading time in the fall can come rushing into my room, waving a book and shouting about it in the spring... and I've seen it happen.
• I believe that students who stare at a blank page for over a half hour in the fall can write heartfelt paragraphs and poems in under twenty minutes in the spring... and I've seen that happen too.
• I believe that I can help my students catch a love of learning that will propel them through their lives.
• I believe that one teacher is enough to make a difference.

I teach because I love my students and I know they need the kind of teacher I try to be.

• I know that my students need smiles, encouraging comments, and quick little conversations about their lives.
• I know that my students need hugs, tissues, moments in the hallway, and a safe place to come when their worlds are falling apart.
• I know that my students need snacks, dollars, change, and a place to work on the computer before and after school.
• I know that my students need listening ears, chances to ask hard questions, and guidance about things I don't even begin to have answers to, but I know they just need me to try.
• I know that my students need celebrations, treats, and thoughtful feedback.
• I know that my students need authentic, meaningful learning opportunities that allow them to bring their own experiences and connect to others.
• I know that my students need to see adults who are still reading, still writing, and still learning.
• I know that my students and their families need someone they trust to help them navigate this befuddling world of free lunch, residency verification, Title I programs, testing, lectures, college applications, and so much more... all in a new language.
• I know that my students need someone to speak up for them to other students and staff who don't know or don't understand what they are going through.
• I know that my students need someone who also struggles with thinking of a word in the wrong language, being unable to find a phrase in the right language that expresses a certain concept, yearning for a different pace of life, craving a food that just can't be found here, and all the other issues of those who "carry another home in their hearts" (as Silas House and Neela Vaswani so eloquently described it in Same Sun Here).

I teach because I can't imagine doing anything else.

Grabbing at Stars

at Two Writing Teachers!

It is better, I think, to grab at the stars than to sit flustered because you know you cannot reach them. -- R.A. Salvatore

This school year has been quite a challenge: new subject, new school, new age group.  Even though everyone (principals, other teachers, district administrators, all of you wonderful slicing friends...) keeps telling me what a great job I'm doing, I haven't been happy with my work.  

The way I see it, I've just been floundering around, constrained by time and energy, struggling madly to stay afloat.  My classes are just finally starting real thematic units (my strength and the only way I really feel like I know what I'm doing), just because I didn't have time to develop them earlier in the year.  (I love thematic units, but they take so much intensive planning and preparation!)  My writers' workshop just feels like we're floundering around, but there hasn't been any time to dig into that stack of books on my bedroom floor that I know will give me the guidance I need.  All of the handouts I've made and used this year are teetering in a giant pile on top of my file cabinet.  My desk and my Evernote are both strewn with exciting and wonderful ideas that I just haven't been able to implement yet.

Even so, all that is ok on the good days.  On the good days, I'm able to shove aside my perfectionism and celebrate all I have managed to accomplish this year.  I can hear excited voices engaged in purposeful conversation, feel the quiet peace of a roomful of riveted readers, and savor strong student voices alive on blogs and paper.  On the good days, I can see the students who have turned into readers and writers, who have overcome incredible obstacles, who have trusted me with their problems, who view my classroom as a safe and happy place.  They are my shining stars.

On days like today, the stars are hard to see in the midst of all the clouds.  Students are tired or stressed or goofy or hyper, or everything at once.  Maybe it's the end-of-the-year-itis, maybe just an off day, or maybe something happened at home that I can't even dream of.  That student in the corner still hasn't become a reader no matter how many great books I've nudged him with.  Those other students are churning out the same brief, flavorless writing they were slapping on paper months ago.  Another student doesn't even have materials out after three reminders.  It takes five minutes to focus for oral directions in one class, yet we can hear the nearly-silent air vent running when small group discussions are supposed to be happening later.  On these days, the stars seem so dim and far away that I barely notice them. Moreover, I wonder if I can ever clear the clouds away to make more stars appear.  

But if I squint really hard, I can see them.  If I narrow my field of vision, those gleaming little successes suddenly look a lot bigger and brighter.  The others may be hidden for now, but they're there.  If I keep trying, I might reach them someday.  I have to keep reaching.