It is the end of the first day and I am still alive! Not only that- but I still feel solid about my decision to do this for the next two years. Although, I wouldn’t mind having a fifties-style wife around to do my cooking, cleaning and mending for me while I put my feet up in the recliner and do work on my laptop while watching the Olympics. (As an aside, how young are gymnasts these days? I guess they have always been young, which I guess just means I’m getting old, which fits in with my yearning for my own sort of Mrs. Cleaver…) Anyway…
The girls at my school wear their hair like they’re going to prom. Some of my sixth graders are so tiny it looks like they could fold up and fit into their own pencil pouches. One of them, when asked if there were any more questions, asked for my phone number.
Another boy kept falling asleep, even when I was right next to him answering a question. Like narcoleptic-style. He said he didn't sleep at all the last night because he was so excited for school.
The small amount of writing I've seen from them is pretty stricking. Few complete sentences and crazy misspellings. Their short answers looked more like 4th grade than 8th grade work. In answer to the "what is the BEST book you've ever read?" question I got many a "Charlotte's Web" (written all sorts of ways) and a few "Holes," and a handful of "Harry Potter"s. One boy wrote "Letters to a Young Black Man;" I haven't figured out exactly what book he's talking about, but it's inspiring to think about the type of real societal issues that come up in English classes. We certainly have a lot of work to do.
In the meantime, we are practicing procedures, getting psyched up for pre-testing and our first writing project (personal narratives!) and I have already been solicited for advice on boys. I'm exhausted, but excited.
Here we go.
The girls at my school wear their hair like they’re going to prom. Some of my sixth graders are so tiny it looks like they could fold up and fit into their own pencil pouches. One of them, when asked if there were any more questions, asked for my phone number.
Another boy kept falling asleep, even when I was right next to him answering a question. Like narcoleptic-style. He said he didn't sleep at all the last night because he was so excited for school.
The small amount of writing I've seen from them is pretty stricking. Few complete sentences and crazy misspellings. Their short answers looked more like 4th grade than 8th grade work. In answer to the "what is the BEST book you've ever read?" question I got many a "Charlotte's Web" (written all sorts of ways) and a few "Holes," and a handful of "Harry Potter"s. One boy wrote "Letters to a Young Black Man;" I haven't figured out exactly what book he's talking about, but it's inspiring to think about the type of real societal issues that come up in English classes. We certainly have a lot of work to do.
In the meantime, we are practicing procedures, getting psyched up for pre-testing and our first writing project (personal narratives!) and I have already been solicited for advice on boys. I'm exhausted, but excited.
Here we go.
3 comments:
ms. craven! ms. craven! can you give ME advice about boys!?!?
Did you give him your number?
Congratulations on your newest journey, it sounds like your kids are lucky to have you. Remember, you are learning from your kids everyday. I'm glad you ask them about themselves.
We start school today, only 3700 students so far. Holy Cow!
Keep the energy flowing and good luck with finding a Mrs. Cleaver
Hugs
Chris
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