Fear of the Firsts

There are a number of firsts this year, despite it being my ninth year teaching.

In Response to Devos

Apparently what happens when you watch too much Hamilton and read the news the next day is you feel like venting via poetry. Here is my verse response to what is being said by our federal government. In Response to Devos by Erica Johnson I am a passionate professional Whose profession is often passed over. […]

#SoL20: Looking Back, Moving Forward

This week I shared with students we were going to do the Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge. I’m nervous and excited for them, but mostly hopeful that they will see the benefit and joy of doing it. I actually got to speak to two students over Hangouts today and address some points of confusion. […]

#SoL20: Lunch Break

Another aspect of school I miss is eating lunch with both colleagues and students. Lunch with colleagues and students though wasn’t so bad. On Fridays, one of the girls in my writing class would have lunch in my room. She didn’t like eating in the cafeteria. She wasn’t the first student to take lunch in my […]

#SoL20: School Game Night

One of my favorite non-academic aspects of the school I teach at is an event known as Game night. Game nights are hosted by our librarian (who is also a personal friend of mine) along with the student president of her library club, VHS Crew. Game nights have brought me nothing but joy because […]

Blogging with Students

I love starting new projects, new ideas, and then inevitably they seem to fizzle out as I lack accountability or just lose interest in the project. That’s what happened to this blog.

Failure: It’s Sometimes an Option

While I may not have been posting here, I have at least been writing with my students. So much so that I have a backlog of entries I would like to share in this space, starting with the piece I just finished using classification and division writing. Students started these in-progress writing pieces yesterday and […]

Trying New Things, Failing New Things

It’s first period. I have posted everyone’s name along the wall and watch as they find their spot to hang their latest writing: Where I’m From inspired narrative vignettes. Actually, I don’t watch. My own recently composed piece about getting Icees during the summer with my Papa is posted too. I’m in the circle with […]