Zoom out, Zoom in

Friday, Friday. I’ll never understand why 4-day weeks seem as long as 5-days. But it’s Friday there’s a beautiful sky and I have a plan for my Read 180 class. I consulted with Joe, who is one of our special education teachers. He gave me great ideas, so I am ready with a seating chart that divides the 8th graders up and allows them to be mentors to tables of 7th graders. Also, since we can’t use computers yet, don’t have a stable class list, and, therefore, can’t do much of what we need to do. Joe said, “Don’t try then! Play games, throw candy, build a happy classroom team, and throw more candy.” To nonteachers that may seem ridiculous, but if a class can’t work together as a team, they won’t be successful as individuals. As our slogan for this year goes – Teamwork makes the dream work! It’s kind of like this picture of a flock of birds in the sky. They moved together in a circular pattern through the sky over and over. When they land in the grassy field between this gas station and the dentist’s office, they wander individually. Even then, though, some are alert and watching so the others can relax and eat. Teamwork, big picture.

I, also,need to never ever lose my awareness of my students as individuals with unique skills, strengths, weaknesses, and baggage. One young man, for example, has such problems focusing! He wants to do well. He is not mean-spirited. BUT at the end of the day when he hits my 2-period-long class, - he can’t sit still for long, can’t be quiet for long, and says everything LOUDLY, loses his temper very quickly, and wants ALL the attention. But he loves to be the teacher, to help others, and he’s pretty good at it. I have to find a way to narrow my focus to guiding this child toward success or the whole class has a hard time. The individual child, zoom in.