My Name in Print

It is a truly unique experience when you see your own name in a published book, being acknowledged by a very accomplished author in the educational world.  That happened to me today. As you may know, I had a career-changing epiphany three years ago when I discovered a research-based writing model called the 6+1 Traits [...]

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34

I walk in today, and I face 33 students.  Oh wait, that’s right…an hour into my opening speech, number 34 is ushered into my room.  This is the largest class in my 13 year career. Let’s look at numbers: I have nine tables now.  Because of this, I had to trade-in my horseshoe reading table [...]

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Nuts

I like to read “stupid” jokes and riddles to my class when we have a few minutes before lunch.  I really asked for it when I got to these jokes: I asked my kids, “What did the boy squirrel say to the girl squirrel?” A bunch of responses, but no one knew the correct answer:  [...]

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Perky 6th Grade Art – Artist: Boy (12 yrs. old)

This was confiscated from one of my students today.  He was not quite finished with it.  However, he did seem to complete the most important parts (in his 12 year old mind) before I took it from him. Imagine how he felt when I asked him to hand it over. How bad am I?  Instead [...]

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Gas and Giggles

I teach sixth grade.  At that age, the boys have now become old enough to take pride in their ability to pass gas and get attention.  It is a trait, I have found, that continues well into adulthood. For twelve years, I have heard many.  Loud ones, soft ones, drawn-out ones,  quick rips and rattles.  [...]

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A Brief Reminder of What I Almost Was

Several years ago, I was on the fast track.  My career was flying, and I was on my way out of the classroom and well on my way to the principal’s office…my office. I was the one with the potential.  I was the one in my “intern group” that was the sure bet to get [...]

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Chocolate Kisses and “Funny Feelings”

I would certainly say there are many stories that come out of teaching 12 year olds.  Most of which surround “certain changes” that take place during the year.  The best ones, like the following, start innocent enough… A girl in my class was sitting across the table from P-Boy.  She had received one of those [...]

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