March 2023 SOLC–Day 7
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

We’d been having a quick narrative reading assessment. I’d read students a story and paused every so often for them to jot answers to some questions about character feelings, changes in feelings, lessons, etc. For some reason or other, we had gotten into a bit of a time crunch (so unusual, right?), so I had ended up scribing a little for one of my students. As we finished the story and got to the last question, I told S that he needed to complete that one independently. I thought he might grumble, but he didn’t, and I moved away as he picked up his pencil, concentrating on the page in front of him.

A minute later he popped up by my side. “Here, Mrs. Hogan,” he said, handing me his paper.

I looked down and saw that he’d written, “fichin” (fiction). 

“Great, S” I said, “but remember the question was: What is the genre of this story and how do you know?” I pointed to the second part of the question on his page. “You still need to answer that part.”

He hesitated a moment. Was he going to refuse?

Then he frowned, grudgingly took his paper back and plodded back toward his seat. Several minutes later he appeared again at my side. He stood in front of me, paper in hand, waiting while I talked to another student. Then, as I turned to give him my attention, he held his paper up for my inspection and said, in a somehow simultaneously serious and nonchalant way, “Mrs. Hogan, the second part is just written in Chinese.” 

I looked down and saw that under “fichin” S had filled a line with a series of intersecting lines, both curved and straight. Apparently he’d spent the past few minutes creating what, to him, looked like passable Chinese.

I know it wasn’t professional, but I couldn’t help it. I started laughing. It was all just too funny–His studied nonchalance… His misguided hope that I’d be taken in and accept his answer (Maybe ask for a translation? lol)…and all that creative effort expended on avoiding answering the question (which, by the way, I knew that he knew). It pushed me over the edge. As I laughed, even his lips twitched and a small smile appeared.

“Oh, S,” I finally said, pulling myself back together, “I am so sorry, but you can’t answer this one in Chinese. You’re going to have to try again.”

And off he went, paper and pencil in hand, resigned to his fate.

March 2023 SOLC–Day 6
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

Wait. What? 

I was at a last minute impromptu staff meeting on Friday afternoon. Maybe I hadn’t been listening quite as intently as I should have been. (Blizzard coming, food to buy, wood to stack, report card comments to write, etc.. Oh. And don’t forget the aforementioned “Friday afternoon!”)

I couldn’t have heard her say…

“Yes,” she replied with toxic positivity convincing enthusiasm. “That’s right. For next week. Isn’t it great!? We’re sooooo excited about it!”

My jaw dropped. 

My brain started frantically churning, trying to remember what she’d said. Trying to put together the pieces of this impossible puzzle.

1. A new fundraising week. (“What a great opportunity!”)
2. We had to come up with the fundraiser ideas. (“You all are so creative!”)
3. Everyone was supposed to have a different idea. (“Like a fun fair of fundraisers!”)
4. It was due to begin next week. (“Maybe the timing isn’t great, but … you can do it!”)
5. Report cards were still due on Tuesday. (“You’ve got this!”)

My brain felt like it was shorting out. I think my eye started twitching.

Danger! Danger! Information overload!

We gathered up our belongings. No one made eye contact. Other than the warning messages screaming in my brain, it was silent as we filed past our beaming Assistant Principal and into the hallway.

Suddenly, a blaring sound filled the school.

Now, what!?!

We looked from left to right, trying to find the source.

The noise continued, insistent and unabated, filling the hallways. It definitely wasn’t the fire alarm…

People started to move a bit faster. To look even more apprehensive.

What could it be?

Then I realized.

I took a deep, relieved breath…
rolled over and turned off my alarm.

It had all been a dream.

Phew!

(With apologies to our Assistant Principal who is not nearly this insane and while upbeat and positive, never veers into toxicity!)

March 2023 SOLC–Day 5
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

It’s not my fault.

Really, it isn’t!

How can I possibly be expected to work when I’m besieged by temptations? They all joined forces. I swear it was like a conspiracy!

The windows started it. All innocent-like.

“Just take a peek,” they suggested, flashing some light my way.

So I did.

Then the birds got in on the act. Even from inside I could hear them singing up a storm. Some of them perched nearby, looking forlornly at me through the window, or staring intently at their snow-topped platform feeders.

“Tweet, tweet,” began to sound a lot like “Feed me!”

Being the generous type, and prone to guilt (cause, you know, I’m also a mom), I stepped outside to fill the feeders.

But before I could do that, I had to shovel the path, and when I went to get the shovel, I made the mistake of looking in the back yard. Sun seized the opportunity and got in on the act.

“Check it out!” she said, casting light and shadows with wild abandon. I tried not to look, really I did! But she wouldn’t let up!

“Look at what I can do with the trees!”

“Did you see the deer tracks in the driveway?”

“Look I made a portal!”

(Geez, you can tell that she didn’t get out to play yesterday!)

I hope you understand that I had to take some time to admire her work, right? I mean, I didn’t want to be rude.

Now it’s an hour or so later, and I still haven’t started my work.

But, you see, don’t you, that it’s really not my fault? Could you resist? And they all ganged up on me!

So, it’s not my fault.

Really.

I think I’m going to go work in the closet.

March 2023 SOLC–Day 3
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

Our snow supply has been replenished regularly in the past few weeks. One recent morning as I stepped outside with my class, students gasped at the size of the newly plowed mounds of snow.

“Let’s go conquer Mount Everest!” one of them cried, and then they were all off, racing across the playground. They scrambled up to the top of the piles and then threw themselves off with utter abandon and complete disregard for their continued health and well being. It was pretty fun and pretty awesome.

Today as we walked outside, the snow was falling fast and furious. We all turned our heads up instinctively as we walked out, greeting the snowfall. Everyone was smiling. Kids scattered to climb and sled down mountains, slide down extra slippery slides, and jump into snow piles. It was the kind of wet heavy snow that instantly soaks mittens, hats and hair. No one seemed to mind. One of the other recess duty teachers smiled at me from across the basketball court, jumped and tapped her feet together in midair. It was just that amazing out there!

Across the court even a basketball seemed to be trying to get in on the action!

“Look at that basketball!” I called to some nearby students, and pointed. “It’s trying to build a snowman!”

They turned to look, and then we all laughed.

Soon I was admiring a more developed snowman and later an inventive snow star with wood chip eyes and nose and smile.

I may have had a twinge of envy at recent pictures of blooming azaleas or magnolias shared in other posts and on social media. But today any hint of jealousy vanished. I was completely enchanted by the snowfall, delighted to be out at recess in the middle of a snow globe, soaking it all in, surrounded by the laughter of equally delighted children.

Those of you who are already enjoying bird song and blossoms have no idea what you’re missing!

March 2023 SOLC–Day 2
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org

We were gathered at the rug in the midst of a discussion about types of fiction: specifically, realistic fiction, fantasy, and fables. (Oh, my.) We were looking at a couple of books and trying to decide which category they fit into. Some of them were a bit tricky. At this particular moment we were focused on fantasy.

T raised his hand, “Well, if a book has talking animals, it would be fantasy. Because in the real world animals don’t talk.”

Several students nodded in agreement or signaled that they had had the same thought.

“What about Mercy Watson?” V asked. “She doesn’t talk, but she sleeps in a bed and dreams of toast.”

“Is Fly Guy fantasy or realistic fiction?” M piped up. “He mostly just says ‘Buzzz’.”

S’s hand popped up, waving wildly, and he simultaneously blurted, “Well, some animals talk. Parrots talk.”

“Well, that’s true, ” I began, but S kept right on going. He was clearly determined to prove his point.

“Parrots do talk,” he repeated.

Lowering his hand, he tapped X, who was sitting next to him, on the shoulder.

“Do you want to be a parrot?” S asked him with great enthusiasm.

X, who clearly had not been followed the conversation, jerked to a more alert state and peered at S.

“Huh?” He looked like a confused chick with his sleepy eyes and tousled downy hair.

“Do you want to be a parrot?” S repeated.

“Oh, OK,” X answered promptly. (He clearly had no idea what was going on, but was game.)

“OK,” said S He prepared himself, shifting on the rug, sitting up straighter and looking straight at X.

“Hello,” he said clearly in his best parrot voice (which sounded uncannily like his regular voice).

“Hello,” replied X in a similar fashion.

“See,” declared S triumphantly, looking around at the class with a satisfied grin.

And he rested his case.