Day Fifty-three: Flip side

And this is why we are grateful for the lessons we learn. Like not taking things personally. The same kids that yesterday were so impossible today were totally cooperative and working hard. Maybe it's something in the air. The weather changing usually affects their behavior. So I was very relieved that even though I forgot to set my alarm last night and overslept by 20 minutes, that my day was pretty good. I had some students start helping me make decorations for graduation tomorrow while others worked on completing their assignments from yesterday.

One student was really trying hard to work today. I've been holding permission slips ransom (carrot, ransom, same difference), promising the students that I will hand them out to those who are following directions and working in class. We had the following conversation:

Student: This is hard.

Teacher: Yeah. It is hard.

Student: Are you mocking me?

Teacher: Nope. Character analysis is hard stuff.

I asked him some questions to help guide his work, and gave him a permission slip at the end of class.

Yesterday I sketched a design for graduation. No real time to buy stuff, so we'll see how it all comes together. I'm running a little behind where I wanted to be, but we made a bunch of stars to hang from the ceiling. First thing tomorrow I'll start on the decorations for the front wall.