Only 158 Pages to Go! #TeachWritetober19

I am procratination's best friend! We go togther like peanut butter and jelly! 

I had intentions of sharing stories this school year - 180 of them - one each day of the school year.

But THAT obviously didn't happen. 

Instead, I decided to take the time this month while I participate in #TeachWritetober19 to find those stories in my classroom and live my school year through them. Single stories are all around us, single stories that build great things.

Here is story number one.

"Briana" is a student who has struggled with reading. It's not that she can't - she just doesn't. As I conferred with her yesterday, I could tell she wasn't into her book. I suggested another book, but when I mentioned foster care, she immediately cut me off and said, "I don't want to read about foster care."

I backed off, not knowing what our conversation had triggered.

Come to find out, she was mad at me for another matter. Later that day she came in and asked if she could get another book becuase she didn't like the one she was reading. She looked down and asked me, "Can I have that one you were talking about this morning?"

I smiled and said, "Of course." I went to my closet to get one of my extra copies of Orbiting Jupiter, and handed it to her. "You're going to love it. I promise!"

Today during first period we were reading, and when I made the announcement that it was time to close our books, she begged, "No, wait!" She even carried and read the book with her to get a computer from the computer cart - she did not want to put the book down!

My reading heart skipped a beat.

She is only on page 25, and if you have read this book, then you know how much I want to talk to her when she finishes this book.

Only 158 pages to go!