A Saturday Morning Blessing

Moving my way down the aisle at the grocery store, I see a family trying to corral a toddler. As she climbs on top of the stocked cases of pop, her mom grabs her, tickling her. Dad looks at me and moves on. Then turns around and says, "You were one of my teachers."

Of course, he is a grown man and looks nothing like a 4th grader, so I say, "Ok, you are going to have to tell me who you are because you have obviously changed since I had you in school."

He tells me his name, and my face lights up. When I ask him if this is his family, he introduces me and tells me what he is doing. My heart flips and flops as I look at him with so much admiration. He is in the army and stationed in Georgia, due to get out next summer. He will have a degree in criminology and wants to come back here and work on the sheriff's department. His wife is working on her master's degree in social work. 

This is a student who came from some very hard places. He saw things as a child that no child should ever see. His mother was a meth addict and was in and out jail so many times. He was exposed to domestic violence and was eventually raised by his grandfather. He was one of those students who you just prayed would somehow break away from those chains. He struggled in school, but he knew school was the safest place he could be.

I wished him luck and thanked him for stopping and saying something to me.

Leaving the store that day, my heart was smiling. Those are the success stories we as teachers love to hear and what makes teaching have a purpose beyond the ABCs and the 1,2,3s.

What a Saturday morning blessing!

  

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for creating a space to share a small corner of my world.

Reading Hope 6/31

"Oh, Mrs. Eck! You have to keep going!"

These words are music to a reading teacher's ears.

We have been reading whole class novels these past three weeks. One class is reading Grenade by Alan Gratz, and the other five classes are reading The Watsons Go to Birmingham. I read selected chapters through the book study, and I always read aloud the last few chapters. 

As I read today about the bomb in Birmingham, you could hear a pin drop. Every set of eyes were either on me or were in their own copy of the book. And when I read about Hideki, a young boy in the Japanese army about to surrender to the Americans, students begged me to continue reading.

Today gave me back some of the hope that has slowly been dwindling this year. The hope that books can capture their attention. That books can stand up to the distractions of the world around them. That even middle schoolers still enjoy being read to.

It may just be one day, but I'll take it.

Join Two Writing Teachers and other teacher-writers as we 
share a slice of life during the month of March. 

Traditions Connect Us #SOL23

Traditions connect us.

I went to high school and currently live in a community that is rich in tradition. For many years our high school had generation after generation of "Alices" (That's our mascot!) Families would talk about the high school memories just like they would family ones.

In the past three years our boys basketball teams have won less than ten games combined. That is not what our community is used to. That record is unacceptable to many. And this is where our problem lies.

It is difficult for the "old guard" to accept losing when we have a tradition of winning. It is difficult for some parents, who want to live vicariously through their own kids, to accept loss after loss after loss. It is compounded by social media where our community lashes out at coaches and players because they say the current teams don't understand "the tradition."

Somewhere along the way, we have forgotten that these high school players are kids. Kids who make mistakes. Kids who are still learning. Kids who aren't their moms and dads.

Playing sports is so much more than winning and losing. It's about learning the game; it's about being part of team and something bigger than themselves. It's about life.

Tonight, I am listening to our boys' first round of post-season tournament play. We are the underdog. We aren't expected to win. Every player on this team is a former student of mine, and I am so proud of them. They have worked so hard against so much adversity. Sadly, most of that adversity is from our own community. They have never given up when they could have so easily folded.

The game just ended as I am finishing this post, and I am holding back the tears. 

Traditions connect us. 

 

Join Two Writing Teachers and other teacher-writers as we 
share a slice of life during the month of March. 

A Time for Reflection

Reflection is a big part of my teaching life. I try to show my students the importance of reflection and how we can use that reflection to make changes in our learning, our growing, and our life.

We have two weeks left in our school year, so my students completed a year-end reflection on Friday. The questions range from reflecting on their own reading and writing life to ways I can make our classroom better to what was their favorite book. I use their answers to make adjustments to my own teaching practices and improvements to my classroom library.

As I was reading through their responses this morning, one in particular made me pause. If I had to describe this student, I would say she is rather shy, doesn't talk much, and doesn't like attention, which makes getting to her know a little difficult. It was during our narrative unit back in the fall where I felt like I really met her for the first time.

Her narrative had elements of writing that are difficult to teach, especially to 6th graders. Her vocabulary is well-advanced for her age and her voice shined in this piece. The first words I wrote on her feedback sheet were:

"You are a writer!"

As we continued to write throughout the year, I could see her confidence growing. I could see her standing just a little bit taller when she came to class. I could see her smiling. 

But I didn't realize the full impact until I read her reflection.

In one response she wrote, "I loved her positivism to my writing, which made me feel good about how much effort I put into the essays."

And in another, "I haven't liked writing that much until only last semester, which after first semester and writing a personal narrative essay, I found out of my new passion."

The power of words. A simple statement of acknowledgment that says, "I see you" can make all the difference.

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

Just to See Them Smile

Teaching middle schoolers is always a challenge. Their emotions run high, hormones explode, and day-to-day problems escalate at a rapid pace. Add a pandemic with regular routines constantly changing and top it with mask wearing, and teaching middle schoolers enters a new level.

Last week we had a welcomed change. Our district and our state lifted COVID restrictions. A feeling of relief and excitement was felt, but I was most excited about seeing their smiles.

Smiles are broadcasters. When I can see students' faces, I know who is having a good day. I know who just got braces. I know who enjoys walking down the hall with new friends. I know who enjoyed my class or the other classes in the wing. I know who told a funny joke. I know who has a new crush. I even know who farted. (Remember, it's middle school!)

Students have been hidden behind masks, leaving teachers to decipher what they are thinking and feeling and what is going on with their I-don't-know-how-to-handle-this middle school life.

Yes, it was nice just to see them smile.

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

Dinner Table Book Talks

Several years ago, I started doing an activity the two days before Thanksgiving break. We are usually finishing up a writing assignment and have students at different places of completion. It became the perfect two days for students to do book talks.

When I read In the Middle by Nancie Atwell, she mentions a time she and her husband sat around the dining room table with friends and "gossiped by candlelight" about a book. She compares her dining room table to a literate environment where people around it talk about literacy. She states, "We don't need assignments, lesson plans, lists, teacher's manuals, or handbooks. We only need another literate person."

That is when my idea for dinner table book talks was born. 

Students are given a paper plate with the instructions that it is to become a prop for a book talk about a book they have read this school year. They need the title of the book, author, and a summary. They can decorate it however they want.

The Tuesday before break, I arrange the desks like long dinner tables with tablecloths and book centerpieces. 

The students come in, give a book talk to those at their table and then mingle and go to another table. I try to complete three rounds, giving students an opportunity to hear several book talks and add to their want to read lists in their notebooks.

It has become my go-to activity for the week of Thanksgiving. It is very relaxed, lots of fun, and filled with creativity and wonderful books. What more could a language arts teacher ask for!

Here are some pictures of this year's plates.

Life's Contrasts and Contradictions

 

I recently introduced my middle schoolers to the Notice and Note Signposts from Kylene Beers and Bob Probst. When teaching the contrasts and contradiction lesson, we read “Thank You, Ma’m” by Langston Hughes, a short story about a young boy who tries to steal a pocketbook from a woman walking home from work one evening. It’s a story about making bad decisions and earning trust from unlikely people.

We read a small piece, found the signpost, and had engaging discussions. Towards the end of the short story, I read aloud the line, “I have done things, too, which I would not tell you, son—neither tell God, if he didn’t already know.” 

We talked about how Mrs. Jones admitted to Roger that she had made mistakes in her past.  Made decisions that maybe she wasn’t too proud of.

My students seemed to be stuck on this part because they were so surprised that the woman admitted to doing wrong to the boy - the boy she had just caught trying to steal from her.

One student asked, “Why did she tell him that? Isn’t she trying to teach a lesson about how stealing is wrong? Isn’t she sending him the wrong message by telling him that she has done bad things, too?’

I have thought about this discussion for days now. Maybe it is because recently I had a former student make a bad decision. It was a decision that caused her great embarrassment and disappointment not only in herself but also from her teammates and her family.  It also kept her from achieving goals that she had set for herself. 

It is a decision I am sure, if she were able to hit a rewind button, would not have played out as it did. I am sure my former student sees her bad decision as the “contrast and contradiction” to success. Maybe that is also what my students saw in the story of Roger and Mrs. Jones and wondered why she told on herself.

What would happen if we became more like Mrs. Jones and admitted our failures and bad decisions but also shared how we learned from them? What lessons could our students learn from us? 

Maybe we need to let students know bad decisions and failure are not “contrasts and contradictions” to success, but instead, they become the experience.

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

The time when we learn from our students...

 Although I am on Facebook, I am not friends with anyone local or with any family members. My account, with the exception of a couple college friends, is purely professional or teaching related. Whether that is a good decision or bad one, it is mine.

Today a local news page came up in my feed. As I was reading about a fire at a local pizza place, I noticed a former student had commented on it. I admit I was curious about him, so I went to his page and quickly scanned some of his posts. One of them caught my eye because it was a letter addressed to "Teachers who have ever doubted me." 

Of course I had to read it. And it broke my heart.

He said teachers knew him as "the kid who always slept in class or the kid who never turned in homework, and 'the difficult kid who would flip burgers and live on welfare'." (Quoting one of his former teachers.)

He admitted that yes, he was a high school drop out but also a kid who was currently working hard at two jobs. 

His final message was this, "So what I say to you is give everyone a fair chance at life--we all learn different, live different, do different, BECAUSE WE ARE DIFFERENT!"

Signed, the kid who you didn't bother to know.

Ouch! That hurts.

Back in January of 2020, I saw this student and wrote about him in my notebook that night. I share that page below.

Although I am a teacher, some days I do the teaching...and some days I do the learning. 

Today was one of those days.

Note: Quinten's post was public, so I feel it is OK to share here. I shared this notebook page with him on his page. He commented back and told me it made him smile...and few other things that I will keep just between teacher and student!

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

The Perfect Match #SOL21

 

Join Two Writing Teachers and other teacher-writers as we share a slice of life every single day in the month of March. 

Sometimes when I read a book, I think about a certain student and how I know it is the perfect book for him or her. When I finish, I can't wait to run and tell them about it.

A few weeks ago I was reading Hunter's Choice by Trent Reedy. I have become a fan of his writing because he writes stories that I know kids are going to want to read. Hunter's Choice is about hunting; it's an outdoor person kind of book. This is a type of book that fills a much-needed void in my classroom library. 

As I was reading, I kept thinking about Carson, one of my students. Earlier in the year, he wrote a narrative about a fishing trip, so I knew he liked being outdoors. He has also been a difficult student to match with books.

A few weeks ago, his mother, who is a staff member, asked me what she could do to get him reading. I immediately told her about this book and how I had thought about Carson the whole time I was reading it.

Today while we had our reading time, I noticed Carson was reading it! 

Matching kids with books is the most important part of my job and the one that brings me the most joy! I can't wait to see what he thinks because I think it is the perfect match!

Friends and Scrabble Boards #SOSmagic

Humans are wired for connection. Many times this connection comes from our families, but often our friends fill this need too.

I have many groups of friends from teaching friends to online friends to family friends to longtime high school friends. They have all shaped who I am during the different stages of my life. I can't imagine my life without any of them.

If you have been a long-time reader of my blog, you know about my high school friends - the EJDs, also known as The Eight Jelly Donuts. Most of us have been friends for over 40 years even as we have lived from all four corners of the country and from one coast to the other.

Together, we have been through marriage and divorce, birth and infertility, eating disorders and addiction, cancer scares and death of parents, career changes and life changes, grandkids and menopause. And through it all, we have remained friends.

We have zoomed several times during this isolation period. Angie, my friend-turned-sister-in-law has been "playing" a new kind of Scrabble game. She chooses a theme for a board and builds words to fit that theme while challenging herself to use all of the letters. This is her EJD board.

This board reminds me of my students. I worry about them. Middle school is a time for change not only physically, mentally, and emotionally, but also socially. This is the time when friend groups change. Elementary friend groups evolve into middle school groups, which can set the course for many years ahead.

I have had students tell me the worst part of this pandemic is not being able to be with their friends. I have parents who are allowing kids to see each other while other parents are not. In the middle of this, kids are trying to figure out where they belong. Some feel their friends are changing and some are moving on without them. Some are trying to hang on to the friends they have while trying to understand who their true friends are.

Middle school life is messy even without a pandemic.

I worry.

They are searching for connection. They need connection.

I reassure them by telling them my own friend stories while they are rewriting theirs. Life revision is hard. They are beginning to place the tiles on their own Scrabble boards. In the years to come, I want them to be able to use all of the letters and to connect all of their words in their own beautiful stories.

And I pray that they become blessed with their own EJDs.

Some Things Haven't Changed #SOL20

"Don't get mad at me for what I said at the end." 

These were the words in a message I received from a student today. I sent them a weekly check-in where I asked them questions such as How are you doing? Is there anything you want to tell me? and Do you have any questions about this week? I wanted them to know that I miss them and care about how they are doing.

When I saw B's message, I thought uh-oh, what did she say?

At the very end of the questions, I told them to stay safe and reminded them to stay home because it was very important.

Believe it or not, I have lived with the dinosaurs and come over on the Mayflower and run with the Romans. Or at least that is what my team teachers tell our students. They like to tease me about being the oldest on the team, and the kids can't wait to tell me what they say.

What does this have to do with B's message?

Miss you hope you are keeping your 6 feet because your old and you can get it lol

Even in a time of crisis, it is nice to know that some things haven't changed!

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

I Need a Good Book! #SOL20

I received an email Sunday with the subject: "I need a good book."

Hmmm...this should be interesting as we are not in school right now.

This email from my student went on to say, "Remember how you said at the beginning of the year you wanted to get to know our personalities so you can help us pick out books. Well, I think you know me pretty well, and I need help finding a book that I will stick with and enjoy.

Yes, you do have trouble sticking with a book, and I know you help with this.  But how am I going to help you when I can no longer physically suggest and hand books from our classroom library to you?

"The last book I read was A Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, and that was a great book. Now I need a new one. If you know of any good books you think I will enjoy reading, please send them to me because I'm in need of a good book."

Yes, Long Way Down is a great book. 

Do I know of any good books?!? Of course, I do, but how am I going to get you a book?  

I suggested a new-author-to-me, Elizabeth Eulberg, whose books I won in a Twitter giveaway and look really good. But still, how would I get them to her. Then I suggested The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. I told her about the online app from our public library and suggested that she try it.

My heart was breaking because here was a student who needed my help with choosing a book, and I could not look at our classroom library, pull out book after book, and make suggestions. I take this part of my job seriously, and I felt hopeless.

I did what I could with what I had.

Today I get another email with the subject:  I found a book! 

She used our online app from the library and checked out The Poet X. I know she will LOVE this one! 

She ended the email, "I hope we get back to school soon."

Yes, so do I.

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

The Finish #TeachWritetober19

Today one of my students came running over to me. I could tell she was excited about something and seemed just as excited to tell me about.

She had her book in her hand and said, "Look! I have just a few more pages left to read. I read this weekend at home."

I gave her a high five although I really wanted to just hug her tight and try not to cry.

You see, she struggles with reading. She has book hopped her way through the first grading period, starting and stopping book after book, forgetting to bring her book to class, and not completing a single one.

During reading time in class, I heard her tell her neighbor, "Look she ended getting Henry (the dog) after all."

When I asked her why she just didn't finish it home this weekend, she replied with a huge smile on her face, "I saved these last few pages because I wanted to finish it at school."

This. Just this.

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!

The Hand Off #SOL19

I am participating in the Two Writing Teachers Annual March Slice of Life Story Challenge.  

Sometimes when I read a book, I know just the student I am going to hand it off to. After reading The Skin I'm In last week, I could not wait until today.

During homeroom this morning when my student walked in, I told her, "I have a book I want you to read."

She rolled her eyes and gave me that look that said, "Yeah, right."

Did I mention that she doesn't like to read? And that she hasn't finished a book the entire year. But I'm not about to give up on her.

At the end of homeroom I made the hand off.

I took the book out of my and bag and said, "Here is the book. I really do think you will like it if you just give it a chance."

"Uhmm," she mumbled. I could tell she was trying her best to ignore me, but I pressed on.

"It is about a girl who gets teased and bullied because of how dark her skin is. She has very low esteem. She has a mirror that her dad gave her, which helps her to see herself in a different way."  She continued to roll her eyes. Because of her body language, I could tell she wasn't interested, so I knew I had to do something different. I followed up with, "Oh, and toward the end, she catches her classroom on fire."

That perked her up. I could tell she was warming up to the idea, so I left the book on her desk. When the bell rang for the next period, I looked at her desk.  Yes, the book was gone. That was a start.

I have this student the last period of the day. When she walked in, I asked her, "Did you start the book?"

"Yes, I did," she replied showing no emotion whatsoever.

"You think you're going to like?" I asked crossing my fingers.

"Maybe..." she says with a slight smile.

Yes! I love the hand off!

Two kinds of people in the world

In my first year of teaching, a colleague and now my principal, once gave me some words of wisdom. He said,"Leigh Anne, there are two kinds of people in the world:  those who get it, and those who don't."

Now I know that is a very fixed mindset and a simplistic view of the world. But many times after something happens at school that leaves us scratching our heads and wondering what in the world just happen, I will utter the words, "Two kinds of people in the world."

Some days, it is the only thing that gets us through.

Last week, a student came up and asked me if I wanted to read her story she was writing.  It was a mystery, and she was already on chapter three.  In one scene, her main character was dared to eat a worm for a dollar. Both of these boys were a little mischievous, and her character development was amazing for a 6th grader.

After the boy ate the worm, this line from that scene left me laughing out loud.

"Well, I guess there are two kinds of people in the world, those who eat worms for a dollar and those who are picky eaters."

Yep, two kinds of people in the world.

What's saving your teaching life right now?

This week has been one of those weeks that seems like it had an extra day (or two).  One day we even found ourselves asking if there was a full moon.

It was also one of those weeks when I found myself repeating, "I can't do this anymore...I can't do this any more."

I'm tired, and I feel defeated.

And I have no answers on how to fix it.

Then today as I was scrolling through my Twitter feed, I clicked on a tweet from Tricia Ebarvia about blogging in her classroom.  She linked to a post on the Modern Mrs. Darcy blog. This post tells about how Barbara Brown Taylor, the author of Leaving Church, was asked to speak on the question, "Tell us what is saving your life right now?"  I began thinking about my teaching life.

Many times it is easy to name what is killing our teaching lives.

For me this week, it was disrespectful students, crazy schedules, being spread too thin, and behavior issues. This was the root of my negativity at the end of Friday as a group of us sat at the end of the hall, thankful that the weekend had finally arrived.

But do we ever stop to think about what is saving our teaching lives?

That same day, after the hall became clear of students, we began talking about our weekend plans. I looked down the hall and saw someone walking toward us.

Although I couldn't clearly see him from that distance, I knew who this was. I would recognize that walk anywhere. I hollered out, "Is that you, Dante?"

"Yep, it's me, Mrs. Eck." he replied with a big ole smile on his face.

It was a former student, and I stood up gave him a big hug.  Dante and I have a history, a rocky history.  He is one of the students I had as a 4th grader and as a 6th grader after I moved to the middle school. He is one that has a special place in my heart.  It has been awhile since I have seen him, and he has changed, he has grown, and he has become a young man. We talked for several minutes, and as he hugged me goodbye, he told me how much he missed me.

I walked into a colleague's room and tried to hold myself together.  We were both holding back tears as we acknowledged the power of that epiphany.  How did he know I needed that moment?

We all have a Dante, a student who reminds us of why we became teachers and why we keep coming back, even after we have had a bad week.  As teachers, we know that relationships matter.  They matter every day, but sometimes they matter even more when we, as teachers, need them the most.

Right now, it is students like Dante who are saving my teaching life.

What's saving your teaching life right now?

What's In Your Backpack?

There are times when I read a book, it makes me think. It makes me cry. It makes me wonder. It makes me want to do something.

Then there are times I read a book while other thoughts in my life are pushing through, and somehow the two things become connected and become life-changing.

I recently read Through the Cracks by Patti Bell. This book tells the story of a young girl in the late 1990's who suffered abuse from her father, a doctor, and her stepmother, a nurse. The abuse was reported by the girl's teacher. But nothing was done.

When the parents began to feel threatened, they would move.  And move again, making it difficult for the state to track them.

Sadly, the abuse continued with their second child and ended in murder.  The abuse, which came from medical professionals who had taken an oath to protect and take care of people, was so horrific, I can't even begin to tell about it.

The book tells the story of the teacher's suspicions; the reports she made, which were ignored by the very system that was supposed to protect children; and the testimony and events of the murder trial.  It tells the story of the sweet little girl who fell through the cracks.

The story began in my own hometown.

Tonight, on the eve of my 12th year of teaching, this story continues to haunt me.  As I see commercials and advertisements for school supplies, I can't help but wonder what is really in my students' backpacks.  Yes, they come with supplies, but they also carry in those same backpacks abuse, poverty, homelessness, loss, and responsibilities too heavy for young people.

After reading this book, I wonder if I have ever missed a sign. Would I see the signs? Have I had a student who was living the same life of these poor girls in this book?  We, as teachers, have such an important responsibility. We not only are responsible for their learning, but so much more.

I have thought a lot about Mrs. Bell and the relationship she had with Danielle, the oldest child and the first to be abused. I truly believe it was this relationship that saved her life.  She knew something was wrong. Mrs. Bell saw what was in Danielle's "backpack" and acted on her instincts. Sadly, it was not enough to save Danielle's sister.

As my students arrive this year and as we begin our year of learning together, I know this book and these two girls will continue to linger in my mind.  Their stories will challenge me to look inside my students' backpacks.  And maybe, just maybe, challenge me to lighten their load.

The Needle and Thread

Each week Ruth Ayres extends an invitation to share the celebrations from our week. It has been awhile since I have written a celebration post.  This week was one of those weeks where I taught lessons and learned a lesson.  That is always a cause for celebration!

This week my middle school held its second annual door decorating contest.  It is a week a chaos, messiness and a whole lot of fun.  

My students created a Christmas quilt for our door.  It has not been one of my best years, and I was leery about letting my entire class participate in this year's contest.  I tried to make it simple, yet include each one in the process.  I decided the quilt would be just the answer.

Each student had a nine block pattern and created their own design pattern.  The only rule was that it had to be colored with red, green, and yellow crayons.  (Another reason why dandelion should NOT have been retired!)

My students of the week began piecing it together on the door.  We used the words which were suggested by Margaret Simon, 

"Christmas stitches us together 

with JOY!"

Now if any of you quilt, then you know just how important that 1/4 inch seam allowance is!  As the students pieced it together, the more distorted it became.  And the more I had to close my eyes and say, "kid created" because the sashing, borders, and blocks not lining up was driving me crazy.

Our blocks were crooked, our seams didn't meet, and we had gaps where we shouldn't have had gaps.  As I stood back and looked at our finished door, I realized that my classroom was just like this quilt.  

Each block is different with their own little design, just as each one of my students are. They come from different backgrounds, different abilities, and different personalities. But each one is special in their own scrappy way. Their seams don't always meet. They make mistakes which create crooked paths. They have gaps socially, emotionally, and academically which need to be filled.  

As this epiphany hit me, I realized how much they depend on us, as teachers, to "patch" them up.  Teachers help them to realize they are unique designs, and each block has a special place in the quilt.  We help them to realize their seams might not match, so we set them on a straighter path.  We may even have to rip some out and help them realize starting over isn't so bad.  We need to teach them that the seams are what holds the quilt together.  

And the gaps...oh my are there gaps. That is when teachers add a little here and add a little there to help the masterpiece come together.

And so I added the line,

...and teachers patch us up

with LOVE!

Our door was 6th grade runner-up,
but I think it was the emotional appeal of the judges and NOT neatness! 

So yes, my door is a little scrappy, a little crooked, and in need of a little patching.

Just like my students.

What did I learn this week?  I need to look at my students like this quilt and realize they are not perfect, and they have gaps, and they certainly have crooked seams, but they are trusting me and needing me to hold the needle and the thread.

#EnticingWriters Blog Tour

I am thrilled to be able to share with all of you Ruth Ayres' new book, Enticing Hard-to-Reach Writers.  Earlier this week, Tammy and Clare wrote a great review on their blog, Assessment in Perspective. They give you the highlights of each section and share several quotes that are sure to linger in your thoughts.  

On Wednesday, Michelle, at Literacy Learning Zone, shared an interview with Ruth. In her post, Ruth answers questions from teachers about the writing process.

Today, in true Ruth Ayres style, I simply tell a story...or two.

I have always been a believer in "things happen for a reason." The week Ruth asked me to help welcome her book into the world, two situations happened. I believe each was meant to happen for me to fully understand the impact of Ruth's book on my thinking and my teaching.

The first was a conference for a new student who had recently been placed in our foster care system from a nearby county. She lived in deplorable conditions with parents who were drug users.  She bounced from foster home to foster home, and eventually landed with us.

She comes from a hard place.

The second happened during writing workshop in my classroom. We began a narrative unit, and I sat down next to one of my writers as she told me her story. Her mom was a drug user while she was pregnant. She had three other children and was incapable of caring for all of them. My student was later adopted, and she told me being adopted was the best thing that had happened to her.

She comes from a hard place.

Both of these students are still healing. Both situations made me realize that I not only wanted to read Ruth's book, but that I NEEDED to read it.  

I know I am not the only teacher to have children sitting in my classroom who come from hard places. We all have students just like Ruth's children: Hannah, Stephanie, Jay, and Sam.  

But do I understand how trauma alters children's brains? Do I know how to help them heal from their hard pasts? Am I a faithful and fearless teacher who can help them write a happy ending? Am I willing to take a leap of faith to entice all students to write their stories?

Ruth's book, Enticing Hard-to-Reach Writers helped me in my struggle to find those answers.

INTRODUCTION

I first heard the introduction of Ruth's book last summer at the All Write Conference in Warsaw, Indiana. Ruth sat down on the floor of the stage with the microphone in her hand. Her voice quivered as she genuinely shared a part of her heart through her children's stories.  As tears were shed in that silent auditorium, she also reminded us that we, as teachers, have the power to change lives.

PART ONE

Ruth teaches us about brain research and how children from hard places can learn to heal. When we take the time to to provide for the needs of the children in our classrooms, "we prove to them they are valuable and worthy" (p. 21). Ruth reminds us that we don't always "see" the trauma students experience, yet their brains begin to heal when they know their needs are going to be met. Many times those needs are met by teachers.

PART TWO

Ruth shares her life as a writer and a workshop teacher and how becoming a writer made an impact in her teaching. For me, chapter seven was a power chapter because she states that being a teacher who writes is what eventually enticed her students to write themselves. "Of all things I can do to affect my writing instruction, this is the most important" (p. 48). Ruth reminds us that children who experience trauma, can begin the healing through story. And when teachers understand the impact of having written, we can help them heal.

PART THREE

Ruth gives us seven leaps of faith. She unsurprisingly prefaces the leaps with celebration, "Celebration lives alongside the messiness of learning; we simply must learn to see it" (p.83). The best part of this section is the feeling that Ruth is there holding my hand and saying, "You can do this, and I am going to show you how."

Earlier this week, just when I thought this blog post was finished, I experienced yet another encounter with a student writer. She was writing a narrative about the time her dad left her. She felt unwanted and unloved. We had conferred about the direction she wanted her story to go. I sat down next to her because I saw she wasn't writing. I asked her, "How's it going?"

She lowered her head, avoided my eyes, and reluctantly replied, "I don't want to write."

"Why?" I asked her. And as she shrugged her shoulders, I thought of what I had read and learned in Ruth's book and I told her, "You have a story on your heart, and I am here to help you write it."

I think about these students and their hard place stories. I want them to heal. I want them to be able to write a happy ending. And I want to be a part of that healing process.  I can no longer ignore my students' needs or pretend they do not come from hard places or live in fear. Instead, I can take the stories, ideas, and strategies that Ruth has shared in Enticing Hard-to-Reach Wrriters, and give them hope.

This...this is why I NEEDED to read Ruth's book.

Thank you, Ruth, for reminding me of why I became a teacher. Thank you for writing this much needed book and for sharing your children's stories with us. I know I am a much better teacher, writer, and person for having read it.

I leave you with Ruth's inspiring and empowering words:  

"Take the time to see their stories.  

Remember, you have the power to change the course of lives.  

All children deserve to know 

that they can write a different version of their stories."

Stenhouse Publishers has graciously donated two copies of Ruth's book to be given away at EACH stop on the blog tour. Please leave your thoughts about Ruth's book or share your story of enticing writers in the comment section below. Two lucky winners will be selected using a random generator after November 24th at 11:59 EST.

If you purchase a copy of Ruth's book before November 30, 2017, you are eligible for a free registration to her online Enticing Writers Book Club. Email your receipt to enticingwriters@gmail.com to join the fun in January 2018!

Thank you for stopping by today! Check out the entire Enticing Hard-to-Reach Writers blog tour. You won't want to miss any of them.