Slice of Life #1...2 days late!


This week, after the Write to Learn Conference and Ron Clark's motivational speech, I stood on a desk.  Climbed right up on a front row desk and gave directions with full eye contact and my arms moving.  As I surveyed the room, chins lifted from phones and iPads, eyes slowly gazed up at my face.  I brightened.  This was working! The other, less charming side of my brain screamed, Give it a second!  They'll tune out!  It's first block!

But they did not.

Eyes stayed riveted on this small woman enthusiastically talking about the last days of our Hero Project and the presentations on Friday.  Tentative grins turned to full-on smiles.  I had them.  We reviewed what would be turned in, what needed to be presented, and how it would be assessed.  And, for the rest of the class period, as I returned to the floor, pulled up chairs and conferred with my students, there was a new energy in the room.  Kids worked hard, asked questions, and finished notes, writings, and Pic Collages.

Was it a novelty?  Was it that what you put out, you get back?  Was it that kids just simply craved someone with energy, enthusiasm, and maybe a little crazy on a high school morning in March?  Whatever it was, it worked.

Thank you, Ron Clark.

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