Filling Out FAFSAs
It’s that time of year again. Two daughters filled out the Financial Aid Forms this year, to see if any financial aid is available for the next school year. In our state, FAFSAs are due on March 10th. A month before taxes. Pain in the butt.
But it’s done, and now we wait.
Weird Dreams
I had some weird dreams recently.
I don’t know what they mean to me.
It’s freaking me out, without a doubt…
Stop it!
I Just Want to Read!
I have a student who grumbles every time we do a new reading project. I asked why the grumbles, and he said, “I just want to read.”
I totally agree! While teaching students to love reading, we teachers are also finding ways to assess/grade/report standards of learning so that our reading classes are successful in an administrator’s eye. Various methods are acceptable. Reading logs, comprehension checks, menus, games, and even tests are used in classrooms across the country to “prove” that students achieve the goals set forth by the school. Many archaic lesson plans are out-of-date now, or no longer acceptable as best practice ways to teach reading. What is a student to do? What are teachers to do? Conversations are ongoing…and fascinating!
Sometimes, though, as a reader, I just want to read.
Now that I’m back in the school building, I have some expectations of what I want to see before the end of the third quarter. My absences have affected my class productivity. I am not pleased!
However, many of my students are writing Slice of Life stories for the March challenge, which is making life interesting. I cannot wait until the end of the month when we revise, edit, and publish. The March Book Madness “Sweet 16” bracket came out on www.marchbookmadness.weebly.com, so that’s fun to follow. I think an interesting match-up in the Reality bracket will be A Strange Case of Origami Yoda vs. A Night Divided. They are very different books, so I’d like to see which one is the “winner” there. Below are the match-ups:
Fantasy Bracket: Rump vs. Fablehaven, Snicker of Magic vs. Iron Trials, Crenshaw vs. Flora & Ulysses, and Magnus Chase vs. Artemis Fowl
Reality Bracket: Out of My Mind vs. The Honest Truth, A Strange Case of Origami Yoda vs. A Night Divided, Because of Mr. Terupt vs. Bud, Not Buddy, and Fish in a Tree vs. Sunny Side Up.
Now it’s time to buckle down and work. I want published works, reading, and projects that are 6th-going-to-7th-grade-ready! I want students to shine.
March Book Madness bracket information for middle school voting can be found at http://www.marchbookmadness.weebly.com. The Slice of Life Story Challenge is hosted by the wonderful ladies at www.twowritingteachers.wordpress.com. Thank you!
I have a large book stack. I also have a large headache.
I wish I could be home sick and read.
The stack will wait for me.
Back to Work!
After suffering all weekend, I’m back to work today! I don’t know why this weakness, illness, affliction is staying with me, but I will know more after my doctor’s appointment today.
Our class is writing Slice of Life stories today as well. Some students are writing about weekend life, favorite YouTube channels, and family members. I like reading the pieces and getting to know people better. Some students have fascinating stories! I’m having a little trouble thinking in this large, echo-y classroom — people want to talk about their ideas and items of interest instead of writing them down. I think I know why there are “writers’ retreats” now. The distractions are not helping my brain!
Maybe I shouldn’t write with my students. (No, that’s not what I learned is best for any of us.)
Errands and a Movie
Today I felt better, so we got some errands done.
Tonight was out-to-movie night, which is always fun.
“London Has Fallen” kept me on my toes, but not like the first one.
I’m hoping tomorrow is as good as they say; we may even see the sun.
Oops! I missed a day already! (I think I did that early last year, too.)
Darn sick days. Testing is over, for now, so that’s good news. The bad news? Health issues keeping me down. Doctor said to stay home today, so I’m sitting on the couch, HGTV on TV, dog on my feet, resting. Ugh.
Slicer Fun!
I got my Slice of Life mug and T-shirt today!
You don’t want to hear about the rest of my day. This is the good part!
Let’s Begin!
March is a month of beginnings. The ISTEP standardized test starts today in our district, the Slice of Life Story Challenge begins, and the March Book Madness reading games begin. There is so much going on, I cannot seem to keep track!
“Let us begin.” I’m not sure who coined the phrase, but I am ready. March marks the time in the school year that I look forward to, for many reasons, but mostly because it’s the time when we finally get to show what we learned all year. It’s an exciting time of year, and I welcome March with open arms.
Let’s Begin!
Reading Teacher Writes 
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