5 Things I loved about last week

It's so easy to get overwhelmed and allow a sense of hopelessness take over when you're a teacher. The work just never seems to be finished. So in the spirit of Colby Sharp and Elisabeth Ellington, I'm going to focus on some of the amazing things that happened this past week.

1. Superheroes

Inspired by Cece Bell, my 8th graders started writing about their own superhero powers. More importantly, I led them in this writing assignment by sharing with them what I wrote about this topic, and I've never seen them more engaged and excited. Powerful things happen in a classroom where the teacher writes with her students.


2. Tori's coming home soon

Who is Tori you ask? If you recall, I recently wrote about watching a childhood dream of one day owning a baby grand piano finally come to fruition. On Friday we finalized everything and plan to have her delivered on October 25th.

(I named her Tori because Tori Amos is one of my musical role models)

She lies in waiting, but she'll be home soon

3. Google Classroom
Our school just signed up for Google Apps for Education so my students and I have been exploring Google Classroom and I have to say that I am in love. What an incredibly efficient and streamlined way to organize student work.


4. Andrew Smith books
Grasshopper Jungle was the first Andrew Smith book I ever read and I was completely wowed. In this sort of way. 

This week I finally decided to do something about only having read one of his books by starting Winger. And after page one, I have decided that Andrew Smith is the poet of expletives. I *bleeping* love his books. How's THAT for a book talk, kids?


5. My students crack me up
 At the end of the day earlier this week, some students in my last hour class drew this on my whiteboard:

How can you not love 8th graders?
(Incidentally, despite the fact that I like the song, I'm a little annoyed that I cannot get it out of my head. It is incessantly pounding on my skull and it won't go away!)


What did you love about last week?