"Dude, those moving trees are LEGIT!"

After Wednesday's class let out, Missy decided to take the day off and make a doctor's appointment to get herself checked out because she was running a fever, losing her voice, had a runny nose, all of the above and more. She called for a sub to sit in with me since I hadn't submitted my own substitute application (I'm getting on it once I get all the components in order and completed!!!) so I would have been paid $85 for the day but didn't. So the sub sat to the side while I taught my Pre-APs - we finished up Act V of Macbeth and they had time to get into their Outside Reading Literature Circles to chat about their novels and life or whatnot. I think it's good to let kids be kids. I'm not going to even attempt to torture them by suppressing their personalities for the hour and a half that I see them. No. We're reading, talking, writing about literature that deals with people, real world issues, and those types of things can DEFINITELY and will be linked into the classroom because kids need to see the relevance. Otherwise, they won't care because if it isn't relevant, it's not important. Done.

So I had a chance to get whole-class participation during the in-class reading because I assigned my kids parts to read, and every once in a while I would pause and de-brief them, question them to see if they knew what was going on, paraphrase the events and summarize it scene by scene in terms they would understand. I even attempted to make a connection to pop-culture in one block, but when I asked if anyone watched or had seen 30 Rock before, crickets chirped. It happens a lot in my 2nd block, those blank stares and chirping crickets, and I'm pretty sure the reason they don't speak out is because they fear being wrong. I've got to tell them next time that something I learned by being in school for so long is that you can't be afraid because reading is an interpretive act, and sometimes there isn't a right or wrong - maybe there is, but to take the risk is admirable in itself. Otherwise, how do we learn if we don't make mistakes? My kids struggle with responding to a yes or no question, that's how bad it is. Yeah. Swish that around a bit. I've quoted Bon Qui Qui and made references to other young-people things because I am a young person myself, but it seems I've forgotten what it's like to be 16. I don't think I even had TIME to watch TV, let alone the permission. Nevertheless, I've gotta get them talking!

We did have a few giggles here and there, and the water main broke again due to construction during 3rd block. The sub had JUST stepped out to the bathroom when the principal came on the intercom to make the announcement, and the kids and I laughed about it -- I think I said, "Well, I hope she only had to go #1 and not #2!" and admitted that I needed to go myself but now couldn't.

In session the other night, someone said that urinary tract infections and bladder problems were highest in first-year teachers because the bathroom privileges are completely stripped when one becomes a teacher. Ha, I BELIEVE IT.

The kids were great, and the sub complimented my teaching and told me that I seemed very much like an experienced teacher to her, which made me feel really good! I feel really natural with the kids and love to see them smile and respond and got to chat with a few of them after class, and I love it because making connections is so important in creating that positive classroom. One of my kids in 3rd block asked which classes I would be taking over, and when I told her which ones, she did a "Yes" side fist-pump gesture to herself and smiled because I'll be taking over theirs. That made my day, to know that she was excited about that.

I called Missy after school to get an update on her health and update her on how the day went, and I was so proud to say that everything went swimmingly and the kids were super! For a crappy start of a week, I must say that this week is heading to a fantastic end! :D