An English Teacher's Day: the Rosy Version

4:30 a.m. The alarm goes off. The best jolt of wake-me-up is to visualize the teaching day ahead. 

6:45 a.m. Well coffeed and prepped, I choose a bright flowered sweater. I feel pretty.

7:30 a.m. Arrive at school. Fill the lemon drop jar.

8:00 a.m. I love love love my first-period editors. Because the class is small (six, counting myself), we are really able to hash through ideas and bang out stories. Today, as research for a story about teacher ethics,  my bold editors contacted the journalism adviser in another Iowa school to ask how they planned to cover their principal's weekend public intoxication charge. (Answer: they weren't going to cover it; my editors thought they should.) If you want authentic learning, teach journalism.

8:52 a.m. Comp class begins with 10 minutes of silent (SILENT) reading. Finding the right book for the right kid is my kind of puzzle--better than any any Rubik's Cube. Yesterday I put this book in the right hands. I was giddy. 

9:41a.m. Who doesn't love her prep period? Coffee re-fuel. I often slip into my English department's classrooms to glean ideas or double the teaching power, whichever is most helpful. This is the one period of the day that I have no editors working independently in the J lab. I catch my breath.

10:30 a.m.: More love love love for my second batch of editors! Here are the nine (of 14 in this clss) who remembered to wear their T-shirts for yearbook distribution yesterday.

11:22 a.m. Curriculum Learning Team! This is a set period of the day for our English department to collaborate, commiserate, cohere and communicate. Guaranteed to learn something, laugh a lot, and slay some dragons.

***LUNCH*** (or a second prep period, as needed)

12:48 p.m. Second Comp class. By this time I've cleaned up some bugs from second period, just in time to experience new ones. 

This week we read/watched, discussed and wrote about these two text/TED Talk combos: 

“Abercrombie & Fitch’s No-Go Logo” by Vauhini Vara

“Wearing Nothing New” by Jessi Arrington

“Why Can’t We Talk About Gun Control?” by James Hamblin
“Why I Chose a Gun” by Peter van Uhm

1:44 p.m. Intro to Journalism (periods 7 & 8): Ending my day with two high-energy intro classes fast-forwards the time from 1:44 to final bell. If the room isn't torn apart by the time they arrive (and it usually is), it will be by the time they leave. We play hard and work harder. Eat the last of the lemon drops.

3:19 p.m. I'm ready for my final infusion of colleague support. I check in with Marcus and Jen to debrief our day. I eat a piece (or four) of Jen's chocolate. We reflect, reconsider, and relax. A good day. I deserve a nap.

Day 11: What is your favorite part of the school day and why?

Reflection: A couple of themes emerged as I reflected on my day. I enjoyed writing this--but it's not humble. If I had more time, I'd take off the rose-tinted glasses and write a darker (funnier!) companion piece about the same day.   I'm frustrated with my inability go get this to format nicely. I wonder if I'd have better luck on Firefox.