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Hard Work Really Does Pay Off

I've seen it today.  The noses buried in pages of a fantasy land, an adventurous journey, or a love-struck moment.  The pens spewing ink and words and life so fast that clocks seem to skip.  The heads, sideways-cocked, thinking.  And thinking.  And thinking.  The wheels really are turning.

 It's been workshop week in English III.  Students are revising an argumentative research essay over - of course- censorship and books!  They asked interesting questions and searched for answers.  Passion grew in them as if almost cancerous, consuming. Secondly, students are writing from their hearts.  The additional writing piece is a personal one.  They are free to select their intended emotion they want to convey.  They are free to select the angle - one book, all books, censorship in general, themselves as readers.  And, they are free to select the form.  Thus far, we have letters, speeches, narratives, editorials, poems, Twitter feeds, Instagram posts, and even a survey with a written response.  

 This week, all I asked was for them complete three jobs: the revision, the personal piece, and the usual independent reading.  I am utterly stunned by the focus, determination, and drive.  My favorite Twitter teachers (who I only kinda stalk) just may be right.  This workshop stuff is amazing!

 I don't know about the kids, but I am having a blast!

 I've seen it in my peers today too.  We got our EOC scores from this semester back.  It's an ominous thing to have THE boss, the extra tall fellow clad in an impeccable suit, wander into my room with a stack of papers in his grip.  But the news!  Oh, the news!  He was kind enough to stick around and share the details with the English lunch crew.  I just don't recall the last time I heard them cheer - genuinely cheer - like that.  They were beyond thrilled, and what a reward.  They are the most dedicated, kind, hilarious, unexpected, giving people I know, and the frustrated efforts of semester after semester of lower numbers and the repeated asking of "What else can we do?"have all come to fruition.  I am proud.

 Thus, it has been a great day!  In case I haven't said it enough, I love my job...


Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 31, 2017 at 9:07 AM

    Steve, why didn't you comment on this?

    ReplyDelete

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