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Fishbowl Friday: My Favorite Day

F-R-I-D-A-Y! It's my favorite day, oh my! It's Friday, hey hey, it's Friday!

 I click on overhead lights and sing the Friday song as I peel back blankets, sheets, and dreams. My kids groan and giggle and ultimately roll out of bed to don their Degan green; they know that Friday brings Eagle Shuffle, their *favorite* thing of all!

 At the same time, I select a Hebron shirt from my immense collection, pull on my comfy blue jeans, and think of my day. I smile. It's Friday, and it really is my favorite day of the week! It's not just the promise of an upcoming weekend of home and laughs. Not just the temptation of sleeping in or the exhilaration of watching my Aggies play. 

 It's Fishbowl Friday. My favorite.

 In English 2 (and prior in English 3), students gather on Fridays to lead the day. In room 1600, they circle up and run the conversation Socratic seminar style. Half talk and half watch. We laugh. We question. We analyze. We mourn. We hope.

 We talk. And it is awesome.

 Our focus for the week determines the focus of the Fishbowl. Sometimes, we talk books and our favorite reads and the challenges of increasing our reading times in our busy lives. Other times, we work through a pressing issue - or many - to lead us into a new unit or new text. Still other days we analyze a piece, selecting lines to study craft or a character to study motivation. Students have even brought their own texts to the circle as a demonstration of their understanding of an issue or concept. The possibilities abound.

 Last Friday was our first real Fishbowl in English 2, and wow, was it awesome! The students jumped right in and were ready to talk. This time, they were discussing their upcoming mini-memoirs and how to select the perfect topic. Quickly, they discovered similarities; many are writing about ill relatives. Others have encountered life challenges as their families have moved from place to place. Some have had it even worse. And, somehow, they were not hesitant to talk about and explore these possible topics. Sure the second circle was the more shy group, but even they spread their wings as the time clicked on and anxieties lessened. 
They talked. And it was awesome.

 I'm still reveling in the awe I felt after class on Friday. Even though it's early in the semester, Friday's Fishbowl was that glimpse of the greatness and potential in this English 2 class. As I sit and ponder and plan for the upcoming days with them, I am thinking about them in a new way, a confident way. I consider more options to reach them and teach them. I look forward to seeing them again on Tuesday and making more moves ahead.

 And I can't wait for next week's Fishbowl Friday!

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