Relativity

                                                         "Relativity" by M.C. Escher


     This week has been challenging on a number of fronts, but our middle school team is strong and we will continue to move forward. As I was reflecting back on a stressful week, I considered the fact that I needed to look at both sides of the coin, instead of focusing on the troubling or stressful aspects. I was reminded of a late night tv show, where moments are itemized in a "top" list and thought maybe I should pick my standout moments of the week. I'm only sharing my highlights from work, so I feel fortunate in retrospect. The items aren't presented in a particular order, as I don't think I could actually rank them.

10. There were some student breakthroughs this week, which should always be on a highlight reel in our minds, especially in the face of challenges. I won't comment on specifics, but suffice to say students feeling heard-earned success is never to be taken lightly. I also feel that I had a role to play in the growth of a student teacher who finished a pre-service teacher practicum this week. I watched her comfortably redirect students and meaningfully offer feedback, when at the start of the practicum, she expressed fear and self-doubt.

9. Our Wellness committee is moving forward with an exciting opportunity to create a cross-grade, cross-curricular, community partnership-type of project. I don't want to jinx anything, but there will be some green thumbs involved. 

8. I've had the chance to bounce ideas off of some wise and patient colleagues who help me see things from a different perspective, and it helps me to frame my own thinking about lessons, pedagogy and leadership. I have to talk my thinking out, which can be annoying (mostly to spouses, but I digress), but clarifying my thoughts helps me move forward with renewed purpose.

7. A colleague organized an ice cream party where we each brought toppings to share and we spent some time eating treats while we socialized, however briefly, at lunch. I believe a delicious tradition has been born!

6. One day afterschool, a group of teachers were chatting about the full length Rogue One trailer which had just been released that morning ad we were speculating on the foreshadowing elements and how the film fits into the overall Star Wars cinematic universe (unabashed Star Wars nerds abound in our hallway!). Another teacher overheard our conversation and quickly joined, only to drop an epic theory that caused all of us to collectively gasp. Maybe you had to be there for this one, but I promise you, it was definitely a moment.

5. Students in 7C and 7B organized a baby shower/going away party for my teaching partner whose last day was the 8th, as she heads off on maternity leave. The classes were excited to plan snacks and were inspired to write poems (mostly limericks and free verse) in her honour, with two girls organizing the poems into a book to offer as  a gift. 

4. Another student suggested the possibility of organizing a class poetry reading at a local coffee shop, which likely will come to fruition. It was a piggybacking idea based on our discussion in community circle of the public nature of poetry, especially spoken word, in light of my recent experience. 

3. I team taught with my hallway neighbour and we combined our English classes who performed assigned stanzas of "The Highwayman", complete with props, costumes and sound effects. There were some great moments! 

2. Students are moving forward with Genius Hour and are mostly at the point where they are drafting their driving questions (thanks tubric!) and I am in awe of their creativity, thoughtfulness, reflection and empathy. 

1. At one point in the week, I was at the beginning of my prep period and was gazing down the middle school hallway. As I looked both directions, I saw students practicing Drama projects, partners collaborating on a writing assignment and others working in teams to create Rube Goldberg machines. In some spots, students were sprawled on the floor while others were testing pulleys. I remember a time in our school when people poked their heads into my classroom and questioned what I was doing, because it seemed strange. Now, teachers feel more comfortable taking risks and facilitating more student -centred learning opportunities.  

Overall, the collegiality, humour and forward momentum sustain our positive culture and help create a space for our learning community. Maybe last week wasn't as bad as I thought.

Slam!

   

This week, which coincides with National Poetry month, I was able to take advantage of the opportunity to see Shane Koyczan live. If you're unfamiliar, Shane Koyczan is a Canadian spoken word artist, most often associated with his performance at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and his poem "To This Day". We study "We Are More", "To This Day', "Troll" and "Instructions for a Bad Day" in Humanities and every year the students are inspired by the style of slam poetry. Spoken Word is immensely appealing to the students and I think it suits middle school because of the perceived freedom with language, as opposed to the stricter formats of haiku, limerick, tanka, acrostic and cinquain that we also experiment with. Without fail, students are inspired to organize a class poetry reading after hearing and watching examples of spoken word (more on that later). Adding to the attraction to spoken word,  more than the style of slam poetry itself, are the themes presented by Shane Koyczan. The pursuit of beauty, measuring up, mattering, bullying, and most important, hope, resonate strongly in an audience struggling to develop and assert their identities.

                                     

I choose the poems above because they not only resonate with students, but because of their accessibility and the fact that they mesh so well with our overarching themes of kindness, personal and Canadian identity in grade seven. More often than not, the poems we work through in class, which may look like simply watching the videos and generating dialogue, or delving more deeply with a close reading activity, become gateways to further exploration by a student independently. This year, one student asked for suggestions for more spoken word poems to read on her own during spring break, while others activity explored Koyczan's catalogue. You can't ask much more than that!

One of my favourite moments from the reading, aside from the fact that I shared this powerful evening with our oldest days before his birthday, was the performance of a powerful poem that we don't study in class, but is nonetheless a favourite: "The Crickets Have Arthritis." On Sunday night, there wasn't a dry eye in the small venue (100 seats max!), including the poet himself, who politely asked for a tissue after finishing the final line. We joke in class about using poetry to woo women a la Dead Poets Society, or for writing politically-based limericks (many words rhyme with Trump, don't you know), but we also talk about painting word pictures and evoking emotion. Seeing the intense emotion first hand was an unforgettable experience, and my hope is that the students I teach will not only carry the memory of the beauty of words with them for their lifetimes, but actively seek out or create opportunities to share poetry.