The halfway point - part 1

I spend a few hours each day sharing my life-long love for reading and writing with fifth through eighth graders. At the beginning, I couldn't imagined how I would even describe the experience, but since Friday marked the end of the second quarter, I thought I'd share an update from the first half of the school year.

August
The first week, the seventh and eighth grade literature class read Charles by Shirley Jackson. I spent the next two weeks hearing the students use the word "fresh" to describe impudence. I am bombarded by constant requests to watch a movie in class. I begin to wish for a snow day.

September
I discovered that one of the great secrets of the universe is getting students to turn in their work on time and listened to a chorus of collective groans when I assigned a research paper on a historical figure. While I had a rather loose interpretation of "historical figure" and allowed reports on Evil Knievel and Les Paul, I drew the line at Prince Poppycock. (I didn't recognize the name, but I felt pretty comfortable making that judgment call based on that fact alone.) I continue to be bombarded by constant requests to watch a movie. Is there a chill in the air?

October
I read some poetry with the students and during the discussion, I heard the thought expressed that "old people" should not go barefoot. When I probed for details about how old is OLD, I am chagrined to hear them say  "40." I promptly tell the students that I hope they are still going barefoot when they're 80. "Eww. Gross, Miss Tiefel." The school had a fall party with a wild west theme. I dressed up as a pioneer woman, but according to some students, I looked like a pilgrim instead. The seventh and eighth graders continue to beg to watch a movie in class. Is that a blizzard in the forecast?

Check back tomorrow for the second half of the post. :)