We were scheduled for another Tuesday with Tara’s 6th grade slicers. At week #4 I had my 3rd Slice up and curious to see if anyone read it and left a comment or two. Tara and I did some initial planning via FaceTime on Facebook, and as usual, the night before an event I am up too late. Last night, as Tuvia snored, I started on a new game: Bubble Epic. I was winning easily as I caught up on Dancing with the Stars and The Voice. As much as I am a loyal American Idol fan, I’m feeling like the Voice team of judges are doing everything right.
I should have put the game away way before 1 AM. I am sure that I will not continue much farther with it and I knew I would regret the lack of sleep in the morning. Yes, I did, but I was ready to leave for the school with more than enough time to stop at a nearby cafe for a coffee-to-go and a poppy-seed covered flagle for later. I still hesitated as I made my way to the school, but everything was looking familiar. I even found a treasure of Visitor Parking spots that allowed for an easy arrival and walk in the lovely fall sunshine to the school entrance. The serious guard smiled familiarly and handed me my id badge without any information from me.
I walked up familiar hallways and found my way to Tara’s classroom with ease. Inside Tara was prepping the kids for their next book group choice with videos on each book under consideration. When the lights came on and the kids moved around the room to make their selections carefully Tara and I were able to talk and plan a bit off the cuff. I remembered Throwback Thursdays that we made use of during our last Slicer March Marathon as we talked about having the kids revisit one of their slices, consider the comments they received and revise it.
We were ready for them. Tara began to have them consider what made strong slices and then what made some slices easy to pass on. (No names, of course.) We were off… I was sharing my passion for authentic voice.
THEN…. the dreaded break from the PA… the principal was kicking us out of the building for a evacuation drill. Tara was horrified for me, hoping that it wouldn’t take long, but soon it was clear that we were on a long walk to the soccer fields. A long walk that would steal away more than our precious period and because lunch at Glen Rock Middle School is sacred we had no way to getting them back today.
Of course Tara will continue with the kids tomorrow and I remembered the patience it takes to keep moving, going with the flow. Yes, teaching is complicated. Not a good profession for those who need things fixed and orderly.
I’ll be back on Halloween for our first Slicer sharing with a Halloween Slice of Suspense. Maybe it’s time for some Flash Fiction:100 word stories inspired by Grant Falkner now director of National Novel Writing Month beginning on November 1st, sadly without me this year. I have two wins under my belt but for now I’m wondering about what I should write and wear for Halloween next week. What do you think?
Digital Bonnie 
What a day! We were able to complete our reflections with my PM class, and will return to finish up with the AM kiddos. Lucky that the sun was out and that it was warmish – we weren’t so lucky the last time. So great to have you with us for all the drill drama…you were a good sport!
Yes, I’m flexible. Is there any other choice, Bonnie? Ha-I just visited today with one of our new head candidates & asked him about his own flexibility. Our school is no small task because we may change things even on a daily basis when it suits a student, or even the class. It is rarely the same in a week, so for someone who has expectations that are a little rigid, they shouldn’t come teach, or be the head there. Those drills make me nuts, too. So sorry you were interrupted. I was waiting to see what you were going to do! Looking forward to Halloween!
I have a small inkling into life at Glen Rock Middle School as my daughter lives in the town; however, your post sums up teaching, mentoring, and learning everywhere. You have to be flexible and go with the flow while maintaining the highest of goals and plans for students that are both stimulating and standards driven. The flexibility is often the harder part for us these days!
Flexibility is key in teaching! Grasp the moment. Some child may have found their slice in that evacuation drill.
I can’t believe you had to evacuate the building today! That sinks. Thank gosh you’re flexible people.
Looking forward to hearing about your Halloween slice visit. 🙂
Teachers are masters of rearrangement. Life in the class is never as stable as one would want, but that makes it fun (?) every day. This kind of reminded me of our evacuation in Warsaw during Carl’s speech. What’s the common denominator? Ha! Ha! 🙂
How cool! I think I would like to do that too work with another teacher supporting the slices! I am always mortified that the evacuation drills go off during the really important times of instruction!
I finally found a fellow slicer who is a “Voice” watcher. That is the one and only TV show I watch. I love it! I am actually working on a post about The Voice’s “blind auditions” and students….just beginning thoughts!
Authentic voice is so powerful to teach. Glad you had a chance to start sharing, even with the interruption.
This was unexpected. A promising start followed by an evacuation drill. Oh, well. What can you do but be flexible. It’s very unlikely to have another interruption the next time, but who knows.
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