And then they came to an end in the road. It had been on the horizon for some time, and though each day it grew in their view, it still seemed far off and away. But not today. It is here, and so are they.

And that’s that. We’re done. And with another behind, I am already looking ahead, and as the dust settles, I will spend time reflecting on what I did, so my next “do’s” will be better. I will share my reflections in my summer “Reflection’s Reality” posts, but for the next week or so, I am going to take a break. Thank you to all my faithful readers for your kind and continued support. Could not do this without you. Thank you.

And as I wrap up another year of Project 180, I want to give a special shoutout to a special young lady. I first met her when she was a student in my classroom management course at the university. After that, she had some issues with her student-teaching placement, so she reached out for help, and–long story short–she ended up student teaching with me. She finished up mid-year, and through some connections, we were able to get her a job at Connell HS, where she finished up the year. But we snatched her back up here at Cheney that same fall, and she has been with us for the last two years. And though we thought we had found a “lifer,” stuff happens–love happens, and we are now losing Maddie as she heads off to Texas, following her beau. And while she will be missed by many, she will be missed most by Jenna and me, for she was the other leg in our gradeless grade-ten team. She has spent the last year experimenting and innovating with us, and we will miss what she brought to the table, a table that she, Jenna, and I sat at every morning for the last 180 days dreamin’ and schemin’ about ways to make our kids’ educational experiences more meaningful. Thank you, Maddie. Thank you for the collaborative, kid-loving, robot-dancing, cheer-coaching, compassionate spirit that you shared with us. You have made a mark. And you will not be forgotten. You are a cherished colleague, and you will be a lifelong friend. Keep doing. Keep reflecting. And keep doing better. Goodbye, dear friend.

 

Today’s Trail

Along our last stretch of trail we will…

…do our final Smiles and Frowns (my crowning achievement for the year)

…end with a final Sappy Sy Rhyme

…high-fives, handshakes, and hugs.

Happy end of another year. Maybe my best of 22. Gonna miss my little humans.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

 

 

Dang. Almost didn’t make it. Last round of Sappy Sy Goodbyes. Would write more but I am running way late. Catch you all in the final post tomorrow. Have a great day.

Hate goodbyes. Always have. They’re hard. And always will be. But, this year’s goodbyes seem even a little harder. After a full year of Smiles and Frowns, we have formed some rather strong bonds, and we will sincerely miss what we have shared. Never have I had the privilege of being part of such a deeply connected classroom community, and not just in one of my classes, but all five. Today, we will say goodbye in third and fifth. For the next two days we are on a two-hour block schedule for finals. Periods one, three, and five today. Periods two, four, and six tomorrow. And then on Thursday, our last day, we will have 15 minute periods before our end of the year activities. So, we are saying our formal goodbyes today. Plus, many kids will not come on the last day, so today we start our goodbyes.

Twenty years ago, I wrote something for my kids called the “Last Word.” They were my first class, and I had them for two years, and “goodbye” seemed not enough, so I wrote each a little note to honor them and our time together. This year, goodbye feels inadequate, too, so I wrote each of the kids a short Sappy Sy Rhyme. This was a particular challenge, for it is hard to both rhyme and capture something of significance for each kid. I did my best. I have included today’s below. I will read and distribute them to both periods. Gonna miss these kiddos. A lot.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will…

…begin with Smiles and Frowns

…have our final Community Circle of the year

…end with Sappy Sy Rhymes

Happy Tuesday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Many proud moments of late, but Maisie’s moment sits at the top. In a world rife with compliance and transaction, there are kids who go beyond, kids who transcend, kids who rise above and shine their lights. Maisie is one such kiddo, and I am so proud of her commitment to her learning. She is aMAISing. The Twitter thread below tells the story.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will…

…begin with Smiles and Frowns

…finish speeches

…end with a Sappy Sy Rhyme

Happy last Monday, all. Cannot believe we are done this week.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

 

“I mean come on, 67% of teenagers IN THE WORLD are active to this exposure EVERY DAY. Don’t get me wrong I am one of those 67% as I’m sure you are too. But I can’t be the only one who knows to take a step back and see its true effects on our generation, on our health, both mentally and even physically.” –Savannah

 

“So I ask you one more time, am I not human? Have I not spent an entire semester getting to know all of you wonderful people? I’m not asking you to do anything, I’m not even asking that you talk to me outside of classes, but seriously, just try not to hate others unless they’ve done something awful to you. If not for me, then for your own health.” –Damon

 

“Your parents may tell you to think about others or to treat people how you’d like to be treated. Then, when you go to school, they tell you not to worry about others and to keep your hands to yourself. Which is it? What if I like hands?” –Maisie

 

“I am not a 1, 2, 3, or 4 and neither are you. We are not based off our testing when our testing can’t assess how each one of us learns, thinks, and processes information.  We are not the same for a reason. Our diversity is what separates us and makes us all unique, not the numbers produced from a biased test.” –Madisyn

 

Good morning, all. Another round of student voices to share today. Lots a questions to wrestle with out there. Turns out, kids are not bad wrestlers. Not bad at all.

 

Are You a Percentage? by Savannah

As of January 2018, there are about 7.593 BILLION people on Earth. Out of those 7.593 billion people, 3.196 BILLION people are active on social media. That is 42% of our WORLD’S population that is actively on social media, a large chunk being teens. 67% of teenagers are active on social media every single day, being social media’s most active users. Now let me ask you something… with almost half of our World being active on social media, how is it that little to none are truly aware of its effects on teenagers and their mental and physical health. 3.196 BILLION people actively use some form of social media everyday. 3.196 BILLION people are actively exposed to each other. Actively exposed to the harms of our social norms and the harms of one another. I mean come on, 67% of teenagers IN THE WORLD are active to this exposure EVERY DAY. Don’t get me wrong I am one of those 67% as I’m sure you are too. But I can’t be the only one who knows to take a step back and see its true effects on our generation, on our health, both mentally and even physically.

Social media comes with its obvious pros and cons. Sadly we mostly only focus on the pros, ignoring the consequences it can often have. Body negativity, FOMO, depression and even anxiety are major effects teenagers face daily…. No active social media user in this room can say that they haven’t seen one of their peers or even a celebrity post something on the internet, that hasn’t made them jealous of their body, maybe their friends, their clothes, or their wealth. One of the most common effects social media has on teenagers is body confidence issues. 84% of teenage girls struggle with their self image along with 52% of teenage boys struggling with the exact same thing. Social media just rubs salt in the wound, where you can easily see people you might think have a better body than you. “Wow she has nice curves.” “Damn. Look at his abs, I wish I had abs like that.” “Her skin is so clear, I wish my skin could look that perfect.” Most teenagers might not even notice these thoughts going through their head, but in others these thoughts control them. Social media CONTROLS how we see our own SELVES in the mirror! That is so [effed] up! Body negativity is one of the leading causes of depression and social anxiety in teenagers globally. Do you know how confident we could easily be in our own skin if we didn’t constantly see people “more beautiful” than us being praised online? This often leads to eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. That is only one of the ways social media can affect teenagers mental and physical health. Another way social media affects teens is it’s an easy platform for bullying and racism. It is SO easy for cowards to hide behind a screen and make racist, sexist, homophobic remarks. Bullying like this is just ANOTHER leading cause to depression in teenagers.

As of January 2018, there are about 7.593 billion people on Earth. Out of those 7.593 billion people, 3.196 BILLION people are active on social media. 42% of our Worlds population is active on social media. 67% of teenagers are active on social media every day. But only 23% of teenagers even report being bullied on social media. 84% of teenage girls struggle with body confidence due to social media. 52% of boys struggle with body confidence due to social media. Now trust me I’m not telling you to stop looking at memes on Twitter or watching your favorite YouTuber, or even stop posting on Instagram. But I am asking you, are you letting social media make you a percentage?

 

Hate Isn’t What Our Reality Should be About by Damon

As the great William Shakespeare once said, “Am I not human? If you cut me, would I not bleed?”

I’ll spare you the assault charges, I do. We all do.

So, if we all bleed, then why must we judge and ridicule others based on nothing but the colour of their skin, their religious views, or even who they love?

I’ll admit, I do actively hate a couple of people, but not based on their looks or beliefs, I hate them because they did something to me that I found unforgivable.

How could somebody hate another human being just for being who they are? How could somebody hurt, or even kill another human being just for loving another? How could they?

How could you?

You might say that hate is a part of human nature, but, as Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa so beautifully and wisely stated, “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
Hate is not natural, so I ask again,

Why?

You might say that hate is becoming less of an issue since many years ago, but crimes against persons, or hate crimes, have seen a near 5% increase in the past 5 years alone.

That might not sound like much, but each single percent is more than 1000 people being targeted for the way they look, or what they believe.

We need to fix this. You might ask what you, a single, inconsequential person might do to affect an entire world of hate, but if one person stops the hate, happiness can spread. Kindness is just like hate, but it spreads easier. Smile at somebody, pay for the next person’s coffee.

A small act can deeply affect somebody’s day, and they might even pay that kindness forward.

If I walked up to somebody you love and punched them in the gut for no reason, would you just stand there, or would you throw a punch for them? You almost definitely would, so why must so many people sit idly by as so many people are being attacked, or even murdered, just for being themselves? For example, we may see Concentration camps as a thing of the past, something that won’t be repeated in the near future, but, just last year, there was a “secret” camp for homosexuals! It was in Chechnya, a Federal subject of Russia, and the camps have already imprisoned at least 100 men, killing at least three of them and torturing/mutilating all of the rest! This may even still be going on to this day, but the Chechen government has denied all of these accusations, stating that “My officers would not even want to touch such people [homosexuals}—if they exist—let alone beating or torturing them.” This is just one of many groups that has been discriminated against heavily in the past year alone.

There are many ways we can stop the hate in the mainstream, such as no longer allowing hate-groups to get the attention they so desperately want. We can stop interviewing Neo-Nazis, we can discontinue the hiring of known hate-group advocates into the mainstream media, and we can demonize them, as they so deserve.

Hate is not a universal truth. It isn’t natural, and it’s unhealthy. Being an angry or hateful person can actually cause heart problems, and strokes, according to Dr. Cynthia Thaik. There are ways to fix this. All you have to do is talk to somebody. Vent your frustrations at a good friend, and listen to them when they vent. There are other ways, of course, but none of them are as easy, and some of them even cost money, like therapy

I have a challenge for you. Close your eyes, and think of all of the people that you don’t like. Next, think of why you don’t like them, and how much you actually know about their lives. If they have done something to you, something that has actually given you a valid reason to dislike them, then ignore this next step. If not, try to get to know them, and think from their perspective. Have they done anything to deserve this? Are they really as bad as you think?

So I ask you one more time, am I not human? Have I not spent an entire semester getting to know all of you wonderful people? I’m not asking you to do anything, I’m not even asking that you talk to me outside of classes, but seriously, just try not to hate others unless they’ve done something awful to you. If not for me, then for your own health.

 

Life by Maisie

I used to go to bed early. I used to be motivated. I used to make art. I used to be an optimist. I used to be kind. I used to enjoy going to school. I used to believe in God. I used to read poetry. I used to be excited about my future. I used to make art. I used to find myself in others. But I never used to open my blinds.

In an over-analysis of my own emotional traits, I have come to believe that time will take from you what it wants; but it gives back, too. It starts with the first memory you have of growing up, maybe even earlier than that. Your parents may tell you to think about others or to treat people how you’d like to be treated. Then, when you go to school, they tell you not to worry about others and to keep your hands to yourself. Which is it? What if I like hands?

Next, you are in middle school and you will want to be anyone but yourself. You are convinced that there is a way to act, to look, and to think. You have no real concept of anything but what your peers and your parents have told you. Your brain is only beginning to develop into its own machine. All in all, you’re just another brick in the wall.

Then, all of the sudden, you’re a highschool student. You might begin to find yourself and your individuality. Maybe you realize that your own happiness ranks higher than other people’s approval. You may begin to see your teachers as the humans that they are. People who have walked the same halls as you in an attempt to find themselves. Yet, they so often treat you like you are so much less that what you really are.

Finally, you will graduate with the people who helped shape your identity, who gave you the foundation that was your first 18 years. Something you will look back upon and wonder how different things would have been if you’d grown up in a different state, or if you hadn’t fallen in love with that one person. Your perspective of the world will expand when you are on your own, with nobody to tell you where to be and when.

Years pass and you are on your deathbed, you will think about your life. You will think about the wonders you saw and the people you let understand you. You will hope that your soul grew so much it has stretch marks, wrinkles, and sun spots. Maybe you will ask yourself what your life was worth anyway, if you will be gone tomorrow with only a dozen people to tell your story. You will ask yourself where all that energy goes, but you will never know until it is too late to tell. This is something you will work your whole to accept.

There are many questions like these throughout life but we must not let them separate us from each other. Your life experiences and beliefs are only an attempt to make sense of it all and although it is almost necessary to believe in something, there are no facts. No matter how sure you may think you are, there are no facts. Anyones beliefs are as valid as yours. Respect everyone you meet and let this pattern take place every day.

If we are all a part of the human race
We all should stand by each other just in case
In the case of an apocalypse or a mass level extinction
What if the only people left are torn by distinction?

We can’t just crucify people for the lives they choose
Or put a price on the dreams they lose
Don’t act like there are facts, because nobody knows
Which means we are all equally right… or wrong I suppose

I hate to make it too simple and draw it out
But I want you to know what I am talking about
Bill Withers was right when he said in his song:
Lean on me when you’re not strong

We have to have to lend a shoulder to lean on sometimes
When the living starts to hurt and we have hard times
Tell people you love them and send them edgy memes
Like Lorde said once: we’re on each others teams

 

I Am Not a Number by Madisyn

Am I a 1, or a 2? Maybe a 3, or a 4? Did I pass or did I fail? Is this what I need to graduate? Our education seems to be surrounded and based off of one thing, standardized testing. Standardized testing measures only a small portion of what makes education meaningful. They are an unreliable measure of student performance. Standardized tests have not improved student achievement and are not objective. So the real question is are they pulling our education system together or tearing it apart? Do students have a healthy relationship with  standardized testing?

Standardized tests measure only a small portion of what makes education meaningful. We spend an immense amount of time cramming, preparing for, and taking these test only to forget the material soon after.  Am I really going to need to know how to make a zip line and all the zip line requirements? What’s meaningful about that? Are we learning to pass a test or are we learning for a purpose other than just a number?  Aren’t we supposed to be happy to learn new things?

Einstein once said, “Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, It will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” I believe that standardized tests are like the tree. We all are given the same formatted test and expected to complete it and score as high as we can, but everybody’s brain works differently. We are all so diverse but yet given the same test. How is that fair? Standardized tests are an unreliable measure of student performance.

As students we are supposed to keep learning and growing. The focus of school is on us and our learning, yet standardized testing has not improved student achievement. If anything, it stresses us out and we dread it. Some teachers can make it seem like our only goal is to learn to pass the test. Hours and hours of sitting in a quiet room reading and answering questions off of a laptop.  How boring. Not only are we subjected to the test, but some teachers even require prep tests. My math teacher for example spent 1 whole week with us and the laptops to simulate the testing environment and so that we can practice the questions only to take the actual thing a few days later. What a waste of time. What did we learn during that? How to use an online calculator?

I am not a 1, 2, 3, or 4 and neither are you. We are not based off our testing when our testing can’t assess how each one of us learns, thinks, and processes information.  We are not the same for a reason. Our diversity is what separates us and makes us all unique, not the numbers produced from a biased test. Our learning is more significant than our testing. We are much more than a number or a test.

 

Proud of my kiddos. They give me hope.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will…

…begin with Smiles and Frowns

…continue and mostly wrap up speeches

…end with a Sappy Sy Rhyme

Happy Friday, all. Have a great weekend.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

 

 

 

“On the other hand, what is art? Does art have rules? Restrictions? Are you able to recognize any boundaries within art? No, art does not hold creativity in a box, that’s the beauty of it. Neither does dancing, painting, sculpting, makeup, music, clothes, digital design, including skateboarding.” –Gabrielle

 

“Just because I wear backwards hats, skate shoes, ripped up jeans, and baggy shirts does not mean I am a bad person. It does not mean I am trying to cause trouble.” –Devin

 

“The fire. I knew it was burning. I saw you add the gasoline, yet I did nothing to blow it out. I sat there and watched, listened, and understood what you were doing to them, yet I did nothing. I am part of the bullying cycle.” –Isabella

 

Morning, all. So many great “Be A Voice” speeches yesterday. We laughed. We wondered and pondered. And we cried–not sure there was a dry eye in the room after Abby shared her speech on “Dealing with Death” in 6th period.  Kids spoke about stress, about being openly gay at CHS, about the environment, about implicit bias, about life, about social media, about being bikers and skaters, about bullying, about responsible pet ownership, about identity, and the list goes on. Kids know more than we believe, and if we gave them a voice AND listened more often, we would learn much. I have learned much from kids in my twenty-two years, and this year is no exception. In truth, I learned more about kids this year than ever before, but I should have. I gave them a voice and I listened. It inspired my Twitter reflection this morning.

And yesterday, I learned a lot from these very best of humans. Here are some highlights.

We Have a Choice by Isabella

I am the type of person who thinks they can solve everything, but it turns out I can’t. I thought I could be the one to find a solution to bullying, but through my own experience and research I realized there is not and never will be a solution to bullying. But that doesn’t mean I can’t try; it doesn’t mean we all can’t try, I have a few ideas and approaches for bullying, but it all starts with one word: choice.

Today I will share three different points of view. The bully, the bullied, and the bystander. Because each and everyone is an important factor to this death causing problem. Whether you think so or not, at some point in our life or maybe several times, we will play one of these roles. We may be the bully and not know it; we may be the bullied and become weak, or we may be the bystander who is watching someone being damaged everyday and not doing anything about it. It’s all about choices. You may not even realize that you made the choice.

The Bully

“You’re not good enough, you’re useless, I am ashamed to call you my child”. I am told this every night I go to bed thinking I’m not loved. I wake up in the morning believing I’m not loved, and I go to school knowing I’m not loved. So what do I do? I treat others poorly to make them believe they are not loved, so then maybe I won’t be the only one.

The victims are told they are bullied because the bully has a hard life back home or that’s just how they are raised. But does that give them the excuse to treat others like they’re nothing? To treat others like they are hated by everyone? To treat them as though they will never be loved? No. When is it ever okay to treat someone poorly for our own personal benefits? It’s not.  But that’s not the only scenario. There are times where one will bully because they are jealous of you, or they want to sound all cool and badass. But they fail to notice that they are really making themselves look like a terrible person by having such a negative impact on others, sometimes even leading to suicide.

Even though bullies maybe hurt, they can cause even more hurt.

The Bullied

Hurt. That’s how I feel. I feel as though I am unwanted and unliked by everyone. I am too scared to tell someone about my hurt.“You’re fat, You’re ugly, Why do people even like you, This world would be a better place if you weren’t in it.” At night I take my shower, looking in the mirror wondering who I am or why I look like this. I hurt myself as a punishment. I slit my wrists, but I keep my self-harm to myself. You damaged me, and scarred me . You held the knife pushing it deeper and deeper with every hurtful word, every name, every insult .Then it came, that thought I realized my bully is right, the world would be a better place without me in it. The rope was tied, the chair in place, I climbed up…. And I jumped. Stories like these don’t stop after they stop breathing, rumors are still spreading, at this point we are only fueling the flame.

The Bystander

The fire. I knew it was burning. I saw you add the gasoline, yet I did nothing to blow it out. I sat there and watched, listened, and understood what you were doing to them, yet I did nothing. I am part of the bullying cycle. I helped you feel as though you were alone. I laughed along at the hurt they caused you. I am part of the bullying cycle, and I didn’t even know it. And now you’re gone… I could have been the one to help you, to save your life. I could have been the one to end your hurt. Most bystanders see this all happening and don’t react until it’s too late or don’t react at all. If you would have just said something, told somebody, or if you would have just been their friend. Don’t wait until it’s too late to help out. Be the reason they decide to live another day.

4,400. 4,401. 4,402 and counting. This is the number of bullied caused suicides per year. Bullying will never stop or have a solution. But we can help others live another day by speaking up or being a friend. It’s all about our choices. Again I’m the type of person who thinks they can solve everything, but I can’t. But I hope today I helped someone. I hope I helped someone realize how they are treating others is wrong. I hope I helped someone realize that they are worth fighting for and that they are not alone. I hope I helped someone realize that it’s time to speak up and save a life. Today I helped someone, can you say the same?

 

from I Just Wanna Ride My Bike by Devin

Maybe it was the way I walk, maybe it was the way I dress, or maybe it was because I am a teenager that looks like I cause trouble. Just a few weeks ago I was walking down the street, and I faintly heard a man say, “Honey, look at that kid,” and a little louder response from his wife, “He looks like such a bad kid, his parents must be so disappointed.” I soon found out it was the car sitting next to me at a stop light. I pretended not to hear them, but since the window was open it was almost like they wanted me to hear. I think since people don’t know me, they shouldn’t judge me. Nobody should judge people just on first appearance.

I see people like I see a book. You can see the cover and you can see the person, but you really need to read the inside or talk to the person to really understand and get to know who they are as a person. Just because I wear backwards hats, skate shoes, ripped up jeans, and baggy shirts does not mean I am a bad person. It does not mean I am trying to cause trouble. All it means is I am wearing the clothes that I like. People look a certain way and wear certain things because they like it. But your clothes or the way you look does not define the person you are.

 

from Skateboarding Is My Art by Gabrielle

“There’s nothing wrong with enjoying looking at the surface of the ocean itself, except that when you finally see what goes on underwater,you realize that you’ve been missing the whole point of the ocean.”― Dave Barry

Mankind strives to push risk aside and smash apart the impossible. How often and how far can one go in a sport with rules and confinements. Many don’t question how skateboarding breaks boundaries. Instead, they rather overlook all it offers and push it as a sport. Skating holds more depth. It constantly creates a wider diversity than a sport would. It’s time to pull skating out of its closet and reclaim it by the heart. Skateboarding is an art. 

If you love something enough to pour your heart into it and express yourself through it, can’t it be an art as well? I think so, because anything can have a deeper meaning to one person than what it just appears on the surface to someone else. That’s why skating is an art to me and many of my friends, because we love it so much and are able to express ourselves through it and pour our heart and soul into it. I want to share my love for skateboarding with the world. If you too have something you’re passionate about daily, you should share it too, because there are no rules when it comes to loving what you do, and that’s art in itself.

 

So lucky to have a seat in the room, to have an opportunity to listen to and learn from these wise, resonant voices. Kids are the very best humans.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will…

…begin with Smiles and Frowns.

…listen to more Voices.

…end with a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Thursday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better. 

 

“I have reason to believe that the majority of society expects public education to prepare our children to continue advancing our society; so if we believe this to be true, why do we continue to suppress creativity and prevent communication?” –Juliane

 

 

“What is Love? Why is love something that many find hard to explain or even understand? How do you know what love is if you’ve never experienced it, but how do you know if you’ve experienced it if you don’t know what it is?” –Lyss

 

In June, the kids get the podium. They get to speak. They get to share. They get to be a voice. This June, my kids have had two opportunities to speak. First, they had an opportunity to share their Passion Papers, a piece of their very own, self-selected and self-directed writing. Second, they are now sharing their Be A Voice speeches, speeches on matters/issues that give rise to their voices. And though there have been many resonant voices over the past days, two in particular caught my ear: Lyss’s and Juliane’s.

For his Be A Voice speech, Juliane made his case for why we need to change education for the sake of society AND kids. Please understand that Juliane is an exemplary student. He may in fact be my “best student” this year, but that “best” has come at a cost, as he is a living, breathing example of what he presents in his paper: a stressed out over-achiever trapped in a hyper-competitive existence that brings little purpose or joy to his life. Isn’t that funny? When I think of our need to be engaged in meaningful, fulfilling experiences as adults in things that bring us purpose and joy, in both our personal and professional lives,  I can’t help but feel that we are subjecting our kids to the very things we strive to escape as adults: the mundane, the joyless, the meaningless, the purposeless, the stressful…the list goes on. And so when Juliane spoke yesterday, it resonated with me, not only as a change chaser in education but also as a person in the world. But what could a sixteen-year-old possibly know about education? Maybe more than we think. Here are some of my favorite lines.

“I am sick. I have been infected with one of the worst diseases that has ever been inflicted upon humankind by humankind. I’m not talking about some chemical weapon; I’m not talking about the Black Plague; and I’m definitely not talking about the flu. This epidemic affects millions of teenagers every single day. Education. Public Education. As a great theoretical physicist once said, ‘The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education’ (Albert Einstein).”

“The next issue to address is that the students are both physically and mentally damaged when they attend school. We are taught that we need 8-10 hours of sleep, yet I get 5 on average. I need to have breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday, yet I skip lunch to study for exams or just because the school lunch equals that of a prisoner’s meal. I need to finish high school, yet I think about giving up.”

“Conditioned to be perfectionists, these students are backed into a corner where mistakes are the downfall of their image, but I believe our greatest mistake is making said students to stress over these mistakes instead of learning from them. From an efficient-seeking point of view, this method proves to carry out what graders desire: results. From an ethical point of view, this method contradicts the expectations of the parents by damaging the mental development of our students. In Jay Shetty’s video “Life is the Most Difficult Exam”, he proceeds to elaborate on the things that schools do to students that should be changed. He tested what would happen when typing in the phrase ‘University makes me…’ into google to see what the top searches are. As expected, most proved to be negative. Google showed that when typing in the phrase ‘High school makes me…’ its top searches were: suicidal, want to cry, feel stupid, and stressed.”

“So I say this once more: I am sick. High school public education has taken us, the students, hostage, and society is at its mercy as it spreads its yearly epidemic. I can only ask and beg and call for help on this matter, so listen closely. Our education is supposed to guide us to the people we will become, and if we continue to take the wrong steps, we fail to keep advancing effectively as a society.”

 

For her Passion Paper, Lyss explored the question, “What is love?” Inspired by an earlier Community Circle topic, “Is teenage love real?” she further examined her own ideas and feelings. But what could a sixteen-year-old possibly know about love? Maybe more than we think. Here are some of my favorite lines.

 

“Now I probably just sound like some dumb teenager who has no idea what she’s talking about but it’s ok… because I am. I don’t know what I’m talking about because the truth is I don’t know what love is.”

“Now I probably just sound like some dumb teenager who has no idea what she’s talking about but it’s ok… because I am. I don’t know what I’m talking about because the truth is I don’t know what love is. I love my mom and my dad and my sisters and my dogs but I don’t know why. That sounded bad… I know why I love them but I don’t know why I feel that specific emotion toward them. I’ve never had to think of why I love them.”

“Are there two different types of love? I don’t know. I feel like there is this in between emotion.”

“One time my friend told me that you won’t stop worrying about someone until you know that they love you and much as you love them. But I never worried about whether or not my dad loved me as much as I loved him. Maybe that just because I was lucky and I never had to worry about my parents not loving me. Maybe I’m just ignorant and love is something that you’re supposed to worry about. Maybe that’s the thing. Maybe love is different for everyone. What if we all share a common emotion that means something different to all of us but feels the same. Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to wrap our minds around the idea of what is love.”

“I got caught up in things that I didn’t and did understand, but I realize that love is something that sometimes only you can give yourself. I love myself. I love myself. Maybe that’s when we understand what love is.”

 

What could kids possibly know of such things? Maybe more than we think.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will…

…begin with Smiles and Frowns.

…continue speeches.

…end with a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Wednesday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better. 

 

“There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch” (alternatively, “There is no such thing as a free lunch” or other variants) is a popular adage communicating the idea that it is impossible to get something for nothing. The acronyms TANSTAAFL, TINSTAAFL, and TNSTAAFL are also used. The phrase was in use by the 1930s, but its first appearance is unknown.^[1] The “free lunch” in the saying refers to the nineteenth-century practice in American bars of offering a “free lunch” in order to entice drinking customers. (Wikipedia)

 

And while there is certainly truth to this, the kids at Cheney High school can get a free lunch…well, almost. It costs them a “thank you.” I started Project Feed Forward last year after coming to a realization that kids, lots of kids, were hungry during the day, so I started making food available to just my students, but then others caught on, and before I knew it, I was feeding the school. Unable to sustain this on my teacher salary alone, I reached out to friends and family for help, and their response was overwhelming. So many donated to the project, and they still do today. From friends, family, teachers, administrators, school board members, community members to former and present students, people have warmly responded to the project. Yokes, one of our local grocery stores, donates noodles all the time. But as with anything, there are always a few who find fault and criticize.

Early on, some chimed in, suggesting that I was not preparing kids for the real world–with some literally saying, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” Others suggested that kids would take advantage of it, that some would take food even if they didn’t need or deserve it. And from there, I began calling it Project Feed Forward. And this became the basic message of the project: kindness feeds kindness. It was not about who deserved and who did not. It was about how a simple act of kindness can make a difference and how when others are treated with kindness, they are likely to do the same. I want this generation to go forward knowing that kindness matters. I am feeding that message forward. I ask for nothing in return except for a “thank you,” which the kids write on the closet door after they take food. The thank you is not for me, it is for those who donate. On occasion I take pictures of the “thank you’s” and post them on social media.

Are there some who take advantage? Maybe. But so what? We all need kindness. Early on, I had a local business offer funding but it would have to be designated for “needy” kids (it’s just how it had to be), but I declined. I did not want to risk further stigmatizing some of our needier kids, so it is available to all. No questions asked. We all need food. We all need kindness. Will a handout ruin a kid’s chance in the real world? Who knows? If so, maybe the world needs to change. If compassion is a free lunch, then I will feed the world. And there are many who would feed it with me.

There are so many kind people in this world, people who are willing to give and help. And while I am thankful that Project Feed Forward is getting some publicity, I am abashed to be in the spotlight again, for there are so many out here who are doing great things for kids. I just happened to be in the right spot at the right time. Katie Chen from KHQ spied the “thank you” board when she was in my room a few weeks ago and asked me about it. At the time, she commented to her crew that they should do a piece on the project. I figured she was just making polite talk, but she meant it, for she contacted my yesterday morning and interviewed me at lunch. And though my face is in the news, I share that space with all who have so generously donated to the project. A million thank you’s. I could not do it without you. Thank you. The kids thank. And I believe–truly, that they will feed forward your kindness.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will…

...begin with Smiles and Frowns. 

…begin delivering our Be a Voice  speeches. Cannot wait. 

…end with a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Tuesday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better. 

“I come to school every day because of you.”

 

Jill, pictured at bottom, wrote this on each of the cards her peers are holding. She then went on to personalize each card by writing something about each individual, capturing something that he/she/they did to contribute to our classroom community. She read each card aloud. It was a terrific tribute to her peers, and it exemplified what I would want from a classroom community. I could not have been more proud of her.

Earlier, during the planning stages of the Passion Paper, she had come to me with the idea, asking if it was okay, so I ran through the requirements of the Passion Paper by asking her two questions: Is it writing? Is it something that you care about? She readily answered, “Yes.” We high-fived, and she set to work. The rest is history.

One-hundred-seventy-one days ago, I shared a document with my brand new students (see below). I don’t do rules. I, instead, offer roles, routines, rights, and responsibilities. One of the roles I present to my kids is that of “valued community member.”  In the beginning, I think perhaps the kids thought I was paying this lip service, thinking it was like any other document that any other teacher might put in front of them–blah, blah, blahing away as we do. I am not sure Jill or any would have predicted into the future that she would be making a public tribute to the members of her community. And Jill is not alone. Devon in fifth period, did something very similar for her peers.

 

Of course, while I am immensely proud and pleased with my kids honoring each other, it is not with surprise that I am sharing this outcome. It was the plan all along. I say that not from a place of arrogance. I say it from a place of confidence. Just like relationships in the classroom are no accident, classroom community is not one either. I planned and executed this all year long. From reading Seedfolks (see below) to saying our Mindset Mantra (see below) to engaging in Smiles and Frowns and Community Circle to sharing Sappy Sy Rhymes, we have intentionally built our community all year long. No accident.

The Mindset Mantra began with my saying it for the first two weeks, then they said it for the next two, and finally, from there on, we all said it each day. Hear it. Say it. Believe it. I would like to think that Jill and her peers now believe it. I hope she and her peers also believe that I “come to school each day” because of them.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will…

…begin with Smiles and Frowns.

…tie up some loose ends with Passion Paper delivery and final speech preparation.

…end with a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Monday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.