Day Sixty. Here is our “Select and Support a Grade Final” for the semester. Ordinarily, the kids and I would have these conversations face-to-face, but in this anything-but-ordinary situation, we will have to settle for the letter that they will write to me this week as they seek to capture the story of their learning.
I suppose that some will view this as my passing the buck, that it’s my job to grade, and that I am inviting kids into places they don’t belong. But as I think about all the times in the past where I have pointed to the percentage as “truth,” that’s when I think I was really passing the buck. Here, now, and beyond, I will pass the pen to kids as I encourage them to become partners in assessing what in the end, they know the truth of better than any: their learning, their story. That is why I pass the pen.
Day Fifty Nine. Morning, all. Happy Friday. Feeling the need to share a brighter moment.
Yesterday, I had the privilege of handing a diploma to my best friend’s son, Jaden, who despite the challenges of autism, has achieved this milestone moment in his life. I have known this beautiful boy of joy since the beginning, and from that time on, I have been profoundly privileged to witness the boundless love and support of his parents Josh and Lena Kleven as they have raised him into the remarkable young man that he is. I believe I can fairly speak for all when I say that any who have been lucky enough to be a part of Jaden’s journey know they are blessed and better for being connected to this beautiful, funny, clever, gentle boy. Thank you, Josh and Lena, for allowing me and so many others to take part in Jaden’s journey. Has always made our loves more joyous. And now, when it seems in short supply, Jaden delivers again. Thank you for the joy, Jaden.
Dad (Josh) and I graduated as Blackhawks 30 years ago this week.
Day Fifty Eight. Morning, all. Trying to process all that’s going on in our world right now. And, as I do, I am ashamed by my silence. I tried to capture the why of my silence in a tweet earlier this morning.
So much noise within and without right now. But I remain silent. And for that I am sorry.
Day Fifty Six. Got an email and some answers yesterday. Been wondering for awhile where she’s been. She doesn’t always love playing school and she generally procrastinates, but she always gets her exceptional work turned in on time. But she’s been missing in action the past few weeks, and though I figured there was a good reason, I didn’t expect what she finally revealed to me. Her mom’s cancer is back. My heart sank. And it continued to sink as she went on to apologize for her missing work, promising me that she wouldn’t use her mom’s health as an excuse, that she would get it done and turned in. But that won’t happen. I won’t let it.
I excused her from all the missing and remaining work for the semester. I told her that an “A” had already been indelibly stamped on her transcript and that if she went on to do it, she would be wasting her time. And, I meant it. Every word.
She has already proven herself this year. And I told her as much, explaining that doing or not doing the work would matter little in the grand scheme. And right now, life has thrown her something that requires more attention than the trivial tasks I have assigned during this distance-learning experience. I am more worried about her well-being than her demonstrating proficiency with our priority standards. There are greater priorities. Far greater.
I cannot change her situation with her mom. I can change her situation with my class. Her (necessary) absence from my class these past few weeks tells me where her focus needs to be. And that’s where it’s been. That’s where she has been. And that’s just where she should be. And I want her to remain there unfettered from the guilt of missing my class. She is needed elsewhere. And I want her to be present, fully present–there, where her absence would matter more than it does in my class.
Happy Tuesday, all. Take care of yourself and each other.
Day Fifty Five. Morning, all. Not feeling it today. Busy week ahead. Stressed out. Woefully behind on stuff. So, I am going to bow out. Be back tomorrow when I am hopefully less-behind. Thank you for understanding. Take care.
Day Fifty Four. Morning, all. Taking my final spring break day today. Going kayaking and fishing with my wife and friends. I will be back here on Monday. Have a great weekend.
Day Fifty Three. Morning, all. For this week’s assignment, I am asking the kids to find and use their powers of persuasion in a follow-up to last week’s work with the rhetorical appeals.
I try–and don’t always succeed–to find ways to make our work relevant. In my latest attempt, I am asking the kids to consider an authentic context in which they are requesting something from someone who needs convincing. My own son, who’s in my class, apparently has written his mom and me a request regarding his getting his own car. I haven’t seen it yet, but I’m sure we will be subjected to the full force of his Jedi mind tricks. And if not immediately, he will likely–eventually–get what he wants. The Force is strong in that one.
Here is the assignment.
It’ll be interesting to read the kids’ requests next week. I hope they find it a worthwhile use of their time as they seek to find their force. Sorry, parents.
Day Fifty One. Morning, all. Been sharing lots of numbers lately, as we move through the strange of our days. Thought I would take the opportunity to share another one that’s significant to me. 950.
This is my 950th post here. Never–never–would have imagined back in December of 2015, when this journey started on the dare of a student Megan Lavin, that I would have reached this milestone. What could I possibly write about to reach such a number? And as I think back on all I have written in the last four-and-a-half years, I am not sure I have any better answer now than I did then. I just write my journey. And as I look ahead, I will continue to do so. I will just write my days as they come. One experience at a time. Glad to have you along with me. Thank you for reading. Thank you for supporting.
Day Fifty. Morning, all. Found a tough message in my box this morning, which prompted this Twitter thread. I decided to go ahead and make it my post for the day.
And as I am is as I will be. A little lost, but that’s just me. All because humanity.
Happy Friday, all. Enjoy the long weekend. Stay safe.
Day Forty Nine. Morning, all. Not much on my mind today. Just kinda going through the motions. Really could use some in-person interaction with my kiddos. We are making it, but “it” pales considerably to the “it” we prefer. With less than a month to go now, I feel like we are just holding on till the end. Of course, that’s true to some degree even in normal times, but the feeling of “just holding” on seems heightened in these strange times.
And, for the most part, bless their hearts, the kids are holding on and doing their parts to rise to the occasion and ride out this reality. Still–for them, for me, for all–I am ready for this ride to end. Till then, we’ll keep holding on.
Happy Thursday, all. Keep holding on. We’re almost there.
