S.L. Schmitz's Blog, page 4

When Tulle Skirts Attack

It is a very rare occurrence for me to ever concede defeat. No matter what happens in my life, my finances, my day-to-day turmoils, I always have a Plan B. There is always a way out of every problem, right?

From The Pink Laundry Boutique

In fact, not only do I typically have a Plan B… I almost always have a Plan C, too.

But something happened recently that made me feel utterly, completely helpless. It seemed simple enough – I wanted to buy a tulle skirt to wear while I was visiting New York City. Just a plain, sheer tulle that I could wear over black capris, maybe hot glue some rhinestones onto it to give it a Betsey Johnson vibe. I did a little research online to locate a store in my town that sells those kind of skirts, and once I identified a place I decided to go and buy one. It was a Tuesday. I had a haircut appointment at 4:00pm, so I ran into the store around 3:15pm.

Let’s fast forward through the semi-painful part of me not being able to find anything in an adult size in this enormous warehouse-style store, let alone locate anything with the ‘large waist” that my pear-shaped ass demanded. Although the sympathetic salesperson directed me to a small rack with 4 or 5 choices of sheer ballet skirts that might fit my big butt, my eyes kept reverting to the store’s stripper pole populated with tween fluffy tulle skirts that were for sale.

“Can adults wear these?” I asked.

“Ummmm, yes,” was the hesitant reply.

It was then that I made the outrageous decision – I was going to try on one of those fluffy tulle skirts. Never mind that they were made for elfin waifs dancing in elementary school plays about nutcrackers and talking rats – I was going to try on that little pink tulle skirt if it killed me.

Unfortunately, it almost did.

Somehow, using ingenuity gleaned from years of higher education and late night self-esteem talks with my mother, I managed to get that tangle of tulle over my head, wriggled around my bloated tummy, and settled onto the hip bones of my alleged waist. When I looked into the mirror, I had to admit, it was breath-taking –

I looked so bad, it was comical. The tulle stood out from my body frame in such a severe angle, it looked like my hips had become horizontal. And while tulle looks absolutely adorable on 3-year old little girls and 18-year olds with 0% body fat, it most certainly did not look good on middle-aged me. In fact, I looked so comical, even I had to laugh. Nervous, disgusted laughter that starts in the back of the throat and results in an eye-rolling snort. The stiff, unforgiving material added 30-40 pounds onto my already stocky frame. So glamorous. Time to take it off and skulk out of the store as quickly as possible, making eye contact with no one.

Using both hands, I tugged and pulled and yanked – nothing happened. I grunted and twisted and sucked it in – but no success. No matter how I tried, that damn skirt would not budge. Several times, I felt the material ripping and knew that this was getting hopeless. For fifteen minutes I leaned and grabbed and struggled, but that tulle skirt would not move. I had nightmare visions of cracking open the dressing room door and whispering to the salesperson that I needed a pair of scissors, without really going into details why. Not only that – I had a hair appointment in less than 20-minutes, and if I didn’t show up for it, I would spend the next month walking around with an overgrown shag.

Desperation was setting in.

I could hear myself practicing the words, “I’ll pay for it… I’ll pay double… please bring me a pair of scissors and a receipt…” when somehow, deep inside my self-talk, a Plan C somehow managed to formulate inside my hyper-ventilating brain. I realized that I had not yet tried the bend-over-and-wriggle-over-head move. Taking a deep breath, I leaned forward until I could hear my knees crack and used my clawed, shaking fingers to muscle that fricking skirt over my love handles and shoulders. There was give, there was movement – freedom!

I don’t even want to tell you about the sheen of sweat all over my body. What a workout! I scrambled into my clothes and rushed out of the dressing room, never looking back.

“Yeah, thanks, no…. not really my size,” I remember mumbling as I walked through the huge store – think Western wear and dance wear on steroids – and ran to the parking lot.

So embarrassing. I made it to my hair appointment, but somehow what should have been a funny anecdote really didn’t seem that funny when I told the story. My original plan B for getting out of that tulle skirt amounted to nothing more then destruction and escape. I’m not used to that. Typically, when I have a Plan B, there are better decisions to make and a happier outcome. Getting to Plan C felt like defeat. What a middle-aged quandary. Oy vey.

Oh, and I did end up going to NYC with an $18 dancer’s sheer skirt that I found at a discount store to wear over my black capris. But in the 100 degree heat, I never wore it. Go figure.

Filed under: About Me Tagged: ballet, capris, love handles, middle-aged, New York City, pear-shaped, pink tulle, Plan B, Plan C, tulle skirt, Western wear

When Streisand and Summer ruled the world

I do not subscribe to any Sirius or other satellite radio stations, although Jeebus knows that I should since I live in the cultural wasteland of the South. I have a 15 minute commute to work every day, during which I randomly play with the 5 pre-programmed stations on my car radio.

[image error]

I know that some people are shocked at my lack of iPod or even old-fashioned CDs, but it’s my choice. I find the randomness of public radio to be a challenge, something I sometimes win and sometimes lose in the short bursts of transportation that occur in my movement from A to B on the map of life. There is that old streak of anarchy in me, the refusal to bow down to big technology or pay monthly contract fees for entertainment. Somewhere, deep in my Gen X heart, I still dream of the days of college radio and living, breathing DJs.

Two things happened recently that I found to be interconnected and yet completely at odds with my pursuit of getting to my son’s after school daycare in time to avoid late charges. I felt the need to share these insights, not because I think that they are life-changing, but because they are banal and tinted with saccharine-memories. After all, it is the memory of what we once were that pushes and cajoles us into the person we are today.

Enough waxing eloquent – here are the facts. I needed to get some photos developed, and since all of the cool independent photo development stores in my area have closed, I was forced to go to Walmart to get this task accomplished. The 22 minute drive to Walmart weighed heavy on my soul, and I spent a moment digging through my pile of CDs to see what I could see. Amid all of the Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Patti Smith favorites I came upon a lone Donna Summer CD.

Oh! I had thought. Disco to get me through the day. Let’s do this.

I nodded my head through ‘Sunset People’, ‘Bad Girls’, ‘On the Radio’, and ‘McArthur’s Park’ until IT HAPPENED. A song that I had totally and completely forgotten about, but have always loved since I was 11 years old and this 1970’s hit first made the charts. The first notes of the song started, and it was as if a doorway opened into an old, cobwebby haunted house deep within my teenage soul. Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer and their gorgeous, eternal duet filled the dingy walls of my 2006 red Suzuki Grand Vitara SUV, and I was lost.

I’m sorry – did you just say that you have no idea what I am talking about? There was a Streisand phase – A PHASE, I SAY! – when the diva spent single after single showing off those incredible power chords. Songs featuring one, solitary, 25-second long note held in perfect pitch by La Streisand? Ppfft. Piece of McArther Park cake! And what better female to match Babs note for note was 1970’s Disco Queen extraordinaire Donna Summer! The 1979 chart-topping single “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)” still makes chills run down my spine.

As I listened to the song, it wasn’t hard to remember every line, every little throat nuance from these two superstars. My drive to the superstore was fun, fun, fun… and I played the song another 2x as I made my way to the elementary school to pick up my son. These were not shorty studio songs – back then, putting out 2 and 3 versions of songs of various lengths was not uncommon.

Streisand and Summer giving their all to strengthen women and let them know that it was OK to move on, expect better. Seems quaint now, but in the 1970’s, this was groundbreaking stuff.

Fast forward to a few weeks later. Again, I’m drifting through radio stations with no real purpose except to find a morning or afternoon zoo that I can tolerate, or maybe a song I can listen to long enough to get me where I need to be.

Along the way, I stumbled upon Pink’s “Just Give Me a Reason”, co-written and sung by Nate Ruess. It’s a duet – can’t deny that. But is lacks the brutal emotion of the 1979 Streisand and Summer duet. Can I dare to take this a step further? Streisand paired with the BeeGee’s Barry Gibbs for 1980’s “Guilty” duet. While Pink may be current, Streisand is forever. As I listened to the music, I tried to figure out if what I was hearing was worthy of comparison.

Um, no.

I want today’s alternative music to succeed. I want the new heralds of the new music nirvana to emerge. Has it happened lately? No. Pop, pop, pop.

A thousand years ago, when I was 16-years old, we used to pilgrimage from the suburbia of Naperville, IL to Chicago. We used to go to Wax Trax and fill our alternative-plastic baskets with imports and exports, then go upstairs and buy books, videos, and T-shirts. When we were under 18-years old, we danced on the tables at Medusa’s and when we were close to 18 we went to the Smart Bar and the Lounge Ax to see famous bands.

All I can say about today’s duets is ack ack ack (ala Bill the Cat). Pitbull and Christina Aguilara? Depressing. Rihanna and Mikky Ekky? You’re kidding, right?

Streisand and Summer? Eternal.

Dance on, world at large. Dance on.

Filed under: About Me Tagged: 1980's duet, Barbra Streisand, Barry Gibbs and Barbra Streisand, Christina Aguilera, D, Disco Queen, Donna Summer, duet, Enough is Enough, No More Tear, Pink, Pitbull, RiHanna, The Metro

Dear Mrs. Helms

The following is a typical exchange that I can count on having at least 1x per year, usually more, with a parent. No parents or students were harmed in the re-enactment of this slightly exaggerated, yet completely honest transcription.

Dear Mrs. Helms,

First, let me apologize for not getting back to you sooner. When I got to work today, my principal stopped me and mentioned that you had telephoned her because I had not responded to your emails that you had sent between 8pm last night and 1:30am this morning.

I have had the opportunity to read all 8 emails that you sent last night regarding your concerns that you did not receive P.’s report card. While I sympathize with your request to have all of the student report cards and progress reports mailed home every three weeks, the postage costs would be astronomical. As a general rule, our students are expected to take the reports home and give them to their parents. However, because of your concerns about how forgetful and disorganized P. is, I would be glad to pop a re-print of his report card into the mail for you today during my lunch break.

Kind regards,

Mrs. Crabapple

***

Dear Mrs. Helms,

Based on the 4 emails and 2 phone messages I received from you today, I can tell that you are concerned about P.’s grades on his report card. However, the semester has already ended and it is no longer possible for him to turn in the 24 missing assignments, 3 projects, or do his argumentative presentation (the topic he chose was ‘Why skateboards should be allowed in school hallways’).

But it is a new semester, and a chance to start over. As his teacher, I would like to refer him to Saturday School in order to keep him organized and up-to-date on his assignments. That way, he can complete his work in a structured environment with teacher supervision. The sessions run from 8am -11am every Saturday. Let me know if this is something you want to pursue.

Kind regards,

Mrs. Crabapple

***

Dear Mrs. Helms,

I’m disappointed that P. will be unable to attend Saturday School because you think it is not right to require children to get up so early on a Saturday morning. Unfortunately, I am not available to come to your house every Saturday to privately tutor him. Although your offer of $5.00 an hour was very kind, I have little ones at home that I need to spend time with, too.

Regarding your request to have me send you daily emails about P’s assignments – I have been sending mass emails to all of my parents every week with assignment updates etc. The email comes out every Friday, and I just verified that you have been on my distribution since the beginning of school. Alternatively, I require all of my students to write down their assignments in their daily agendas, as well as sticky note the assignment on their laptop desktops. Perhaps you can look at P’s agenda on a daily basis to help you know what is due and when it is due. I update my website every day with class lessons and assignments, too. Thanks –

***

Hi Mrs. Helms,

No, I was not aware that P. has lost his calendar agenda again. Typically, the school charges $5.00 for replacement agendas, but I have given P. his last 5 replacements without charging him. The last one I gave him was 10 days ago. If you send in $5.00 tomorrow, I will make sure that he purchases a new agenda at the school store. Have a nice day

***

Mrs. Helms,

My principal mentioned to me that you called her to find out why I am charging your son $5.00 for a school agenda. I assure you that I do not pocket the money – all school supplies are receipted, with the money going directly to our school secretary.

I have given him his new agenda, free of charge. Please take a moment to look at it every day to help him with his homework.

***

Mrs. Helms,

I’m sorry I took so long to reply to your email that you sent two hours ago. I usually do not check my email until lunchtime, as I am teaching classes throughout the day.

Regarding P’s handwriting – I agree that his handwriting can be difficult to read at times. Your suggestion that I write his homework for him every day into his calendar is one that I am willing to do, but P needs to remind me and bring me his agenda every day, as I have 35 students in his 3rd block class and may not always remember.

Also – you can always check my school website page, as I update my website daily. All assignments, spelling words, texts, worksheets, etc. are available for reading and downloading. Also, many of our required reading books can be checked out of library as an e-book, so that he can do his reading on the laptop that the school gives every student. That way, we can avoid last year’s incident of your owing the school library over $100 in lost book fees. Thanks!

***

Mrs. Helms,

Thank you for taking the time to explain to me in your 23 paragraph email how you do not have time to check P’s agenda every night, as well as your itemized list of reasons why I, as the teacher, should not expect a 13-year old student with poor organizational skills to do my job for me. I understand that your job as Senior VP of Information Technology is very important, and that because you don’t get home until 10pm every night, P. often does not start doing his homework until 10:30pm.

Regarding your difficulty accessing my website – just go on the school’s main page, find Teacher’s Websites in the left hand column, and scroll down until you find my name. Let me know if you have any more problems – Mrs. Crabapple

***

Mrs. Helms,

I’m just sending you a friendly reminder that progress reports go out this week. Please be on the lookout and be sure to ask P for his on Wednesday. Thanks!

***

Mrs. Helms,

Yes, the front office did inform me that you telephoned 4 times this morning, but as I was teaching classes, I was unable to take your call.

I personally handed P. his progress report, so I am not sure why he is saying that I did not. Also, the progress reports went home Wednesday, and today is Tuesday. I can assure you that we did notify all parents that progress reports were coming home. Our Vice Principal sent out a general phone message to all parents, plus the date is on the school’s main web page, my web page, and the students have it written in their agendas and stickied onto their laptop desktops. It is also highlighted on the school calendar magnet given to every student at the beginning of the year. During my planning time today, I will scan and send his progress note to you as an attachment, for your convenience.

***

Mrs. Helms,

I just checked my email during class change instead of going to the bathroom because I had a hunch you would have sent me a message. And there you were! Yes, I can give P another agenda.

I agree that P’s progress report is less than fantastic. He is missing 7 assignments, and has not turned in homework since before Winter Break. I know the Vice Principal has already contacted you about that little cheating incident on the last test, and his two days of in-school suspension also affected his grades. Have you been using the Parent Access System to keep daily track of his grades? Here is the link, in case you misplaced it from the Parent Night when all parents were required to come to school, learn about the system, and sign that they received their child’s pin number.

***

Mrs. Helms,

I have not heard of other parents having difficulty accessing the PAS information. I know that you have your password now, since the librarian told me that you called and demanded it over the phone. I know your job is stressful, and since you were not aware of Parent Night, the school is willing to have you come in at any time to sign that you received the password.

I understand that you would like to meet with me before school so that I can personally show you how to enter the login and pin number and then press ‘display’ to see P,’s grades in real time. I would be willing to take my children to preschool a little early tomorrow so that we can meet. I look forward to seeing you –

***

Mrs. Helms,

Yes, I received your email when I got to school early this morning cancelling our appointment. Yes, I can try and make arrangements so that my children can stay at daycare a little longer tomorrow so that you and I can meet after school.

***

Mrs. Helms,

Your email stating that I did not show up for our meeting after school yesterday was not accurate. Our appointment was for 3:15. I waited at the school until 4:30, but then I had to leave to get my kids from daycare or else I would have incurred a late fee from my babysitter. According to your email, you arrived at the school at 5:30 and was upset that I was not there. I think yelling at the basketball coaches in front of the team may have scared the kids a little bit, but since you cc’d my principal and district superintendent on your email, I will let them deal with that.

***

Dear Mrs. Helms,

Thank you for your apology. I forwarded it to my principal and superintendent, since I noticed that you forgot to include them on your email.

Unfortunately, I am unavailable to help P. organize his folder during my lunch period. As lunch is only 18 minutes long, and since I have daily lunch duty in the cafeteria, this is not a good time. We do offer After School Attention every Tuesday and Thursday, which will allow him time to organize his own folder with teacher supervision. Let me know if you would to sign him up for that.

***

Mrs. Helms,

Thank you for your comments and opinions about keeping students after school ‘unnecessarily”. I will pass those on to my administration.

Can we discuss your desire to have him tested for Special Education Services? All 12 of those attachments you sent me about your beliefs about not medicating children and the importance of raising children in a ‘consequence-free’ environment were very enlightening. Thank you.

Our Special Ed program is for students who have a disability in one of 14 recognized area – although you had valid arguments, I do not think P. will qualify for Special Ed services based on not turning in homework. Of course, please feel free to put your concerns on paper, sign it and date it, and my administration will forward it to the Special Ed department.

***

Mrs. Helms,

Report cards come out next Wednesday. Just letting you know – P. told me that you have been out of town for the past two weeks, and he is staying with his Grammie. If P. manages to turn in his report, his 13 missing assignment, the 10 missing Google Doc jots on the book he is reading, as well as the test paper I sent home for him to re-do before Wednesday, I can re-visit his current grade of ‘F’. Let me know what you want to do. Thanks!

***

Mrs. Helms,

It appears that our phone call got disconnected when the airline assistant threatened to call security if you did not get off your cell. But as I was saying – just go ahead and contact the gym teacher with any questions about gym class. I do not know why P. has been wearing a pink shirt, pink shorts, and rainbow shoes to class every day, but I’m sure Mr. Flootus can offer some insight into the situation.

Just letting you know that today in class, his laptop was not charged again. Also, he spent most of class time today with our Computer Tech because his screen was cracked again. He stated that he stood on his laptop so that he could reach a book in his locker. The Computer Tech asked me to remind you to please take a moment and re-read the Computer Agreement regarding the care of school computers. Thanks-

Hope you have a great Spring Break, and perhaps P. can work on his writing assignment over the holiday. It was due a week ago, but I’ll still accept it. Good luck!

Filed under: About Me Tagged: Dear Mrs. Helms, in-school suspension, lunch room duty, parent concerns, principal, progress reports, report cards, school agenda, school email, teachers and parents

The Five Words Every Parent and Teacher Need to Know

It happens every day in every way. Maybe it’s a dress code issue with a thirteen year old, or attempting to get a first grader to explain why they got the color red on that day’s behavior report. Sometimes it’s the seventh grader you pull out of class to stand in the hallway because they just would not stop talking, or the sixteen year old who called her mother a nasty name. The faces and events change, but the stress level of the child does not. Any young person who finds themselves confronted by an adult will always react defensively. The first instinct of most children is fight or flight.

But in my 25 years of experience as a social worker, than a teacher, and then a parent, I learned one very important lesson.

When trying to discuss a problem or sensitive issue with a child, your tone and body language matter. I’ve learned to soften my eyes when looking them in the face, not harden them with the “teacher glare”. I’ve learned to smile a little bit to demonstrate that I am an open door, not a closed one, and to speak in a gentle, even tone. When possible I try to get all involved parties seated, as this significantly reduces tension. Be direct, but don’t sugar coat the problem. Ask for the child’s input – let them know that this is a learning experience, and that most problems have more than one solution.

But before I do any of that – I say the five magic words that will make even the angriest teenager’s shoulder muscles relax.

“I’m not angry with you.”

It sounds too simple, right? But it works. Over and over, it works. On the days when I have to broach why a student just won’t stop tapping a desk and humming, or why an eight-year old refuses to share their toys, I always use those words to ease into the conversation. They works for tougher stuff, too, like a special ed student who might tell me to F*** off in class, or a hostile female student who never liked me anyway and now must have a conversation with me about having her cell phone out in school.

“I’m not mad at you.”

On those days when the skirts are too short, the ADHD medicine wears off, the homework gets forgotten for the umpteenth time or they can’t keep their hands to themselves, when they spit in the hallway or throw food in the cafeteria… and it’s up to me to pull the child aside for the inevitable conversation? The 5 words that will calm everyone down remain the same.

“I’m not angry with you.”

Because they think that you are. They think that they are immortal/invalidated/held hostage by rules and regulations. They believe that you hate them, and that you are out to get them. They think that you are singling them out, that you are ‘the enemy’ and that you want to get them in trouble. But mostly, no matter how gentle your tone or how strong your working relationship is with them, they truly believe that you are mad at them. Really, really mad at them. And that is what triggers that fight or flight response, because more than anything in the world they don’t want you to be mad at them.

“I’m not angry at you.”

As soon as I say those five magic words, the change in the kid’s face is visible. Some sigh ever-so-slightly, some start to tear up, some hang their heads in relief while others will just slouch – but the response will be immediate and obvious. Once they hear me say the words that I am not mad, that I will not yell at them or pull rank or in any way belittle them, they are way more open to having a discussion.

“I’m not angry at you.”

The truth is, the words calm me down just as much as they calm the kids down. By voicing the sentiment, I am opening the door, not slamming it shut. Let’s be honest – sometimes I am so pissed at them that I could just explode, but that is my problem, not theirs. Sometimes I just want to throw my hands in the air and yell “I am done with you! Why do you have to argue with me every time I ask you to do something?” Sometimes I want to just tell them that they are lazy, rude, acting ignorant, or being a real jerk – but that is my problem, not theirs.

“I’m not mad at you.”

By putting their deepest fear at rest, I can take the role of teacher/parent/role model and try to address the issue, not the anger. I can make the moment a teachable moment instead of an argument or an ugly situation. I can keep the conversation private, just you and me, without involving other students or administration or escalation. Most of all, I can keep a small problem from snowballing into a huge problem. The last thing anybody wants is frightened, panicked students who go home and get their parents involved, thus creating a cycle of he-said, she-said with administration having to mediate. Been there, done that. There is a better way.

“I’m not angry at you. I just wanted to talk to you without all the other kids hearing your business. OK? Can you tell me why you…?… Well, here’s the problem the way I see it… If you were the teacher, what would you do in my shoes?… I think that’s a reasonable solution. So we’re in agreement that you are going to… repeat back to me what we decided… Let’s go back in the room and try again…”

These five little words can make a huge difference in the lives of the ones you care about, no matter if you are at home or at school. Try using them the next time you need to have a difficult or tense conversation with a student or child. You may be pleasantly surprised at the reaction you get, and how it will reduce the fight or flight mentality which can derail so many conversations with kids.

Filed under: About Me

Learning How to Love Classic Novels in Middle School

I successfully encouraged over 120 seventh graders to independently read classic novels this year, and it wasn’t really that hard.

These were not advanced students – they were typical students with a variety of abilities and backgrounds. When I took over a classroom in late March to “fix” a little problem the principal was having with a first year teacher, one of the first things I did was implement silent reading at the beginning of every class. Not only is it soothing to a roomful of jittery tweens to be in a calm, quiet environment for extended periods of time, it also increases reading stamina. Ever taken a middle school end-of-grade reading test? It is three fun-filled hours of tense, silent reading and question answering; it is not easy, and it requires focus and stamina.

But seriously – how can we expect these students to survive the lengthy reading exam if they can’t sit still for ten minutes and independently read a book? Require them to read, and everything will work out perfectly.

Sounds easy, right? Ummmm… no. See, these seventh graders think they’re so smart. According to the logic of a thirteen year old, if you do not bring a book to class, then you have nothing to read. If you have nothing to read, you get to sit at your desk and whisper to your neighbor or try to play games on your laptop. How can the teacher possibly argue with this? No book = no way I’m responsible for doing this silent reading crap, right?

Yeah, right. Of course, this classroom (like most classrooms) has a small bookcase full of a variety of softcover books of which the students who do not have books may select one and read it during silent reading time.

But again, you gotta think like a seventh grader – having no ownership or personal motivation to read these random books, it becomes a daily joke for them to just grab any old title off the bookcase and hold it in front of their faces for the 10-15 minutes of silent reading. After all, holding an open book in front of you without ever turning a page or reading a word of it counts as reading, doesn’t it?

Like all older, wiser teachers, you just have to take the bull by the horns. At this point, I have no choice but to become Supreme Orchestrator of the Structured Classroom. Say good-bye to all of those tattered classroom books – enter specific novel titles choices.

When the students entered the room on the third day, they were greeted with an empty bookcase and 3 small piles of novels. The idea was simple – if you cannot manage to consistently choose a book, bring the book to class every day, and read that book from start to finish, well then…. Here are your three options. It’s still a democracy – you still have choices. I can offer differentiation while laying down parameters and attainable goals.

In the back of the room I had laid out the abbreviated versions of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Treasure Island, and The Call of the Wild, then I simply told them to pick the one they intended to read. My only rule was they that had to finish the book – there were no book reports due, no notations to jot down, no questions to answer or projects to complete. Just read the book at your own pace until the entire book had been read.

The students huffed and puffed, but that first day when 5 of them had not brought their own books to read to class, they had no choice but to choose one of the classics and begin reading. I monitored, but only from a distance. Just read, I assured them in my kindest voice. Just read.

Over that first week, we were practicing silent reading for 10 minutes a day. When they started to get wiggly or antsy, I just brought that to their attention and said encouraging things like “Great job – you’ve been reading for 11 minutes. Some of you are starting to lose focus – take a deep breath and refocus and keep reading.” Within three weeks, the class was averaging 20-25 minutes of silent reading with minimal re-focusing.

And those classic novels? They read them like wildfire. Without having to be prompted, the seventh graders were gravitating to the stories and reading them every day. They managed their own chapters and place marks, and although they were not aware of it, I was monitoring that they were reading the same book every day. On average, the students could finish one of the abbreviated novels in about a week or ten days. As they finished one and moved on to another, I even heard some positive comments among the kids, including a girl encouraging a boy to read The Call of the Wild. “It was really good!” she said, not because anyone made her say it but it was her own honest opinion.

Another positive thing I noticed was that several dozen boys who had never shown any interest in library books except the dreaded Guinness Book of World Records devoured Treasure Island. Even after I signaled that it was time to move on to another activity, I noticed 2 fourteen year old boys hunched over the novel, refusing to put it away. They wanted to keep reading. Can’t beat that, can you?

As the year drew to a close and we prepared to take our end of grade tests, I quietly added abbreviated versions of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, and Jekyll & Hyde to the choices in the back of the room. Our main library in the school was winding down for the year, and everyone was required to turn in all of their library books for final inventory. Those who did not own their own books joined the group of students in picking one of the classics to read. Suddenly, I had a roomful of tweens independently reading and enjoying classic novels.

I made sure that the books were available and did not make a big deal about them. No probing questions, no written work associated with the titles, no group work. I was satisfied to know that 4x a day this classroom was filling up with students with a variety of backgrounds and reading abilities, and those students were purposefully choosing to read a classic novel.

In today’s education environment, the Common Core demands that teachers introduce more complex text and encourage deeper understanding of what they have read – I think that I have successfully planted the seeds for future reading involvement. After all, as I add A Christmas Carol to the library in the back of the room, and ask myself when was the last time I wanted to read Charles Dickens just for enjoyment?

Exactly.

Filed under: About Me Tagged: Charles Dickens, classic novels, Common Core, differentiation, Huckleberry Finn, Jekyll & Hyde, Reading, reading classic novels in the classroom, Seventh Grade, SL Schmitz, The Call of the Wild, Treasure Island, tweens

David Bowie is Back – and it’s about damn time

Well, I guess I know what I’ll be doing on May 25th.

This entire blurb has been lifted from the official David Bowie Facebook page. I’m so excited, I could just pee myself:

FIVE YEARS DOCUMENTARY ON BBC2 NEXT WEEK

“Switch on the TV we may pick him up on channel two…”

We here at DBFBHQ had the good fortune to be at a preview screening of this superb film last week and we were blown away.

Francis Whately’s Five Years is a genuine treasure for all that appreciate the work of David Bowie and there truly is something for everybody in the 90-minute visual feast.

If you think you’re familiar with all the footage of David Bowie that’s out there, then you didn’t reckon on the skill of the researchers for this documentary.

Beautifully edited, in both sound and vision, Five Years is a film you will want to watch again and again and more than anything it just confirmed for us how lucky we are to be around while David Bowie was a creative force on the planet.

Hats off to Francis and his team.

We’re not going to give you any spoilers because you just need to see it, but here’s the blurb from the Radio Times, who will be publishing a front-cover Bowie feature next week.

Can’t wait to see this, and I am so glad that none of the rumors about his poor health were true.

Filed under: About Me

The Dead Girl Haunts the Internet

I found another groovy website, and had to share.

Flavorwire is a place on the internet where all the cool kids hang out. The site has been around for awhile and has developed a real sense of personality and style. The intelligent writers are on-topic and have an insider’s sixth sense of what appeals to the alternative pop culture audience. I really like their “BOOKS” section with such offbeat topics as 15 Amazing Book-Filled Bars Where We’d Like to Drink and Famous People’s Awesome Literary Tattoos.

The author of many of these book-related gems is the delightful and imaginative Emily Temple. Her latest post deals with the very important subject of 10 Delicious Literary Beers to Drink While Reading . I am soooo tempted to special order The Little Prince Farmhouse Table Beer (Jester King Craft Brewery), if only to own that collectable label on the bottle, and I would like to taste the Hops of Wrath (Dust Bowl Brewing Company), because who wouldn’t want to find out what a beer that is “brewed, bottled and cursed” tastes like, right?

PLUS, Flavorwire has an entire Hot Topic Section dedicated to David Bowie. Gotta love that. The Bowie section reports on all kinds of news related to the Thin White Duke, such as Tom Hawking’s Exclusive: Download “Diamanthunde” From John Vanderslice’s ‘Diamond Dogs’ Covers Album and recent musings over which one of Bowie’s costumed characterizations was the least successful.

Flavorwire isn’t new, but it is one of the few websites that keeps getting better and better with age. Ch-ch-check it out.

Filed under: About Me Tagged: David Bowie, Diamond Dogs, Emily Temple, Flavorwire, John Vanderslice, Little Prince beer, microbrewed beers, pop culture, SL Schmitz, The Dead Girl, the Hops of Wrath, The Little Prince, Tom Hawkings

Norman Reedus and Debbie Harry?

I happened to be scanning through some celebrity photographs on nbc.com and come across this photo of Norman Reedus and Debbie Harry.

Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images

You heard me right.

Daryl Dixon and Blondie, holding hands at the April 2, 2013 New York premiere of “Trance” at the SVA Theater. Are they are couple?

Here is another picture of the two of them from March 10, 2013, attending the Endometriosis Foundation of America’s Celebration of The 5th Annual Blossom Ball at Capitale on March 11, 2013 in New York City.

Norman Reedus and Debbie Hary

Wow. I think my head just exploded. Reedus is really not missing any opportunities with his newfound stardom, is he? And as for Debbie? You go, girl.

Filed under: About Me Tagged: Blondie, Daryl Dixon, Debbie Harry, Debbie Harry and boyfriend, Norman Reedus, Norman Reedus and girlfriend, Trance

Blaming Schools Instead of Taxing Corporations

Diane Ravitch is a well-respected historian of all things education. She is a Research Professor of Education at New York University, and she is on a mission to save Public Education in the United States of America.

Ravitch runs a prolific blog with the obvious name of http://dianeravitch.net. Subscribers to this blog can count on receiving 5-10 posts a day in their email, with all content revolving around the state of public education and up-to-the-minute news on what is going on in the schools of America. The information is sometimes political, sometimes controversial, always informative, and unfailingly proactive towards teachers.

As a blogger, I would be comfortable sharing every single one of her posts on a daily basis – she is a voice of reason in a sea of educational insanity – but I don’t want to wear out my welcome. So on those days when I receive truly amazing posts that must be shared, I know that I will go ahead and do it. I can passionately declare my love and allegiance to education by spreading the word the old fashioned way.

I shall re-post a re-posting.

I think the title says it all: TeacherEd: Blaming Schools Instead of Taxing Corporations

Thanks for all you do, Diane. Sometimes it just feels like it’s you and me against the educational voucher world.

Filed under: About Me Tagged: Blaming Schools Instead of Taxing Corporations, corporate taxes, Diane Ravitch, No Child Left Behind, public education, Race to the Top, SL Schmitz, teacher unions, teachers, vouchers

Patti Smith

I want to wrap my arms around this post and fall asleep curled around the words. Thank you to pleasekillme.com for posting it, and for celebrating one of the most influential female artists of our century.

Patti Smith — if only I could ingest you, smear your wisdom onto my skin and watch it penetrate.

When I lived in Connecticut, I met a long-haired boy named David who lived in New York City. I can’t remember his last name, but he was tall and had a nice smile. He lived in the most incredible one-bedroom apartment on Broadway, but it he wasn’t the real owner, He was subletting from an artist, a girl who was living abroad in Italy.

The apartment had a large bedroom, a small kitchenette, and a tiny office with a library. One night when I was visiting him, I explored the books on the shelves and found a novel titled Babel by Patti Smith. It was a signed edition, in perfect condition. I was twenty-two years old, and I had never heard of Patti Smith before. It was 1991, and I had the whole world in front of me.

David let me take the book home, even though it didn’t belong to him. I still have it, 22 years later.

“Beneath the Southern Cross” is one of my favorite songs from her many, many to choose from. Smith wrote “Beneath the Southern Cross” with Jeff Buckley and released it as a part of her 1996 masterpiece “Gone Again”. There are many versions of this song on utube; I prefer this one because of the simplicity and because Lenny is in it.

All hail the Godmother of Punk.

Filed under: About Me Tagged: Babel, Beneath the Southern Cross, Godmother of Punk, Gone Again, Jeff Buckley, masterpeice, Patti Smith, Pleasekillme.com, SL Schmitz