Faint Vision

My glasses broke the other day, and I have been out of sorts ever since. I don't keep a spare pair, because my eyesight is really not that bad, and the prescription for my trifocals would attest to that, were it not expired. And that's the problem, see: I can't get new glasses without an eye exam, and my eye doctor is going away for two weeks starting Monday, so the first available appointment with her, or anyone else in the practice, is the week after that.

That leaves me in my cheaters until late April or early May, and while they do the trick with little things, they just aren't the same. My whole world is a little out of focus, and consequently?

So am I.

Hide and Sequel

As popular as it is, I confess that I have only read the first volume in the Divergent Trilogy. Oh, many of my students swear by the series, and all the copies in my classroom library are tattered from constant circulation, but I never got past the first few chapters of the second volume. No worries, though. The movie is coming out today, and as much as I encourage students to read the book before plopping down in front of the silver screen, this time it will be me on the edge of my seat because I don't know what's coming. To be honest? Sometimes I prefer my movies that way.

Key Note

On one of those rare, out-of-school opportunities, I attended a professional development workshop today. Presented by Apple trainers, the class was also held in one of their offices about 45 minutes from my home. I wasn't sure what to expect, but when we stepped off the elevator on the sixth floor, the bright halogen lights, white walls, and natural wood floors were very familiar to one who has been to several Apple Stores.

Pushing open the floor-to-ceiling glass doors, we entered an office suite with a wall of windows and several Apple products on display. We were directed to a presentation room down the hall, which was essentially a 40 seat theater with a gorgeous, massive, wall-sized flat screen monitor, a side bar set up with several Macs, a cart with 25 iPads and 10 MacBook Airs, and a simple white board.

It was funny to see that they were using AirServer to mirror their iPads, just as we do at school, and a little disheartening to see a typo on the title slide for the presentation. Three hours later, I had learned a few things about writing iBooks for and with kids; the time spent was not a waste.

But it was even later in the afternoon when I heard the news that Apple is planning to introduce their own television service this fall that I could really see some exciting potential– imagine watching TV with that set up!

Resigned

I like to think of myself as, if not a true foodie, at least foodie-esque. How can it be, then, that on a list of 30 places to eat in my home state of Virginia before you die, not only have I not eaten in any, but I don't even recognize a single one of them?

I guess I'll have to turn in my membership card, but I'll do so with the words of Groucho Marx:

Please accept my resignation. I don't want to belong to any club that will accept people like me as a member. 

Grow an Inch

Oh, St. Patrick's Day in middle school...

The last few years have offered us a reprieve through snow days and weekends, but pinch-mania was back in full force today and worse than ever it seemed, possibly because of the down time. I myself made sure to wear green this morning, as being properly attired gives more authority to your authority when you shut the pinching down.

And shut it down I had to. Beginning with my walk into the building this morning, when several kids were skittishly jigging about while others rubbed their arms and cheeks ruefully. They were only too happy to point out the culprit, who I knew well– she is in my homeroom– a student spiritedly sporting a white t-shirt with kelly green sequin letters.

Her gray zip-up hoodie was blocking the letter 'O',  so it appeared that her shirt said "Hell,"and I said as much as I made it clear to her that there was to be no pinching at school. She in turn told me that the shade of green I was wearing was considered "garbage green" and didn't really count as green at all, which must be why I was ruining the fun.

I glanced down at my forest green fleece and asked her to come with me. There was no more pinching from her after that.

A little later, the boisterous energy with which my first period came in the door was a startling contrast to their usual 8:15 lethargy. Of course it was because of the pinching. Some students had taped green paper shamrocks to their shirts for protection; still others rolled their pant legs to more easily point out the wee green stripe on their sock; one girl wrote the word "GREEN" in marker on her forehead.

Before they resorted to tattoos or dropping trou to show off their teeny greenies, I made a general announcement about the wearin o' the green.

"How fun it is to celebrate St. Patrick's Day," I started through gritted teeth, "and yet not everyone cares to do so. Please respect their choice by not assaulting them." But alas my speech was too late.

"Ouch!" cried a girl in pink. "My shoelaces are green!" she continued indignantly.

"Out!" I pointed to the pincher. "I will speak to you in the hallway."

I got the class settled and to work and then stepped out the door to chat up the naughty leprechaun. To my surprise, he was not wearing a single thread of green. He was remorseful, though, and it was with tears in his eyes that he answered my question, "Why'd you do it?"

"Those people in green think they have so much power," he snuffled. "The whole thing is so dumb!"

I had to give him that.

Million Dollar Teacher

How thrilled was I to hear the news today that Nancie Atwell, my teaching idol, won the so-called "Nobel Prize" of teaching, the one million dollar Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize?

Very!

This year was the first for awarding what the foundation promises to be an annual honor for worthy teachers across the globe, and in my opinion, they couldn't have chosen a more deserving inaugural recipient. I have written a lot about Atwell in this blog over the years, including a reflection on the week my friend Leah and I spent with her in the teacher intern program at her school in Maine, and another on a workshop our school's whole English department attended.

I encourage you to click on the tag below to revisit a few of those posts.

The Dog, Walking

Since we were heading to Union Station to pick Josh up  after his first ever college spring break, we decided to take another walk with the dog through our fair city. The sunshine today brought a lot more folks out than yesterday, and our route took us up and around the Capitol. As we strolled, Isabel was a bit of a star, especially with the children; lots of kids ran over to pet and hug her, and one dad even asked if he could take her picture with his toddler son. It was really no surprise to us, though. She was groomed earlier this week, and after a bath?

Her fur is as soft and fine as her temperament.