J is for Justice

The question of the day today was What is something about you that would surprise most people? Since we are working on the journalism profile unit where writers must interview another student in the class, I'm trying to ask questions that will help them find a starting place, as well as model appropriate follow-up questions when they share their answers.

It was a successful question; we found out all sorts of interesting and intriguing things about the people we have been working closely with for the last 8 1/2 months. One student with fiery red hair wrote that two things people were often surprised about were that she didn't dye her hair and that she was straight.

"Really?" asked another kid.

"Really," she confirmed. "When I tell people I'm straight, they always ask, 'Are you sure?'"

She laughed, and we did, too. I personally marveled at how different the world is for these kids than it was even just a few years ago. In my sixth grade classes there are 3 kids who identify as transgender and several whose preferred pronouns are they/them.

The next student's surprising fact was that their mother dated a professional basketball player. "I don't know which one," they added.

"You don't know which basketball player or which mom?" asked another student.

See what I mean?

Life Lesson: The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice. ~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

S is for Strict

 "I can't make the writing challenge,"  a student reported to me today. "I've missed too many days."

"It's true," I agreed. "There aren't enough days left in the school year. I guess that's both a blessing and a curse."

He nodded. "A blessing because we'll be on summer vacation, and a curse because no prize for me."

"It's also a little sad for me because I have to say good-bye to you guys since you're moving up to seventh grade. I'm going to miss you!"

"Wait!" interjected another student. "You actually like us?"

I laughed, but I could see that the student was sincere and her remark hit home and hurt my heart a little. "Yeah I like you!" I told the class. "You guys are one of the best groups I've ever taught!" 

Although there were a few who were clearly pleased, there were others who seemed skeptical. "Just because I don't let you go off the rails doesn't mean I don't like you," I explained.

"It's actually the opposite," one student agreed.

"It really is," I said.

Life Lesson: Subtext is crucial.

N is for Not so Much

We have just 2 episodes left of the Netflix show Ozark. Even though they drop the series a season (or half) at a time, our definition of binge watching means watching 1 episode a day every day for a week or so. Back in 2017, when the series premiered, there was something thrilling about the dark tale of Marty and Wendy Byrde, a Chicago couple of questionable ethics who get mixed up with a Mexican drug cartel and find themselves laundering money in the Ozarks, but five years on, the suspense and sudden violence are no longer as entertaining as they once were. 

"I don't think I'm the same person I was when we first started watching this show," I said to Heidi after one episode. "The show is still really good, and I want to know how it all turns out, but I'm not really enjoying watching."

She nodded sympathetically, and I thought back over all the events of the last five years. 

Yeah. I'm definitely a different person now.

Life Lesson: Let go of what no longer serves you.

M is for Meeting Options

The homeroom activity for today seemed so promising. 

The counseling staff had recruited volunteers from interesting professions to do half-hour virtual info sessions for all the students. Kids were allowed to read about their options, make a choice, and join the call. 

A particularly appealing aspect to doing career exploration this way was that it was more inclusive; in the past we had one in-person career day for 8th graders only, and seats were limited so kids didn't always get to attend the session they chose. This model opened up the experience to 6th and 7th graders, too, and spread the meetings over three different Mondays to provide more flexibility for students and presenters alike.

Unfortunately, lessons learned the hard way in the early days of virtual learning are already fading away, and the calls were set up so that students had more permissions than they needed. It is still middle school around here, so as soon as certain people realized what they could do, presenters and participants alike were muted, interrupted, and removed from the meetings, and the chats were spammed with irrelevant and inappropriate comments and images. 

Scrambling to recover, the organizers changed the settings and shut down the chat, but it was a little late for that.

Life Lesson: Secure the lobby and only allow selected presenters.

T is for Timeline

I listened to Sea of Tranquility, the latest novel by Emily St. John Mandel, loved it and learned there were characters in it from a previous novel The Glass Hotel. After enjoying that audiobook as well, I downloaded Station Eleven, even though I had already seen the television adaptation. I also listened to Mandel's interview with Ezra Kline on his NYTimes podcast, and they mentioned The Candy House by Jennifer Egan, so I paused Station Eleven and listened to that book. 

Turns out The Candy House is also a sequel of sorts to A Visit from the Goon Squad, which I am listening to now. Truth be told? It's a bit confusing and unsatisfying going in reverse order, but memory and time are themes of all four books. This approach also provides an opportunity to revisit the later books with a new perspective, evoking memory and time on a personal level.

I like that.

Life Lesson: Gμν = 8πG Tμν (Or, time is an illusion that moves relative the observer.)

V is for Vintage

I was listening to American Top 40 as I ran my errands today. An archived episode from this week in 1979, I knew right away it would be the usual mix of little-known records and monster hits from the summer I graduated from high school. Number 40 was a remake of a 1963 Ben E. King single that had also been covered by Tom Jones 8 years earlier, I Who Have Nothing. I had never heard any of the three versions before, and this disco version was pretty terrible. 

Not to worry, though. Entering the countdown at #39 was Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seeger. I tried to imagine someone tuning in 43 years ago and hearing that anthem for the first time, but honestly? It was nearly impossible to remember a time when that classic didn't exist.

Life Lesson: Everything old was new once.

B is for Bad News

This year, I have one of my favorite homeroom groups ever. It is a fun combination of of sweet and salty and quirky. They are generally engaged in whatever we are doing, although not always in a positive way. For example when the planned activity was yet another dive into current events, many could not keep their displeasure quiet. 

"What's wrong with knowing about the world?" I asked.

 "Nothing," answered one, "except it's always bad news!"

"Let's look more carefully," I suggested, scrolling through the recommended websites.

"Russia, Ukraine, climate change, inflation," she intoned, reading the headlines.

"You're right," I agreed and typed good news today into the search bar. I got a hit on the Good News Network and clicked over with curiosity. Baby Eagle Rescued, No Mow Lawn, Giant Jellyfish, Widow Finds Late Husband's Ring Under Apple Tree.

"Yeah," someone else sighed. "Not a lot better."

"Why don't we play LRC," I suggested.

"For candy?" they clarified.

"You bet!" I answered.

Life Lesson: When hit with bad news, pivot.