First Last Day

Welcoming my class to their first day of Language, I congratulated this year's Seniors on their "First Last Day" of high school. To teach Seniors is so daunting--at least that is my current excuse/explanation--that I forgot my wording. After telling them a brief story about my first last day of high school (complete with a tumble and bleeding leg), we had a laugh and continued.

Usually I can be too demanding as a teacher so it will be challenging to learn each student in order to help them develop their own potential rather than reaching for a stuffy standard. I am quite excited about discovering what this year will be. It would be trite to say it will be a year like no other, so I won't, but I know it will!

Yesterday's writing prompt was "Art Changes Lives". While there was general agreement that it can be life changing, and often life affirming, there were a few who questioned the topic. Some of my favorites were the tongue-in-cheek suggestion of creating more beautiful safety cones, heartfelt stories of ways art has aided individuals and one story of a car crash due to an "Art Saves Lives" bumper sticker. I wonder if they wrote only for the audience (me) or if they really believe that it could be true...writing is art, so we will see ;)

I asked the students if they kept blogs. There were blank stares all around. A Junior chuckled. To explain she said, "It's so twenty-first century." I am seeking assistance on this, but not from her.