A Change Would Do You Good

Last night was our open house.  I will be perfectly honest and say that normally, this is something that I don't look forward to.  In the end, I always have a good time and am happy with the turnout, but the preparation for and anticipation of open house usually stresses me out.  For the past few years, I have created brochures and hand outs, art projects, packets, and some pretty impressive flipchart pages to dazzle the audience with my techno skills.  As I prepared for this year's open house, I began to think about the years past and realized all that "stuff" is what makes me not excited for the event.  Students and their familes come into the room sit at desks, fill out paperwork and then listen to a "speech" I have prepared, followed by a Q & A session.  In reflecting on this, what I have realized is that I have been talking AT people and not talking TO people.  There's a big difference.

This year, I kept it low key.  I didn't feel the need to dazzle.  I didn't think of the people coming as an audience, but rather, as friends.  I had a blast!  I had conversations with people.  I met new people for the first time and reconnected with families from the past.  I got to talk to former students. No one even sat down.  Not a piece of paperwork was given that needed to be filled out before people left.  This year, my room was an open door where people could come and go as they pleased and then come back again if they wanted to.  This year, open house was FUN.  It was what I had always wanted it to be.  I left last night with such a positive feeling.  I thank everyone who was able to come, whether it was to introduce yourself, to ask a question, or just to say hello.

Now that my oldest son is in school, I am getting my first taste of what it is to be a "parent" of a "student."  It is overwhelming and has given me a whole new appreciation for all the incredible parents I have met over the years.  You have all helped to shape me into the parent I want to be for my boys.

Chasing dragons with paper swords,
Mr. Fletcher

Back in Business

It seems like forever since I made my last blog post.  My original intent was to take a break for the summer and start fresh with the new school year.  However, each day I found myself wanting to write something on the blog and then decided not to because I thought "Who would read it?"  Because of this, I spent a lot of time thinking about the direction this blog has taken and where I want it to go. 

When I first put this blog together, I had these big dreams of putting things out there and having people respond to them through posts.  Afterall, the few blogs that I follow daily have hundreds if not thousands of followers and hundreds of responses to posts that have been made.  That is what I kind of envisioned taking place here...maybe not on that scale since I keep the blog relatively private, but followers of the blog reading what I wrote and then responding because they wanted to and not because I told them to.  This is the case in the posts that I make the kids respond to.  I found myself getting extremely frustrated because I would always have people say to me, "I really enjoyed your last blog post."  My first thought would be, "Then why didn't you leave a comment?"  I know, it sounds really snotty.  What I then realized is that I do the exact same thing.  I have a few blogs that I follow daily and I have never left a comment on them.  Never.  I enjoy reading each new post and applying it to my own life, but not once have I ever responded to the creators of the blogs I follow.   What I now know is that the number of comments people leave is not what makes a blog successful, but the number of READERS!  After all, isn't that what makes all authors successful?  I have read hundreds of books and have never written a letter to the authors with comments about the books, but that doesn't mean that they had no impact on my life.

So, enough with all the philosophy and let me put the snotty little "me" to rest.  A big thanks to anyone and everyone who has ever read this blog.  Readers are what bring validation to writers and that is the message I try to instill in my students everyday.  I will keep writing.  The kids will keep writing.  You...keep reading.   Please don't think that you must leave a comment....the fact that you have read this is more than enough for me.

It's no good
when you're misunderstood,

Mr. Fletcher

Shame, Shame, Time to Leave Me Now

As I sit here thinking about this past school year, it is impossible for me not to smile and even laugh out loud.  It has been a year of growth for all of us in many different ways.    For this final blog posting of the year, I am going to pass along some advice I hope you will consider as you grow.

1.  Be a source of light.  Shine brightly.  Make others want to bask in the glow that is you.  Send that light out and inspire others to shine as well.
2.  Don't be ordinary.
3.  Don't take things at face value.  Ask questions and demand explanations when your questions aren't answered.  Make anything new you learn meaningful to you and you will not only learn it better, but will remember it forever.
4.  Laugh everyday.  Be able to laugh at yourself.  Remember to laugh WITH others and not AT them.
5.  Be proud of who you are.
6.  Listen to your parents' music with them.  It will make for some great memories when you are an adult.
7.  Be willing to help others. 
8.  Think before you act or react.  Consider all points of view and work towards a solution to a problem.
9.  Be confident.
10.  Always feel welcome to come to my room.  Whether it is for a place to cool down,  for help to solve a problem,  or just to chat or say hello.  You ALL will always be welcome in my room.

These are the top ten pieces of advice I have for you because they are the top ten things that you have taught and reminded me of this year.  For that, I can't begin to thank you and your families enough.  Everyday I am inspired by how you work together as a group to encourage and support each other.  Don't ever stop doing that.  Your compassion, is inspiring. 
I am proud to know each and every one of you and to have had the privilege to be your teacher this year.  You have made me proud in more ways than I can count.  Make your future teachers just as proud.

Time does indeed fly when you are having fun.

Look out for each other, take care of each other, and most of all, have fun together.

Shame, shame, we had our fun,
Mr. Fletcher

Ashokan Bound

Next week we will be departing for our trip to the Ashokan Center!  We are all very excited and looking forward to the trip.  For this post, I'm calling on past students to share their fondest memories of the Ashokan trip with us. 

Like a wiggly bridge,
Mr. Fletcher

Causin' A Commotion

It's that time of year again where things begin to get really hectic.  Next week you will take the state assessment for ELA.  As the test approaches, I wanted to take a few minutes to remind you all of a few things.  First, you are not a number.  You are not a one, a two, a three, or a four.  What you ARE is an awesome group of kids who are not defined by the score you receive on the ELA, math, or science state tests.  Over the past few weeks I have admired your hard work and perseverance as we have prepared for these assessments.  Each day you have given your best effort and as your teacher that is all I can ask for.  I thank you for hard work, positive attitude, and most of all your patience, as the days have sometimes gotten a little crazy.  When you take your ELA test next week I only ask one thing of you.  Each day when you finish and close your test booklet, I want you to ask yourself two questions:
1.  Am I proud of what I have done?
2.  Will my family be proud of the effort I gave?

If your answer to either question is "no," then go back and do what you can to make the answer a "yes."  I am already proud of you and the effort you have given.  Keep that momentum going next week.

I've got the moves baby,
Mr. Fletcher

Caught A Lite Sneeze

Nine days of barfing.  Doesn't that sound like a verse from The Twelve Days of Christmas?  Well, its not.  It is what my wife and I experienced with my youngest son Chase over spring break.  As many of you know, this virus started before vacation and then was nice enough to carry through most of our time off.  If you put the positive spin on it, at least it was over vacation and I didn't have to miss anymore school.  However, nothing is worse than a sick child that you can do little for but cuddle and worry.  Should we bring him to the doctor?  Should we bring him to Urgent Care?  Should he go to the emergency room?  What should we do?  Luckily, as the barfing slowed down, the sun tried to come out and we were able to evacuate the house of sick and get some fresh air.  It made all the difference in the world.

Now, I don't mean to sound like a "Gloomy Gus" and complain about my vacation.  There were some definite highlights to the week off.  I was able to do some landscaping, visit family, and best of all, it didn't snow!  I'm extremely happy to report that Chase is one hundred percent back to himself and was able to have three full days of vacation without any sickness!

My sincere hope is that none of you had to endure or experience the same thing I did over vacation.  I hope you were all able to enjoy the time off and do some fun things. 

Feel free to take some time and share with us how your vacation was.  What did you do?  Where did you go?  What was the best part?  Did you sit on any eggs?  (ha ha Rory!)

I look forward to reliving my vacation vicariously through all of you!

Building...tumbling down,
Mr. Fletcher

Showing Concern

The recent events in Japan have been a topic of great concern this week in class.  As always, this group has amazed me with the empathy they have displayed during our discussions.  You should be proud of your children for the way they have shared their thoughts and concerns as they try to understand this disaster.  To show our support to the people of Japan, students have written Tanka poems inspired by some images they have seen in class.  Tanka is an ancient form of Japanese poetry comprised of five lines and a total of thirty one syllables (5,7,5,7,7).  Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments on their beautiful poems or this tragic event.

The baby looks sad

both the parents are missing

during the earthquake

I feel bad for everyone

thousands of people have died

by Riley

A miracle comes

out of everything that came

a baby is found

what a surpise to people

a new lovely sound is here

by Logan

If I was in a

tsunami I would be scared

if I was the dad

I would be very happy,

and cheerful, and thankful, and glad

by Aurora

Dad reunited

mother hasn't been found yet

miracles happen

she was found four days later

following the Tsunami

by Dakota

The most surprising

thing that happened in my life

a baby survived

four days later the baby

was found among the remains

by Hunter

Hoping for safety

sad for people who have lost

thankful for rescues

swampy from all the water

disaster from the wrecked homes

by Heather

Big waves incoming

lots of people in big fear

trees getting knocked down

houses getting washed away

cars are going for a swim

by Chris

The wave is coming

it's tearing everything down

it is very sad

all of the trees are falling

the people are screaming help

by Rory

A big wave coming

where could you go at this time

it appears fast

when it hits land in Japan

it wipes stuff away so quick

by Logan

Harsh trees falling down

waves coming in rapidly

houses falling fast

cars floating down a river

boats flipping over down river

by Jeremy

The wave is here now

nothing can stop it coming

everybody's scared

houses are moving away

there's nothing to do to help

by Jessie

The waves are coming

it's the worst thing that happened

it is a nightmare

all the houses coming down

people are screaming for help

by Abby

Waves coming in fast

belongings will be destroyed

cars will be ruined

citizens and pets might die

trees and grass will be dug up

by Kamryn

A pile of junk

used to be valuable

everything broken

a tragic story it is

something horrible happened

by Logan

Some people are sick

finding lost family members

belongings are gone

debris from destroyed houses

sleeping in freezing cold ice

by Kamryn