Feather Circle Numero Uno

Today was the first Feather Circle. Feather circle reading is a time when we share something that we have written with one another. We sit in a circle. We pass a stick with a feather on it to signify who should be speaking (yes, I made a stick). Most of the writings will be creative, thoughtful, and polished. Focusing on answering a very specific question like “where do you come from” in an abstract way. However, today was a time for the kids to warm up to the idea of the circle, following the rules of the circle (respect!), and getting comfortable sharing with one another. They were to fill out and decorate a sheet listing the following:

Three writings that influenced your life.
Some people outside of your family who influenced you.
Epigraph (which some confused with epitaph)
Things that make you hopeful.
Things that make you lose hope.
Turning points in your life.
Three gifts you bring to this class.

The students did a fantastic job in the circle. We sat on the floor in front of the desks and I think this created a really good vibe. Sitting on the floor kind of showed them that these writings are, and should be, separate from the monotony of everyday schoolwork. They have a hard time just doing. They need to be told, how long an assignment has to be, in what format they have to answer in, and other specifics that you and I would probably never think to ask. It has been challenging trying to get them to just do. I am going to list some of the things that surprised me. My favorite class (4th period) really solidified their position as my class o’ teacher’s pets when they were telling me that the things that made them hopeful and those that made them lose hope. Read on…

Things that made some of my students lose hope:

“The fading in someone’s voice…like when they trail off at the end of their sentences. It shows a lack of confidence in one’s thoughts. That is sad.”
“Global Warming” (Yeah 4th!)
“War” (Yeah 4th!)
“Anxiety”

Things that make my students hopeful:

“Bio-fuel”
“YALE”
“rain”
“The prospect of world peace”
“change”


Epitaphs

“You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself in any direction you choose.”
-Dr. Seuss

“To be successful you have to be dumb enough to think you can change the world and smart enough to know how.”

“I live simply so that others may simply live.”

I have saved this for last because it was what struck they most.

Influential People:
Frank Lloyd Wright, All people who have adopted children (especially from Africa), Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Ghandi, Mother Theresa, JFK, and Ms. Furbee, and Ms. Fish, and Ms. Fields.

Those teachers are on lists with world changers, do-gooders, and renowned thinkers. I wanna be one of those teachers.

I have 130 journals in my car right now. It is gonna be a long weekend, BUT these kids are writing!