Hidden Figures

Now retired Mr. Reischer would offer an optional project to his fifth graders. "Immersions" were opportunities for kids to show off talents, traditions, hobbies and interests.  Dancers performed.  New foods tasted. Facts about sports shared. Shy kids donned their tap shoes.  Extroverts taught me more than I ever wanted to know about Star Trek.  Irish dancers impressed. And boy was that flan delicious.

Who really are our learners? Aspiring poets? The next Michael Phelps? An angel in the Nutcracker? Budding tennis star? We spend a lot of time getting to know our students while at school but what happens to them after 2:30 PM?

This year our building has implemented a new caring school community mental health curriculum.  Every morning, classrooms circle up and share. Word in the hallways is that this is helping all classes  connect with one another. It's like a mini-immersion every day and we all like that.

My 13 year old son, Zack, is one of these hidden figures.  Over a year ago, he and his best friend, John, started a YouTube channel, "Random Things with John and Zack." They vlog together and on their own.  Zack has written and performed a couple of original songs, both boys wrote and performed a skit called, "Homework is Meant for Home" and most recently, they recorded or received 200 "woahs" (watch the video to see what I'm talking about). Zack spent hours editing them into one video. I was impressed (how does he throw that woah to himself?) and I'm not just saying that because I'm his mom. But it got me thinking, how many of his teachers know what this studious student does in his spare time?

Can you identify the hidden figures in your school? What makes them tick? What gives them pleasure?  How do they fill the second half of their day? The next Spielberg could be in your midst; he may even be living in my house. 😎 Whoever and wherever they may be, let's all make sure to have fun seeking, showing and telling.

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This post would not be complete without a link to "Random Things with John and Zack"  and a plea for you to subscribe. Maybe the 300 subscriber special is just around the corner!

Lily and Dunkin

I have been MIA for a few weeks but that doesn't mean I haven't been reading (or listening, in many cases, too).  One book that I can't stop thinking about is Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart.  I finished listening to it a couple of weeks ago and still can't shake any of the characters:  8th graders Lily (Tim), and Dunkin (Norbert), sister Sarah, best friend Dare, Mom, Dad and of course, Bubby.

Grab yourself a large iced coffee and a Boston cream donut and a lot of time.  You will not be able to put it down.  There are plastic pink flamingoes, knit wits, a tree called "Bob", a Bubby that works out more than many of us, blue nail polish and a 5 headed basketball player made up of Neanderthals. After Dunkin moves to Florida from New Jersey he befriends Tim (Lily).  Each of them has a secret--Dunkin's fueled by caffeine and Lily's with her struggle to be who she really is, this story comes together as beautiful and thoughtful as a November 15 day in Florida.

Every middle school library needs this important book with characters and stories we can all relate to. From Lily trying to convince her dad that she needs to take the hormones to Dunkin and his Mom moving in with Bubby after everything happened with his Dad with a side of environmental activism to rile any of us up to save "Bob" and "speak for the trees" as we learn from the classic The Lorax, our heart wrenches for all of them in this soon to be classic.

So stop what you are doing, order your drink, find a big tree and escape to Florida for the day.  You will not regret it.

Last week I was on vacation in Ocean City, Maryland and I passed this hotel.
I just couldn't help thinking about Lily and Dunkin and the mysterious plastic pink flamingoes.