I want to work at Hogwarts.
Housing is provided.
I'd make sure Mr. Potter was not in any of my classes. Trouble seems to follow him.
I would be responsible for one subject... Professor of the Light Arts:
spells and potions for things associated with happiness: romance, laughter.
I'd feast regularly.
Dombledore would be my boss.
Minerva and I would exchange ideas, gossip.
I'd flirt with Snape. I like the mysterious, serious type.
The lessons are authentic.
Magic abounds.
And Brenner could catch the train to come visit me.
Wait... he's a muggle.

A few years ago, I set out to write an expository text about all there is to know about teaching literacy or writing across the curriculum or something in that realm. I was that arrogant. Had that book been published with my name on it, I would have to track down each copy and destroy it out of sheer embarrassment.
I now know that I know nothing.


A colleague of mine shared with me today that she regularly reads my blog.

Good luck in fifth grade!

Presented Six Traits workshop for new teachers today! I think it went swimmingly. Their feedback revealed that I'm not just thinking very highly of myself. I combined some of the Teacher as Writer activities (from SAWP's Open Institute) with Six Traits exercises, including scoring student pieces with a four-point rubric. Teachers wrote when asked and didn't decide to chat with a neighbor... beauty of small groups. We crammed a two-day presentation into three and half hours.
I was able to arrive home in time to see what will be my last mid-day viewing of Las Vegas.

So long, summer.
Later, lounging.
Toodles, two a.m. bedtime
Arrivederci, reading for pleasure
Sayonara, sleeping until ten, eleven

Here we go...