Facial Hair Day was a huge success. A truly shocking range of facial hair was sported by the Herons. I myself wore mutton chops (although if I had to do it over, I would spring for the fake fur I was considering.)
Days like these bring a class together and help students define their community for themselves. From my very first year teaching, I've been careful never to have my class called "Michelle's Class." Instead we've been Room 10, Room 110, the Lindens, the Elms and now the Herons. It's a small but, for me, important distinction. I am only a member of the classroom community — one with a special role, to be sure, but by no means the sole definer of who we are. Allowing the students the freedom to be goofy and create their own community is more powerful than any external identity I could try to impose. Of course, I look for moments when I can help to define the group in positive ways by pointing out their strengths and the role they play in the larger school community. Who knew a few facial whiskers could do so much?
On a different note, ask your child about Writers' Workshop. I've been very pleased by the direction it's been taking lately. Students are producing a lot of work and, importantly, are showing a lot of interest in revising and strengthening their writing. Writing takes time, a lot of time. I've been excited to have some more flexibility in our schedule so that we could have the long, quiet blocks of time that writing requires. I have a very quiet, very boring video clip to show you of today's writers' workshop. Nothing is happening except the scratch of pencils on paper. It was great.
The Rookery 
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