It's scary. Despite all my progressive perspective, despite all my desire to build creative, critical thinkers, despite all my belief that these kids must learn to express themselves in as many positive modalities as possible, I still find that just having those 33 little bodies quiet and still, for any reason, brings waves of relief and feelings of competence. Sadly, today, a free comic book (well drawn, well written and principal approved) kept them the quietest and most focused on record. I facetiously told them that instead of planning lessons, I was just going to draw all our learning into comic books. They cheered.

The Found Poetry of the "Do Now"

What did your house sound like this weekend?

First, of all my house sounds like a disco. my sister had the music very loud and the vacum going back and forth. My little nefiues crying and there even whining alot. My Phone ring alot. Some people knocking in my door and the shower the water in the shower. My anut's car she was honking her horn beep, beep, beep this is all I heard at my house.

a ball bouncing
my sister crying
the tea steaming
dog crying
ice cream man

[This one compiled by me, each from a different paper. Titled, "A quiet place to study."]

I heard people screeming.
I heard people screaming.
I heard my siblings screaming.
some people scriming
(7) screaming
I heard kids scream

What I heard is people yelling
I heard a loud yelling
sister yelling
my brother and sister yelling

I heard a lot of fighting.