Today was the pep rally that I've been dreading. I like the idea of having a pep rally for the students to show them our fun side and to celebrate them, but I just didn't like the idea of performing in front of people. In the end, it was no big deal and I was silly to have been nervous. It did give me an idea of how kids in my classroom who are uncomfortable presenting must feel.

Just because I'm comfortable doing it doesn't mean that they are and I know there have been times when I've not realized this. So, instead of understanding and adapting the assignment, I've plowed right on and made them even more uncomfortable. These same students might be extremely comfortable running up and down the court in front of hundreds of fans and that would totally freak me out. The quote that we talked about in Teacher Cadet today dealt with the different students having power in different ways. Next time, I have a student terrified of presenting, I'll understand more. I hope I'll take the time to discover a way that the student can overcome that fear or at least find a different way of presenting.

I had a good time in Honors English today. The students presented their collages in groups and, hopefully, learned how to pull stories out of each other. After reading their letters and eavesdropping and sometimes intruding on groups, I learned that I have cloggers, soccer players, gymnists, swimmers, cartoonists, videogame gurus, artists, dreamers, baseball players, Duke fans, Carolina fans, Civil War buffs, singers, coffee lovers, pianists, ECU fans, patriots, surfers, writers, teenagers who escaped death when they were children, Greek dancers, future doctors, students thankful for their parents, students missing a parent, music lovers, jewelry makers, one who has a fear of dentists (and who, I can already tell, has a great sense of humor), guitarists, guys who are brave enough to be sensitive, photographers, athletes, a guy who helps his mom with dinner before she even asks, animal lovers, lacrosse warriors, procrastinators, gamers, dancers, an future Oscar winner, a short story writer, air soft gunmen, keyboarders, travelers, book lovers, and comedians. I am blessed!