Some days, I feel the fool. Some days, I wonder what ever possessed me to start class with a silly song. It must look silly, a nearly forty-eight-year-old man leading high school sophomores in a Mr. Rogers’ inspired song about Smiles and Frowns. Some days, I wonder what the kids really think as I don my sweater and start into song. And then I wonder what they think about themselves as they join in, and we sing the silly song together.

A introvert to the core, things such as this have always surprised me in my career. At any other time, in any other place, I would never do such things, preferring to melt into corners. But the classroom. The classroom is different for me. No introversion. Few inhibitions. And as such, silly things occur, and later when I’ve melted into my chair at home, I wonder about such silly things, and I feel the fool, knowing all the while, that despite my feelings of foolishness, I will be back at it tomorrow, playing the fool.

I suspect some from the outside see me the same. And not only for silly songs, but also for my approach to teaching and learning. I imagine they find me too trusting, too flexible, thinking the kids have one over on me as I daily experiment with different to find better ways to reach my kids. So, am I the fool? I don’t know.

In truth, sometimes, “less-foolish” ways appeal to me, and days of yore call me back to a time when there were no silly songs, messages, and rhymes to sustain, days when I could call upon the “power” of grades to get kids in line, but if I listen long enough, I find I no longer fit such clothes. I am far more comfortable in what must seem a motley garb, as I a play the motley fool.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…growing with grammar.

…selecting text for tomorrow’s Learning Check.

…wrapping up loose ends.

…reflecting in Journey Journals.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Wednesday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.