So Sad

One of my students died yesterday. I had been working very very close with her on a personal journal project. It is so sad and unreal to think she is gone. I'm having a rough go of it. She is pictured below... so full of hope and finally making it out of some very dark places. I am so sad today.

La Verdad

Today is one of those days I console myself with this consequential fact: When middle school teachers die, they go straight to heaven.

Here is a picture of some of my star students (aka- the ones who 'get it' that Animal Farm isn't a fluffy story about a bunch of farm animals). They are holding up a fake propaganda newsletter I made and used to convince them of my massive lie. They don't know it yet, but in this picture I'm about to tell them the truth... and they are about to A) be impressed with my manipulation skills and floored by the fact that I actually used them, or B) be insanely mad and ready to hate me for the rest of year, claiming my lie is sufficient cause for revolt. In any case, I really got them stirred up and thinking which, in my profession, in a rare and positive thing.