The “Macbeth” bulletin is up, ready for an admissions open house and for a big donor tour next week. A couple 8th grade girls enjoyed designing it, and the chance to be out of class and given the responsibility. 
For “Do Nows” this week students wrote about what they did last weekend, and most wrote about attending a school-sponsored skating party. I asked them to pretend they’d received a phone call from President Obama, who was appointing them to an important committee. They had to write what they were asked to do. Though some 7th graders didn’t know what a committee was, once they understood the term, they had fun thinking about what task they’d accomplish. One girl imagined being able to “hang out” with Malia and Sasha, one student was named head dog keeper, one was in charge of an “inspiration” committee. Several brought the President to Newark, to show how they were leaders teaching young children or serving as Pop Warner cheerleaders. Many found themselves engaged in national security, a concept, they’ve unfortunately grown up with.
I brought the students to the library to type their short stories on the computers. They really need to learn proper keyboarding as many struggled, hunting and pecking with one finger. Next week’s lessons will focus on revision as I’m trying to impart that writing is a process of revising, editing and rewriting again and again.
The 7th graders received a whole class recess detention due to the bad behavior of a few students. (not assigned by me) It’s not that hard to know who the perpetrators are, I wish they’d be punished instead of the entire class.
The 8th graders missed a day of school for a high school visit and a fire drill interrupted class one day. All par for the course in education.
cyclingrandma 
I agree Lisa. I don’t like when a whole group is punished for the actions of a few. It can lead to bullying. Love your revision/rewriting concept! ❤
Diana xo
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Thanks, I hope it works. Very easy for kids to feel the first draft is the final one.
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I enjoyed hearing what your students were up to, but I was surprised to hear that some of them have yet to acquire good keyboard skills. We usually get lulled into thinking that every child over four is a computer whizz… Good to have a reality check now and then… Some clever ideas came out of the “call from the President” assignment. Clever on your part, too, to have given that assignment. Cheers! MM
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Thank you! I have fun thinking of the ideas for them to write about.
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Sounds to me that you are doing a good job. Very creative. Perhaps you should be in more o f an advisorary position, rather than handling the classroom. But you’ve done tha too, haven’t you? Keep up the good work, whatever you do
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