Today we had an advisory "field trip," where we split into our advisory groups and had 3 and a half hours to complete a really long scavenger hunt that required us to run all over town finding different places and taking pictures (for example, we had to find a statue that I had never known was there, and take a picture of everyone in height order, and we also had to take a picture with a dog and find out its name). I was with a 9th grade advisory group with two other teachers, since I don't have my own, and the only student I knew was one of the 9th grade kids in Mr. B's special ed class. The group was super excited, and everyone was running around screaming and cheering each other on. I am really surprised no one got hit by a car, but there were so many beautiful moments of problem solving and teamwork that I never would have expected from a silly scavenger hunt.
We finished in an hour and a half (first place!!) and bought the kids pizza. We had run so far that RC, (the sweet, short little boy from Mr. B's class), could barely walk and was in a lot of pain (he goes to an OT for some kind of leg problem). RC is the kind of kid that at any other school would probably be a target for being teased, but these kids were so concerned about him. One bought him a water with his own money, another actually carried him all the way back to the school!
Every Wednesday we have a staff meeting after the students leave. We always start by writing "merit referrals" (the opposite of disciplinary write ups) for students, and sharing them with everyone. Two teachers wrote merits for JT, for being uncharacteristically focused in class and calmly helping explain something to a frustrated classmate. I felt like a proud mom...I almost cried!
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