Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Boots on the Ground

A day in the life of a substitute school librarian:

Thank goodness all school libraries have a box (or in this case a shelf) where they keep all the random, lost, mislaid, unattached, displaced and abandoned mystery cords and connectors "just in case."

TWO minutes before my first class poured into the library where I was subbing today I found an acceptable power cord for the projector in that clutter. Hard to project your highly entertaining writing lesson without power!!! (Why the projector was missing the power cord to begin with is another mystery.)

Good thing that I am a bona fide, certified, sanctified, dignified, sanitized, applied and surprised if not somewhat fried, true-blue librarian -- able and ready to deal with any reading or library media emergency.


Splendid day.



Another benefit of the short story book, Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things That Aren't As Scary, Maybe, Depending on How You Feel About Lost Lands, Stray Cellphones, Creatures from the Sky, Parents who disappear in Peru, a Man Named Lars Farf, and One Other Story We Could Not Finish So Maybe You Can Help Us Out, Stories by Nick Hornby, Neil Gaiman, Jon Scieszka, Jonathan Safran Foer and more. (Delacourt, 2005) is ... the "Other Story We Could Not Finish So Maybe You can Help Us Out" entry at the back of the book. Perfect for National Day on Writing.

Each period, a class of seventh graders set to work finishing Mr. Snicket's story with, mostly, quiet engrossment.

Best question of the day from a young gentleman who inquired, "Can I add zombies?"
Answer: It is YOUR story.



Fibs
"Have you tried Fibbing?" I asked when the the head of the English department at that campus lamented the lack of fun, inspiring, writing projects for the math and science teachers who were participating in the day of writing. She had not heard of Fibs so I was able to spread the word and send her towards GottaBook's Greg Pincus.


Puppets and other fantastical creatures
The thing that continues to dazzle me about junior high kids is how they can be cool, aloof teens one moment and in the next are asking about and then talking to a 'dragon' with an utterly goofy smile on their faces. Honestly, the annoying creature (Dragon, not the student) is going to need his own Facebook Fan page if this keeps up. His ego knows no bounds at this point.

If I could I would leave him at home when I have a job, but you can't argue with a dragon at 6:30 in the morning so I just let him come along.
I don't like it. His behavior is not reliable. Still, I am amazed that so many kids remember him though. I mean he doesn't even talk. He just smirks and muggs and--

I swear, they screamed and cheered when he came out today. It took us both quite aback. It was ridiculous. I 'heart' seventh graders.

5 comments:

tanita✿davis said...

What an awesome National Day of Writing project!!! And I am equally excited for the teacher who will now be teaching Fibs. She and her kids are going to have a blast together.

Your 7th graders are too cute. That's hilarious.

Greg Pincus said...

Well, now, I think you hit on a very fun, inspiring writing project idea!

Thanks for the Fib-spreading! And you were missed at Kidlitcon....

Anonymous said...

Now that sounds fun.

anne said...

Yes, middle and high school kids are STILL kids, hooray for you celebrating that! Hooray for Dragon!!!

Ms. Yingling said...

What, you didn't just sit at the desk and eat ice cream, the way my sub did when I was at a conference? My student helpers were livid, but thank goodness for them. You are to be lauded, and if you ever want to come to Ohio and sub for me, you're hired! (And I try to keep my cords as neat as possible!)