Somewhere in my journeys through the musings of my PLN on Twitter or Instagram, I found a post about "Feet Up Friday." It featured a teacher with her feet up after a long week at school on a Friday afternoon. I liked that image of relishing in the silence as the busy-ness of the week retreats and the solitude that brings reflection settles over the classroom.
I cannot sit like that for long, a leftover open locker door beckons me; or perhaps it is a student's lunch box calling to me to run it down to the gym before she gets on the bus so our room won't smell like spoiled yogurt or hatch fruit flies over the weekend. Often, though, it is simply a paper lying on the floor that draws my attention and pulls my weary self out of my chair to retrieve it. Somehow our classroom feels rather flat and lifeless, like a balloon deflating, when the students leave. How could it have just been full of live, vigor, energy, laughter, and purpose only ten minutes before? Oh, there's plenty of purpose left - filing my huge "file pile," or grading, or straightening up, or planning, or a hundred other things that our day is comprised of. But in those few first quiet moments, I like to sit with my feet up and reflect on the flavor of our day...what did we do particularly well? What do I wish had gone better? I believe those moments of reflection, those moments of quiet soaking-in of the initial solitude, are truly placing the imprints of these students on my heart when I consider how our week or day went. Not just curriculum imprints, for surely no teacher wants that on her heart. No, more personal things, family and friend things. Will Z have enough time to build his fort? Did E take home her library books? Should T work with an aide on an intervention folder? Will K bring lunch money or should I donate some? Did I remember to tell E good luck at her gymnastics meet and E good luck at his wrestling match? How does B feel about his soon-to-be-step mom? How can I make fractions pop for these math kids? How is L doing since his dog died? Why has C seemed so quiet and withdrawn lately? Are these boys too rough playing football at recess? Do our math rotations need revamping? What book can I recommend for J to make him a reader? So I place my feet on the floor once more and pick up, pack up, and dream of making the next week a "ba-zinga" week for them all!
8 Comments
Terje
3/10/2017 05:26:50 am
I have never heard of Feet-Up Friday. I like the idea. You have taken it from quiet relaxation to reflection time. Kudos for that.
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Adrienne
3/10/2017 09:11:02 am
I'm at an age where I;d probably topple over, but I bet my kids would love a feet up Friday!
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3/10/2017 11:06:18 am
The photos that accompany this slice are awesome! They really add to the visual I already have going on in my head. When I was in a classroom I found that the more comfortable my classroom was for students, the better readers they became...I love this idea and am going to share it with some co-workers...even a few minutes of this comfy reading time can be the difference for students! Thank you for sharing!
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Anna Helsby Furniss
3/10/2017 02:07:31 pm
What a fun idea to do feet up reading with your students! I will definitely be stealing that one.
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"Feet Up Friday" sounds like fun, but what I really loved about your post were "the imprints of these students on my heart." Curriculum is important, but the personal relationships we have with our students is what makes learning possible. Thanks for sharing!
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Vanessa Worrell
3/10/2017 08:01:00 pm
The reflection on a Friday is something I need to do much more of every week. The description of the empty classroom, leftover lunch and paper on the floor is so powerful.
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3/11/2017 02:12:17 pm
alas, my feet swell if I don't -- and not just on Fridays
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