A Fine Line

Traditions are a big part of Shorewood Schools. If you doubt this, try taking away hotdog day. While I’ve nothing against the dog, per se, I do wonder why it gets to enjoy the “job for life” security only Supreme Court appointees are granted. That’s forever, and maybe even longer for the hot dog if you consider additives. Over the years, there have been questions from parents about why THIS food. Why not burger, grilled cheese, garden pattie or smelt days? How about a tip of the cap to local growers and participate in Locally Grown Food Day? Cranberries, soybeans and beer for everyone.

The first bit of Shorewood tradition I was exposed to was the annual “Wake the Neighbors at Six in the Morning” high jinks . For those of you who don’t know about this, high school seniors drive through town honking the horns of their parents’ cars, warning, declaring or boasting about the fact that their torture is almost over. No block left in silence. This is probably so everyone has ample time to view the mess made around the village overnight. As if by magic, miles of toilet paper hang draped in Christo form from block to block all leading to the high school. Years ago, I got to experience this myself. I hosed clean the tress and scrubbed off a scrawled message that I couldn’t make out under the cat litter, but am pretty sure was some sort of warm wish for the upcoming semester. It was funnier before, when it happened to someone else. That’s a good measure of tradition quality. If you don’t want it happening to you, it’s probably not real nice.

Maybe this year’s seniors would consider showing us the ways of a new generation. Find or make opportunities to welcome new students in. We have enough fencing in the world. Maybe there is a new tradition waiting. Maybe it’s time to rethink some of the things we do because we always have. Some need a new context. Schools work hard to develop students who know what responsible decisions are, but they need to see it out in the world. The long term payoff for any character education ought to be communities in which such behaviors are modeled and expected. That’s how things will change.

My deepest respect goes to those students who remember what it’s like to be anxious about school, and help their new peers by making it easier, not more difficult. This shift may seem impossible in the midst of such ingrained national tradition keeping, but who knows? Perhaps students will stop worrying about going to middle school starting 5th grade and high school starting 7th. Maybe next hot dog day, we will have students and families from K-12 together, sitting out on the lawns enjoying lunch; hot dogs made of all the flying pigs.

Hello Folks, This is the introduction to an assignment I gave some of Shorewood's coolest 6th graders. Our futures rest in good hands. No, really....The kids' blogs follow this assignment. Some wanted their names withheld, which explains the Bettys. Thanks for reading. Maybe your kids have something to say to the rest of us. I'd love to hear from them.

Hi Kids,

I wanted to introduce you to the world of blogging this summer, because sometimes we teachers forget to connect what we make you do with what real people in the real world really do. Writing will be a big part of your life and will often be the first impression you make on people. So know this my wonderful sixth grade summer school class:

Writing gives you power if people read what you have to say. Your words can make people mad sometimes, but just as quickly they may inspire the tired to keep on going, bring a laugh or a treasured memory, and in some cases your words might bring tears for reasons only the reader may know. That’s powerful. The most powerful writing helps us make decisions. There are holy books, historical works, and laws that millions of people agree to follow. When you think about it, and I hope you are now, the U.S. Constitution is really nothing but ideas formed, captured and agreed to. They are the words we live by. Powerful. Say, did you ever notice all the words in it are spelled correctly?

When it comes to communicating your thoughts to others, you have to put them in ways we can all understand. Imagine if you were in the store looking for cd, book or movie titles and they were spelled like, Shrliz wAb, Spnzebub skwar pnz, or how 'bout dinner at brgr cine? Seriously, people won’t read stuff wif allot of misspellings in it. It may not seem fair, but people often judge others by what and how they write. If you stink at grammar and spelling, start memorizing word lists. Begin at 1st grade and make your way up. All schools have them. Google "grammar for kids" and find a website you can practice on so you're not writing things like, "He had broke his wrist." Figure it out. There are so many things you can use. Dictionaries are fun when you stop fearing them, and that comes with getting the upper hand. Pretend that you’re looking for Waldo, but Waldo just happens to be a word. If not that, then at least spell-check on the computer, and then actually replace what it tells you to. Come on, click that mouse. There are words all around. Many of them are just hanging right in front of you! Look on the walls or in books you know that darn word is in. You may have to turn around or move something, but they’re there. It’s not cheating. It’s smart. When you write a word and it looks funny or you've never seen it spelled that way before, assume it's wrong and look it up.

start sentences with upper case letters be sure to punctuate or people won't get further than about here
You won’t make it past Simon, Paula and Randy in the next “American Writer” if your piece is full of punctuation mistakes. It’s like forgetting the words to your song. Why bother continuing? No one is listening anymore.

Given you have an eye catching title, spell correctly and punctuate as though my grandma (the English teacher) did your editing, there is a good chance someone may give what you have written a minute of their time. It’s an honor when they do, too. Imagine…your words in someone else’s brain causing that person to think or to feel something. It’s really quite amazing.

I know this class is only 55 minutes long, and we have to leave the computer lab and head back to the classroom. Your assignment today is to write your own blog. I’ll post what I deem to be the best ones right here in mine. Don’t worry, I’ll leave your names off. I’ll call you all Betty. Good luck!


Ms Mahaffey

Responses:

Some of you know about the Lake Bluff School talent show held every year, right? It's for only 4-6th graders. Well, I don't think it's fair that only 4-6th graders get to perform. I believe that younger grades should perform too because many have skills also, some better than the fourth, fifth and sixth graders!

Why do I think of this? Well, because they're always just sitting there looking so sad, wanting to show their talents and they can't until 3 years. I don't think it's fair to them. Maybe if they are in the talent show for school, they would grow up to be famous singers, dances or jugglers! Do you think younger grades should be in the talent show too? Think about it seriously.

Khalia
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Uniforms?

Why should everyone have to look the same? Everyone is different. I hope that Shorewood Schoools never get uniforms. What's the point of having clothes that are the same? What if you don't like the uniforms? The weather is different all the time, too. Why ARE there uniforms?R