"Either write something worth reading, or do something worth writing." --Benjamin Franklin
List five things you could do to improve your day today. Write about one of them.
1. smile
2. really listen to people when they are talking to me instead of trying to do other things at the same time
3. go outside
4. laugh
5. drink some water

Some of those don't make a lot of sense. But I'm thirsty right now, so that's what came to mind. I'm ready for some April showers. Spring rain smells best. Green and loamy and petals are in the puddles.
It's easy as a teacher to become a stickler. There are lots of rules (ahem, "procedures") that you must enforce to gain freedom in a classroom. The whole "we know what happens next" sort of thing. And I see the importance of it. That order in a classroom is necessary. That everyone must know what to do, what to expect in order to feel comfortable discussing and learning. It's part of the culture of a classroom.
I don't like it.
There are days when I feel like I am The Enforcer, and I want to back away and explain, "hello? Just because you call me 'Miss Brown' instead of 'Beth' doesn't mean I don't feel the things you feel or go out to eat or listen to my music too loud or laugh at inappropriate things or procrastinate or...." I could go on. It's just difficult to keep things in line (which then creates room for the good stuff) while trying to remain a human.
But what always helps, what connects me to my students, what clears the air is something I've already written about. Laughing. Or a simple smile. So much is communicated in such simplicity. I find refuge and relief in that.
Today in second and third hour, Calvin from the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind came to speak to us about his life as a deaf person. He was engaging, full of energy, and most of all, he was really funny! I learned so much about deaf culture, and it really opened up The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (the novel we finished a couple weeks ago--the main character is deaf). It truly was one of those classroom moments I want more of: we were all in it together, experiencing and growing.
Now, on to the rest of my list. It's lovely and sunny and finally Spring today.
I'm going outside.