The first week of 8th grade is now history, but not without an eventful debut assembly of the year.  I can’t remember the last time I attended a middle school assembly (probably when I was in junior high) but I highly recommend doing so.  That is, if you enjoy off-the-wall energy, ear-splitting screaming, and the sight (and sound) of Brass on Bikes (middle school teachers riding unicycles and playing “When the Saints Go Marching In” on trumpets).  All while wearing wigs, tiger-striped pants, and oversized sunglasses.  Got the picture?  And, if that act didn’t bring down the house, the big-screen viewing of the “Eclipse” trailer followed by an “SAS Eclipse” skit, followed by the arrival of a life-sized cutout of Jacob left me near tone deaf.  Clearly Jacob is “the one” for Bella, according to SAS middle school girls.  While their screams echoed off the gym walls, the boys rolled their eyes, plugged their ears, and looked either bemused — or downright disgusted.  Talk about response!  [I wish I could've bottled this -- or captured it on video -- to show my students at Western.  Especially those who scoffed at the "invitation" to read Twilight in our young adult literature class.  The culture of today's teens (and pre-teens) includes vampires -- and a thunderous obsession for Jacob Black, whether adults like it or not.]

What an ending to a memorable week learning from 8th graders!  In only five days we’ve created our Reader’s Notebooks (displayed below are Wooho’s and Riko’s notebook covers) and we’ve written two response entries to the read aloud, Touch Blue (Cynthia Lord’s new novel).

We’ve also worked on the covers for our Writer’s Notebooks, designing heart maps (see Shiv and Kyle hard at work in the photo below) that we’ll use next week to generate ideas for the first extended writing pieces in our notebooks.  The kids’ abilities, interests, and energy is all over the map (SAS is a “real school,” after all!).

But they’ve been engaged and they’re learning the rituals and expectations of our reading and writing workshop in the 8th grade.  My hope is that they’ll soon experience the rewards as readers/writers/learners, if they haven’t already.

“Life itself is the proper binge.”  Julia Child

I’m sure Ms. Child wasn’t writing about teaching, but based on how I’m feeling tonight, she certainly could have experienced the type of day I had.  I feel wondrously full — and happy to have binged at the table of teaching.  I’m heading to bed soon (won’t make my “in bed by 10 p.m.” goal again tonight but that’s just how it is), but felt compelled to make a few comments in this blog.  Many of you have sent your “good luck” wishes — thanks for keeping me in mind on this first day back in the classroom.  While it’s hard to imagine any teacher here would need luck, it felt good knowing your thoughts and good wishes were blanketing me throughout the day.

I’d like to introduce you to a few first day pleasures, including the glorious orchids given to me by my 7th grade teaching colleague, Stephanie.  Meet Mr. Arleth (better known as Brian), who’s my very young and clever teaching partner and collaborator.  I’ve already gleaned insight — and teaching savvy — from our side-by-side work.  Also, meet the 12 eighth graders who comprise my homebase “class.”  A few of these kids are also in my RLA classes, but these dozen kids meet with me daily as part of our commitment to deepening relationships with and among the teachers and students.  We meet for 20 minutes every morning for attendance, the daily bulletin, team building, problem solving, and fun.  One additional photo offers a glimpse into my classroom — table groupings and one wall of bookshelves (I’ve lined three walls with bookshelves and have filled almost all of them with YA literature).  There’s literally a book for every reader here.  Now I just have to make that connection.  So, this is my teaching/learning “home” right now, and it’s populated with gifted teachers, kids (and parents) who expect a high standard of teaching, and a cadre of administrators like none I’ve worked with in my life.  Relationships matter at SAS.  This has been played out every day since I’ve arrived.  Just this morning the superintendent poked his head into my classroom before the kids arrived to wish me a good day.  The MS assistant principal “in charge” of 8th grade stopped by at day’s end to chat briefly about the first day.  The expectations here are high — for teachers and students — but we’ve been given the materials, entrusted with our professionalism, and cloaked with enormous respect.  It’s a lot easier to binge on teaching when support is high.

Three weeks living in a hotel tests a relationship.  Lots of “sharing” time is a reminder of how luxurious our lives are in the US.  We’re used to soooo much space, much more than we need.  And yet, it’s easy to get used to elbow room, which is just what we had on Northshore Drive.  Lots and lots of elbow room.  Not so at the York Hotel.  But two days ago, our shipment arrived so last night we slept in our own bed in our own condo in our own neighborhood in Singapore.  We’re still living out of boxes with sparse furnishing, but we have some space to call ours for the next two years and it feels oh so good (even if our living room is rather bare bones right now — please notice we do have a television and a modem for our internet . . . and lots and lots and lots of wires).

Tomorrow marks our school’s 2010 Open House, which means kids from preschool through 12th grade and their families descend upon the campus to discover who their teachers are for the year, to greet friends, to sort out their schedules and locate their classrooms, and to enjoy an ice cream social.  We’re told to expect up to 10,000 (yes, that’s ten thousand) people on campus.  Our school population across the grades is over 3,000 students so with parents, family members, and the large crew of teachers and staff, it’s probably a reasonable expectation.  Let’s hope the weather cooperates (which means it’ll pour rain at some time during the day and then turn into a sauna afterward).  Then tomorrow night there’s a dinner party for the all faculty and staff.  Another gala social event with what promises to be an SAS tradition.  Good food . . . and lots of it.

Along the topic of food, my most recent happy surprise came in the form of “toast with peanut” purchased at the Marsiling MRT bread shop early yesterday morning.  Catching the 6 a.m. MRT means the alarm goes off at 5 and I’m out the door without pausing for breakfast.  When I saw a sign for “toast with peanut” as I left the MRT station to walk to school, I figured I’d get it to-go and enjoy breakfast at my desk.  Imagine my surprise (and joy!) when I opened my paper bag and the toast had transformed into a waffle.  Warm, melty peanut butter and a slightly sweet waffle.  All for S$1.30 (about $1 in US funds).  I could get used to this. Apparently I have a colleague who ends her week by treating herself to “toast” with chocolate on Friday mornings.  Not quite as healthy as PB, but I imagine melted chocolate tucked inside a waffle makes a tasty reward on the last day of an exhausting week.  [Of course, so does a glass of good red wine -- just not for breakfast!]

School begins on Monday — after a full week of meetings (upon meetings upon meetings) and more technology challenges (today we had a tutorial in PowerSchool and the newest version of Blackboard, and an introduction to something called DyKnow — at the same time the mouse on my brand new laptop decided to malfunction).  The “on the edge” tensions from last week continued, but there were also many bright spots.  One pleasure is our embarrassment of riches — piles of new young adult literature for our middle school reading/language arts curriculum.  They’re now stamped, numbered, and on our classroom bookshelves, thanks to Jun and Rohani.

There’s plenty to do before Monday but it’s time to call an end to the meetings and devote these last few days to firming up teaching plans.  And then . . . bring on the kids!

Today Singapore celebrated her 45th birthday and we observed a range of events — some in rehearsal stages, others live, and others on television — all showcasing national pride, spirit, and a country’s commitment to planning.  No school today!  Just celebrating (and shopping — there’s always shopping in Singapore).  Enjoy these few photos of my “adopted” country’s birthday party.  Back to work tomorrow.