Saturday Celebration is happening weekly at Ruth Ayres site: Discover. Play. Build.
This week was full of celebrations.
1. Chalkabration Day: Read our spooky chalketry here. We loved having Kaylie visit on this special day.
2. A winner: My 6th grader, Brooklyn, placed FIRST in the Jr. High Division of the Festival of Words Contest with her poem, “I’m Home.”
3. I received an awesome evaluation from a school board observer. Here’s a quote from her report, “You have a strong rapport with these students. There is a bond of mutual respect between you and them. The classroom climate is joyful; the students are encouraged to learn the way that works for them.” Her words brought tears to my eyes. This is who I want to be as a teacher and to have an outside observer see that in me is very rewarding.
4. The Louisiana Book Festival: As you are reading this, I am awarding 65 students for their excellence in writing. I coordinate a state writing contest, Louisiana Writes! The fruition of many hours happens in the State Museum at the opening of the Book Festival. Many proud students, teachers, and parents will be listening to readings and taking pictures of young authors holding shiny medals, an anthology, and a certificate from the governor. A wonderful celebration!
It’s time to be thankful, a month of Thanks. Today I am grateful for beautiful weather and for my friends who have helped me lead the LA Writes contest for 10 years, Connie, Sara, Joan, and Ann.
Reflections on the Teche 
What an encouraging week! I love that you were given feedback that reinforced what you are doing in the classroom. It is so rare that we get to have this kind of positive feedback. It sounds like the climate in your classroom is amazing! Have a great week!
What an awesome week to celebrate, Margaret. Love that your school board observer “got it”.
Your week sounds wonderful, Margaret–great to hear good words from an outside observer, lovely about your student winning the contest, and this special day today! That is a lot of work to manage this contest-how special that you do it for all the kids!
Chalkabration Day?!?! I love it! Sounds like you have lots to celebrate. Thank you so much for sharing!
What a rich week you had!
Wow! What a wonderful week you’ve had. Those words from a school board member are so validating. Way to go!
How powerful that the school board members do observations! How else will they see the great work that is being done at ground-level. (Congrats on the eval, No surprise, but indeed glad they “got” it!)
I might have been misleading about the evaluation. It was done by someone hired at the district level, not a school board member. I think they still have very little clue what we do in the classroom. Thanks for coming by to help me celebrate.