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This week as we returned from our break and began 2018, I wanted my students to choose a One Little Word for their year. To lead them in this, I created a Google slide show.
My students were very thoughtful about their word choices. With three choices to creatively represent their words, students rotated from magazine collage to Canva and Animoto. For their writing element, I asked them to write the journey to their chosen word.
This exercise confirmed a belief I have about students and literacy. A child’s story should be told, honored, and respected. Then you can reach, teach, and move them forward.
My students worked through their struggles, their heartaches, their goals, and their dreams.
Erin’s word is Value.
Erin wrote: “I chose value because it’s unique like me. To most people it’s the worth of money. But to me, it’s the worth of myself. I could have chosen other words like confidence, determination, etc. But I couldn’t live by those words. I couldn’t try to be confident for the whole year. The first week I would fail. But I can value myself. I can live by this word, whether it’s me trying to have more value in myself, or me knowing that other people value me.”
Austin chose the word Strive.
Austin wrote: “I got my one little word from basketball. Since the beginning of Christmas break, I have been playing the game a lot. I still have been going outside, but not as much as I usually do. So when it was time to get on the court, I was not ready. I was not ready to run a lot. I was not ready to dribble the ball. I was not ready to put the ball in the basket. We lost both of our games. My mom and my dad told me that if I was not on my game the whole time, I would have been ready for this moment. That is when I decided that I needed to strive to be what I want to be (basketball player). I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing and wait until it was time to do something. I decided to limit my ps4 time. I would work more, hustle more., and especially strive more. I decided to go to the time, not wait till the time came to me.”
Faith’s One Little Word is Gratitude.
Faith wrote: “My journey to get to my one little word all starts when the hurricanes and fires and floods all started. When hurricane Harvey hit Texas, the devastation was horrible. Watching the news and all the houses and building destroyed, it made me feel thankful and grateful for everything I have.”
Trace made an Animoto video about helping. In his post, he wrote, “My One Little Word is Helpful. The way this train of thought all started was when my Mom had told me ‘Maw-maw has a problem where she is starting to forget so we will need to help her more often. Also she is starting to forget to eat so she really needs our help.’ So now I go there almost everyday to help. ”
https://animoto.com/play/joYHfwU0Y3n7F4h0zGGStQ
Reflections on the Teche 