Always a teacher...

Greetings from Boston, Massachusetts!  I'm here for the week.  And, although I arrived around noon today, I've already taken a ride on the T, gone for a two-mile run, and (of course) visited my favorite bookstore.  (You can check it out here, but I don't think the website really does it justice.  The facebook page dedicated to its gift shop, on the other hand, is awesome.  Check that out here.)

Why am I telling you all of this?  Well, it's because while I was at the Brookline Booksmith, I was reminded of AC.  You see, I came across a book an AC student brought to class a few weeks ago - Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.  She brought it in as part of our professional writing review series.  This "series," as I'm calling it, is a scheduled Friday class activity during which students bring in excerpts of professional writing they deem interesting.  One by one each student gets an opportunity to share his/her selection with the class and facilitate discussion about the writing.  I, along with my students, have been exposed to a lot of different titles, authors, and styles through participation in this activity.  Born to Run was new to me as of a month or so ago, and it quickly made it to my "must read" list.

Who would have thought that it would be one of the first books I saw upon entering my favorite bookstore?  A signed copy, nonetheless.  ("Run wild!" it said, followed by the author's signature.)  Well, to be honest, I would have thought.

If it hadn't been this book, it would have been something else.  Something would have reminded me of teaching during the day.  Something always reminds me of teaching each day.  It actually happens multiple times each day.  And I like it.

I recently wrote about this in an essay about my life as a teacher.  To sum it up, I discussed how, since becoming a teacher six years ago, I have come to look at everything through a teaching lens.  Everything is potential inspiration for a lesson, assignment, or project.  The best part is, I have a way to channel and apply such spurts of inspiration.  Ahh...my lucky, lucky students. :)

If it's not inspiration for the classroom, it's inspiration for writing.  And sometimes, as is the case here, it's both.

If we just think a little, we can find inspiration just about anywhere.

This was one of the things I tried to get my AC students to realize last week.  To help in the whole inspiration arena, we made a trip to the Milwaukee Public Museum.  After exploring the exhibits, including the special Mummies of the World exhibit, students were to write two pieces - one nonfiction, the other fiction.  You'll see that some students chose to share their written drafts via their blogs this week.  Enjoy.

In the meantime, I'm off to find more inspiration.  I just can't get enough.  What can I say?  I'm always a teacher...and I love it.