Today I revisited my class rules as per Power Teaching with all of my classes. In the hub-bub of daily operations, small and large problems, and all the little things that derail new, inexperienced teachers I have let these slide a bit. I told the kids it was not their fault. I am the captain of this ship, so-to-speak, and the enforcement, or lack of, is my responsibility. Mine alone. Anyway, I went over them, one by one, and I think we are back on track where we need to be. I did explain the difference between a class run by a myriad of rules versus one run by principle, and all agreed that principle would be better. I really like a class that is run that way as opposed to all the rules, and I think anyone else would too.

OK, I gotta have some "brag time". I got a nice, pleasant surprise today. One of the teachers on my team brought me a letter one of my students had written in her class. Their assignment was to write a friendly letter. This child wrote one to me. The part that got me was this:

"Mr. Dickinson,
Do you enjoy teaching me? I sure enjoy you teaching me, and I really enjoy being in your class, I have learned so much. . . . ."

OK, getting to read something like that can wash away a world of hurt for me, and I can run for miles on the charge that it gives me.