A nice cup of tea can cure a lot of ills. It’s been a stressful week already, and it’s only Wednesday. Once again, I rushed out of the house this morning and forgot to take the trash to the curb. I usually judge my days based on how many things I forget in the morning. That was number one. By eight a.m., that number had risen to three. So naturally, I didn’t have a very positive outlook for the rest of the day.

Boy was I wrong. I met one of the Harlem Globetrotters today and proved to my students that I can almost make a half court shot. He gave a very inspirational message that reinforced what I have been trying to teach many of them, that it’s not what you do for yourself that matters but what you do for others.

Then, with enthusiasm I hadn’t felt for some time, I talked to my students about our new board work idea in which we use the acronym JAMS to get started right at the beginning of class. This idea was met with a little resistance, worried I was suddenly becoming another strict teacher who would never let them speak (apparently a luxury they don’t often get in their classes). “I promise you,” I said, “that only the first five to ten minutes of class is going to change. Everything else will be as usual. You’ll get to write and share your writing with each other, as always.” They all seemed happy to oblige and I am looking forward to watching them rise to the expectations.

Night school went great, as well. I have encouraged them to start student accounts on edublogs and many of them have taken off on their own and already posted several entries. I am so proud of them that I could burst.

So now, here I sit with my proud cup of white tea (which my wife swears is better than green, more antioxidants or something) relaxed after a great day with my students, and I’m feeling like I am one of the luckiest people in the world.

Until later– “There’s no turning back now that you opened up to your mind.”