The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is a half day where I work. We had 26 minute hours, but still needed to come up with engaging, curriculum driven lesson plans. I wanted to incorporate Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving into my plan, but couldn’t figure out how I could tie that to any CCSS. I was tired, usually I can work that kind of magic. Instead, I decided on a Writer’s Notebook response centered around gratefulness. Trite, I know. Common, predictable. But there it is. I have also committed to responding to the writing prompts I assign my students though I didn’t know how thankful I would be when I crafted the lesson and prompt. Until a student came in to ask a question before school.

While typing up my Power Point with the day’s agenda, a student came up behind me and asked, “Mrs. Dougherty, is it alright if Nick and I eat squirrel legs in 4th hour? I brought in a bunch we cooked up at home last night and he wanted to try them?” I paused my typing for a moment, long enough to think before I responded, “No. Remember, I don’t allow ANY food in class. That includes squirrel legs (words I never thought I would speak) or Cheetos.” There began a back and forth dialogue which included him begging because the other kid “really wanted” to try them, (dubious) and which ended with me still saying no. HELL NO! (That part was in my head, because if nothing else, I am a poster child of teaching propriety.) Thus, I modeled writing with my students. Because I was and am thankful for the rules I put in place on the first day of school. I am thankful that I have enforced them every day since then. I am so incredibly thankful that today no one will be eating squirrel legs in my classroom! Rules and follow through for the win! Best Practices!

My student’s actually did a great job with this brief assignment. In lieu of turning them in for grading that would encroach on my holiday weekend, we then had a classwide discussion and shared our responses, along with thinking about who might be thankful for us today. I was especially impressed with one 11th grader who is thankful that we are finished with the first 10 chapters of Frankenstein. I didn’t squelch his joy by pointing out that we are less than the half-way through the novel. I’m thoughtful like that. There were many students who were thankful for grandparents, which warmed my heart. Many too, who claimed these dear elderly folk are likely thankful for them. We may be years from intergenerational living, like the Waltons, but it is wonderful to know that many families still value family. This weekend I am looking forward to being with family, young and old alike, as well as many friends who are family as well. We will gather around the table, sharing our gratitude and food. And I know that each and every one of us will be thankful for the absences of squirrel legs!