Halloween Frights

Sam Woldman - Hayt Elementary 

As Halloween rolls around, costumes, scary things, and decorations have been occupying the minds of many of the students at Hayt. This Friday at school, the students and teachers were asked to dress up as their favorite story character. Many students came dressed as Harry Potter, Superheros, and other famous book characters. As someone who loves a good spirit day, I began thinking of what some of my favorite stories growing up were. After some brainstorming I decided, I was going to be The Giving Tree.

Paper Bag Princess and the Giving Tree

Friday morning I walked decorated all in leaves (made out of paper) into my classroom. My lovely fourth grade students quizzically asked, “What are you?” These questions lead me to, at the end of the day, share the story with my students, many of whom had never heard it before. The students listened attentively as the story was read, clinging on to every word. Their eyes teared as they heard the end of the story, they were amazed how willing the tree was to give to her friend.  Excited and eager that they could share, and better understand my costume, they all declared how wonderful it was or how they wanted to be the giving tree next year.

Scary things, however are not just filling the minds of the students in my fourth grade classroom. My mind is occupied by something recently that is even scarier then ghost, clowns or any other villain. EdTPA. The deadline for the edTPA, the teacher assessment required by Chicago Semester and the state of Illinois, is creeping ever closer. Within the next two weeks this assessment will be turned in. This test deadline, though tolerable, is frightening to me because it is a brand new concept. I am unfamiliar with this test, as I go to college in Michigan, where this is not required. However just as the spookiness of Halloween will pass, in two weeks, so will the fear and fright accompanying the edTPA.

Due to the impending doom (due date) of the edTPA, this week has been busier than normal, that being said I have not had many opportunities to go out and explore the city. However, each week Friday, Jess and I normally go out to eat after school as an end of the week celebration. This week we did that, stopping to grab some frozen yogurt at the shop right down the street. This small treat, plus the nap that followed, made for a wonderful start to the weekend.

Happy Halloween Weekend,

Sam