Dishing Out the Dirt . . .

So is it bad that my teacher friends and I were jones-ing to put something on our blogs while the system was in it's "read only" maintenance phase?  (I am NOT an addict, btw!)

Addict or not, it's time for confessions . . .

This week I was crazily grading papers when I realized how odd I can be at times.  I have certain teacher tendencies which cannot be denied.  I know I'm not the only one, but I thought it was kinda funny.  While I maintain that I am not OCD, it is quite clear that I do have undeniable "Teacher Quirks".  I'm sure you have them too.  Maybe you can relate . . .

Teacher Quirk #1
I MUST alphabetize my student work in alphabetical (ABC) order by the students' last name.  If it's something I'm grading, I have to stop and put the papers in ABC order before I move on.  Don't judge me.  I'm not crazy!  I can prove it by sharing my rationale:  If I alphabetize, it is easier for me to tell which student's paper may be missing since I know who should come next in ABC order.  Another reason is because as I alphabetize throughout the year, my students' cubby holes are also alphabetized according the last name.  If I'm grading work and I stack the papers according to this specification, I can blindly stuff cubby holes and Friday Folders without having to even look at the name!  It's much quicker and hopefully more efficient.

So there's a little dirt on me.  More to come later.  (Please tell me there are others out there like me!)

Anyhow . . . in honor of the end of the school year and in the spirit of revealing personalities, here's a little writing activity for your students for the end of the year. This is a freebie!

If you're ready to hear your students' impressions of you, here's a little something I call "Dishing Out the Dirt".  You can explain the idiom "dishing out the dirt" to your students and then tell them that they will be giving away secrets to the students coming to this class next year.  They can advise next year's students on how to get on the teacher's good side, give them a heads up on which procedure are the most important to make sure they are always following, and give them tips on how to be successful in your classroom. 

I hope you and the students enjoy!
Click the preview picture to download for free!