Organism, Miss B.

Today as I was grading papers I came across something that made me grin from ear to ear. It is a prime example of why I love teaching & why I love someone named Stevie. 


My students' assignment was to "Make a drawing of an organism living in a biome that receives direct sunlight all year long. Label your organism's adaptations". Stevie decided to draw me (the organism) sitting in a beach chair soaking up the sun (my students are well aware of my love of the Mexican sun). Next to me are my "adaptations", in the form of a can of Coke (my constant companion in Mexi) and a bag of peanuts (which are my purchase of choice at the school snack shop). 

Organism, Miss B. 

This is classic Stevie. He nailed the assignment, proved he understood the concepts & was over the top creative to boot. About two years ago this assignment would have made me heave a huge sigh & write a paragraph on his paper about how he didn't understand the directions. 

I look so happy!

What two years, and this young man have taught me is that learning, understanding and creativity don't have to be exclusive entities. 

Other reasons why I (and you should) love Stevie...

1. He has a stuffed brown and white cow named Cafe con Leche that he brought to school most days last year. 

2. His Facebook name is Supertivi Babycow and he introduces himself at times as the MooLord. 

3. He signs his papers "TV" as a shortened version of Stevie. That is, when he remembers to put his name on papers at all. 

4. One day in class he began coughing violently, and persisted for about five minutes. Eventually, with a loud gagging sound he pulled a piece of peanut out of his mouth, studied it and then popped it back in and swallowed. Turning to a wide-eyed and utterly silent class he said, "I've been looking for that for days!"

MooLord, I'm going to miss you!