Celia Door Has Hit a Wall

This project has been on pause for awhile.

I know why - it's NOT my passion. I don't believe it's my place to be putting up thoughtful quotes or passages or poems in the girls' bathroom at school. I don't believe my work is good enough, and I haven't been able to fix it up to make it better.

Pity party over - now I need to realize what my next step is.
     --> Ask for more help from someone who already has this type of passion. I'm going to ask Janelle at work for help. She will be my mentor once school starts. She and Kristie head up the "Girl Up" club at school. Of course they can give me direction!
     --> Use what I've learned so when I ask this of my students, I know what I'm asking. I won't be asking for weekly blog posts. I will check in with students, or they can check in with me through blog posts, vlogs, sticky notes, emails, see me during lunch - whatever they choose. I will keep tabs on their progress, even if they don't blog regularly about their project.
     --> I have not failed. I've only stalled. I've heard it say that "Done is better than perfect." Well, I know it's not perfect, but I do not have a deadline, like my students will. So I can wait until I think it is MORE perfect (like turn that last line upside down - thank you, Sheri) before I'm done.

What's my passion, then? Living life to the fullest. Figuring out how best to teach 7th graders. That's really what I've been working on all summer. That's what can fill many hours of my day and I won't even know the clock is ticking. I'm on my fifth professional development book of the summer, and I've read copius young adult books so that I can better talk with my students about good books. I've collaborated on documents to help me choose the best books, connect my classes to authors and other schools, and even teach grammar better. Teaching to the best of my ability is one of my passions. I can never learn enough. I can never create enough resources for them. And it looks like I have a difficult time pausing for a bit of poetry...

I'm glad I took this challenge of the #20TimeAcademy MOOC this July. I have learned a lot about what I want from my students, and I will be better able to guide them on their own journey as a result. I will finish this project. But I'm still calling it a success, even though I don't have a product - YET.

Celia Door's & My "Dark Side" Poetry

I haven't written in over a week - this is a tough assignment I gave myself.

Here's what I've learned - or haven't learned - so far (that will help me when I try this - once again - with my seventh graders)...

  --> How can I expect my students to do a blog post every week, when I have not done one every week... and it's SUMMER... and it's MY OWN work I gave MYSELF... ?!?! If I can't even be diligent enough to do this - How can I expect a 12 year old? And I TRIED!! But I had no more inspiration! (Finally, today, I have the inspiration...)
  --> I did not "pitch a product" first. I may have to ask my students to do this. I at least have to ask them to tell me what they want in the end. What do they want to achieve with their project? What about this one of mine? I should've asked myself. I know now - I wanted to try to write poetry, and show others (doubters) that they can, too. But I also wanted to go a step further, and make one piece (or more, but I know now that won't happen any time soon) that could make a difference in someone's day.
   --> A rubric would not have helped me.
   --> A grade might have helped me work, but it wouldn't be my best work. I would just be doing it to "get it done."
   --> I know I could go further with this project, but I know I won't, because I am not using my genius like I could. What is my genius? Angela Maiers (@AngelaMaiers) asked this of me in a Google Hangout this week, and I didn't know what to say. Finally, I just blurted out - "I love life." Because you know what? It hit me hard this week that not everyone loves life. That is something I feel I am truly blessed with. Because I love life, I look at things differently, and I am grateful for a new day, every day. Knowing this, I know this project does not include my genius. I am just doing it to "get it done." This does not sit well with me.

So. What next?

Write that poem. Write the poem that depicts what I want those 7th and 8th grade girls to think about. What would Celia Door want to tell them? Celia, who doesn't fit in... I'd like girls to be able to think about this topic when no one else is around. They can read it and think about it on their own, with no influence whatsoever. They can judge it or see it for what it is, and connect to it with what experiences they bring to it... I'm planning on posting this in each bathroom stall in the upstairs girls' bathrooms. (Can I do that??) I'm hoping I could get the plastic coverings that many bathrooms have to house advertisements... (?) Then poems or messages can be switched out, based on what students want to publish for others... (?) I'm still working on that. I want to ask our "Girl Up" sponsors at school for help with this idea.

Here are my notes... that have been stewing in my head since last week's mini camping vacation:

My first attempt at putting my thoughts together:

I feel like I need to add some of my "genius" here, however. I feel like I need a picture behind the entire thing (the white is too plain for me, and I'm not happy with the colors I already have, either), or have small pictures throughout. But of what? Maybe I just need to print this on colored paper of some sort. Any ideas? I thought I could do this project on my own, but it's time for mentors... Please give me your thoughts!