Silly Bands

I had no idea those lil' bands around their wrists flattened out to collectible, unique shapes! A student gifted the one above to me during first period. For the remainder of the day:

"Silly bands? Waaaack.... [5 seconds later]... which one you got!?"

"I got some silly bands? Wanna see them!?" (Student proceeds to remove 3 from wrist and lays each on top of the worksheet he should've been working on).

"That's the pink hello kitty isn't it!? I got the red one. Wanna trade? Pleaaase. Pleaaaase."

"Hoooldup, you ain't got the lightning bolt though. Lemme show you."

It didn't matter how teenage girl, how hood, how gangsta, or how "I'm too cool for school" the student, the silly band movement is alive and well at this school.

Am I Doing Enough?!

I can't believe its already December. Thinking about how quickly the days are going by scares me. I start asking myself... Are we on pace? Am I teaching them everything they should have learned at this point in the year? Am I doing enough?

I have a problem with that last one though. When I first asked myself that question it came out so naturally. And now I am a little disappointed that it did. It should never be "Am I doing enough?" It should be "Am I doing everything I can?"

I know I could be doing more.