Slam'mn in Central Arkanasas

Went to a really good teacher staff development workshop this week and I've discovered that if you only read the description provided and avoid those talking basic frameworks you can find quite a few really good ones. Not many in the field of art, but plenty are available that can be connected with only a little tweaking.

Such as this one. It was about creativity and how to inspire, teach, encourage, develop...you get the idea. Presented by the audacious W. Clayton Scott, Arkansas poet and high class poetry slammer, it was one of the best yet. Anyway, he made all of us teaches write a couplet about what we love about teaching and what we hate about teaching. Every poem I heard was an absolute gem. Here's mine:

Teaching into time

The time it takes to plan my day

steals my life; eliminates play.

Those bright eyes that question each remark

make me labor until way past dark.

The bells that tone, the kids who scream,

add texture to this walking dream.

I long for summer, for class's end,

only to plan once more to begin.

My days are full of laughter and tears;

I count the hours, but treasure the years.

So there you go! Read poetry out loud. It is sooo much better that way.