I hope everyone enjoyed their “Free Hugs” over the weekend. The assignment changed a lot of people here at the Middle School for a day. The halls were a lot happier place to be, and the assignment went a lot better than I could have ever expected. If you hadn’t heard, we watched YouTube video of the year, “Free Hugs.” From there, everyone was to give out free hugs to at least five different people over the weekend and then tell me about it. It was amazing watching students go from apprehensive and nervous to not having a care in the world and dishing out many, many hugs. The entire sixth grade side of the building was a lot better place to be than normal. Even more interesting than the students changing, was watching all the teachers change as well. A lot of the teachers were very timid and scared, but as they found out about the assignment and what was going on, their moods changed as well. I even had a couple of teachers get involved and they too did the assignment and reported back to me.

I was asked several times, what does this have to do with Math? Well, nothing. For one day, our school had an environment change. We talk about 21^st Century Skills all the time, yet no one knows how to teach them. By building a community in our classroom, 21^st Century Skills are being taught. We are talking and learning about respect and being on time. We are learning about getting your stuff done on time. I have very few tardies into my classroom and very few late papers. Students are learning in many different ways and thinking outside the box. One of my favorite lessons so far has dealt with problem solving. We needed to do “back-to-back sit-ups” in which students were to sit with their backs touching, lock arms, and find a way to stand up without putting their hands on the ground. That’s problem solving at it’s finest. Once we started to be successful, we had to go in groups of four, eight, and finally the whole class. I think everyone had a good time and learned a thing or two about problem solving and how you can go about solving a problem in many different ways.

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO: New Kids on the Block!!!!!! They kicked off their tour last night in Boston at the Garden and VH1 showed the first three songs live. They were rockin’ the place and it was pandemonium like you haven’t seen. Good stuff, and I know there were a few teachers in the building watching and impatiently waiting for their November concert at the Qwest in Omaha.

WHAT I’M READING: “Quiet Strength” by Tony Dungy. Great book. If you are a person that struggles keeping things in perspective in your life, this is a book for you. Tony Dungy won the Super Bowl, but did it in a manor that not many coaches have done before. He is home at night to be with his family, he doesn’t yell a whole lot, he just does things his way. “Do what we do” is his motto. It has really opened my eyes, and I know I’ll be a better person if I can do more things Tony’s way.