*This is a fictional excerpt of a fictional teacher. The following writing portfolio comes from the viewpoint of the teacher. These writing portfolios are used then in discussion with other English teachers in this fictional school. I think they may be helpful in real life BUT would take up a lot of a teacher's valuable time.*

September 13, 2000

Well, this year has started off great even though I am a bit stressed about my dad's condition. It seems as though my reputation has taken hold in this school and finally after five years of teaching, I am respected by the students even though I am a little ... um different. I am proud I have lasted this long and this year will be the first year that I will have everything prepared that I want to teach. I came into this system because they wanted to add more individualized classrooms and have a teacher prepare students on the internet. It has been great and I wouldn't change a thing. The students this year are a fiesty bunch and I hope I can gear that energy towards them getting into their imaginations and creating lots of stuff. I am using the writing portfolio I developed two years ago. The first week we concentrate on designing the cover and I go through each of the fifteen "little" writings they will have to complete for me, the bigger projects come later and they have syllabus to follow so I don't have to repeat daily what is due when. As for my world literature class, I do lots of research over the summer time to find new authors from different countries and write to places asking if I may use some excerpts of it for the class. Many publishers send me copies of the whole book, others could care less. Every week in that classroom, we, as a class, travel to a different country. I usually start out in Australia and work my way back to the states since many students have read authors from America already. It is a great class and the students usually get excited for every weekend to be over so they can discover a new country. I love this class idea because the students become more open to other cultures.

October 13, 2000

One of my most favorite students, Claire Fullstead, told me today that she wanted to be an English teacher and that when she graduates she is going to our Teacher college in nearby Omaha. I was so surprised and happy for her decision. This month has been a great one, except for my father's health (-it is declining again). Otherwise, the art department asked me to help with the backgrounds and costumes again this year- which I gladly excepted. Ever since I was in highschool I have wanted to get involved more with the arts and painting. I miss it and after all my talk about it in the classroom (and showing my silly paintings to the students) the students mentioned it to Mr. Fliger and he begged for my help. So after school these past weeks, I have been on the stage singing with the kids to the music on the radio and painting. I go home so energized I have energy to grade 100 papers before bedtime- Imagine that! I haven't had any discipline problems yet this year but through talking with other teachers I have realized that since I teach electives I probably won't come in contact with too much of it. All the students that take my classes usually want to be here and don't give me any grief.

November 13. 2000

Well, I ran into Mr. Bates and had a confrontation with him about the works we have been covering in World Literature and he really astonished me with his reply about Michael. I am extremely upset about it, but I don't know exactly what to do. I brought it up to (the principal) and he just replied that Mr. Bates gives a lot of money to the school so "we can't very well upset him." It makes me so angry with all these politics because not only do they hurt the teachers, they hurt the students. Jonathon, Bates's son, dropped out of World Literature the next day. He is a very bright kid that is not going to be prepared for the "real world" situations out there that will include other people NOT from his same background. I have my first questions for my fellow colleagues- What can I do? I am not going to change my curriculum- I have asked the parents from past years about how they felt and the majority was glad I included works from everywhere. I feel that Mr. Bates bringing in my social life was very inappropriate and now Michael is upset too. It was not professional nor needed. I could write a book on how I feel right now.

December 13, 2000

My dad is getting worse and I believe that it is starting to effect my teaching. The students are great about it though. Some want me to be happier so they write funny poems for extra credit (it is always the ones that don't need it that do it). Michael took me to Cancun for Thanksgiving and it was fabulous. The kids joke that I am tan so I shouldn't live in Nebraska. There are only a few that are bothering me still from the beginning of the year. It is only handfull, but they all complain that I expect too much from them. Of course I do, but they will soon see that it makes them better people. Some have become so responsible and I am so proud these moments. At other times I think of the ones I constantly need to push and I admit to becoming lazy. I love to write so it has become difficult for me to see the point of view of the students that don't. I am anxious for Christmas break because then I can relax and do yoga everyday instead of only when I have energy after school. I have the world literature kids working on their first semester books. I was so happy to see three of them reading Naguib. I hope they aren't doing it to kiss my butt. I know they will love him though. I almost have his whole collection. Poor Michael got my whole Christmas list at Barnes and Noble last night. Until next year.........

(If you are one of my current students and wish to comment on this OR if you want to write your own fictional tale- please do so and I will gladly give you extra credit for it. If you are not a student of mine and would like to comment on this piece of work or my webpage- please email me at: [email protected])