Modalities

I've been having a hard time with Rod Jesus
(you have to call him by both names)

He's trouble by the minute.

Taking stuff from other students
Blurting out nonsense
Refusing to stay in his seat
Spilling Skittles all over the floor,
smashing them into the carpet with his heel.

By afternoon,
I sometimes lose it.

He's hyperactive
He's also bored
Two weeks into fifth grade,
he's reading below a first-grade level.
Worksheets
may as well be written in Hindi.

Yesterday,
before beginning a story involving science,
I asked my class
what they'd most want to ask a visiting scientist.

I worried I might get crickets 
Some of my students are obsessed with only Fortnight,
But there's big enthusiasm.

What was supposed to be a quick anticipatory set
turned into 15 minutes of animated, profound curiosity,
and deep, critical thinking

Guess who actually raised his hand (well, some of the time)
and came up with some of the deepest, most profound inquiries?
Yep,
Rod Jesus.

At one point
without filtering myself
(what else is new)
I told him I love his brain.

1,000-watt smile.
Hundreds of dollars
invested in his emotional bank account.

Reminder to teacher self:
crank up the speaking and movement opportunities
Provide multiple paths to the same goal.

It works for adults too.