During the last fourteen years of my career my students were called my "stars". Our class's Number One Rule was based on the "apple lesson" with which I began each year. We collected donated apples from the kids (I always had a variety of spares.) We compared and contrasted the apples of all types, sizes, shapes, conditions, colors. We used tape measures, scales, hand lenses. We sketched them. We wrote our descriptions.
When we had compiled and discussed all our comparative thoughts I announced that I could show one more thing that all apples have in common. I brought out a cutting board and a sharp knife. Then one at a time each child came forward to have his/her apple sliced -- sideways -- to reveal that, regardless of color, shape, bruising, or size, each apple in cross-section, has a star in it.
Usually there will be at least one child who will volunteer that that's also true of people. Sometimes I had to pull or push the idea a little, but the point is gotten across that each od us, regardless of all those attributes above, or any troubles or hurts or challenges have our own "stars" -- abilities, talents, proclivities, strengths -- and that my job and theirs for the year is to find those "stars" and make 'em shine.
We, once we graduated to digital cameras anyway, photographed each child with their sliced apple stars.
Thus our Number One Rule was established: "There's a star in you, make it shine!"
And thus it is that I ave many "star" ornaments and many unrelated "star" items that students have given me over the years. This big beautiful "Star" ornament is a 2011 gift from Rylee Cook, one of a good many second generation stars. Her mother Allison was my student at Pepperell Elementary back in the eighties.
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By the way, you may have guessed that since there was a Number One Rule there might also be others. Yes, there are two others:
Number Two Rule: "Mistakes are permitted here; we learn from them."
Number Three Rule: "Always laugh at Mr. Shaw's jokes."
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