Laughter, Light and Love: Logan Shows

I've had a hard time writing this post because I'm sure that there is nothing I can type that will do Logan justice, it doesn't feel like there is anything I can say or do that will ever be enough. I'm so tired of crying, but he deserves so much. 

I met Logan when I first started teaching. He walked into the last class of my day, Creative Writing, that started with a total of 3 people. He sauntered in, all blonde hair and blue eyes, plopped down in a desk with a smart aleck comment. I knew, after a long first day of teaching, that in that moment I would question my entire career. Logan taught me that teaching was going to be more challenging than I had hoped for. He had an attitude about him that screamed trouble and I thought, this is going to be a long year. 

In the coming days Logan proved me quite wrong. He got excited about assignments, interested in what I had to say. He made everyone in the room laugh, even when they didn't like him. Logan opened up about his personal life, listened to others and LOVED my cinnamon candle beyond belief. He asked me to light it everyday, and sometimes we added in the evergreen fir candle that made the room feel like a safe place full of nostalgia. He would fiddle with his necklace when he got frustrated, pull it across his chin sometimes and he stole more headphones from me than I can count. 

Logan was the first kid to trust me, to come to me in his free time just to vent about his life. He asked questions about how to build his future and listened to me when I asked him to do his work. He respected me, and as a teacher that meant more than he knew. Logan was the first kid that taught me the challenges of teaching are worth it. 

He was filled with potential, sarcasm, angst, desire, love and goofiness. Logan made a promise to me and himself that he would graduate, go onto college or a career path and make something of himself. He was going to prove everyone who ever doubted him wrong. I believed in him, it wasn't so long ago that I was him.

Little did he know that he had already made something of himself and we all took him for granted sometimes. Logan listened better than a therapist to his classmates, he carried light into a room and made everyone laugh as often as he could, he would put on a charming smirk and say something to get under your skin just because he knew you couldn't do anything but love him afterwards. Logan sought out the most broken people and showed them love even when he didn't realize he was doing it. Logan taught all of us to appreciate the people around us, and I will never forget the smell of cinnamon and evergreen fir. 

I made a connection with Logan, he is the first kid that taught me to love my students deeply and understand that I won't always understand what is going through their heads. Teaching them academically sometimes means teaching them they are loved first. He is also the one who made me regret loving so deeply and fear returning to work as a teacher. Loving deeply means hurting deeper when tragedy strikes. 

After grieving for several days I have realized that that is a risk worth taking. I want to challenge all of you to live your life in a way that honors Logan Shows. 

That may mean that you judge a little less harshly. Maybe you listen better to the people around you. Maybe you carry light into a room even if it is filled with people who don't always like you. Maybe you build big dreams, open up about the things that bother you. For me, it means I will not give up on my empathy. I will continue to teach students who I love deeply, and I will build relationships even when it is hard. I will listen and encourage and never give up, even when giving up seems so much easier. 

There is nothing I can do to change what has happened, the only thing any of us can control is how we respond to it. Take control of your grief and confusion and choose to respond in a way that honors the life that Logan lived. 

Reading Challenge

Hey guys!

I'm positive you guys are reading like crazy, right? I mean we have so much extra time. .

I know, I know. Most of you probably "hate" reading. That's because you aren't doing it right. Reading doesn't have to be a chore, choose something interesting and fun.

I personally like dystopian novels, especially considering it feels like we are living through one. I enjoy some classics, which isn't usually a popular choice. My favorites and realistic novels, the kinds of things that feel like we could live through. I like reading them because it feels like I'm living through someone else's experience. It is a nice escape. My favorite novel is actually a memoir called The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. I also enjoyed the book she wrote about her mom's childhood called Half Broke Horses. I think I loved these books because the experiences resembled what some of my loved ones grew up experiencing and it made me understand them better. 

A lot of people love fantasy! Like Percy Jackson or Harry Potter. Harry Potter is a classic and it is amazing. I remember my short lived love of Twilight in high school. 

All of those things count as reading! Think back on something you enjoyed reading and Google novels that pair well with it. Read something new and read something FUN! Then tell me about it. 

I challenge you to read something new, at least ONE book or short story, and message me to tell me what you read and what it was about.

If you are still up for a challenge, I'll post another BINGO challenge below.

Love you all! Stay safe, and never hesitate to reach out, even if it's just to chat or vent. 

Easter 2020- Your Classmate's Experience

After the last challenge posted, one of your classmates chose to write about their experience during the tornado that devastated Covington County. I was given permission to publish it here anonymously.

I challenge you to use them as inspiration and send in your writings of your experiences during this time. 

Easter 2020

  Easter 2020 forever changed my life. I’ve never cared much for bad weather. Living in South Mississippi, we get a lot of it this time of year. We always get tornado warnings but they almost always miss us or never touch down. This Easter, however, that was not the case. I will never forget what it was like in those excruciating moments before the tornado, during the tornado, and after the tornado.
Just like any other time that there is bad weather, me and my family went to my grandparents house, which is located right across the road from our mobile home. We left around 2 P.M. to walk over there. About an hour and a half later we started hearing what we thought was thunder but we quickly realized  it was actually a disastrous tornado in Bassfield. As soon as we realized this, me, my brothers, and two cousins got into the bathroom as my mamaw started putting things on the counter of the bathroom in a box. This was to be sure there would not be anything that could hit us. It was terrifying to be in the moment of possibility and unknown. We stayed in there for about twenty minutes before things got really scary.
After about twenty minutes of sitting in the bathroom I got up to walk out. As I was walking into the hall my aunt pushed me back into the bathroom and in a frantic terrified voice said, “It’s coming!” just as the power went out. There were ten of us in the bathroom all trying to cover up with pillows and thick blankets.  I could start to hear debris hitting the house and creaking and cracking. The walls started shaking and then there was a big bang. It was at that moment I thought me and my family were all about to die. I had never felt so hopeless and scared in my entire life. What felt like forever only lasted a couple seconds and things strangely got calm.
Once we were all sure it was over we got out of the bathroom only to realize the big bang we all heard was a tree that had fallen through my grandparents' living room. We walked to the front door and all you could see was trees that had fallen and the destruction or demolition of homes. We were trapped in and had to climb out through trees. We only had one vehicle left out ten that were parked before the storm. When we left we were trying to get somewhere else out of fear we were going to get hit by another tornado. We watched people get pulled out of rubble of what used to be their homes. The next day people started showing up and helping and everybody came together. Even though we had just experienced something that will stay with us forever, it was great seeing the community come together to help each other in this tough time.
In conclusion, Easter 2020 is a day that I will never forget, especially the short amount of time before, during and after the tornado. It was terrifying hearing everything and even harder seeing my family's homes destroyed. \it was also truly amazing seeing everybody who came together to help and who cared for us, that is the beauty that comes out of disaster.

Your Account Matters

Hello! (Fighting the urge to call you all cool cats and kittens 🙈)

First, check out this article and images from before and after the Easter tornado of 2020. 

Easter Tornado Article

You guys are completely capable of writing about your account of the storm also, even if you didn't sustain damage. Maybe you saw the damage later, or have a story to tell after hiding in the bathroom and listening to the weather man. 

I challenge you to write it! Follow these steps, write your article and share it with me! Maybe we could even get you published!

I'm going to link in the Wiki link on how to write an article, and then I'll post the images with a shorted version in this post. 

How To Write An Article

First, understand the different kinds of articles. Yours would most likely be a News or Feature article.

Your main topic is the Easter Tornado, but that is your angle? Mind map your ideas like the image above!

Research any information you need! Make sure your sources are trustworthy.

Use that information to create an interesting angle, something that makes your article unique.

Create your solid argument or talking point! Everything will build off of this.

List out the sources you will use. Which ones are primary (face to face interview with a victim) and secondary (using an already posted article of storm damage for information).

Remember, sources have to be reliable. See above for reliability reference.

Write to your audience! Consider all of these things about your audience. Your audience will be the population of Covington County.

Map out your outline like the image above. This is the most important part of coherent writing. This keeps you on track and your writing clear.

Follow this check list for your article. You'll be doing a newspaper article. You'll need check mark 1,4 and 5!

Create your eye catching headline to title the finished product! Write it, title it and turn it in to me! If you give me permission I'll try to publish the best articles sent in, (formally or informally).

If you have the time and resources I really want you to try and do this. Years from now you'll have been someone who marked your own account of history as it was made.

Love you all to the moon. I miss your sweet faces more than life.

PHOTOS- Send Yours In!

I'm going to link in a Google photo album of photos from you guys this year. Many of you sent photos in, some of the photos are displaying the work you all did.

I just want to remember each of you and how much I enjoyed you all in class. Please enjoy the album and send more photos in to be added.

Let's try to stay positive and hold onto the memories we made. Love you all!!!

Mrs. Layton's Class 2020 Photos

Easter Tornado Check-In

I LOVE YOU GUYS.

Are you okay? Are you safe? So many were affected in the storms and have suffered unreal loss.

I want to check in, I've tried hard to keep in contact with all of you and am worried sick about those I haven't heard from.

Stay strong, positive and build each other up. 

I want to challenge you to document this experience. Write it down (or type it). Talk about what happened, how you felt about what was happening, how the community came together afterwards. If you want to share what you write (or type) don't hesitate to send it my way. I want to hear about your experiences, because your story matters.

Our district has not addressed the governor's decision yet, BUT Tate Reeves has called for schools to remain closed for the remainder of the semester. I'm not sure what that looks like for your educational expectations or our start back date. I promise to keep everyone updated as the district updates us.

Stay safe and know I am praying for each of you. I miss you so much it is insane.

Resource Update!

Some people don't like to read, I GET IT! Good news to you non-readers, Audible has a ton of free audio books right now! All you have to do is listen, (it is an app also!) while still being productive at home. You can count those audio books to Book Bingo OR this new reading challenge!

Remember, if you complete the challenge or score Bingo you're in for some brownie points when we make it back to school.