Monday August 29: This day in class we read an article addressing the importance of self esteem called the three "s" pot. The story was odd, but made good points. We were to read a second article that day but it was postponed to be read the following day. Instead we read a book that illustrated the possibility of global esteem turning into useful traits called "Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon."

Tuesday August 30: We read a story on the smartboard called "Have You Filled A Bucket Today?" We later started to decorate our own buckets to post on the wall so that we might all be able to submit our own bucket filling comments to each of our classmates. It then became our mission for that day and the days following to try to purposely fill a friend's or stranger's bucket.

Wednesday August 30: A class discussion was had regarding the arguments made in The Self- Esteem Fraud. The general consensus of the class from what I gathered from those who spoke, was that it's too difficult to label global self esteem as wholly good or bad, or even valid. There were too many variables when considering its use inc

luding the individual student, the age group, the situation, among other things. We then had cupcakes and juice thanks to Mr. Bufis, and were briefed on our first project of the nine weeks.

Thursday Sept 1: This was our first day to work with our groups toward the puppet shows to be presented to our soon to be first grade pals the following week. Our show was to highlight the importance of self esteem and to be inclus

ive of the members of the audience.

Friday Sept 2:Our final day to fine tune and

organize our stories and hands, not much else happened aside from the appearance of the mysterious tab sheet on the corkboard outside the room. Its origin is still unknown even after my diligent efforts to identify its source.

I wasn't sure if my quote was supposed to go on here or not, but to cover my hiney I'll put it up here anyway. It's not so much a quote as it is a very short story from a man I really admire, in a movie/book that was truly life-changing. the significance of it to what we've been discussing these past weeks was too great to not remark.

"Once upon a time there was a crooked tree and

a straight tree. And they grew next to each other. And every day the straight tree would look at the crooked tree and he would say, "You're crooked. You've always been crooked and you'll continue to be crooked. But look at me! Look at me!" said the straight tree. He said, "I'm tall and I'm straight." And then one day the lumberjacks came into the forest and looked around, and the manager in charge said, "Cut all the straight trees." And that crooked tree is still there to this day, growing strong and growing strange." Tom Waits in "Wristcutters"