imagine this:

nine kids (two are at therapy apts.) are all working on a map quiz (label continents and oceans). it is SILENT. the occasional call-out for the teacher is surprisingly polite.

as students finish map quiz (some have actually studied and proceed to get them ALL correct), they take out one of their word searches from yesterday that uses words they have learned over the week. they work diligently and quietly (even though some are even working in groups).

as the last student turns in her map quiz (and the room is still DEATHLY silent, thank goodness), the teacher begins to speak in the lowest level of voice ever heard in the history of school.

"we have begun reading james and the giant peach ... who can tell me what you read about yesterday?"

hands shoot up (!), no one shouts out (!), and the responses are 100% accurate (!).

teacher continues in quiet voice, "james has been through a lot, i think he would appreciate it if we wrote him letters to encourage him. tell him what you know about his story so far. i think he *might* even write back."

student asks (with hand raised): "but he's not real, how are we writing letters to him?"

teacher: "well i'm not so sure ... we'll see if he's real by seeing if we get a response ..."

students proceed to work for 40 minutes on writing letters to james. they ask how to spell words, ideas for what to say, and more. they also ask if they can read their letters to the class, which they do, and people clap when each person is finished (not teacher initiated).

the school day ends and everyone is happy.