when i first got my own class of students, in the fall of 2005, i started what would become a little tradition.  on september 11th of every year, i invited my students - 11th and 12th graders - to share their memories of 9/11 because i think there is power - and catharsis - in telling those stories.  i have very vivid memories of the moment i found out about the attack and the moments after that, and i don't think i'm alone in that.

and every year, my students were younger and younger when 9/11 happened.  stories changed from "i was in middle school" to "i was in elementary school and our teachers didn't want to tell us and then my mom picked me up early" - memories they were only on the periphery of.  today i teach kids born in 1997 and 1998.  they were too young to remember, really, and today i didn't ask them to reflect on it as a class.  14 years.  since my students no longer have personal memories of that day, is it time to call it history?

i'm doing - as you can tell - some reflection today.