Nothing broke my teacher heart more than when I realized the following:

My students hate to read and write.

That is a generalization, of course, because I have students who have learned to enjoy the written word. But by and large, most assignments are met with collective moaning and groaning.

Today, I am amending the aforementioned truism to read as follows:

My students hate being forced to read and write.

I’m reminded of the words of my dear friend and youth pastor

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. However, put salt in his oats and that sucker will drink anything you present.

I want my lessons to be filled with salty oats. Creativity adds salt. I don’t want my lessons to be boring. Boring lessons do not make students thirsty. Quite frankly, boring lessons don’t make me thirsty either.

I bought a creative writing journal that is refreshingly salty. Hopefully, my classes will find it salty, too.