Murray Lake Elementary teacher Matt Jablonski hobbled into class on Friday using a cane. With his grey hair and beard, fake glasses and a little louder voice than usual (because of his fading hearing; get it?), Jablonski had seemingly become a grandfather overnight.
Classmates of Taylor Graham had her to thank for their teacher’s costume. Taylor submitted what Jablonski determined to be the most solid written argument among the class. For the past few years, that’s how he has decided what to wear for Halloween.
“It’s always fun because they never know who won until the moment I walk into the classroom,” he said.
The persuasive writing assignment is part of the fifth grade opinion writing unit. Students were charged with coming up with an idea for a costume, supporting the idea with whys, and using evidence, facts and details.
“I had a lot of ideas,” Taylor said. “Grandpa was the funniest thing I could think of for him to be.”
The costume could have been decidedly different had Jablonski gone with any other student’s suggestion. Like Mady Hayes and Brooklyn Haywood’s idea that he dress as a University of Michigan cheerleader. Or Jahlin Clemenshaw: “a lightbulb with an afro clown wig.” Or Jacqui Hoke, who came up with “a donut, with a swirly frosting hat and fake felt sprinkles (because) I have never seen a human donut before.”
Maybe next year, Mr. Jablonski.
