Getting Back to Writing

Today I was able, or rather, I made time to do some writing. March 9 and a New Year's Resolution was still in play. I reread a piece from many years ago, and did some revising. Here is what I have so far.

      We were about one third of the way through the school year. Sixty days so far with A. Only 120 more to go! No, A had certainly not been the “easiest” student I had ever had. She was loud and brash and entered the room every morning with all the grace of a blonde, gawky hippopotamus.

            “Good morning, Giffin,” she would shout across the room.

            With that greeting I knew that today would be a good one. At least, we were off to a good start. If there were no greeting, no eye contact her PCA and I would brace ourselves for the inevitable onslaught of “No’s.” A wasn’t proficient in any of the twenty odd standards for language Arts and Math. But when she was in the “mood”, she was advanced in “No’s”.

            “Good morning A. Would you please give me your book” I would ask ever so gingerly, able to predict what would come next.

            “No.” A would shake her head slightly and look at me with all the patience of an exasperated teenager. Ms. S would try, “A grab your bag and it is time to head upstairs.”

            Once again, look, head shake, gosh-you’re-so-dumb smile and, “No!”

            And so our days would go. Some days were good, some days were dreadful, and most were in-between. A, Ms. S, and I had settled into a routine – sometimes comfortable but more often than not, not. It was late December. The air had grown cold. The leaves had fallen and the trees were now bare. What precious little time there was of daylight was often gray. The scenery outside belied the chaos going on inside the school. Students and teachers were eagerly awaiting the winter vacation. Nerves were stretched to just about the breaking point. Snippets of conversation floated around the building giving hope to those who were barely hanging on.

            “Only three more days.”

            “I am going to sleep until noon.”

            “Yeah! No homework for a whole week!”

            Yes, we were all a bit frazzled and tense, but we were hanging on. Today was the day of the winter concert assembly. Grade level by grade level we were called down to the gym. The students were excited at the change in routine, excited to be seeing siblings playing an instrument or singing in the chorus, excited to be out of the classroom. In short, they were EXCITED!! I however was thinking of the 25 narratives that still needed to be scored, the holiday cards that needed to be written, the gifts to be wrapped, and a hundred other items to be crossed off a list.

            We filed into the gym and quickly took our places. We sat in front of the older grades so we could see, and behind the younger grades so they could see. Never mind that half the children were of extremely different heights and the other half would sit on their knees. As usual, I sat on a bench and positioned A on the floor right next to me.

            “Yes A, I see your sister” I whispered as the older students began to file in.

            “No A you can’t go see your sister now.”

            “A, please sit on your bottom like the other students.”

Would this assembly never end? A was wound as tightly as a clock and we had two and a half more days to go. I just knew that I would never make it. First came the strings. Screech, scritch, scratch. Clap, clap. What a lovely rendition of Silent Night. Excuse me? Oh, it was Frosty the Snowman. So far so good with A but one could never tell. She tried over and over again to get her sister’s attention, waving frantically. A few more reminders, “, please sit down, the people behind you cannot see. Watch your hands, you hit So-and-So.”

            Next was the orchestra. Could A make it to the end? Could I?

            Finally, it was time for the chorus. A’s sister was in the chorus so I prepared for more waving, loud calling of her name, even standing up. A did not disappoint me and managed to stand up, call her sister’s name, and wave all in one motion.

            “A you need to sit down so everyone can see and hear your sister sing.”

            I don’t recall the first two or three songs. A though greeted each song with enthusiastic applause. The end of the concert had arrived. One more song, dismissal, and then quiet. The final song was immediately recognizable to all in the audience. Jingle Bells! A was no longer able to contain herself. But this time her outburst, instead of being negative, was pure joy. Her eight year old face lit up with the joy of a toddler seeing Christmas lights for the first time, or a young child hearing the familiar tinkle of the ice cream truck on the first warm spring evening. A was excited, smiling, unable to stay in her own skin.

             Suddenly, I didn’t feel so stressed and tired. I found myself smiling at A. Such pure and innocent joy. It was at that moment that A gave me the first of many gifts. I was able to see, through her eyes, the eyes of a child, joy and hope. Joy and hope at the sight of a loved one, joy and hope at the familiar, much-loved song, joy and hope at life’s little pleasures. A. taught me much that year. The thing I remember most is her face when she heard “Jingle Bells.”

           

Organizational Tip

         How do you keep track of what your students are reading, especially at home. I used to have my students log in their nightly reading in their homework book. Of course sometimes they would forget.Or I wouldn't be able to check. They always had their assignment books so I couldn't even collect them and take them home. This year I changed the way they keep track of their reading which has mad a huge difference. Each week the students begin a new reading log. Most days I give it a quick check to see that it has been collected. Then, once a week, students write me a quick note on what they are reading. This way I can collect 28 logs and easily review them during lunch, assemblies, or at home. Students then file the completed pages in a binder which we keep in the classroom. Students, parents, and I have quick and easy access to what the student has been reading at home to date.

A Snowy Evening

Today's weather perfectly matches my favorite book. When looking at Kelly Hines' 20 day blogging challenge, Day one's assignment is to talk about a favorite book. The back corner of my mind spent the better part of 24 hours considering one book after another. I thought of Little Women - my first favorite book. The quintessential tale of a strong woman, my first experience real or otherwise with someone who shared my name, and the first book I stayed up all night to read (in third grade.) My first favorite series was Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew. I thought of my favorite read alouds On My Honor and House on Hackman's Hill. But nothing seemed to fit. Nothing that is until tonight.

After a long day starting with a 5:45 am spin class I returned home at 9:00pm.It had started snowing about 6:00 and a few inches at least had already fallen. My husband had swept the driveway a couple times but, it was now time for shoveling.  I had a quick snack and then set about clearing the driveway and the deck. It was so peaceful. There were no cars, no people, just the occasional sound of the shovel scraping asphalt. The snow fell silently glistening with the twinkle of Christmas lights buried under snow.

Then I had it, my favorite book to share and/or teach. Okay, technically it is a poem, but a dear friend had given me the book one year as a special gift. The absolute perfect book is Robert Frost's Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Long a favorite of mine Frost captures for me so eloquently the beauty of a snowfall - a big snowfall. The kind of snowfall we are getting tonight.

So at 11:30 pm, after shoveling twice, I messaged a friend to join me for a walk on a snowy evening. Save for a few shovelers and snowplows, we saw no one else. Yet the Christmas lights still up kept us company. Our boots crunched on the snow unable to tell if we were on sidewalks or grassy lawns. After a few miles, I dropped her off at her house and continued home. My footsteps from when I started out nearly covered up as the last line of Frost's poem whispered in my ears...And miles to go before I sleep.

In school I read this to the students (ideally on a snowy day.) There are also some good videos with wonderful pictures on YouTube. Or, you could scan your students' art and create your own video. Afterwards the students draw pictures with white pencils on black paper of a snowy evening. They then write their own poems of a snowy day or evening.

Happy New Year - 2014!

Another new year has arrived. And with it comes my resolutions. This year is no different. I have the usual - lose weight, get more fit, get more organized, declutter etc. Part of my resolutions (aka goals) are to specifically blog/write more often, track my workouts and nutrition, and return to my photo a day challenge. Of course, I also want to spend more time knitting, reading, and start a new garden. Does anyone know where I can get some more time?

Part of my blogging/writing goal has been spurred by Kelly Hines. Kelly is an amazing educator I met through Discovery Education. I sure do miss being part of the DEN. She has started a 20 day Blogging Challenge. So, I plan to use at least some of her challenges in my blog this month.

My very dear friend Susan Holden gave me a wonderful gift - a calendar. Now of course I already
have a school calendar, a bulletin board at home calendar, a desk calendar, and my Google calendar. But this calendar is different. It is to track my fitness goals and accomplishments. The year already has its first entry.My Winter Series Cham-Pain run. I feel so fortunate to have such good running/fitness friends. Often I get discouraged and feel too slow and not enough to really participate. But these friends, and Dan my husband as well, are always supportive and encouraging. Thanks guys!!

If you like to run, or you hate to run, but you want to get better, consider joining the Bucks County Roadrunners Winter Series. It is a series of Sunday morning runs in Tyler Park at 9:30 in the morning. Yes, it is usually cold ( And sometime wet, snowy, or flooded!!) And yes, it is early on a Sunday morning. But, the camaraderie and fellowship is well worth it. Besides...you can always join us afterwards at Jake's for pancakes!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

With a late Thanksgiving this year - Christmas holiday preparation must be done rapidly. This is NOT something I do well. I like to put the decorations up bit by bit. Also, I am finding that weekends are crammed with festivities and parties. Again, something I prefer to spread out over the course of several weeks.

Something I am enjoying (other than the beautiful snow today
is the new group on Facebook - Techformers. It is a group of educators who see the benefits of using technology to help our students become thinkers, reflectors, and creators.

Today's challenge was to use a word cloud generator to create a picture using the words to a favorite Christmas song. I usually use Wordle - it is quick and easy. The down side for me, as a 4th grade teacher, is that some of the wordles in the gallery are not school appropriate. So, I do not let my students use it independently. But today, while exploring some new word cloud generators, I discovered ABCya. It is also quick and easy to use, and it seems to be younger student friendly.

Here is the word cloud I made from one of my favorite Christmas songs.

Tomorrow during computer lab I will have the students select their favorite holiday song. I show them how to copy and paste into a word document and then upload to ABCya.com. Then they will work on MS Paint to illustrate the song. 

Happy Holidays!!

Let the Children Play

Today I took a walk with my dog Ahna. We lost her older sister last week, so we have been trying to give her a little more attention. What a glorious fall afternoon it was. It was warm, but not too hot. There was a very gentle breeze. The sun was shining through the autumn leaves and a few clouds in the sky hinted at the dreary days to come. I expected to see much activity. And, we did. Two men were cutting there grass. One an older man pushed the mower back and forth in even strips. the other, a much younger man, rode his mower while listening to something from his ear buds, seemingly oblivious to the world around him. Another man was trimming shrubs and cutting them up for garbage bags, while a fourth man determinedly push a spreader across his lawn, eager for spring to bring bright green grass. We smiled and waved as we passed our neighbors, but something was amiss.

We rounded the corner and kept going. Here a woman was taking advantage of the beautiful day to paint some furniture in her driveway. This was probably the last really nice weekend of fall we agreed. Further on a man was repairing his driveway. Heading for home we heard the sounds of a table saw intermingle with the lawn mowers and leaf vacuums. A neighbor was cutting wood for a home improvement project on his to do list.

We did see a lot of people and heard many sounds. However, I didn't hear or see any signs of children. There were no screams, shots, or laughter. No children playing tag or riding bicycles. No children at all.

Now my little town is a quaint, historic suburb that prides itself on being a great "family" town. We are not an active adult community. I know children live here. I saw them on Halloween, and I see them every morning waiting for the school bus. Drive by a soccer field and they are packed full with children.

Why were all the driveway basketball hoops silent with no balls, no foul shots, no accusations of fouls made or shots missed? Why did all the swings sit still except for a gentle push by a random breeze? Why were the elaborate backyard play structures empty, dead with no children's imagination to breathe life into them as castles, forts, and rocket ships? Where were all the children?

Were they all indoors with electronics? Were they at adult organized activities like soccer, scouts, or ta-kwan-do?

Our society grows and thrives based on the imaginations and dreams of its children. Children need free, unstructured time to discover their world, their NATURAL world, outside. They need to be told to go outside and play. Let them wonder at the leaves changing color. Let them skin their knees and realize how cool a scab is. Let them get in fights with each other and learn how to resolve petty arguments.

Parents, adults, please let our children play. For our future is the future they are imagining now.

Sleep, Perchance to Dream

A week or so ago while in the car listening to the radio I heard an interesting question. "What is your favorite or best Christmas memory," the DJ's asked. People called in relating tales of puppies, bikes, and Santa sightings. I immediately thought of Christmases when my sons were young. The BB gun Christmas, hanging stockings, reading the Autobiography of Santa, and tree topping, just to name a few. But when I tried to remember something, anything specific from my own childhood I drew a blank. Where did we hang stockings? Did we hang stockings? Where was Christmas dinner? Did we sit on Santa's lap.

Certainly, I remembered things about Christmas. I knew we had one of those shiny aluminum trees with the rotating color wheels down the basement. I remembered photographs with piles and piles of presents. I know we baked cookies, or at least I think we did. But a specific, solid memory? Nothing! All those hours I am sure my parents spent shopping, wrapping, planning, and preparing. And what did I remember? Nothing!

Thinking it was strange that I couldn't think of one memory I started asking others to share one of their Christmas memories. A friend shared a memory of getting a puppy. One Christmas her father brought home a crazy little puppy. I asked my two sons and their girlfriends. One son remembered they year they got a pinball machine. The first "big" down-the-basement surprise present. The other son remembered putting the star/angel on top of the tree.
I didn't feel any better. Other people remembered Christmas stories. Why didn't I? Well, apparently I do have at least one memory. I woke up this morning thinking of a dream I had last night about getting my first pair of earrings. Only it wasn't a dream; it was a memory. In my sleep, while I dreamed, a memory I swore did not exist came to me.

It was 6th grade. We live in a big old house in Lansdowne. I loved that house and my room. My room had the world's best ever closet. Not only was it a walk-in it also had a light and a bench. It was the perfect place to hide  from four younger siblings and a dysfunctional family. I was 12 years old with responsibilities way beyond my years. I wanted to escape, to an aunt living in London, really, to anywhere. That closet was my escape portal in so many ways.

Anyway, see what happens when memories appear? That Christmas I received this pair of 14K gold stud earrings. They had to be 14K gold as a first  pair of earrings. When I opened this box I suddenly felt grown up. I was finally allowed to get my ears pierced. And before high school! A big deal for me back in the day.

Do you have any particular Christmas memories? So sleep, perchance to dream ....

A New Year

This post is an explanation of my 365 challenge for 2103.

For those of you who know me, you know that I have made some major life changes the past two years. Both 2011 and 2012 I did not have any specific "resolutions" other than to do better. Mainly to do better at taking care of myself. I feel that I have met and in some areas exceeded those goals. So it is with trepidation  and fear of failure that I consider specific goals for 2013.

So many people say that goals must be SMART...specific, measurable, attainable,realistic and timely. Specifics help us to focus our efforts and clearly define what we are going to do. I have given this a great deal of thought over the past few days. Do I want to be specific? If I set specific goals and I do not attain them, am I then failing?

After much thought I came to the realization that being safe never led to great achievements. I tell my students that Man's grasp should exceed his reach - that's what heaven is for and that if they reach for the moon, they will wind up among the stars. It is time to start listening to my teacher encouragement and go for it!

So, what are my goals. I came up with a few quickly without much thought. But as I said before, this whole exercise has been one of thought. My previous 6+ years of Jesuit education kept whispering, and at times, shouting in my brain, "Mind, body, and spirit!" St. Ignatius of Loyola placed strong emphasis on educating the mind, body and spirit  to better be able to contribute to society. In looking up these ideals I was taken to St. Louis University, Madrid, Spain where I studied for a year - the coincidence made me feel I was somehow on the right track.



Body or physical goals were the easiest of all for me. I have three smart goals for 2013:

• ride a 100 miles on a bicycle. It doesn't matter where or how flat, or hilly. 
• Complete an Olympic Triathlon - twice the distance of the Sprints I did last year
• Complete a triathlon with an ocean swim    

I shared these goals with a wonderfully realistic and encouraging friend who suggested I add a marathon to my goals. In the spirit of pushing myself, why not?!

Mind and spirit resolutions are so much harder for me to think of. I decided to tackle mind first. I keep my mind challenged, but I have gotten lax about learning new things. I have been hyperfocused on the physical and need to remember my mind. I want to, no strike that, in 2013 I will:

• write a little every day, here on my blog, or in my journal
• read more literature, both old and new
• find a way to discuss scholarly topics- reading, writing, history

Finally I was left with spirit. Not being a religious person, I not surprisingly found this difficult. I decided that spiritual can also mean taking care of my spirit as well as others' spirits. I want to bring more joy into my life and the lives of others. To that end, I really had to think about what gives me joy. I love hearing from friends near and far,  hearing a child laugh, being outside, being with my family. So, in 2013 I will:

• purposefully find ways to contact friends and spend time with them
• listen to children and hear them
• spend time outside every day

Truly, this blog is a selfish endeavor. Some of you may have stopped reading a while ago, some may still be reading. I know that I write for myself. However, if my writing or activities inspire you to care for your mind, body, or spirit, so much the better.  If you care to encourage me on my journey this year, please know how much I appreciate each and every one your words. If I can help you on your journey, please do not ever hesitate to ask. For although we all must conclude this earthly journey on our own, we travel together until then.

 This is a picture of gorgeous butternut squash right before being roasted for soup. I chose this picture today to illustrate my goals for 2013 - doing new things, taking chances, appreciating this world. I had never chopped and roasted butternut squash. With a little help from Youtube, a semisharp knife, and a why not attitude I made some pretty good soup. Who wants some?

1-17 Bird Watching

On of my favorite spots for photographing the birds is our upstairs bathroom window. The window opens easily and in winter there is no screen to distort the image. Additionally, the window slides open smoothly and more importantly, silently. Usually the birds pay it no attention.

So, this morning I was sitting downstairs enjoying my morning breakfast when I spied a beautiful cardinal at the feeder. I quickly went upstairs to see if I could grab a good shot. The bird flew away before I, and my shadow Addie, made it up to the window.

Apparently Addie wanted to see the birds too as she then climbed up to look out the window. I love this shot where she is turning her head as if to say, " What? I'm busy."
She is such a funny joy!

1-16 Stopping by the Woods...

One of my all time favorite poems is Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost. I don't know when I first heard this poem or even why I like it so much. There is something so peaceful and majestic about it. Our backyard has this bench in our little "woods." I like to think of sitting there and watching the world go by.

1-15 Time for the Cardinals

I have had this metal anti-squirrel feeder for over 10 years. It is rusting in some places - mainly where BBs hit. We do our best to keep it full year round so as to not attract birds and then leave them hungry. All year long I am fortunate to see all types of birds. My favorite remains the cardinal in winter. There is just something so bright and cheery about the crimson plumage against a dreary winter sky.

Ancient Life Forms

Can you tell what this is? I was struggling with coming up with a photo subject as I feel that I have so many of snow and snowy scenes - dogs,birds, etc. Finally, in desperation as I sat in my car behind the ice covered windshield, I saw this. Cluster of ice stuck to the glass in spite of the blasting defrosters. Eventually, the ice melted and gave way to water - the origin of all life.

Sunrise 1- 13-11

Leaving the house just as the sun came up allowed me to witness this beautiful sight. The sky was a lovely watercolor of blues, pinks, oranges and purple. With the white snow on the ground and the houses enshadowed it made a lovely scene. Photography helps to capture the moment, but it is never the same.

Snow Day

Today was our third snow storm of the year. 6 - 8 inches of snow used to be consider a storm. However, after last year's record snowfall and major storms of 12 - 14 inches plus, 6 - 8 inches now seems like a dusting.
Today's dusting came last evening and didn't end until the wee hours of the morning. This lead to school closings and delays for may in our area.
After shoveling the front walks, (DH had wonderfully done the driveway and cars before work!) I took a walk over to the local sledding hill with the dogs. I let them play while I took some pictures of the sledders.
I really like this picture of Addie and Ahna having so much fun in the snow. They love the snow and enjoy wrestling each other. To the unknown observer their growls and snarls sound like a fight to the death. But I know that one yip of pain and the games stop on a dime.
I now have two exhausted dogs passed out dreaming of their snow day.

Deer

We have plenty of deer in our area of town. I thought these white wooden reindeer looked so pretty with their red tartan bows, the snow and the back-drop of the gaily lit bushes. It looks like a Christmas card.

Our Little Town

Growing up I lived in nine different houses in two states and many different towns. I never had a sense of "my town." When people asked where I was from I always used to say Philadelphia area.
When we had our children and were looking for a house sidewalks to a town were one of my major "wants." I am so glad we were able to find just the right house. We live on a cul-de-sac which was wonderful for our children. Additionally we, and they, have been able to walk or ride our bikes to the baseball fields, drugstore, hardware store, etc. It gave our sons an early opportunity for independence which is so often missing in our sprawling suburbia.
After the most recent snow, DH and I took a walk into town with our two dogs. It was quiet and peaceful in the "just-snowed" kind of way. I was attracted to this lovely house on the main street. Decorated for the holidays I thought it looked so warm and welcoming.

Dan and "The Girls"

As someone who grew up with dogs most, if not all, of my childhood and adolescence, I never gave dogs much of a second thought. I love dogs and think they are the ultimate human companion. I am limited in which breeds I can own because of my allergies, but I truly love all dogs.
I also love that my husband who did not grow up with dogs is such a loving dog owner.
Our first dog, Bo, a "fat" Yorkie was our first "baby." We had a lot of fun with Bo, but unfortunately not for a long time. Bo got out on the day we moved into our first house and ran. Yes, he was a runner. He ran a mile or two to River Road where unfortunately my husband saw him get hit by a van. With a broken back, there was only one, sad outcome.
Our next dog was a brief blip on our life. Picked up for the "wrong side of town" this dog, Pepper was not destined to stay long. After he snapped at our then toddling son, it was "So long, Pepper."
Dog number three was a winner - and for 17 long years. Possibly a poodle, possibly a mix, Barkley was purchased from a pet store when our older son was two. Barkley was an awesome dog who lived a long and I believe happy life.
Today, we are the people of our two "girls." With just sons, Addie and Ahna our our girls. Dan adores them and takes better care of them than you can imagine. I am sure there will be many posts this year of "the girls."

Sign of the Times

Today's picture is a sign of my times. Trying to eat in a more healthy fashion I went shopping tonight. Fruits and vegetables made up the bulk of my purchase. I rashly picked up the Green Giant "Just For One" single servings of broccoli with cheese sauce. Now, those who know me well, know that I am not a fan of vegetables. I try, honest, but I just don't like them. I can eat the starchy ones like potatoes (white and sweet), corn, and carrots. I have learned to be okay with lettuce greens, spinach greens, and celery. I would really like to branch out into other vegetables. First one to try - broccoli.

Thursday 1-6

Today's assignment was to go high contrast. I am not sure I accomplished that, but I did really think the inside of a pomegranate looked cool. I have never eaten one before. I have had the juice and enjoyed it, but I never knew how or what to do with a fresh one. This past week one of my students was eating one for snack. She explained how to prepare one. (It is really easy, just quarter.)

So, I went to the grocery store and bought two. Easy to prepare, easy to eat, and yummy. Now I just need to figure out how to eat it without getting the juice all over me. And I hope it doesn't stain.

Wednesday January 5

Today's assignment was to take a photograph of something ordinary and mundane. I played around with a penny at first because I thought that it was something so very ordinary. However, I didn't really like the way it looked in the photograph. After trying other coins and different backgrounds I chose the quarter where the United States of America is clearly visible with a reflection on the lower half. The background of black wool really set off the quarter.