BELONGING - Oxford defines belonging as an affinity for a place or situation. Webster says it means a possession or a close or intimate relationship. I’ve been reflecting on what it means to belong this week. I am getting older. I could and have said this at any age, but now approaching sixty-five, now it is a very true statement. I feel it, especially with the holidays upon us and my family members quarantined and scattered across the country. Actually, I have yearned to belong since I was quite young. It’s a human thing. We all need connection.
Author: wordancerblog
I am currently an ELA Curriculum Coordinator (JPK-5th grade) and have been an educator for 40 years. Over the years, I've worked with students in pre-school to 12th grade. The power of story, creativity, and curiosity have kept teaching and learning exciting and new. I'm always looking forward to the next chapter!
Simple Gifts: Balloons, Fox Traps, and Marvelous Medicine
At this time of Thanksgiving, I want to pause and reflect upon the simple gifts for which I am grateful. When I think back, I realize that my grateful moments revolve around books and children. For the last forty-two years, I have been so fortunate to build my life around serving children and celebrating stories.
Magic & Imagination in a Box
Magic & Imagination in a Box - A few weeks ago, one of my colleagues showed me the great gallery of objects her 4th grade students had created. I decided the 4th graders each needed a box of objects with which to create - fidgetneering boxes.
Signs of Fall – Listen, Look
I turn to nature for solace, observing the season’s steady change: her flamboyant turn from green to scarlet to amber to tangerine, and the final turn to gray and rusted brown. I seek beauty in the decay.
Fidget to Think
Fidget to Think - I wanted to honor students' need to move. I also wanted to create a space for them to really think about why they fidget and what strategies they could use to both keep moving while also actively listen
Add. Change. Remove.
Add. Change. Remove. This is a strategy we use in our 2nd grade writing workshop to explain the revision process. In the lesson, which I think originally was an idea from a Six Traits lesson, the students create with Play-Doh and then at various intervals are asked to add something to their creation.
Relentless Hope: The Power Of an Avocado
For the last couple of weeks, I have been reminded of the fragility of the human spirit and the power of hope. But it is more than hope. Hope seems more passive to me now. I hope I will be healthy and happy, but how do I going about putting that hope into action. What … Continue reading Relentless Hope: The Power Of an Avocado
Kitchen Literacy: Fall Treats
Kitchen Literacy: When adults invite children into the kitchen to cook, they provide memorable experiences. When the recipe is connected to literature, children become more involved in reading as a form of enjoyment. They are intrigued by the comforting, adventurous, and magical qualities food has in these stories. Children feel a great sense of accomplishment as they open the oven door and see the results of their efforts.
Magic on the Page: Encouraging Reluctant Writers
Magic on the Page: Encouraging Reluctant Writers - The classroom was a quiet buzz of pencils on paper...Everyone seemed to have an idea of what to do, and then one go stuck. What do you do when someone gets stuck in her writing?
Room to Read
I love having the opportunity to read and write with children and figure out why they are having trouble. I calm my monkey mind and I focus in on the student reader.
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 