As I grow older, I often think about how I want to be remembered: for the art I make, for the poems I write, for the work I’ve done for over four decades. Yes, all of that. But this past weekend I was reminded about what is most important to me.
Category: Champions
Safe Travels!
I love to drive probably stemming from the fact that I have a hard time sitting still. I love to move. I love traveling to new places and seeing this beautiful country.
Small Joy: Things to Look Forward to
But the truth is I’m mentally and physically exhausted. Where writing usually energizes me, I found it to be a daunting task. So I let myself take a break, and now I find it’s hard to get back into the flow. What do I write about? What uplifting story can I tell? I do not know.
Sew Easy: Lessons in Perseverance
There are three rites of passage in the Wonder Studio: using the hot glue gun, working a hack saw, and learning to sew. The joyful expressions on students’ faces as they learn these skills are salve for my weary teacher’s soul.
Inside the Wonder Studio: A Space for Mistakes
When I conceived of the Wonder Studio eight years ago, I thought of a space where students could go to create and play with craft and building materials. I wanted the kids to have freedom to think up an idea and create it. Their projects were not made by following directions. They were made by experimenting and tinkering; trying out an idea and changing it.
Inside the Wonder Studio: Life in Miniature
This month in the Wonder Studio, the 5th graders have been working on a small scale. No one mandated that they do so. They all just started making tiny projects.
Object Connections: Janet Wong’s Poetry
Last week, I had an opportunity to attend a poetry workshop presented by Janet Wong and sponsored by Rutgers University Center for Literacy Development, which is directed by Dr. Lesley Morrow.
A Gift for Story
John Schu has a gift for story, and he wants to share it with EVERYONE he meets. Throughout the hour, John drew us in and told us his story through the books he’s read. His mission is to connect readers to stories that will affect and change their lives.
Rainbow Writing with Kindergarteners
I count myself fortunate. My busy job includes spending time with kindergarten writers and there is no greater joy than that. Since September, these novice writers have grown steadily.
A More Beautiful Question Revisited
Almost a decade after reading Warren Berger’s A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas, I decided to re-read it, since it is such a thought-provoking book. I’m reading it in little pieces now, savoring each idea! One nugget I read this week was about the amount of questions children ask. … Continue reading A More Beautiful Question Revisited
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 