Since I was a child, I’ve measured my success by all the small moments I’ve had connecting to people through personal interactions and poetry. Connection to me equaled success. Oh sure, I had thoughts of fame and money but that all fell away as I matured. It’s not that I lost my ambition, it’s just … Continue reading A Measure of Success
Category: Learning Differences
Working in the Wonder Studio: Self-Reliance
I know people sometimes look at the things the Wonder Studio makers have created and see just a mess of paint and glue and cardboard. But I see treasure, pure childlike imaginative treasure. And in that treasure, I see creativity, determination, and resourcefulness, which will stay with them a lifetime. And that makes all the difference!
Joy-filled Reading
Learning to read is difficult work. There are 26 letters, each having one or more sounds. Reading is blending the sounds into words to make meaning. It is a long and slow process. And I recall many faces filled with joy as they read their first words and sentences It was a complete light of satisfaction upon young faces.
How I’d Like to be Remembered
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.
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: 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.
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
Good Morning, Little Writers!: Conferring in 1st Grade
Every Tuesday morning, I start my day in writing workshop with 1st graders. This week, they have been composing narratives about fall. Almost everyone is on their final drafts. Almost everyone, but M., who hasn’t even yet begun. These are the kind of writers I have the privilege to support. I love this challenge. I love to figure what these small writers need and build a road map with them to set them off on their long writing journey.
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 