I have been writing this blog every week since April 11th. That is three months and that is a record for me. I love to write, but I have always written in fits and starts. I have hundreds of beautiful notebooks with 3, 5, or 20 pages written in them, but I have rarely filled … Continue reading Remember
Tag: encouragement
A Pause for Celebration
“Sorrow comes in great waves...but rolls over us, and though it may almost smother us, it leaves us. And we know that if it is strong, we are stronger, inasmuch as it passes and we remain.” - Henry James After the events of the past weeks: the COVID pandemic, George Floyd’s murder, rioting and … Continue reading A Pause for Celebration
Invitations to Wonder…
Last week, Ruth Ayers invited her online writing group (SOS: Sharing Our Stories) to write about 7 small things. Instead, I chose to write about anger. Anger is not a small thing. Anger is a big thing, an explosive thing. It starts small and then grows. As I read some members' blog posts this week, … Continue reading Invitations to Wonder…
Poet Found: Ross Gay
Back in February, I bought a slim volume of poetry because I loved the cover - a bright floral abstract and the title, Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay. I flipped to the first page - a poem about figs. Figs - my Grandpa Charlie's favorite and my favorite too. I often splurge and buy … Continue reading Poet Found: Ross Gay
Write What You Notice
I recently attended a teacher's workshop presented by Penny Kittle at Rutgers University sponsored by Rutgers Center for Literacy Development. I've seen Penny many times. Usually, she talks to teachers about creating reading and writing workshop spaces in high school classes. Penny was a high school English teacher in New Hampshire and her mentor was … Continue reading Write What You Notice
Being Present to Joy
My colleagues worry about not having time enough to teach. They have so much content they need and want to cover. As a curriculum coordinator, I create tons of documents - benchmarks, scope & sequences, lists of standards by grade level to make sure we don't miss teaching one single skill or strategy. This is … Continue reading Being Present to Joy
Seeing Possibility
This post centers around seeing students' possibilities instead of their deficits. When teachers and parents can do that, a student's motivation increases and they are able to become more successful, seeing themselves in a strong and positive light.
A Great Way to Start the Day
For the first couple of weeks of school this year, I stared my work day in the Junior Pre-K with a vivacious group of three-year-olds. Those morning were filled with joy. This is my 40th year of teaching. My first six years in this profession was happily spent in a cooperative nursery school whose mission … Continue reading A Great Way to Start the Day
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 