#DWHabit - Difference

I think everyone wants to make a difference in their life or the life of someone else. I know that we wish for our children and students to want to make a difference.  We are starting our unit on the Holocaust and Anne Frank.  The whole idea behind this unit is to hopefully instill in my students the desire to make a difference in their world.

I hope they learn about some of the things that took place in the past and how people like Anne Frank chose to see the good in others and the world around her even with the terrible things happening to her and people like her.  I want there to be some reaction that lets me know that I can feel confidence that these students are my future.

#DWHabit - Shiny

Why is it that kids will always go for something shiny without knowing what it is, or its real value. I am reminded of the Disney show "Moana". The crab was all about being shiny. How many people go for something "shiny". It is something new that they think will make them stand out in the crowd. It could be a new job or position. It may be something they don't really want, yet they think it will put them in a better or higher position.  I guess I have never been the one that wanted something so new and  shiny. Having said that I think it is important that we let what is inside of us shine. Maybe we need to be the "shiny" thing that someone else is looking for to help them improve their own life. Maybe what we have inside  is what we need to focus on. who knows.

#DWHabit - Glow

The word glow can mean so many things and is used in so many ways.

We speak of a glow a woman has when she has just given birth or learned she is pregnant. When walking down the aisle the bride is often described as glowing. We associate it with words such as passion, warmth, brilliance.

We have the warm glow of a sunset as it sinks beneath the horizon. My favorite is the warm glow of the summer sun that is just beginning to rise. It  colors not only the world but our mood and thoughts.

For me the glow of that child who has just accomplished something they thought they could never do, is what is special to me. It doesn't matter if that child is one, eleven or older. There is a genuine glow that comes with success. So why do parents, teachers and society try so hard to stop that glow with their words and attitudes? Is it something we do unintentionally?  What will it take to say those words of encouragement to make our kids glow again.  It seems to me that the world would be a brighter place with more light within it. Don't you agree

#DWHabit - Bubbles

There is something magical about bubbles.  Kids love them. Adults love them because it brings out the kid in them.  I get my grand-kids bubbles every year for Christmas. It has been the one gift that they always love.  They can't wait to get outside and play with them.  I love the giggles that come from them.  When my children and their children were babies I would blow bubbles at them just to watch them clap and hear them giggle. When they were old enough to toddle around I would watch them chase after them and try to catch them. Even our pets would get in on the action they would try to jump and catch them in their mouth.  Yest there is something magical about bubbles. I used to wish I could climb into a giant bubble and soar into the sky. I would get a rainbow view from inside of the world. I would be carried where ever the wind would take me. Yes, I definitely still love bubbles

#DWHabit - Summer

Today's word of the day for my classroom was "summer". My students were making comments that they couldn't wait for summer.  For me as a child I loved summer because we were free to go camping or visit far away cousins. I spent most of my summer outside since we lived in the country.  At least once a week we got to go to town and swim in the public pool.  This would be a three to four hour adventure if we were lucky.  My mom would spend time with her sister. Summer was a time of imagination, running and playing. It was a time I would spend in the rafters of our corn crib reading and writing.

Then there was the garden. I couldn't wait for the tomatoes to grow large and ripe enough to eat them. We would take two buckets to the garden. One was empty for the tomatoes and the other was filled with water to wash them. There is nothing better than a hot tomato from the garden. We carried a salt shaker out with us to salt our tomatoes.

When I was in tenth grade we moved to Florida. I loved sitting on a beach listening to the waves roll in. My sunburns were more severe down here. I found I had to limit my time in the sun. We tried a garden down here. I found that the food didn't taste near as good as it did up north. I personally believe it has to do with growing food in the sand as opposed to  rich soil up north. So what do I do now that I am much older?  We have a yard swing. I love going out first thing in the morning and sitting with my writing journal and my sketch pad. I usually take a cup of coffee with me. I listen to the sounds as the day wakes up. I sketch whatever comes to my mind. This usually lead to me writing something. Summer is the time when we get to spend more time with the grand kids. I love summer and like my students, can't wait for it to get here.

#DWHabit - Imagine

Imagine a class full of students, most of them hating to write. Imagine giving them a sticky note and telling them to write five words that they like, or they think are funny, or whatever. When they return the you type them onto a list of words you are collecting to use for their Word of the Day journal entry.

That is what I did today. I decided I would let them give me the words and then put them in a random list generator. One of my students gave me the word "Iridocyclitis". I had never heard of the word. I asked him if he knew what the word meant and he said yes. It is an infection of the iris of the eye. I asked him where he had heard the word and why he chose it. It was on a meme of a spelling bee he had seen. He thought the way the kid in the video pronounced it made it funny and it stuck.  Yes I did put the word on the list.  

My students told me it was hard to write from a single word. I told them I understood it. It meant I was allowing them to be creative and to do their own thinking instead of spoon feeding what I wanted them to read and write.  One of the other students popped up with,  "Yeah, she is trying to help us become autonomous." That was one of their vocab words this week. They struggled with that word. Suddenly when he said that, they all got it. Several said, "Oh, she's trying to teach us to be independent thinkers."

I am so glad that I picked up Word of the Day again. I had no clue what I was going to write until Hector gave me that word and told me the reason he chose it was because it sounded funny. I want words to sound funny and wonderful to my students. I want them to learn to love them. Having them contribute to creating the list of words gave them buy-in. Wish I'd thought of this at the beginning of the year.  I will do this at the beginning of the year next year.  This will give me enough words for at least two school years.

#DWHabit - Perfect

Today was the perfect day to begin something new with my class. For the rest of the year their journal at the beginning of class will be a "Word of the Day" I have a calendar hanging so if they miss a day they can go back and see what it is and write. I will also post the word on Schoology so if they check it from home they will be able to see the word. 

I chose the word perfect because we often expect our students to do their work as close to perfect as possible. One student wrote "What is perfect? I know I never think my drawings are perfect."  I used her as an example of what to do. They seem to accept this form of writing easier than a lot of other writing. The reason it is so difficult to get my students to write is because they are being bombarded with essay writing. I hate that our district does this to them. They prefer round robin writing or stories attached to things like candy canes where all the prompts attached to them are about candy canes. I have a special one for them before spring break. I have key prompts tied to antique looking keys.  I can't wait to see where that one takes them. Kids don't hate writing. They hate being told what to write and being told how to make it perfect. They don't buy into this lie because they have a teacher like me who tells them we can improve it but it will never be perfect. Maybe that is why they don't fight me on the writing

#DWHabit - Sing

It is a pleasure to wake up each morning early enough to hear the birds sing. This morning there seemed to be a whole choir of them. I could hear the twitter and chirps as they called to each other. Then there was the singing of the wind as it wafted through the trees and bushes. Even the planes that fly over add their voices to the morning choir. People leaving for church and places unknown form the background music for all of this. As the sun rises more and more and the day progresses those voices become less and less. From the time I was a child, growing up on a farm in Indiana I always loved being awakened by the sound of the birds or other farm animals. I live in Florida now and it is no different. I love waking up in the summer and going out to my yard swing and listening to the birds and dogs. I watch our bees flit in and out of their box and listen to their harmony of buzzes. The lizards make no sounds that I am aware of, but their dances with each other make me feel alive.  May I never grow too old to enjoy the singing of the world as it awakens each day.

#DWHabit - Word of the Day - Candle

Candles have many purposes and symbolize so much in our lives.   They are something so simple yet can be so powerful. A watched candle can provide light in a dark room. They provide a feeling of relaxation and security. If not watched a candle can ignite an inferno. They can create a devastation so powerful to destroy everything. Candles come in many shapes and sizes. We have those creative molded versions of flowers, animals and other shapes. They come in jars and cans with lids. They come in small sizes perfect for cakes. They can be fat or skinny short or tall. When we look at candles and their purpose in our lives we have to ask what would life be without candles. Lincoln read by candle light. Churches use them for services, wedding or for prayers. We use them in our homes. Their flames chase away the darkness while their fragrance fills our homes with sweetness.
Something so simple and useful.

Let Me Be A Candle

Let me be a candle
standing straight and tall.
Let me be a candle
of use to one and all.

Let me be a candle
to brighten someone's day.
Let me be a candle
a light along the way.

Let me be a candle
that bends in times of strife.
Let me be a candle
that shows a well lived life.

Let me be a candle
who warms the coldest heart.
Let me be a candle
with wisdom to impart.

Let me be a candle
full of faith and hope and love.
Let me be a candle
for my Heavenly Father above.

Life's Journey

My life has been a roller coaster lately as we deal with my mom's health issues. Today's writing  came from  examining struggles and blessings. This is what came about.

Life’s Journey

Scrolling through the posts I watch summer journeys unfold.

I dream that one day I may be able to venture out into this world.

It is a world where others journey to far away places.

It is a world where families visit theme parks or beaches.

For now I have my own journey.

Some days I feel like I am climbing mountains.

Some days I feel I am sinking in mud.

These days are hard, yet I embrace them.

I am grateful for each of these days.

Each day is one more day I get to spend with you.

Each day is one more day to encourage you.

Each day is one more day to say I love you.

When I was young your dream journey was put on hold.

I’m sure you felt like you were climbing mountains.

Some days you may have felt like you were sinking in mud.

Yet you joyfully embraced them all.

Growing up you knew was hard.

It was full of ups and downs.

They were journeys you gladly took with us

They filled your mother’s heart.

Now I take this journey with you.

Some days are filled with ups and downs.

I joyfully walk them with you.

Your strength and tenacity fill my heart.

You show the world your strength.

You show the world your love.

Most importantly you show the world how to live.

For that we are truly blessed.

Reflection

I believe the above statement 100%.  I have the privilege of working in an IB school. Reflecting on their work is one of the most important and beneficial things students do as part of their education. I have always felt it is important. I have a "Reflection Journal" that I keep at school. I try to reflect on my teaching at least once or twice a week.  It is from this that I adjust my teaching.  Our IB lesson plan has a section where we reflect on the lesson and what we must do to prepare students before the lesson, a section where we reflect on the lesson as we are teaching it and then finally a reflection of the whole teaching unit when we have finished it.  I first learned to be a reflective teacher when I was working on my National Board Certification. That was the most beneficial piece to the whole process for me.  So it should not come as a surprise that I adapted something from college. At the end of every college course we had to complete a "teacher report card". At the end of the year I give my students the following ten questions. I ask them to be very honest and to turn them in with no names.  I then wait until the middle of the summer to pull it out and read and reflect on their answers. By waiting, I have already begun to plan for the next year and I can take what I learn and make adjustments for the next year. What follows are some of the things my students had to say.

1. Is the teacher clear and easy to follow when presenting materials?  Almost all of them said I was clear and easy to understand except when I go to fast. I tell them at the beginning that the more excited I get the faster I talk. I then ask them tell me to slow down.
2. Is the material too easy, too difficult, or just right? Most of them thought it was just right. If it was a skill or topic they were familiar with they felt it was too easy. What surprised me was the ones who thought certain lessons were too hard thanked me for challenging me.
3. Does the teacher display care and concern for students? Everyone said yes.  I not only cared about them and their education but also about them personally. If they were having a tough day or something was going on at home I let them talk.  The funniest comment was in reference to a lock down we had. My classroom has two doors so the amount of space we have to hide in is limited. Of course we had a lock down during my largest class. Thirty minutes later when all was clear my students discussed their concern. One of my students had been very chatty due to nerves. Some of the kids complained because I had to have them scrunch up against each other in tight quarters. For middle school boys and girls this can be very uncomfortable and embarrassing. So one of them asked me what I would do if it was an active shooter on campus. My reply was I would do whatever it took to keep them safe. If I had to duct tape their mouths shut and stack them one on top of the other to protect them I would.  The school officer soon walked my room with me and we found an alternate solution to the situation. I just thought this kid's response was funny.  The other thing they said about my showing I cared was how I gave all of them a chance to get their grade up. Education should be about whether they learned the content and can use it in the future and not about what kind of grade they got.
4. Does the teacher try to make learning enjoyable and interesting? The majority thought I did but I could add more learning games. One of them said I make it enjoyable because I tell them how it is and don't sugar coat it. This means if it is going to be difficult I tell them it will be and how we will work together to be successful.
5. What was the most challenging part of class for them? I got the typical answers, essays. reading, all the writing they had to do. The one that impressed me the most was a student that said, "Being open minded to all the opinions in class I am exposed to (I'm working on it) I love the challenge."  Being open minded is another tenet of the IB curriculum.
6. If you could change one thing that happened in our class, what would it be? The students asked for more partner or group assignments. Several asked for more debates and class discussions. One student added that they wanted more class discussions that the others teachers were afraid to address.  I always try to connect our lessons to what is happening in the world. If you don't allow students  to have those uncomfortable conversations (done respectfully) then how can we expect them to make decisions and have these discussion in  the future? I don't shy away from those tough topics. Maybe this is why I put banned books on my shelves. I sent home a letter to my 8th grade English 1 parents letting them know their students would be reading Laurie Halse Anderson's book "Speak" I told them it dealt with what happens when someone is raped and remains silent.  We discussed how people who don't know the whole story behind someone can become judgmental, bullies, and intolerant. These are issues they see in the news every day. Not a single parent opted out of their child reading the book. 
7. Which project did you learn the most from and why?  Most of them said the poetry unit where they had to analyze and write an essay comparing two poems. Most had never thought about poetry having themes and settings and it helped them figure out poetry.
8. What are some thing I the teacher could have done to make this year better? My favorite answer was in response to teaching Romeo and Juliet. One student replied, "Less Old English, or add puppies." My last two units were more on the creative side. I gave students choices for their final project so that those who like to write could write and those who liked to dance, draw, create music could do so. I also gave for their last unit a step by step guide with due dates. They loved this and recommended I do this for all major projects. What surprised me was they wanted more tips on writing essays and, "More practice writing stories and understanding the emotion the story is putting into words to understand the story itself."
9. What advice would you give to students who would have me next year? "Explore who you are and take time to enjoy the work and atmosphere in this class." "Take time to get used to how the teacher operates."  "Be patient and understanding because the teacher is just doing her job."
10. How can I improve further? To me this is one of the most important questions. This is how my students answered.  "Give them more to look forward to. Allow them to read out loud more. Have more deep discussion that involve everyone and their opinions. Compliment the class at least once a week. Try to relate to the kids a bit more. Give more background info on the topic we are about to cover. Keep working with and encouraging the kids that don't want to work   .: This is my favorite because I try to live this every day. "I think if you keep making your students believe we can achieve something, that we are human beings who have dreams and wishes, to teach them with fairness and justice and never make them choose YOUR side, but defend their own side, then they can't help but learn in your class."

It is an answer like the last one that make me so proud of my students.  I have looked at these things and made some changes to my lessons and what I want to accomplish. I want to  bring more cooperative learning in to my class.  When you grow up where you were taught to do your own work and there was very little cooperative learning, it is difficult to change. I consider change a part of growing in my profession.  Looking at how I need to implement change has charged me up for next year which starts in about five weeks.  I would not have been able to make these changes had it not been for me practicing reflection. Reflection is a process everyone should utilize.                                                                   

#DWHabit Word of the Day is Block

*Warning - this post may seem to be a bit more of a downer than usual.*


I sat in the hospital room with my mother listening to her tell me about her night.  I wanted to block out all of her discomfort and pain, all of her frustration.  I wanted to block out the phone conversation she'd had the night before she ended up in the hospital. The call came at 10:30 that night. I know the motive behind the conversation. It is always the same. It creates worry in my mom about things she can't do anything about. It worries her that my sister paints such a horrible picture of her life, her daughter's life and her grandchildren's life. She lays this burden on my mom. My mom gives advice that she knows will go unheeded. It is always followed by  my mom telling her to put the problems in God's hands.  Then my mom goes to bed stressed and worried all night.

I walked out of my mom's hospital room today with her preacher. He hugged me and asked how I was doing. I told him I was hanging in there and just wanted my mom to get better. I know that eventually things will get worse with her health and she will leave us. However, I would like to keep her around a while longer.  I told the pastor about my sister's phone call.  I asked him, "How do you block your sister?"  He told me I can't, but I can monitor things and take control of my mom's phone.

I would love to block all of the things that cause my mom stress. I would love to block the pain and illness she is going through. I can't anymore than anyone else can block the bad things that happen in their lives. Besides, if we block everything out, how can we ever hope to raise people up. Blocks are walls we build. They may start out tiny and continue to grow. Maybe we need to learn how to deal with those negative things that block our relationship with God and others. Maybe then we will know true happiness.

A Child's Imagination: The Floating Fruit Sandwich

https://www.livetheadventureletter.com/education-history/5-ways-to-build-your-childs-imagination/


Today was my mother's 86th birthday.  My daughter, husband and four kids came up for a visit. Visits are not real regular even though they only live an hour south of me. Both work such long hours. Their children are Haylee age 12, Jacob age 7, Greyson age 3, Roland age 2. Haylee has written with me in the past. Today I saw a new talent in the family. While eating lunch I looked at Greyson and asked him what he was eating. We had some fresh pineapple and he was chowing down on it. Suddenly he took two crackers and put a chunk of pineapple between them and said, "It's a fruit sandwich."
Here is the rest of the conversation.

Me:  "A fruit sandwich?"
Greyson: "A floating fruit sandwich."
Me: "Oh a floating fruit sandwich." He suddenly lays it on the floor.
Greyson:  "It crashed. A giant tiger with giant claws hit it and knocked it to the ground."
Me: "A giant tiger?"  At this point the the floating fruit sandwich is once again floating.
Greyson:  "A spaceship came down and lifted the floating fruit sandwich into the sky."

At this point there are two fingers on top of the top cracker. He looks at me and says. "See the tiger is on the floating fruit sandwich."

At this point one of the fingers starts tapping on the cracker and the floating fruit sandwich and the sandwich starts wavering. He says, "Oh no the tiger with the big claws is jumping up trying to hit the spaceship." The floating fruit sandwich slips back down to his plate. He picks it up and says. "The tiger with the giant  claws fell off the floating fruit sandwich." He bit into the floating fruit sandwich and said, "See, the alien ate the floating fruit sandwich."

Our whole day was full of Greyson telling stories. He kept my mother laughing all day. He is only 3. I looked at my mom and said, "Can you imagine what it will be like when Greyson and Haylee decide to tell stories together?"

Liberated

Liberated, Set Free!  That's how I felt when I woke up this morning.  Although I have been writing every day; I have not felt the freedom to just write the way I want to, or the things I want to. Life has been very hectic for the last few weeks.  My mother has not been doing well. Waiting on her hand and foot because she is unable to do anything eats up your creative time. Before you go jumping on me for sounding so cruel hear me out. In April my mother fell in our bathroom and broke a rib. Because she takes blood thinners they took x-rays. This let to a PET and CT scan. This was followed by a biopsy. They discovered a mass in her lung that turned out to be stage 3 cancer. She has chosen at age 86 to have nothing done. She is a strong and stubborn woman and I love her very much.  Two weeks ago she woke up unable to breathe well. She asked us to take her to her doctor. She was in congestive heart failure so they gave her medicine.  This has resulted in 2-3 trips each week because the meds messed her  up. Then her blood pressure was too high, then way, way too low. She is so weak and confused she has been able to make it only to her chair, bathroom and bed. I've waited on her hand and foot.  This means about the time I get anything started she would need help with something. I was still writing in small snatches, but there were no long periods of time or continuity. So I took a challenge from Teach Write, LLC on June 11th. The challenge was to try something new  in our writing. I usually write realistic fiction.  I decided to work on a ghost story idea that has been floating around in my brain for a couple of years. The small bits of writing I would do throughout the day usually happened after  a conversation with my mom. She would say something out of the blue, reminiscing about the farm we had up north. Then she would start in on the house. That is where the idea for this story originated, the house.

Below is a piece of writing I submitted with my application for the STAR program at the Hermitage Artist Retreat. This piece was one of the things they asked me  about after I was awarded the residency.  I told them that it was a piece that came to me in a dream and when the muses were ready for me to write it they would let me know. Here is what I submitted.

They say there is no such thing as ghosts or haunted houses.  They are wrong.  I know, because I grew up in one.  Mine is not an unusual story.  It is not even that terrifying.  It just is.  This is a fact I have come to accept.  As a child growing up in Bluebell, Idaho I had few friends because of that house. 

  From the outside the house was a typical, two story farm house. My father inherited it when his grandmother passed away.  He repaired and fixed it up.  It stood out on the hilltop.  You could see It’s gabled roof a mile away.  The inside was a different story. 

Even now I lay awake listening, watching, waiting, for it.  I’ve been waiting since I moved out of that house.  I knew it was only a matter of time.  That time is now.  Both of my parents are gone.  A drunk driver took them away from me.  Now the house is calling me.  I hear it in the middle of the night, I see it in my dreams.  It waits for me, calling me to return.  I don’t want to.  I don’t know why it calls me.  Sometimes the shadows visit me.  In school my friends used to tease me when I told them about the shadows.  Then they would visit my house.  No one teased me after that.  Instead they stayed away from me.  It is as if they were afraid the shadows would follow them.

When I accepted the challenge this week, this story popped back up, but with a twist.  Now it is a middle grade story with excerpts from from the main character's mother's journal. I wrote bits a pieces, ideas and phrases throughout the week.  Come back tomorrow to read the beginning of my new middle grade novel, "The House That Haunts Me" You will be able to see what came of all of that writing when I put it together. After you have read it please write and let me know what you think. I want honesty when you reply. Suggestions are always welcome.  Thank you in advance. Looking forward to sharing with you tomorrow.

#DWHabit - Word of the Day - Courage

Today's word for for Daily Writing Habit is Courage.  This is one of my favorite words. Why? because I live by courage. As an extremely shy teenager growing up in the country I hid behind my writing. When my family would go camping I was fine playing with other kids around our campsite. However, I was never the one to make the first introduction. I tagged along after my older sister. When I got to school I hid behind reading. In first grade I chose to sit at recess and tutor those who struggled to read instead of getting out in the crowd of kids on the playground. I made friends. I had plenty of them. The problem was that as I grew older I kept close to that handful of kids. Middle School was difficult. I had one or two friends and if they weren't there I sat and read or wrote stories. However, I never shared those stories with others. What if they weren't good enough. When I moved to Florida my tenth grade year of high school it was really bad. I new a lot of people at the end of that first year, yet I chose to be friends with only one or two kids.  Micky Thompson was not someone I hung out with. He was someone I was good friends with. He was the first one to get me to talk to others. He was captain of the football team. I didn't think they would talk with people like me, you know the unpopular, not in the right clique people. He is the one who told me I have to learn to just open my mouth and not be afraid.  The class I met him in was the very class that almost ruined me. I had a teacher who had us write a story for history. I did. I poured my heart and soul into it. It broke my heart when I read it to the class and she said in front of everyone that it was a good thing I wanted to be a teacher because I'd never make it as a writer.  I believed her. She was the one who also taught me that I would never tell a kid what they could not do.  She didn't know me.

Nine-eleven happened and a story burned hot in my mind and soul, yet I didn't have the courage to write it. My husband believed in me and that is why "Steps to Courage" was written. I learned a lot about me by writing that fictional account of three teens who find themselves in the Twin Towers on 9/11.   Every day I am faced with new challenges and every day I have to take a deep breath and step out of my comfort zone. This is terrifying. That takes courage. Courage is doing what terrifies you the most because you want it and aren't going to let anything stand in your way.  I tell that child or teen who loves to write and has so many issues with their writing, or their first language isn't English, that I believe they have the bones of a great story. Then I show them some things they can do that can improve it. It takes courage to open up yourself to others.

Yesterday was the last day of school for our students.  I saw one of the most courageous sites ever. One of our graduating eighth graders took the biggest risk of his life. He is one of the smartest kids I know and yet his autism makes it difficult to try things that are of a sensory nature.  After our graduation ceremony and lunch the eighth graders had a dance. I watched in awe as this young man got out on the dance floor. Of course when he approached me I was shocked. I assumed he had gone home because he has problems with loud sounds. There he stood with cotton in his ears dancing. He participated in the different types of dances including the line dances. He did his best imitation of Michael Jackson's moon walk along with the other kids when the DJ asked for them to show it. He did all of this on his own, standing by himself.  Then I watched something miraculous happen. Because he was courageous enough to step out of his comfort zone onto that dance floor, other students came over and danced with him, showing him other moves. Was he the most graceful? No.  He had some fancy dance steps. I learned he had taken some dance classes over the summer. He and his mother have both stepped out of their comfort zones and pursued classes they felt would help them.  I look at students like this wonderful young man and ask myself how I can show other students my courage by doing things that are not in my comfort zone. Courage is my favorite word because I have to remind myself daily that I have to step out even though I am fearful. It takes courage to live doing things that are difficult. I tell my students that "Courage always begins with the first step." I take that step every morning. What does courage mean to you?

#DWHabit: A Poem: God's Canvas

Come sit with me.

Gaze at all that God created.

Find a sky of crimson and gold

with clouds that form mountains 

Sit and sip from nature’s bountiful table.

All the beauty your eyes behold,

the gold and crimson colors

was painted on the sky’s canvas.

Sip from the well-spring of beauty

That cools and soothes the burning soul

Sip from all that God has provided

Through nature’s beauty.

#DWHabit: Word of the Day: Sun

Several years ago I had some major eye problems.  I was losing my vision. I had a total of five eye surgeries.  The first one was the most crucial. I was told there was a 50% chance I would lose my vision. My husband asked if there was anything I wanted to do. I told him there were several things I wanted to do just in case. My school made sure I went on the class field trip to the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, FL.  It is one of my favorite places. The John and Mabel Ringling Mansion sits on the bay.  We lived just a couple of blocks away from it so we spent a lot of time there. The only other things I wanted to do was to visit some of my favorite nature parks and watch as many sunrises and sunsets as I could.  Florida has some of the best of both.  Last year I was awarded three weeks at the Hermitage Artist Retreat to write.  I had the gulf on one side and the bay across the road.  I woke to the sun shining in my window. Every evening I had a front row seat to some of the most spectacular sunsets ever. The picture above was taken from the beach outside my cottage. If you didn't know better you might think this was a lake with a mountain in the background. Those are nothing more than clouds.  For me the sun not only warms my face and body but also warms my heart and soul. It doesn't matter if it is the sunrise or the sunset. I leave for work every morning before the sun rises. I walk into my room just as the sun begins to rise. My classroom windows face the east.  I get to see some of the most spectacular sunrises every morning. The trees look black against the sunrise. Then the sun creeps higher and light spills over the land showing the world in which I work in all of its glory.  This is usually followed by birds who fly to the palm trees around the property, or the water birds who wade in the ponds around the school. The sun is so much to me. It is a fresh beginning each day and each evening it is a kiss goodnight. I always have and always will love the sun's rise and setting each day.

#DWHabit: Word of the Day: Elated

I love working with students. I especially love it when you can turn a student on to something that they have announced they hate.  As a book reviewer I often get advanced reader copies. My students know this but just ignore it.  However, I recently received a book that I thought was phenomenal.  I was telling my students about it and one asked to read it. Today I brought the book in for that student. I put a picture and the book blurb on my computer to project it for my students.  Then at my department meeting this morning I told my teachers about the book. I told them it is one they will want to purchase for their classrooms when it comes out in May. I also told our media specialist.  When my meeting was over, two of my teachers picked up the book and started discussing who was going to take it home with them. I hated to break it to them that it was already checked out to a student.  I told that story to my second period class after showing them the cover and blurb. I told them that after Spring Break I would start a check out list. One of my students jumped up knocking his chair over. He yelled,  "Me, Me, I want to read it first."  I just cracked up. I told him since this was the first time I'd seen him excited about any book I would put him down to be first.  I have a list of students already who want to read it. There is so little time left for all of them to read it.  I am so elated that a book could do this to a student.

My great day didn't end there.  Two periods later a student ran up to me and said, "I got this book yesterday and read it last night. Do you have anything else by this author?" I found her the only other book I had by that author. She asked me to check Amazon. When I did I ended up ordering two other books. All of a sudden I had several students at my desk wanting to know what book she was talking about and could they read it.

There is nothing that can put me on cloud nine like watching kids talk excitedly about books which creates excitement in others.  It is even better when the people they inspire are my struggling readers.  The lowest reader in our school is one of my students. Our librarian told me yesterday that over the pasts week he has checked out and read eight books.  If we could only convince students that the more they read the better they will get.

I think I will probably go to bed and wake up tomorrow and find myself still on Cloud Nine.  What will it take to elate you?

#DWHabit: Word of the Day: Frustrated

FRUSTRATION

When life gets difficult I need to remember to write.
It is hard to believe that it has been almost a month since I have written here.  I have been so frustrated. Sometimes life gets in the way. I had a teacher in my department take an emergency leave of absence that ended up with her resigning. It meant that I had to pick up the slack and grade her papers for the assignments we created for her classes.  Just as we reached a solution and I felt I could breathe again my husband called to tell me that he was on the way to the hospital with my mom because she had fallen. She broke a rib. The CT scan showed the broken rib and a mass in her lung.  Two days later as my husband was bringing her home he got a call from his mom. She was in the hospital in a town just north of us.  Since my mom couldn't be left alone I would rush home from work so my husband could leave and try to do some of his work. One of his jobs is bee removal. He does most of that before sunset. Every time I sat down to write my mom would need something. I tried to write during my planning period at work but I seemed to have a revolving door. One of my students asked if I had gotten any writing done. I asked them why and was told that when I don't get a chance to write for a while I seem grumpy.  I told my husband what my student had said and he agreed with my student. I have let lesson plans go and started work on my novel again. I seem to be more relaxed. This doesn't mean I don't write lesson plans. It means that I don't come home from work and do nothing but more work. I have got to maintain that balance in my life. My mom is going in for a biopsy. They have already told her that they are sure it is cancer. This means my writing will get me through this next frustrating ordeal. I have felt alone out here since not writing. I realize that my life is so connected to those who write.

My question is this. Do you find writing something that helps keep you sane?  Why do you write?

#DWHabit: Word of the Day - Fascinate

WARNING!!! TEACHER RANT AHEAD

I am fascinated with the lengths students will go to get out of class.  Today’s assignment was simple. The students were to write positive letters to the students at Marjorie Stoneman High in Parkland, Florida. This was a request made by a teacher at that school from teachers/students around the country. The letters were not supposed to mention details of the events. It was simply a short letter letting them know that they were loved, wrapped in hugs and that students across the state were thinking about them and sending positive thoughts and hugs.  Somehow after that class was over and the next period had started writing their letters things fell apart. Administration called to say they had students from my first period all upset to the point that they thought they would need to bring in more counselors.  The students were demonstrating one of the IB Learner Profiles by writing letters to the school expressing they care.  This was a ploy  by a small group to skip their next class. So I guess that it will always fascinate me that there are some students who are so adept at manipulating things that they would do this. Shame on them. They lost out on an opportunity to share love with those who are hurting.  All it took was three students to ruin it for 146 of my students and all of those who are hurting across the state.  I have better things to be fascinated by, such as why some honey bees are very sweet and calm and others are not. Why my husband, who grew up in big cities and apartments can grow and propagate just about anything and why I who grew up on a farm can’t.  Those are the things I want to be fascinated about, not how a handful of students can manipulate the administration.