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Saturday, May 3, 2014

Celebrate Good Times, Come On! - 5/3


Each Saturday  Ruth Ayres invites us to share and celebrate events, big or small, from our week. Looking for celebrations has certainly improved my outlook on life. For that, I am certainly grateful to Ruth and to all of you who choose to celebrate with me.
Celebrations at School

Saturday we had our annual Challenge Research Fair for our high ability students. The students have spent a better part of our school year researching a topic which culminates with a 20 minute presentation in front of three judges.  We had 15 students participating, and I am always amazed at the talent and potential of these students.

Evel Knievel

Faith Ringgold - Author of Tar Beach

We also completed a research project on a much smaller scale in my classroom.  
My students picked a topic and spent several days researching.  Talk about engagement!  The final project was a file folder report and presentations to the class.  


Friday we finished our state standardized testing.  I feel very positive about our results because my students worked extremely hard!  I am so proud of the effort they gave.  
Celebrations at Home

This week we bought a third car.  We are a household of four drivers with four different schedules - each day we all go in a different direction - and two and a half vehicles.  A half vehicle?  My husband has a truck - a 1987 dodge Ram which he has completely overhauled.  The problem is that he doesn't want to drive it and will only drive it in extreme emergency situations.  So, buying this car is a huge celebration!

 My summer calendar is starting to fill up.  I signed up to go to Edcamp Indy and All Write! and I am so excited!  Looking at going to Scholastic Reading Summit in St. Louis.  Anyone going or have gone to one of these?

Last night my daughter and I had a girl's night.  We ate at a Mexican restaurant and talked education!  She is finishing up her third year as an education student and it is exciting to talk "shop" with her.  She will student teach next year, and I don't know which one of us is more nervous.

 I hope you have a great week and find many celebrations!
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13 comments:

  1. elsieMay 3, 2014 at 9:21 AM

    Engaged students is a great celebration, plus a new car, and dinner with your daughter makes this a sweet way to end a week.

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  2. Linda BMay 3, 2014 at 9:30 AM

    The displays by the students look great, Leigh Anne, so happy you got that needed car, and I'm going to All-Write too. I'll look forward to getting together!

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  3. Michele KnottMay 3, 2014 at 9:57 AM

    Great celebrations! I'm enjoying my time with my 8 year old daughter, but I know great adventures are on our horizon! Love seeing those engaged students :)

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  4. LoraleeMay 3, 2014 at 10:10 AM

    Wow! Your students are doing exciting things!

    Happy Celebrations!

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  5. Carrie GelsonMay 3, 2014 at 10:27 AM

    The presentations look wonderful. I love how the girl presenting about Faith Ringgold wore an artist's smock. Amazing research happening in your room! The kids look so serious about it all.

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  6. RamonaMay 3, 2014 at 11:46 AM

    So much to celebrate. I'd love to hear more about those file folder reports. I'm having to scale back a research project (never enough time), and those sound interesting. Dinner with your daughter! I haven't seen mine in 7 months, but thank goodness for Face Time. You'll love All Write! I wish I could come this year, but we're still in school.

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  7. Amy RuddMay 3, 2014 at 3:11 PM

    What a great week! Thanks for sharing about their research projects. Will you share them with the world too?

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  8. Holly MuellerMay 3, 2014 at 4:14 PM

    These celebrations are all great! Those research projects look amazing! Buying a third car will make your life much easier. :-) I debated on going to All Write! but it will have to wait until next summer. It's amazing how fast the summer schedule gets filled up!

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  9. Margaret SimonMay 3, 2014 at 4:57 PM

    So much good, hard work coming to fruition. Congratulations. Feeling good about testing is also a cause to celebrate. I thought about All Write because I will be in Chicago the weekend before as my daughter graduates, but plans became complicated. I look forward to hearing about your experiences this summer.

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  10. JenniferMay 3, 2014 at 6:22 PM

    Leigh, Wonderful things to celebrate both at school and at home. My daughter will be graduating this month with her education undergrad. It has been fun watching and learning from her journey. She loved her student teaching experience (phew!). Your summer plans sound as if you will be inspired and engaged!

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  11. AnonymousMay 3, 2014 at 8:03 PM

    Sounds like a great week. Thank you for telling me about the Scholastic thing. I'm going to check it out. That's close to me. I'm glad we will be able to connect in person this summer. I'm going to All Write, and I will keep you posted on the Scholastic thing.

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  12. Clare LandriganMay 4, 2014 at 8:41 PM

    I the engagement in your classroom -- you can almost feel it in the pictures. Congrats on the third car -- not sure I am ready to have a driver in my family so it gives me hope that you are excited for an additional car.
    Clare

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  13. Terje May 5, 2014 at 10:42 AM

    Fabulous school pics - the learning and the grand presentations. It must feel good to talk education with your daughter.

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