I Need a Good Book! #SOL20

I received an email Sunday with the subject: "I need a good book."

Hmmm...this should be interesting as we are not in school right now.

This email from my student went on to say, "Remember how you said at the beginning of the year you wanted to get to know our personalities so you can help us pick out books. Well, I think you know me pretty well, and I need help finding a book that I will stick with and enjoy.

Yes, you do have trouble sticking with a book, and I know you help with this.  But how am I going to help you when I can no longer physically suggest and hand books from our classroom library to you?

"The last book I read was A Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, and that was a great book. Now I need a new one. If you know of any good books you think I will enjoy reading, please send them to me because I'm in need of a good book."

Yes, Long Way Down is a great book. 

Do I know of any good books?!? Of course, I do, but how am I going to get you a book?  

I suggested a new-author-to-me, Elizabeth Eulberg, whose books I won in a Twitter giveaway and look really good. But still, how would I get them to her. Then I suggested The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. I told her about the online app from our public library and suggested that she try it.

My heart was breaking because here was a student who needed my help with choosing a book, and I could not look at our classroom library, pull out book after book, and make suggestions. I take this part of my job seriously, and I felt hopeless.

I did what I could with what I had.

Today I get another email with the subject:  I found a book! 

She used our online app from the library and checked out The Poet X. I know she will LOVE this one! 

She ended the email, "I hope we get back to school soon."

Yes, so do I.

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

A Short Game Day #SOL20

A silver lining to the pandemic is the time families are spending together. I have read so many stories of parents and children taking walks together and talking. I mean really talking. Families are reading and writing together. Families are playing games and learning new things. 

My children were home one day this week. Megan is a teacher, and Ethan is a behavior coach who works with at-risk kids, so they are both working from home. Ethan lives an hour away and while he was home, they decided to play a game together.

"Do you want to play Mancala?" 

"Sure."

He goes and gets the game out of the closet and sets it up. He goes first.

"What are you doing? That's not how you play?"

"Yes, it is."

"Why did you take those?"

"Because you can do that when a spot is empty."

"No, you can't. I'm not playing anymore. You are making up the rules."

"No, I'm not."

I ask, "Are the rules in the box? Read them." Sounds like a logical thing to do when there is a disagreement over the rules.

He looks in the box and pulls out the rules. He takes a minute to read them and then puts the game away.

"Hmmm..." I think. "I wonder who was right?" I knew better than to ask.

And did I mention that my children are 27 and 23 years old?

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

And of Course, She Did #SOL20

We have been on spring break this week, so this whole eLearning has not been a focus for me...yet. However, I did put out a post on our Team Facebook Page with a Padlet for kids to share writing. 

An email arrived in my inbox Friday night from a student asking what I wanted her to write about in this space. I told her it was a free write, and she could write about anything she wanted.

I knew Kyndall several years before she became my student. She went to a summer camp for high ability students and was in several of my creative writing sessions. Kyndall loves to write poetry and often asks if she can write when we have a few extra minutes during class. We emailed back and forth for a while, and I got tickled when she asked if she could write more than one on the Padlet. 

And of course, she did!

I shared a poem that I had written about middle school love notes with nothing but questions. I suggested that she might try this craft move too. 

And of course, she did!

I went back to copy her poem so that I could share it with you here today and to see if she had written any others.

And of course, she did!

Here are two that I have chosen to share with you today.

Thoughts

I have a story 
and it has many pages 
I flip the page of my story 
my curiosity awakens 
I look at the page
and my eyes open
wondering
thinking 
I think more and more
until my story opens 
and until my imagination has blown
Creating a wonderful world 
with its powerful words 
on this page I can see
it can give me a place to go 
when I have no where 
I feel opened 
I feel happy 
I feel like the world has melted away 
and it gives me a space to grow and to play
where I can let my imagination 
soar 
And fly away

Sometimes

sometimes you look everywhere 
sometimes you can't quite find yourself 
sometimes you look inside and out
to gather yourself
and sometimes 
when you gather yourself 
you find yourself

Many of the poems Kyndall wrote deal with middle school problems - feeling alone and finding themselves. Looking forward, I know as a teacher I need to find more ways for students to express themselves through poetry. I am honored that Kyndall has let me share her writing on my blog and blessed to have read it.

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

You're Invited to a Spring Fling #SOL20

In the past couple of years of the Slice of Life March Challenge, I have held a party to kick the month off. I didn't do that this year but have been asked to host one again. Here's a look at the party in 2018 and in 2017.

At the beginning of the month, none of us had any idea we would be where we are today, and I think we all need a virtual party. With it being the first day of spring, why not have a Spring Fling. And since our lives have been turned upside-down, I thought a self-care party was something we could all use right now.

So imagine all of us sitting on the beach, or on my front porch, or in the mountains, or anywhere you want to imagine with no virus looming in our lives and sharing ways to better care for ourselves. How powerful would that be! 

Here are my ideas I want to share:

1. Write - Being a part of the #100DaysofNotebooking group has taught me that writing is very therapeutic. Writing helps me to work through the rough times in my own life and think about what really matters. It helps me to reflect and identify what I have learned along the way.
2. Take a bath - being in water has always had a calming effect on me. Pour in a little fragrant bubble bath and Mr. Teal's Sleep Lotion, I am set. 
3. Get outside - I think it will become even more important to find some time to go outdoors, to breathe, and to lean into those people who matter most. 

Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope you consider joining me sometime during these last 11 days and bring along a few friends. The more who participate, the more fun the party! Don't forget to RSVP when you post by either commenting here or tweeting me @Teachr4.  That way I can include you in this post and we can all share how we are practicing self-care.

And if you feel the need for a hostess gift, toilet paper is acceptable!

Welcome friends, new and old!

Terje from Just for a Month

Carol from Beyond Literacy Link

Deb from Coffee with Chloe

Ramona from Pleasures from the Page

Margaret from Reflections on the Teche

Brian from Cast of Characters

Erica at Teacher Captain's Blog

Elisabeth from The Dirigible Plum

Diane from Newtreemom

Molly from Nix the Comfort Zone

Trina at Trinarrative

Ms. Chiu from Chiubooka Writes

Glenda at the Evolving English Teacher

Judy from Joodles Now and Then

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

Meeting a Friend from Across the Ocean #SOL20

I started writing a slice about the things that haven't changed because of the COVID-19 virus, and then this happened!

I am a part of TeachWrite, which is a group of teacher-writers who support each other in their own writing and in the teaching of writing. It is a community that I have learned from and leaned on. The founder and friend, Jennifer Laffin, has been providing pop-up writing sessions during our time of isolation. The sessions start with introductions and goal setting, and then we just write! 

When Jen posted her session for today, I saw that Deb Day from Coffee with Chloe was going to be there. I was so excited because I "met" Deb thorough the Slice of Life, yet I had never met her in real life. 

I would also be writing with Andy Schoenborn, Michelle Haseltine from #100Days of Notebooking (my TeachWrite Team), Tracey Voglegesand from Every Day Counts, Paula from Lit Coach Lady, and Jen Greene from GreeneLit, Amy Ludwig Vanderwater from The Poem Farm (all whom I met at NCTE) and several other new teacher-writers.

Then I began wondering if Terje from Just for a Month would be able to join. Terje and I connected through Slice of Life when I first began blogging in 2013. She was and continues to be a supporter of my writing.  She even sends me virtual nudges when she hasn't seen me writing in awhile. But she lives in Estonia, and I know I would probably never meet her in real life. This was my chance!

I had no idea what the time zone difference would be in Estonia, but I thought it was worth a shot. This morning I sent her a message and asked if she would like to join us. She messaged me back and asked for a time connected to a city so she could convert.

I replied back, "It starts in five minutes!"

I logged into the Zoom conference and waited anxiously to see if she would arrive. And she did! Finally, I was able to see and chat and WRITE with my blogging friend from across the world! 

During this time of fear, of the unknown, and of isolation, thanks to technology, we can still come together and connect beyond the sharing of our words.

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

A Text Message Memory #SOL20

For the past two days, I have watched the Penny Kittle and Kelly Galagher videos that they are making and sharing with educators. It's a conversation that I know I will be looking forward to each day. They saw the need for teachers to build a community in this time of uncertainty just like the ones we are trying to build for our students. They make a point to do a book talk and share notebook pages - how cool is that!

Penny showed a page that was a "hand map" of birthdays. I created the same page in my own notebook, only she had ten, and I am doing well to remember five!

But I do remember one very clearly. When I was nine or ten, we found a mouse in our house. My mom squealed, and my dad said that she just "had a piece of hair hanging in her eyes." Well, there really was a mouse. 

Tonight, I texted my brother and two sisters and asked them if they remembered this birthday.

Me: Do any of you remember my birthday when there was a mouse in the house?

Older Sister: In the bar? Dad said it was mom's hair in her eyes?

Brother: Was that the day I was looking for it under the couch and it ran out in front of my face and I started crying?

Me: Yes! That's it!

Little Sister:  I don't remember anything.

Brother:  Scared the crap out of me. It ran all the way to my nose.

Big Sister:  I'm laughing!

Me: Little Sister, you may not have even been born yet.

Brother:  Poor Little Sister, she missed out on all the fun stuff!

What followed was about an hour of text message memories from Little Sister breaking scissors off in the trunk while looking for Christmas presents to Brother hitting a pretend homerun and knocking Little Sister out and Big Sister dry heaving while cleaning out a freezer full of spoiled meat.

We laughed, we remembered, we were together...even while we were apart.

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

Spaghetti Bread #SOL20

I spent Saturday morning grocery shopping, hoping to complete the task before the craziness set in. I strolled down the aisles amazed at the empty shelves. No bread. No eggs. No potatoes. No peanut butter. No toilet paper.  All the things that I needed - not things I was hoarding.

I was stocked and ready for our self-quarantine for several weeks. Or so I thought.

Sunday afternoon was the day to make spaghetti sauce. The fragrant onions and garlic sauteed in the pot while I mixed the spices of oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. I add the tomatoes and let it slowly simmer filling the house with its tangy aroma.

Monday I realized I had forgotten the "spaghetti bread" when I shopped on Saturday. I was faced with a dilemma:  do I go back out to the store or do I stay home and eat the bread we have. My husband and I were just talking about the new announcements on closing restaurants in Indiana and staying home and the importance of taking social distancing seriously. I know I need to cut down on my frequent trips to the store, especially to get just one item.

But I just wanted spaghetti bread.

Our meal with homemade spaghetti sauce and cheese ravioli was complete...along with the spaghetti bread. 

This is going to be so hard.

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

A Welcomed Visitor #SOL20

I sit at the kitchen table, and my skin starts feeling prickly. I feel that eerie sensation that someone was watching me through the kitchen door. Out of the corner of my eye, I think I see him, but shrug it off.

I knew it couldn't be. He hadn't been here for so long and for sure wasn't expected to return today. 

Oh, how I miss him. I long for those days being alone with him and basking in his company. Just the two of us. I miss his bright smile, his warm caresses on my arms, and his kisses on the tip of my nose, leaving a sign of his presence. 

I feel it again, only this time much stronger like he is coming out from behind something. I turn, look over my shoulder, and gasp. It's true. It IS him!

Welcome back my dear sun! Oh, how I have missed you!

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

Rules for a Pencil Party #SOL20

One of my favorite things to do is to create poems from words and phrases found in magazines. They usually tell a story of some sort, which I think can become a slice. I cut words and phrases out of magazines and mailers, and I keep them in envelopes. I typically just place them on black paper so I can reuse the words. Occasionally I glue them in my notebook. 

Here is my newest creation.

Rules for a Pencil Party

Rules for a

pencil party

breathe deep

optimize imagination

dream in color

enjoy the satisfaction of making

something totally original

don't fear

the challenge of possibility

think outside the box

anytime, anywhere

finally

cue the drumroll:

celebrate 

wth confidence!

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

Because We Still Need to Celebrate #SOL20

My friend Ruth Ayres used to do a weekly Saturday round-up that celebrated the small moments in our lives. Even among the chaos and uncertainty of the days ahead, we still need celebration. 

Today I share a few small celebrations from my week.

• A former student who is now an 8th grader came to my room and asked if she could get a book. I love that students feel comfortable enough to come to me and know that I will share my books with them even when they are no longer my students. She left me a little note on my desk. 
• The day before break we watched the movie of the book we finished this week. A student said, "Mrs. Eck you did a good job with the voices of the characters when you read parts of this."
• I found out that I won a book giveaway on Twitter - perfect delivery time since I will have a little extra time to read.
• We had early release yesterday, and I was able to come home and take a nap.
• I found two new recipes I want to try this week. One of my commitments for the year was to try a new recipe a month, and this has not happened yet.
• I was able to buy toilet paper this morning at the store - not because I am in a panic, but because we are in need!

I hope you manage to find some celebrations this weekend, no matter how small they may be.

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

An Expected Announcement #SOL20

The school day began by telling my students that they needed to take an extra book home with them for spring break...just in case we end up not returning after break.

The middle of the day began by finding out that administration was called to a meeting with the superintendent and the school board.

The day ended with the announcement we were expecting.

No school until April 6th.

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

Faithful Moon #SOL20

Each Thursday, Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche, posts a picture and invites others to write a poem from it. Her weekly post, This Photo Wants to be a Poem is a "low stress weekly poetic writing prompt." Today's photo is from Paula Bourque at LitCoachLady

Today's poem captures a sliver of what ended up being a very chaotic day - much more than what I thought when I wrote it this morning!

The faithful moon rises,

oblivious to the chaos below.

Grasp tightly to its beam of light.

©Leigh Anne Eck, 2020

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

Ode to My Heather-Grey Sweatshirt #SOL20

This past fall I attended NCTE in Baltimore. My roommate, Michelle Haseltine, bought a set of Rememory cards by The Storymatic.

"Rememory is a time machine, a writing prompt, a teaching tool, and a game--all in one little box. Draw one card from each of the three decks...and remember."
The slate set of cards decides whose life you are thinking about, and the coffee-colored cards tell the season of life. Both of these lead the writer to the door of memory, and the ruby cards open that door.

I have not used these cards yet and decided tonight would be the night because nothing else has come up as a slice. My cards were:

Whose life:  mine

Season of life:  night

Door of memory:  favorite article of clothing

I promise this is clean!

Ode to My Heather-Grey Sweatshirt

Oh, heather-gray sweatshirt, I see you folded at the end of the bed

discarded from the few hours I wore you yesterday 

after I got home from school.

The worn-out softness comforts my soul

after a long day with hormonal pre-teenagers.

I have held you in high regard for so many years

that you have become my after-school clothing of choice.

At the end of each day, I can't wait for our nighttime rendezvous to begin

My love for you oh, heather-grey sweatshirt, will go on forever

Or at least until you wear out, 

and I have to replace you.

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

The Next Step Forward #SOL20

Sometimes decisions are made that leave us with more questions than answers. This is my current state of mind as I question why a certain decision was made. This decision affects many people that I care about, especially my colleague, my sister, and my daughter.

I recently read a message to the person affected the most by this decision, and it said, "Remember to take the next step forward."

I know everyone involved needs time to adjust, but these words are powerful. When we have to accept decisions, we can't look back. It will only bring regret and anger and resentment. That is not healthy for anyone. But if we remember to take the next step forward, I have to believe that we can heal in time, and we can rise above those responsible. 

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

The Red Oak #SOL20

Earlier in the month, I read a slice by a fellow slicer, Dee A. Robb, whose writing was filled with beautiful words. As I was reading them, I began to picture and form a poem in my mind. With permission, I have written a found poem using her words to tell the story of a 200-year-old red oak. These words are not mine; I have only repurposed them. You can find the original post here at Can I Get Back To You?

The red oak

still

standing proudly

in the corner of the pasture

weathering decades 

of drought, storms 

and prairie fires

weeping tears of sorrow 

from the civil war

enduring the turn of two centuries

surviving the despair 

of the great depression

and the wars of the world

whispering the words

perseverance, 

persistence

and the goodness of 

what life has to give

still

it remains

a solid sentinel

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

Noticing What I Need To #SOL20

A friend of mine on Facebook replied to a recent post with, "You notice what you need to." 

I am a bath person, and I have used Dr. Teal's bubble bath for several years. I use the Soothe and Sleep...don't that just make you want to soak and go straight to bed?

Last week when I was shopping, I noticed that Dr. Teal has a sleep lotion with melatonin and essential oils. Because of my love for the bubble bath, I just had to try it.

The first night I used it, I woke up the next morning thinking about how well I slept. I don't think I moved the entire night. And then the next night and the next. One night I missed using it, and it seemed that I didn't sleep as well. Or did I?

I began to wonder, does this stuff really work or am I just "noticing what I need to?"

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

Spring Wanted #SOL20

What I Want

What I want is
A sign of spring

To wash away
Winter’s salt

What I want is
Longer days filled

With sunshine
To kiss the tips

Of the daffodils peaking
From beneath the frozen ground

To nudge the buds
From their winter nap

To fully awoke
tulip 1, tulip 2

I used the mentor poem "What I Want Is" from C.G. Hanzlicek to write this poem for a poetry challenge. 

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

I'm THAT Teacher #SOL20

"Oh, you're THAT teacher." Anyone ever heard that? Or maybe you have said, "Oh, she's THAT teacher."

In our #100DaysofNotebooking group, someone shared a page with this prompt. So, today I share what makes ME that teacher.

I'm THAT teacher...

• who has piles (upon piles) on her desk.
• who has too many tabs open on her computer.
• who has a TBR pile that is uncontainable.
• who has chocolate stashed in her desk.
• who will stop and ask what are you reading.
• who would rather buy books than clothes or shoes.
• who won't share her favorite pens.
• who will always give students a pencil when they don't have one.
• who believes in the possible!

How are you THAT teacher?

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

A Snowmanless Winter #SOL20

It's March, and I should be thinking about flowers and green grass and redbud trees and forsythia. 

Not snowmen!

After Thanksgiving, we had our annual Christmas door decorating contest at school. My door had a snowmen theme. Each student in my homeroom made a snowman face and decorated it in a silly way. The sign said, "We are all snow unique."

When we returned in January, I thought I would leave it up for a while longer. A few weeks passed and people were asking, "Mrs. Eck, when are you taking those snowmen down?"

"Oh, I think I will leave it up until we have a snow day," I said.

The snow day never came.

February came. "Mrs. Eck, when are you taking those snowmen down?" they asked.

"I'm keeping them up until we get at least a 2-hour delay."

The 2-hour delay never came.

But the snowmen came down today.

And spring had better come! 

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.

Living Under a Rock #SOL20

I live under a rock. Most days I am ok with that, but I do miss out on some situations that my students are going through because not much gets underneath that rock.

Today we had an Edcamp PD that combined our high school and middle school teachers. We do this twice a year, and it is always nice to sit in on sessions with everyone together. I attended a session about vaping, and my eyes were opened and blinded by the light coming out from my rock.

Our guidance counselor had a bag of vapes that had been confiscated from our middle school students. I could not believe what I saw and learned. Vapes come in all different kinds and sizes. Some look like jump drives, highlighters, and pens. They have hoodies where they can hide the vapes in pockets and even in the strings. They have cleaned out the insides of markers - dry erase, highlighters, and Sharpies, and put the vapes inside. They are very sneaky.

It is believed that 50% of the student body, both at the middle school and at the high school, vape. This is a staggering statistic to me. We are looking into a program that teaches students the dangers of vaping, as they are not learning anything from punitive consequences. But we have a long way to go.

It is information like this that makes me grateful that I have raised my children, and they are not exposed to these temptations as teenagers.

And some days, I don't mind living under that rock.

Please join Two Writing Teachers and the annual Slice of Life March Challenge.