Achoo! #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

drip
drop

                  wheeze
                  wipe

                                    snort
                                    snot

achoo!

                                  cough
                                  cuss

                                                     sniff
                                                     snuff

                                                                        blow
                                                                        breathe

I'm through!

Currently I'm... ~ #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

It is Monday night, and I am dealing with "The Crud."  

I am miserable, and miserable times during the March Slice of Life Challenge call for a quick slice.  

A quick slice calls for a currently post.

Currently I'm...

watching the final blind auditions on The Voice
eating cherry pie on "Pi Day"
wondering how I am going to talk tomorrow if my voice keeps going
needing to get ahead in planning and writing my slices
wanting to go to bed early so I am not a grouch tomorrow
anticipating three more days until Spring Break

If My House Could Talk ~ #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

Sometimes I wonder, years from now when I have left this world, who will live in our house. Would it be the home to a young couple just starting a family, as we were when we built it?  Would young children write on its walls, sneak through the secret doors in the closets, or wheel cars down the wide, scratched, wooden-planked floors?

We built it.

We loved it.

We loved in it.

But still, I wonder what the walls would whisper, what secrets they would reveal?  If my house could talk, I hope it would say something like this...

a door opens
and welcomes you
to hear about

a family who 
appreciated the past
yet savored today

love, laughter, joy 
woven like patchwork
held them together

dinners eaten on

the antique table

marred with memories

rocking chair rhythms  

scarred the wood

but preserved forever





porch swing pastimes
cradled their dreams
embraced their tomorrows

within these walls

filled with happiness
a family grew

their cherished moments

beautifully turned into
years of love

A Pre-slice to If My House Could Talk ~ #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

This slice is a prelude, a lead-in, a pre-slice, a preface, a prologue to the slice I will have later this week.

Saturday, I was working on a slice called, If My House Could Talk.  As I was making a list in my notebook, I decided to ask the other occupants what they thought our house would say.  

My daughter, who was sitting on the couch grading papers, responds, "Help me!"  

My son was at work, so I texted him the question.  He responds, "You all take too many naps!"

My husband responds, "There's a lot of love in this house."  

At least one of them got it!

I read, therefore... #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

Last night I was looking through some tweets from the Michigan Reading Association Conference, (#MRApassport) and came across this one.  I thought this would make a perfect slice for my busy day!

I read; therefore, my children walk in and say, "Guess it's leftovers...again."

I read; therefore, I have to rewash the stinky laundry that sat in the washer for days.

I read; therefore, my students say, "Mrs. Eck, you look tired today."

I read; therefore, I announce, "Not tonight, I have three chapters left."

I read; therefore, I stay in my pajamas all day.

I read; therefore, my favorite shopping trip involves a book store.

I read; therefore, I add Amazon gift cards to my grocery cart to keep my purchases a secret.

I read; therefore, I ship my Amazon purchases to school. (Shh...)

I read; therefore, I have tinted reading glasses for poolside.

Happy Reading!

When I first wrote this slice, I had a comma after read and then the rest of the sentence.  After realizing I am teaching parenthetical elements this week, I thought it would be a good idea to go back and fix them...even though I like them better the other way!

Book Shout ~ Celebrate 2017 (nine)

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

Today I am also combining my two worlds of writing 

by celebrating my week with Ruth Ayres.  

This quote by Steven Layne has been mantra for most of my teaching experience.  I celebrate that power each and every day in my classroom. 

I have always believed in the power of read-alouds and book talks.  I know from experience that talking about books increases student motivation.  My students do not need pizza, prizes, or other rewards.  They just need a teacher who knows how to use a great book.

This year I took my book talks school wide through our morning show.  Our morning show is written, produced, and performed by our students.  I have a weekly segment called Book Shout where I give a book talk to our entire school.  

Sometimes I talk about a book, and other times students or teachers talk about one.  I believe that motivating kids to read is not the sole responsibility of the reading or language arts, but every teacher.  

When we live literate lives, we grow literate lives.

Here is a clip of my debut show, explaining why teachers who read are so important.

Bare with me as this is my first Youtube upload, and it is just a clip of the show.  I cut out the part where I sing how reading makes me want to shout, kick my heals up and shout! :)

The Lost Generation ~ #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

  

It's also Poetry Friday, and today's slice is about a poem that had an impact on my teaching as well as my students. Slide on over to Today's Little Ditty where Michelle has the poetry round-up.

This week we have been working with tone and mood.  We have read pieces of literature and determined the tone and mood, and we have written our own pieces, changing the tone to create a different mood.

Poetry is my favorite genre to teach this skill, and I recently came across the poem, "The Lost Generation" by Jonathan Reed.  Some call it a palindrome poem or a reverse poem.  When the poem is read down or forward, it takes on a new meaning than when it is read up or backward. This is certainly the case with this poem.

When I showed my students this video of the poem, I did not have to say a word about tone and mood.  They got it!  My students not only understood the tone and mood of the poem, they also understood the meaning of the words and the role they, themselves, play in the world today.

I hope you enjoy "The Lost Generation."

Spine Poetry ~ #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

Need an idea for a quick slice?  Then look no further than your book shelf.  Why not create a little spine poetry?

What is it?  Spine poetry is created by using the titles of books - their spines.

How do I do it?  I look through my shelves and find books that have similar ideas.  I also look for verbs and phrases.  After I pulled several out, I move them around until something resonates with me.  

Here are a few of my latest creations.  (I like All We Have is Now so much, it ended up being in two of them.)  

Warning:  this can become quite addicting!

hidden figures

lost in the sun

keeping safe the stars

paper wishes 

dash

all we have is now

get happy

the world from up here

took

pieces of why

all we have is now

About Me - Now and Then #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

As I was perusing Pinterest and looking for ideas before the challenge started, I found this one about me at my current age and me at an earlier age.  I chose to go back to when I was thirty-three, and what a difference twenty years makes!

At thirty-three, I was a stay-at-home mom, and becoming a teacher was not even on the radar.  My life revolved around a baby and pre-schooler, and now I am parenting young adults.  Those days my house was cleaner (only because I was home to clean it), I weighed a lot less (because I was chasing kids), and our meals were on the table at 5:15 (now we are lucky to even eat together!).

My life has certainly changed, but I am still me...now....and then.  And I am OK with that.

How has your life changed in twenty years?

A Peek into My Writer's Notebook #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

Notebooks.  This word haunts me.  It taunts me.  It terrifies me because I want to live a writerly life, and I have this idea that "writers" keep notebooks.  I have tried keeping them.  I have tried many different kinds and sizes.  I have tried narrow ruled, regular ruled, and blank ones.  I have tried writing with fun, colorful pens and markers and colored pencils.

But I have failed each time.  I think I need to toss out the window the expectation that it has to be perfect.  Setting these expectation so high are only setting me up for failure.

There are so many metaphors for notebooks.  One of my favorites is from Ralph Fletcher in his book, What is a Writer's Notebook?  He tells a story about a ditch that was being dug at his house when he was a little boy.  He describes his writer's notebook as, 

"a ditch, an empty space that you dig in your busy life.  A space that will fill up with all sorts of fascinating creatures.  If you dig it, they will come.  You will be amazed at what you catch there."

Well, I am digging my ditch once again.  I want my students to keep a notebook, so I must model this important part of living a writerly life.  This month I am going to share bits and pieces and pages from it with all of you.  

Maybe this will turn my "haunts" into "hunts" and I just may be surprised at what I catch.

This heart map was inspired by Georgia Heard's book, Heart Maps and Shana Karnes at Learning, Love, and Literature. 

Mom, It's Not Breathing ~ #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

Every once in awhile my daughter shows me how I have failed as her mother.  She isn't mean about it.  She isn't sarcastic about it.  She usually doesn't even know she does it.  She does it because she lacks "domestic knowledge" or knowledge about taking care of a house.  Important things like cooking and laundry and cleaning a toilet.  Things I always did for her because it was just easier to do them, than to teach them.  I sure do regret that now.

Although Megan is technically an adult, she still lives with us.  (Trying to save money on a teacher's salary is much easier when you live at home.)  One morning this week, she was standing at the ironing board and ironing her clothes for school.  (Yes, I did make her start doing that!)  "This iron isn't working," she announces.

"What do you mean it isn't working?  It worked fine yesterday when Ethan used it to iron some patches on his jacket."

"I don't know.  It just isn't working."

I walk over to her and look at it.  It's hot.  "Seems to be working fine to me."

"No, it's hot" she says, "but it's not breathing."

"It's not what?  What are you talking about?"

"Breathing.  You know caaaashhhhhhh."

"Oh, Megan.  That is called steam.  The iron must be out of water."  I shake my head in embarrassment but this time, I showed her how to fill it up.

Oh my....how I have failed.

Before 11:00 ~ #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

Saturday morning greets me with sunshine, warmer temperatures, and the regular weekend routine of meal planning and grocery shopping.  Running my errands, I drive by the McDonald's, and I think that a drink and some french fries to nibble on would be nice.

I pull up to the speaker and place my order, "A medium fry and a large diet coke please."

"I'm sorry but we don't start serving lunch until 11:00."

Not paying attention to the time, I reply, "That's OK, just give me the drink then."  I used to work at McDonald's in high school, and I know the switch-over is not easy, especially when they are busy.  

But then I happen to look at the clock, and it says 10:57. Yes, 10:57.  Three minutes before 11:00 and I couldn't order french fries?  I become irritated because I look at the line and realize that it will be after 11:00 by the time the cars in front of me drive away.

I turn my radio back up, listen to the music and watch the employee run out and flip the sign from the breakfast menu to the lunch menu, you know that menu I couldn't order from before 11:00.  

I wait.  And wait.  And wait.  

When I finally get up to the window to pay, I look at my clock - 11:02.  The nice young man tells me the amount I owe and I say, "When I was at the speaker, they told me I couldn't order lunch until 11:00.  It is after 11:00, so can I order fries now?"

"Sure.  Is that all you would like to add to your order?"

"That's it, thank you," I reply and pay for my new order, you know, that lunch menu item I couldn't order before 11:00.  As I get to the next window to pick up my order, the employee tells me that they just put the fries down, and I would have to pull up and wait.  

I wait.  And wait.  And wait.

I look at my clock once more, and it says 11:17 as the young man brings me my fries.  Is it worth the 20 minute wait for an order of hot fries?

You betcha!  Those Saturday morning errands can wait.

Book Clubs ~ Celebrate 2017 (eight) #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

Today I am also combining my two worlds of writing 

by celebrating my week with Ruth Ayres.  

"Do we have to?"  

"You mean I have to read this whole book?  In four weeks?"

These are just a few of the moans and groans I heard when I told my students we would be starting book clubs this week.  Getting my students to read this year has been a challenge, and I can honestly say that I was not looking forward to beginning this newest endeavor in my classroom.

But then I remembered the comments my students told me last year AFTER we wrapped up book clubs, and I was committed to making this work.

By the end of the week I began to hear this in the halls.

"This book is awesome and I am only on page 27!" says the student reading Masterminds by Gordon Korman.

"I was on chapter four and it just sucked me in!" says the student reading Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart

"I can't believe how much they are reading this week.  "D" who never reads during AP (our enrichment/intervention time) didn't take his eyes off his book today!" says the math teacher.

"Can I read past our assigned chapter?"  asks the student reading A Night Divided by Jennifer Nielsen.

Music to this reading teacher's ears.  Oh yes, book clubs work, and I am so glad that I didn't give up.

I know in a couple of weeks and after our final discussion days, my students will be celebrating too.  Celebrating the collaboration, the talk, the accomplishment and the fun of being in a book club!

Grandparents #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

  

It's also Poetry Friday, and today's slice is about honoring grandparents, but starts with a silly clown and wraps up with a poem. Heidi at My Juicy Little Universe has the round-up this week.

Red Skelton, also known as America's greatest clown, was born in my hometown.  Red was best known for his hobo-philosopher, Freddie the Freeloader.  Red was a clown, a comedian, an actor, an artist, and a writer for over 70 years.  Vincennes is the home of the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy which houses many of his paintings and priceless memorabilia donated by members of his family.  

Although Vincennes is home to the museum, many of our students do not know much about our hometown clown.  As I began looking for material to create a unit on Red, I found this poem he wrote about being a grandparent. 

I am lucky to still have my 92 year old grandmother living, and I cherish the moments that I have left with her.  I am also blessed to know some great on-line grandmothers. Ramona at Pleasures From the Page, recently became a grandmother for a second time.  I enjoy reading about and seeing pictures of her grandsons, Teddy and Jack. Linda also shares her adventures with her grand-daughters, Imogene and Ingrid on her blog, Teacher Dance.  I believe both of them and the other on-line grandparents I know, would agree with the way Red defines grandparenthood:  

a gentle title, 

a noble symbol of age, 

a privilege granted by God, 

and a blessed honor.

So many lessons can be found in Red's words which warm my heart for these are the legacies that we leave behind. 

Grandfather, Grandmother
A gentle title that builds an imaginary wall around the harshness of two words; old age
The enemy of youth, for we have learned that age is cruel
Yet regardless to how young you are, how young you think you are, or try to be
Age steps in, unannounced, introduced by your closest friends sometimes by saying “Remember when?”
It’s then that we hope that we’ll have some brilliance that will blind the observer,
Or cast a shadow over our actions and keep them in the semi-darkness,
And we close our ears,
So we will not hear the sounds made by progress that knows no sentiment
Or to hear the song that is sung by youth called senility

Grandmother, grandfather
A noble symbol of age
A real elegance that’s filled with proud moments
A chance to relive your childhood
Through the eyes of your children’s children

Grandfather, grandmother
A privilege granted by God
To teach the little newcomer the shortcuts
And the ways to face the angry sorrowful old world
A chance to teach independence and respect without the aid of groups or causes
A chance to show how to build and not to destroy
A chance to see the innocence of life again
To let our minds romp freely
And not notice the hypocrisy or the puritanical taboos
That this little fellow doesn’t know yet
A chance to teach and recapture wasted, unimportant seconds of our childhood
To explain youth to that always ambitious youth
That sometimes forgets to realize the importance of childhood
They’re always pretending that they’re a little older than their bodies or their reasons
And intelligent just enough to be well misinformed
Ignorant to discipline which teach the true essence of freedom
To teach them to grow into their wisdom far beyond their years

Grandfather, Grandmother
A blessed honor
A chance to daydream and to notice a bird in flight
And think of an answer, for it’ll be the first time you’ve ever been asked why
And to touch a puppy dog, and not notice it messing up the place
To see for the first time a blade of grass take on the designs of a cathedral
A chance to see spring in the twilight of our autumn years

Grandmother, Grandfather
What a new dignity for now you see love
And you feel respect
For now you walk holding two hands
One the hand of tomorrow
The other the hand of eternity

 ~ Red Skelton

The Beginning - A Tribute to Katherine #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

This is NOT the post I had written and ready to publish today.  But yesterday when I saw that Katherine at Read, Write, Reflect, was back to slicing this month, I knew I had to change my plans.

My one little word this year is RISE, and I have made it a point to lift others, especially those who have played a part in my writing life.  I celebrated and honored Margaret here, and Terje here.  

Today, I celebrate Katherine.  It is because of Katherine that my little space, A Day in the Life, was born.  

Her blog introduced me to the blogosphere.  It was the first one I faithfully read every day.  It is probably the only one in which I have read the entire blog more than once! 

In the early days of my teaching career, Katherine was the teacher I wanted to be.  I was teaching on that deserted island by myself and desperately needed some validation of my teaching practices.  Katherine was that validation, even if it was online.  I needed to know that what I was doing in my classroom made sense.  I needed her encouragement to create those reading relationships with my own students like she had with hers.  I needed to read her slices, her stories that she so bravely and beautifully shared.  But most importantly, I needed her inspiration to create my own writing life.  I had no idea that a supportive community of writing teachers even existed out there, a place called Two Writing Teachers.

After reading every blog post she wrote, especially her slices in March, the idea of creating my own blog started permeating my thoughts, but I had so many doubts.  Could I do this?  Did I want to do this?  Would anyone read what I had to say?  Who would care?

I took the plunge, created this blog, and have been writing ever since.  But I know if it wasn't for Katherine, my writing life would not be what it is today.  

Over the last couple of years, Katherine has taken a little bit of a break due to family and other obligations.  I understand that, but I will be honest, I have missed her presence in my teaching and writing and reading life.  Her last Slice of Life March Challenge was my first.  She has so much to share with other educators, and it has certainly been our loss.

So when I read Katherine's post, "You'll Be Back" I knew who I would be lifting next.  Thank you Katherine for being my inspiration.  

Welcome back!  

You're Invited ~ #sol17

I believe being a writer is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your students. ~ Stacey Shubitz

This month I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating a space for me to share my corner of the world.

Back in January, Linda from Teacher Dance, wrote about attending a "Favorites Party." When I read her post, I knew I would somehow include it as a March slice.  

Each person was asked to bring five of their favorite things.  The original idea was to bring five of ONE favorite thing, but newcomers to the party read it wrong and brought five different things.  Doesn't this sound like a fun thing to do with friends?

I do too, and I have invited YOU!
  

I am kicking off the challenge with a post that keeps on sharing. Sometime this month when you need a slice, (and yes, you know it WILL happen!) accept this invitation to my "Favorites Party." What a great way for us introduce ourselves and get to know each other a little bit better as the month moves along.

Imagine all of us sitting down in my living room or my front porch, and sharing with each other five of our favorite things, and why they are our favorites.  I can't wait to see what you bring along.  

Here is what I would bring to share with all of you:

1. Dark Chocolate M & M's because they make the perfect mid-day pick-me-up.  My prep period is in the middle of the afternoon, so I always keep a bag of these in my desk drawer.  And isn't dark chocolate suppose to be healthy for you?
2. Dr. Teal's Soothe and Sleep with Lavender Bubble Bath because I love winding down the day with bubbles and a book.  
3. Pentel Energel Pens because writing is much more fun when you write in color!  And these pens glide across the paper.
4. Pillows because I have held a pillow when I sleep since I was about 13 years old. I can't sleep without it!
5. Comfy clothes because life's no fun unless you are comfortable!

And don't forget to RSVP when you post by either commenting here or tweeting me @Teachr4.  I can't wait to see what you all are sharing.

Let's get this party started!

Here are some links to other slicers who have attended our party!  Stop by and see what favorites they are bringing!  If you have attended, and I have missed your link, please let me know so I can add it!

Deb at Coffee with Chloe

Deb at Primary Perspective

Kendra at Simply Learning Together

Jennifer at Sweet Writing Life
Michelle at One Grateful Teacher
Ramona at Pleasures from the Page 
Lauren at Taxonomy of a Teacher
Diane at Newtreemom
Loralee at This and That
Denise at Dare to Care
Linda (the original partier!) at Teacher Dance
Amy at Runner, Reader, and Rockin' Mom
Tammy at Tammy's Reading/Writing Life
Vanessa at Vanessa's Voice
Heidi at Wordsmithing
Elsie at Elsie Tries Writing
Alice at Talking with Letters
Kathleen at Courage Doesn't Always Roar
Terje at Just for a Month
Fran McVeigh at Resource - Full
Katie at Hat-Trick Educator
Joanne at Words From JL
Lisa at Love2Learn4Life
Carol at Beyond Literacy Link