My Week in Verbs #SOL21

 

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It is going on 9:00, and I have yet to write a slice. I have been cleaning ALL day, and the only time I sat down was to eat pizza for dinner. I am tuckered, but I refuse to give in to my achy, tired body and miss a day slicing.

Today is the last day of my spring break - weekends don't count! So here is my week in a list of verbs!

slicing 

cooking

baking

writing

shopping

reading

planning

playing

laughing

cleaning

soaking

sleeping

rejuvenating

It's been a busy but productive and fun week.

Here's to a weekend of getting back into the routine!

Donalyn Miller and a Pivot #SOL21

Join Two Writing Teachers and other teacher-writers as we share a slice of life every single day in the month of March. 

Pivot. 

Does this word make you cringe? It seems to be a current buzzword that may have a negative connotation attached to it. Many teachers have had to pivot this past year in ways we never thought we could and in ways we didn't want to. 

If I think back to my early teaching years, I remember a pivot. It was the summer before my second year of teaching, and The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller was published. I wasn't on social media at the time, so I honestly do not know how I heard about the book. But I devoured it and soaked in her every word.

In my first year of teaching, I taught reading the way I was taught - the way I thought I was "supposed" to teach. We read a story from the anthology every week and completed the accompanying worksheets. I hated it, and so did my students. 

I knew this way of teaching wasn't working. I knew better ways of teaching were out there. I knew I needed a change. A pivot.

That summer I read The Book Whisperer, and I slowly added her ideas to my classroom. I saw student engagement shift. I saw motivation to read increase. I saw my passion for teaching grow.

This book showed me "that's the way we've always done it" is not always the right way to do it. This book gave me permission to make the changes I needed to make for my students and for me. This book validated my beliefs. This book was the pivot that turned my teaching in a new direction. This book saved me. 

And I have not looked back.

Donalyn recently posted about the anniversary of the book on Facebook. She states, "Twelve years ago today, I became a published author when The Book Whisperer was released. I never imagined how my personal and professional life would change."

Me neither, Donalyn. Me neither.

Happy 12th anniversary! And thank you for helping so many teachers find the positive in the pivot.

One Lucky Teacher #SOL21

 

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When I began this challenge, I made a promise to myself that I would not write a post about the pandemic or anything related to COVID. Last year's challenge seemed to be consumed with pandemic life, and it was not stealing any of this year's slices. 

I know it has not been an easy year for many teachers, the stress level has reached an all-time high, and teachers are not getting the respect they deserve. I am sorry if you have experienced any (or all) of these, and I do not mean for this post to take those experiences lightly. 

But for me, things have gone extremely well this school year. Reflecting on this Saint Patrick's Day, I realize how lucky I am as a teacher, so today I share 17 reasons why--even if I am breaking my no-writing-about-the-pandemic promise.

1. I am lucky to have an administration that was ready with a re-entry plan by mid-summer.
2. I am lucky they had teacher input during the entire process.
3. I am lucky to have a principal who knew we didn't expect him to have all the answers because we simply did not know all the questions.
4. I am lucky to have walked into my classroom on August 4th and to teach my 90 students face-to-face.
5. I am lucky we prayed to stay in school for at least two weeks and here we are 140 school days later.
6. I am lucky to have a custodial staff who works diligently to make sure our school is sanitized and safe.
7. I am lucky to have students who do everything we ask of them to keep all of us safe.
8. I am lucky to have the technology to reach quarantined students.
9. I am lucky to have had no COVID transmission at school.
10. I am lucky to have a district-wide positivity rate of less than 5% for the entire school year.
11. I am lucky to have parents who kept their kids home when they needed to.
12. I am lucky to have a team of teachers who support one another.
13. I am lucky to be able to eat lunch every day with teachers in my wing out in the commons area.
14. I am lucky to have a school nurse who keeps track of all things COVID.
15. I am lucky to share books with students.
16. I am lucky to write side by side with my students.
17. I am one lucky teacher.

The Puddle Waddler #SOL21

 

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I sit in the drive-through at CVS waiting to pick up a prescription when I notice two Canadian geese waddling down the street. Yes, down the street. We have a small lake in this area where the geese are abundant, and sometimes they extend their boundaries just a bit.

As I watch the pair, I wonder, "I know geese mate for life, but how do you tell which one is female and which one is male?" 

As I ponder this deep question, one of them walks straight down the middle of the street looking back every once in a while to see if the partner is still there. The other one walks along and makes a point to waddle through every puddle along the way.

I think I just found my answer.

It's a Party - ID Required #SOL21

 

Join Two Writing Teachers and other teacher-writers as we share a slice of life every single day in the month of March. 

During the past couple of years of the Slice of Life March Challenge, I have held a slicer party. For two parties, we shared our favorite things, and last year was all about self-care. I have been asked about hosting one again, and I could not disappoint my blogging friends! 

As the month wraps up and when you need a slice, (and yes, you know it WILL happen!) accept this invitation to my party.  The best part is that you can join the party anytime during the month when you need a slice. 

You must bring your "identification." Staying true to the "story writing" of the challenge, please introduce yourself depending on when we would have met using this as a mentor text. Then let me know you have joined the party, and I will include you on the guest list! It will be fun to read everyone's IDs! 

“Depending On When You Met Me” by Devon Gundry, Soul Pancake

Depending on when you met me, I might have been: a checker’s champion, the kid who squirted Super Glue in his eye, a competitive Ping-Pong player, Tweedle Dum, a high school valedictorian, a fake blond, 1/12 of an all-male a capella group, a graduate of the Vanderbilt School of Engineering, a nomad, a street musician, or a pigeon assassin.

Depending On When You Met Me by Leigh Anne Eck

Depending on when you met me, I might have been: dressed as a twin with my one year and 19 days older sister, the girl with the pin curls and crooked teeth, a drum major who ran out of gas while running home to get her whistle, a high school doubles tennis player, a McDonald's employee who was sexually harassed during a time when no one talked about harassment, an Alpha Phi, A Butler University graduate with a two-year degree earned in four years, a college graduate with student loan debt, a retail manager who was Manager of the Year, eloping with her husband, a stay-at-home-mom, a 40-year old college student, a teacher.

Just imagine all of us sitting around and sharing these stories! What fun we would have! I hope you consider joining us this month because when there is a party, the more the merrier!

Here is the guest list! Check out their IDs!

Ramona from Pleasures from the Page

Jackie from Create a Literate Classroom

Erica from The Biblio Bard Blogger

Carol from Carol's Corner

Christie from Wondering and Wandering

Terje from Just for a Month

Heather from Writing My Way

Britt from Multifaceted Musings

Glenda at Evolving English Teacher

Patty at Growing & Learning

Donnetta at Teacher Reader Writer

Trina from Trinarrative

Rita from Practicing What I Preach

Mary from Write Between the Lines

Margaret from Reflections on the Teche

Vivian at Ms. Chen in the Middle

Shawnda at Shawnda Stories (I hope the first name is right!)

Amy from Puttin' Out There

Fran at Resource - Full

Sonia from Rants of the Newly Old

Judy at Joodles Now & Then

Two O'Clock Dinnertime #SOL21

 

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I love cooking. I have been cooking since I was a young girl. When I was growing up, my mom worked, and we had four kids in our family. To help her out, I would get dinner going before she got home. We eventually had a "rule" that whoever cooked, didn't have to do the dishes! 

As I was raising my own children, so much revolved around mealtime. We were a routine family. Naptime, mealtime, bathtime were all on schedule. As a stay-at-home-mom, I had dinner on the table by 5:00 almost every night. (For that matter, I still do!) Dinner was, and still is, the main event in our house.

My son Ethan lives an hour away, and he comes home most weekends to do laundry and get a home-cooked meal. This weekend he wanted to eat and head back to his apartment earlier than usual. 

This meant eating before 5:00. This meant I had to think about the timing. This meant that I had baked a cherry pie, made baked ziti for the take-back meal, and had steaks marinating before 11:00!

I don't know what I am going to at 5:00 when it will be "dinnertime"! And I thought the time change was bad enough today!

Happy Pi Day!

A Little Slice of Memory #SOL21

 

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My first college experience was at Butler Univerity, a private Indiana university. I loved my four years there and have some fond memories of living in a sorority house. But I also have some very fond memories of babysitting for a family who lived fairly close to campus.

They had two girls. The baby was six months old and the oldest was preschool age when I first started. I would go to their house while their mother shopped, worked out, or met with friends. I usually did this twice a week during the day, and then one night a week, their parents had a date night. A couple of times, I spent the whole weekend with the girls while their parents went out of town. The summer before my senior year, they took me to Florida with them so I could stay with them while they went to dinner or a movie. I loved this family!

After leaving college, I moved home and lost contact with them. Of course, we didn't have social media back in the late 80s to stay connected.

This morning something triggered a memory of them. I searched on Facebook and found one of the girls. 

I thought to myself, Do I reach out? Will she think I am this crazy person who says she was her babysitter? That just sounds like a creepy stalker!

But I did! I told her who I was, the details of the time I spent with her family, and how much I loved her mother. 

A  few hours later she responded! She told me about her and her sister's lives now and about their parents. She even sent me pictures. They are both successful and have beautiful families. She filled me on her parents and that her mother was touched that I had reached out.

I am not sure what triggered the memory or what made me reach out, but I am so glad I did!

A Slice of Reflection #SOSMagic

I wasn't my best this week. I had two incidents where students were critical of my class and my teaching. I didn't react the way I should have. It felt personal. I took it personally. I was shocked they said it because it was unkind and hurtful. 

Then I remembered they are kids, and looking back on the week, they were probably right. My teaching was sucky -- honestly, for about two weeks. The snow days we had in February and Spring Break next week left our curriculum all caddywampus. We were filling in the gaps like we were plugging a sinking boat. We were scrambling and nothing was coherent. They weren't engaged, and that wasn't their fault.

Friday night stretches out before me, leading into a Spring Break week of reflection. I need this time to remember my teaching beliefs and core values and create a plan to get my teaching back on track.

I want to be my best. My students deserve it.

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

Hello There... #SOL21

 

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I came across this image a few years ago on Pintrest, and it has been a great I-don't-know-what-to-write slice. 

i am officially on Spring Break!

i keep a stack of books beside my bed

i wish things were back to normal

i love being able to teach my students face-to-face

i dance - never

i sing when no one else is listening

i think teachers of writing need to write

i really want to go shopping on spring break

i should clean my house instead

i can write "real" slices this week because of "i am"

i like to stay up late and sleep in

i make delicious fruit pies

i always eat pizza on Friday nights!

Why don't I do this more often? #SOL21

 

Join Two Writing Teachers and other teacher-writers as we share a slice of life every single day in the month of March. 

Do you ever do something and then ask yourself, "Why don't I do this more often?"

Like walking, eating better, cleaning, reading, writing, taking time for me, 

or writing positive notes to parents?

Each grading period, we are asked to write positive notes to parents. Today, we had early dismissal for parent conferences. Since I teach middle school, we typically don't have many conferences, but we still stay until 6:00. I took this time to write out my cards.

Looking through my list of students, I chose one who has had a complete turnaround since moving to a different period without his friends. He has worked hard and his effort has been amazing. Another student is a ray of sunshine in my day. She always has a smile and brightens up any room she walks into. The third one was a girl in my co-taught class. She has also worked hard and tries her best on everything, even when it is difficult for her.

After writing out the addresses, I thought about how good that felt to find those positive characteristics in my students. Some days, the students who act up or don't turn in work seem to make their way into my thoughts. But not today. Today those positive thoughts persevered. 

And I found myself asking, "Why don't I do this more often?"

Tuesday Tangibles #SOL21

 

Join Two Writing Teachers and other teacher-writers as we share a slice of life every single day in the month of March. 

One day last week while I was reading, commenting, and exploring a new blog, I found a July post called Tuesday Tangibles by Megan McCormick. Here is my day written in Tuesday's tangibles...posted on a Wednesday!

alarm clock

peanut butter toast

student greetings

revision strategies

book stacks

notebooks

spring-like temperatures

spring sprouts sighting

brewed iced tea

Time To Write

chocolate chip cookies

cold milk

bubble bath

light-weight blankets

good night kiss

A Spring Break Advertisement #SOL21

 

Join Two Writing Teachers and other teacher-writers as we share a slice of life every single day in the month of March. 

Spring Break coming: good boat needed.

Old Married Couple #SOL21

 

Join Two Writing Teachers and other teacher-writers as we share a slice of life every single day in the month of March. 

Last week I thought I was reaching a new marital status. We aren't even empty nesters yet, but I thought we were going to rise up to "old married couple"

I woke up, went in to the kitchen to eat breakfast, and said good morning to my husband who had been up hours before me.

"I may have to sleep upstairs tonight," he said.

"Why?"

"You snored all night, and I barely got any sleep. It's been bad the past couple of nights."

I knew it had because I felt the poke of the elbow in the rib cage. One time it was almost a push to turn me over.

I am pretty sure this snoring is due to the pandemic weight I have put on, but I was hoping it was something else. 

The next night I got up in the middle of the night and slept on the couch because of the guilt. But I am a sleep-in-my-own-bed kind of sleeper. I was exhausted, he exhausted, and we knew something had to be done.

That night I went and bought nose strips and used them for a couple of days. I don't know if they really work, but I can now shout...

We are NOT an old married couple...yet!

The Boots #SOL21

 

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I stand

in the 4th grade hallway

as he trudges along

in his work boots

with one pant leg caught.

Many boys are flaunting

their Air Jordans,

but not A.J.

A.J. proudly wore his

work boots.

He was a worker

a helper

a blessing to those in need.

Eight years go by

and I watch

the service

as his life ends

much too soon.

Below the casket

sits a pair of boots

and I remember.

Dream, Dream, Dream #SOL21

 

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Two things happened last night between waking up from my nap and going to bed:  reading Terje's post about weird dreams and talking to my cousin.

Terje shared her midnight slice and her dream about puffins and how she wrestled with her brain while trying to go back to sleep.

My cousin called me to tell on himself. He lives independently but also lives with a disability and is mostly confined to a wheelchair. He called to tell me he went for a ride with my mother. Let's just say this is not a good thing, and we have warned him not to do this. He mentioned that mom only "ran one stop sign and pulled in front of one car." (This is the hard part of loving someone with early dementia. You want them to have their independence, but you also want them and others to be safe.)

Those two events, I am sure, led to my own dream. Many times my craziest dreams happen early morning when I have awakened but have fallen back to sleep. 

I awoke this morning, looked at the clock, and refused to get up. 

And the dream began.

I was riding in the car with my mom, and she pulled out in front of someone driving a jeep. The man drove right up behind us and then quickly drove around us and pulled in front of my mom. 

She got mad and started driving erratically on the sidewalk to pass him back. I remained calm (yes, this would only happen in a dream). I asked her, "Mom, you do know you are driving on the sidewalk." while she was dodging trees and fire hydrants and people.

"Yes I do, but it's okay."

Then I woke up, shook my head, and I knew exactly what led to this strange dream.

It's Friday and... #SOL21

 

Join Two Writing Teachers and other teacher-writers as we share a slice of life every single day in the month of March. 

Sometimes you just need a nap.

The Perfect Match #SOL21

 

Join Two Writing Teachers and other teacher-writers as we share a slice of life every single day in the month of March. 

Sometimes when I read a book, I think about a certain student and how I know it is the perfect book for him or her. When I finish, I can't wait to run and tell them about it.

A few weeks ago I was reading Hunter's Choice by Trent Reedy. I have become a fan of his writing because he writes stories that I know kids are going to want to read. Hunter's Choice is about hunting; it's an outdoor person kind of book. This is a type of book that fills a much-needed void in my classroom library. 

As I was reading, I kept thinking about Carson, one of my students. Earlier in the year, he wrote a narrative about a fishing trip, so I knew he liked being outdoors. He has also been a difficult student to match with books.

A few weeks ago, his mother, who is a staff member, asked me what she could do to get him reading. I immediately told her about this book and how I had thought about Carson the whole time I was reading it.

Today while we had our reading time, I noticed Carson was reading it! 

Matching kids with books is the most important part of my job and the one that brings me the most joy! I can't wait to see what he thinks because I think it is the perfect match!

We Go Together Like Spaghetti and French Fries #SOL21

 

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Spaghetti and french fries. 

Salmon patties and macaroni and cheese. 

Pork steak and Chef Boyardee spaghetti. 

Ghoulash and creamed corn.

You may be wondering what these foods have in common. 

Growing up, I could always count on certain things: fried chicken Sunday dinner; Bobes pizza on Friday nights; and the house cleaned on Saturday. These were a given, week in and week out.

But my mom had some weird food combinations that we could always count on - like the list above. The only one I still eat is the salmon and mac-and-cheese. 

Mom hasn't cooked for several years, partly because she lives by herself and cooking for one is not easy and certainly no fun, but mostly because I don't think she remembers how. Mom has shown signs of dementia for several years, but we have seen a significant decline in her memory lately.

I will often take her meals so she has something homecooked. One night I called her and told her I was making spaghetti and asked if she wanted some. She thought for several seconds and replied, "No, I don't think I want any. I will just eat something I have here."

"Are you sure? I have plenty."

"No, but don't forget to ask me again."

I thought this was strange as I knew she liked spaghetti. I didn't think any more about it until I was talking to my younger sister. "Hey, I hear Mom turned you down for spaghetti."

"Yes, she did. I don't know why."

"Well, I do. She told me if she took the spaghetti, she would want french fries with it!"

I guess there are some things she just can't forget!

If These Rails Could Talk #SOL21

 

Join Two Writing Teachers and other teacher-writers as we share a slice of life every single day in the month of March. 

It is 6:30 PM on day two, and I already at a loss. I have looked for slices all day. I even told my colleagues at lunch that I needed a story, but nothing has been worthy of word-smithing. We were talking about breaking down in front of our assistant principal (who is amazing!). 

Another teacher said, "You farted in front of Nancy?"

We all burst out laughing, and I said, "I think I have my story!"

Well...thank goodness that's really not my slice. But that is how desperate I was.

Tonight during our Time to Write writing time, a new member of the group said she was selling her house and was needed to write about her house and her favorite part. Bingo! I had my slice.

We built our house 30 years ago. I love many things about our house, so it is really difficult to choose just one. But if I had to choose, it would be our porches. We have porches on the front and the back that run the entire length of the house. This is where dreams were made and stories were shared and where we learned how to love.

 I remember the day we moved in:  July 1st, 1992, two years after we were married. I was nine months pregnant and my feet were so swollen I could not wear shoes, and I could hardly walk. I sat on the porch swing while my husband, sister, and mother unpacked my boxes. I just sat and told them where to put everything.

Those porches, with their Cracker Barrell rocking chairs and potted geraniums, have held such special memories. It was my quiet spot with each of my babies where we would rock or swing for hours, singing lullabies and whispering secrets just between the two of us. It also became my time-out from motherhood. I would go out and read and sip iced tea while my husband gave the kids their baths, read them books, or had playtime. I could hear them giggle through the open windows, reminding me the stress of staying home with our children was all worth it.

As they grew up, we would have picnics or snacks on the porch where the lined up the peanut butter jars waited to catch fireflies later in the evening. The years quickly moved forward, and I began watching Megan shoot basket after basket on the court at the end of the driveway, perfecting her three-point shot. Ethan would be skateboarding trying kickflips and ollies over and over until he landed them.

Now, I sit on the back porch with my grown children. Megan and I grading papers together in silence and solving the world's educational problems. We laugh at funny stories about things that happened at school and share the stresses of teaching. Ethan shares about his band, where they are playing next, and what new songs he has learned. He tells me about the skateparks he has been to and the kids in crisis that he met with that week and tried to coach.  

If these log rails could talk, they would have so many stories to tell, so many memories to share.

A lot of life has happened on our front porch, yet I know it also has many dreams left to hold.

Afraid of Failure #SOL21

 

Join Two Writing Teachers and other teacher-writers as we share a slice of life every single day in the month of March. 

For some people, especially for us Hoosiers, March means basketball. But for many bloggers, March means 30 days of slicing, finding those small moments in the day to capture and share with others. 

This is my 8th "first day," and honestly, I wasn't going to participate this year. Most of my writing lately has been professional writing, and I have struggled with writing "for me." I have tried other recent challenges, I have stunk at them all. I didn't want to fail at the one challenge that I have succeeded with for seven years and the one that has connected me to some wonderful people, many of whom I call dear friends.

But here I am on Day One.

One of my goals this year was to help and support teachers in believing they are writers. The slicing community became my support system early on in my blogging experience. I am hoping that not only will I support teacher-writers, but I will once again receive that much-needed support myself.

Fail or not, I can't imagine the month of March without slicing.

When I slice,

    ...I grow as a writer.

    ...I notice the small things, the ordinary.

    ...I am reminded to find the extraordinary.

    ...I find comfort in the predictability of the routine.

    ...I stretch those writing muscles that haven't been used in a while.

    ...I'm inspired by others and use that inspiration to "stack my own words".

    ...I become a better teacher of writing because I know the difficulties that writers face.

    ...my world becomes bigger because I meet so many new writers on the same journey.

With all of these reasons, why wouldn't I participate?

Why would I be afraid of failure - as there really is no failure in this challenge. 

Let's do this!