Oh, My Stars #NationalPoetryMonth

 

It is April, and I am joining many others in celebrating National Poetry Month by reading, writing,  sharing, and celebrating poetry each day this month. Many years ago I was a quilter. After I began teaching, I had to put my needles and frames away because I just did not have the time. This year I am going back to my quilting roots and will be playing with patchwork-themed poems from memories of my own quilting years to the history of quilts and to quilt patterns. Pull up a needle and thread and let's stitch awhile.

If you spend any amount of time looking at quilt blocks, you would see "almost" as many star patterns as there are stars in the sky. This poem went through many revisions. I played with rhymes, and that just didn't work. I moved to a list poem, but too many stars. I reworked the names and found some commonalities, so my final idea became a list with a twist.

This Shooting Star Quilt made and 

shared by Jennifer Laffin

This Ohio Star Quilt is also made 

and shared by Jennifer Laffin

Look up to see

morning

rising,

evening

broken,

 

carpenter

pieced

sawtooth,

Ohio

Lone Star

St. Louis

royal

stars and strips-

old glory

interlaced 

stepping stones-

bridal path

shooting

comet,

trailing 

ribbons.

Oh, my stars!

This week also marks the beginning of the Kidlit Progressive Poem, which is being organized by Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche. A different poet adds a line each day for the month of April. Last year was my first year participating, and since I lived to tell about it, I will participate again this year! You can find the poem's trail below.

April 1 Kat Apel at Kat Whiskers
2 Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
3 Mary Lee at A Year of Reading
4 Donna Smith at Mainly Write
5 Irene Latham at Live your Poem
6 Jan Godown Annino at BookseedStudio
7 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
8 Denise Krebs at Dare to Care
9 Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche
10 Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone
11 Buffy Silverman
12 Janet Fagel at Reflections on the Teche
13 Jone Rush MacCulloch
14 Susan Bruck at Soul Blossom Living
15 Wendy Taleo at Tales in eLearning
16 Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe
17 Tricia Stohr Hunt at The Miss Rumphius Effect
18 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
19 Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link
20 Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge
21 Leigh Anne Eck at A Day in the Life
22 Ruth Hersey at There is No Such Thing as a God-forsaken Town
23 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
24 Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference
25 Shari Daniels at Islands of my Soul
26 Tim Gels at Yet There is Method
27 Rebecca Newman
28 Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
29 Christie Wyman at Wondering and Wondering
30 Michelle Kogan at More Art 4 All

Ode to My Thimble

 

It is April, and I am joining many others in celebrating National Poetry Month by reading, writing,  sharing, and celebrating poetry each day this month. Many years ago I was a quilter. After I began teaching, I had to put my needles and frames away because I just did not have the time. This year I am going back to my quilting roots and will be playing with patchwork-themed poems from memories of my own quilting years to the history of quilts and to quilt patterns. Pull up a needle and thread and let's stitch awhile.

Ode to My Thimble

Oh, thimble
when I began quilting

I placed you 

on the "wrong" finger, 

but you accepted my

unconventional ways.

Your soft leather
molded comfortably to my finger,
unlike your metal friends,
who were too stand-offish.

You were my protector
from needle pricks
and blood-stained stitches.

You allowed me to feel 

the eye of the needle
and guide it, 

twelve stitches per inch,

through layers of pieced patchwork,

tightly wrapped on the quilting frame.

Oh, thimble

it has been years 

since you have held my hand,

and my calloused fingertips

have now become page-turners.

I hope to see you again someday.

Maybe we could be retirement friends.

Whatever happens, 

I will always remember

the wonderful times 

we spent together.

© Leigh Anne Eck

This is a picture of one of my leather thimbles. I could never use a metal thimble because I couldn't feel the needle, and it was awkward. I also wore it on my index finger instead of my middle one. Nevertheless, I still called myself a quilter for many years.

This week also marks the beginning of the Kidlit Progressive Poem, which is being organized by Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche. A different poet adds a line each day for the month of April. Last year was my first year participating, and since I lived to tell about it, I will participate again this year! You can find the poem's trail below.

April 1 Kat Apel at Kat Whiskers
2 Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
3 Mary Lee at A Year of Reading
4 Donna Smith at Mainly Write
5 Irene Latham at Live your Poem
6 Jan Godown Annino at BookseedStudio
7 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
8 Denise Krebs at Dare to Care
9 Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche
10 Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone
11 Buffy Silverman
12 Janet Fagel at Reflections on the Teche
13 Jone Rush MacCulloch
14 Susan Bruck at Soul Blossom Living
15 Wendy Taleo at Tales in eLearning
16 Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe
17 Tricia Stohr Hunt at The Miss Rumphius Effect
18 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
19 Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link
20 Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge
21 Leigh Anne Eck at A Day in the Life
22 Ruth Hersey at There is No Such Thing as a God-forsaken Town
23 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
24 Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference
25 Shari Daniels at Islands of my Soul
26 Tim Gels at Yet There is Method
27 Rebecca Newman
28 Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
29 Christie Wyman at Wondering and Wondering
30 Michelle Kogan at More Art 4 All

From Hearth and Home #NationalPoetryMonth

 

It is April, and I am joining many others in celebrating National Poetry Month by reading, writing,  sharing, and celebrating poetry each day this month. Many years ago I was a quilter. After I began teaching, I had to put my needles and frames away because I just did not have the time. This year I am going back to my quilting roots and will be playing with patchwork-themed poems from memories of my own quilting years to the history of quilts and to quilt patterns. Pull up a needle and thread and let's stitch awhile.

From Hearth and Home

                                log
                                cabin
                                a symbol
                                of love, home, and
                                the pioneer life

                                the

                                red square

                                and warm hearth,

                                where families

                                gather, share stories

                             

                                the 

                                day's sun

                                casts shadows

                                from east to west

                                on notched cabin walls

                                

                                © Leigh Anne Eck, draft

                                

This poem is an Arun, which I found on Margaret Simon's blog, Reflections on the Teche. It is a fifteen-line poem of three stanzas of five lines, starting with one syllable and increasing by one (1/2/3/4/5/ -- x 3) The shape of this form reminded me of the stacking of logs.

It is also Poetry Friday so check out all the goodness from Mary Lee at A Year of Reading.

This week also marks the beginning of the Kidlit Progressive Poem, which is being organized by Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche. A different poet adds a line each day for the month of April. Last year was my first year participating, and since I lived to tell about it, I will participate again this year! You can find the poem's trail below.

April 1 Kat Apel at Kat Whiskers
2 Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
3 Mary Lee at A Year of Reading
4 Donna Smith at Mainly Write
5 Irene Latham at Live your Poem
6 Jan Godown Annino at BookseedStudio
7 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
8 Denise Krebs at Dare to Care
9 Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche
10 Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone
11 Buffy Silverman
12 Janet Fagel at Reflections on the Teche
13 Jone Rush MacCulloch
14 Susan Bruck at Soul Blossom Living
15 Wendy Taleo at Tales in eLearning
16 Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe
17 Tricia Stohr Hunt at The Miss Rumphius Effect
18 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
19 Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link
20 Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge
21 Leigh Anne Eck at A Day in the Life
22 Ruth Hersey at There is No Such Thing as a God-forsaken Town
23 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
24 Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference
25 Shari Daniels at Islands of my Soul
26 Tim Gels at Yet There is Method
27 Rebecca Newman
28 Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
29 Christie Wyman at Wondering and Wondering
30 Michelle Kogan at More Art 4 All

Family Heirloom #NationalPoetryMonth

It is April, and I am joining many others in celebrating National Poetry Month by reading, writing,  sharing, and celebrating poetry each day this month. Many years ago I was a quilter. After I began teaching, I had to put my needles and frames away because I just did not have the time. This year I am going back to my quilting roots and will be playing with patchwork-themed poems from memories of my own quilting years to the history of quilts and to quilt patterns. Pull up a needle and thread and let's stitch awhile. 

I love the stories of quilts being passed down from one generation to another - true family heirlooms. 

Image found on Pixabay

A quilt
holds life in scraps
of past generations,
the gatekeeper of family
heirlooms.

This poem is a cinquain. Inspired by the Japanese tanka, a cinquain is a five-line poem with a 2-4-6-8-2 syllable count.

Today also marks the beginning of the Kidlit Progressive Poem, which is being organized by Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche. A different poet adds a line each day for the month of April. Last year was my first year participating, and since I lived to tell about it, I will participate again this year! You can find the poem's trail below.

April 1 Kat Apel at Kat Whiskers
2 Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
3 Mary Lee at A Year of Reading
4 Donna Smith at Mainly Write
5 Irene Latham at Live your Poem
6 Jan Godown Annino at BookseedStudio
7 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
8 Denise Krebs at Dare to Care
9 Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche
10 Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone
11 Buffy Silverman
12 Janet Fagel at Reflections on the Teche
13 Jone Rush MacCulloch
14 Susan Bruck at Soul Blossom Living
15 Wendy Taleo at Tales in eLearning
16 Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe
17 Tricia Stohr Hunt at The Miss Rumphius Effect
18 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
19 Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link
20 Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge
21 Leigh Anne Eck at A Day in the Life
22 Ruth Hersey at There is No Such Thing as a God-forsaken Town
23 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
24 Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference
25 Shari Daniels at Islands of my Soul
26 Tim Gels at Yet There is Method
27 Rebecca Newman
28 Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
29 Christie Wyman at Wondering and Wondering
30 Michelle Kogan at More Art 4 All

Advice from a Slice #SOL21

 

A big thank you to all of those at Two Writing Teachers for creating and supporting this community of writers. 

Kelly Gallagher shared this image on Twitter the other day, and I thought it would be a great writing prompt for me and for students. So many perspectives from which to write.

Turns out, it was a great final slice.

Advice from a Slice

Find the ordinary.

Capture the small moment.

Look everywhere.

Keep a notebook.

Tell the story.

Write from the heart.

Warn your friends and family.

Silence the critic.

Tame the fear.

Just hit the publish button.

Celebrate.

A Buzz Around Town #SOL21

 

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

There was a buzz around town. We haven't had a buzz like this (excluding anything pandemic-related!) since Walmart got new carts. Everyone was talking about it. 

Megan and I left school, went home and changed clothes, and headed for the riverwalk. On the way, she told me about the line earlier in the day. But people didn't mind because you know, the buzz.

Arriving at the riverwalk, we walked the block or two and lined up. The line wasn't long yet. We looked out over the river and talked about how swift the current was. We stood and talked to the college kids in front of us. We waved and said hello to students who were walking to the end of the line. 

We texted people we knew who were in line ahead. "How long have you been waiting?" 

"Right now the wait is about an hour."

"You ordered early!?!"

The buzz continued. We continued to wait. And yes, we stood in line for over an hour for you know, the buzz.

What was the buzz? Chick-fil-A brought their mobile unit to our hometown. They are doing market research to see where and if they should open a new restaurant here.

And that was the buzz around town!

Sweet Sixteen Poetry Style #SOL21

  

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

I live in Indiana, and spring means basketball and state tournament time for us.

I have seen teachers do March Madness brackets with books, but I have never been able to wrap my brain around that large of a project. This year I have seen a few mentions of April Poetry brackets and thought I just might be able to handle the reading of poems in a Sweet Sixteen bracket. 

I put some feelers out on Twitter and had a few teachers reach out and share their resources. 

I could do this! 

I began looking in my files and books for poems I have yet to share with students and searched online for others. Yesterday, I narrowed my list down to sixteen and created my bracket.

I will share two poems a day. Students will read, analyze, and evaluate which poems should move on in the tournament until we have a winner. I am hoping to have some "heated" arguments on why certain poems are better than others and deserve students' votes.

But more importantly, I hope to introduce some amazing poems to my students. Reading poetry is always one of those things I want to do more of, and this is another chance to do just that. 

And hopefully, this will entice a few of them to write a poem of their own!

The Best Colors #SOL21

 

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

The best red is my book bag - no need to say more.

The best orange is the Florida sunset shared with Megan when we celebrated the completion of our Master's degrees together.

The best yellow is the sun, which gives us light even in the darkest of times.

The best green is Megan and Ethan's high school sports uniforms.

The best blue is the pool - my summer happy place.

The best indigo is my Megan and Ethan's eyes - part mine and part Dave's.

The best violet is the lilacs getting ready to bloom.

The best white is the minivan where I taxied my children so many years ago.

The best black is my moleskin notebook.

The best grey is my weekend sweatshirt.

The best brown is the logs in the fireplace.

"The best colors are everywhere because they are in the things I love." ~ Deborah Dillon

Thank you Deborah Dillon for the mentor used in this slice.

A Place to Pause #SOSMagic

Today is one of my favorite days of the year. The day we take the remaining firewood from the back porch and bring out the patio furniture.

My porches are places where I take time for myself. A place where I write and read and think and work and dream...

a place to pause.

Tonight as I write this post, I pause and listen:

    a train bellows in the distance; another replies,

        two geese fly over, honking good night,

            a robin frantically chirps, shouting danger to his friends,

                   children laugh, trying to squeeze in a few more minutes of playtime before sundown,

                        a dog howls at the sirens down below the hill,

                                and the timer goes off telling me my husband's chocolate chip cookies are                                                     warm and ready for that cold glass of milk chilling in the freezer.

Yes...a place to pause.

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

A Purpose Bigger than Test Scores #SOL21

 

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

"You must have a purpose in your program that is bigger than winning" - John Wooden

This quote by legendary coach, John Wooden, has me thinking. We are about to embark on what I call testing season. Our faculty meetings have been required training for administering the test and watching videos of procedures. Students have taken practice tests, and teachers have read required manuals.

Although there has been very little talk about the testing season in classrooms and hallways, there is a feeling in the air. We sense it lingering.

I am one who believes that if I teach my students how to write effectively and read critically, then I have done my job. (Or at least part of it because there is much more to it.) I don't do test prep, and I really don't stress over it.

Wooden's words will be in my mind as we navigate through these last eight weeks of school because I know I have a purpose in my classroom that is bigger than test scores.

Friday Night Rabbit Hole #SOL21

 

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

You can just call me Alice. As in Alice in Wonderland falling down the rabbit hole.

Tonight, I started off watching a video on Choice Literacy about reading conferences and three hours later I came up out of the rabbit hole. And let me say, it is only because I still needed to write a slice for today. 

If I were to climb a ladder to find my way out, each rung might look like something like this:

"Choice Literacy"

Christie Rush-Levine

reading conferences

entry points

reading response

"Middle Web"

Marilyn Pryle

"Moving Writers"

reading projects

Dan Feigelson

reading conference videos

Time to write a slice!

There's nothing like that Friday night rabbit hole!

Waiting for Normal #SOL21

 

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

Book spine poetry is always a favorite slice for me. Sifting through book titles on my shelves while capturing a moment in time is a fun challenge. Here are my previous years:  2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.

Today's poem comes from the announcement from our governor that he will be lifting some of our restrictions. I know many of us are waiting for normal to return.

Small Steps
piecing me together
brave new girl
waiting for normal.

A Life Equation #SOL21

  

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

Life Equation:

2 years - Diet Cokes = 1 healthier person

I realized this week that a little over two years ago I gave up Diet Cokes. My mom has early dementia. I had read about the effects that diet drinks have on the brain, so I gave them up. There are times when I miss them, but I know I am a much healthier person without them.

Right Now #SOL21

 

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

What I'm reading - I started Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen, a book about a young girl who has problems with drugs and alcohol. Her parents don't know what to do with her, so they send her to a therapeutic wilderness camp. I know so many kids get in over their heads, and they don't even know it is happening. I can't wait to see how she how makes it through!

What I'm writing - I write for Choice Literacy, a multimedia resource of articles, videos, and professional development guides for teachers and literacy leaders. I have a couple of articles that I am revising before sending them off to my editor, Ruth Ayres.

What I'm learning - Sometimes we react to situations in ways we regret. A solution is always possible. Sometimes we just need to walk away in order to find it.

What I'm loving - I'm loving the sounds of my daughter cheering on basketball teams while watching March Madness. Tournament time was greatly missed in my household last year, and I am loving hearing those sounds again.

I found and saved this format from an early slice, but I forgot to save where I found it. So thank you, slicer! If it was you, please let me know so I can give you credit for the idea.

When a line from a book grabs your heart. #SOL21

 

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

I'm reading Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen. It is one of those books where I wonder if it is too old for my 6th graders. Can they handle it? Will they understand it? Am I giving them ideas they don't need to think about yet? 

Wren is a girl who began experimenting with drugs and alcohol when she was a middle-schooler. She began running with the wrong crowd because they gave her some much-needed attention. Her parents know that she is heading down the wrong path and don't know what to do or how to help her. So they send her to a wilderness camp. 

Tonight as I was reading, a line grabbed my heart. 

"Sometimes it doesn't take much for what's dormant to bloom."

This line is filled with so much hope. I know it is a metaphor for Wren's life. She has been dormant for so long and needs someone to show her that her life can be beautiful.

I think about my former students who took the same path as Wren, who are living life a dormant stage. 

I think about the students sitting in my classroom today. Do I have a Wren looking back at me? Or maybe avoiding looking at me? 

If I place this book on my shelf, will it help someone to bloom? 

I am not finished with the book yet, so I still have many questions. 

But it doesn't take much for what's dormant to bloom.

...Maybe I will.

A Grading Conundrum #SOL21

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

Have you ever wondered if you graded an essay twice within days of each other, would you give it the same score? I have often thought about it. 

Today actually.

Over my spring break, I graded 90 essays. Each class period's rubrics were completed, the rubric score converted and put into the grade book, and the papers carefully paperclipped together. 

Or so I thought.

I finished grading on Thursday and found that I had two papers from first period that weren't in with the rest of the class' stack. Thinking that seemed odd, I went in search of the other rubrics.

What a conundrum. 

I have looked everywhere. In my house. In my classroom. In my teacher bag. I even looked in file folders that I had out, thinking I might have accidentally slipped them in there. But no. They are nowhere to be found.

Would I score the essay the same? I guess I will find out later today. 

Is it time to stop my social media break? #SOL21

 

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

I used to love Twitter! I loved connecting with like-minded teachers and sharing books and teaching ideas. But over the past year, social media has left a bad taste in my mouth. It began to drag me down so I have taken many social media breaks, hoping that it would change when I returned. Well, for the most part, it didn't. 

As I was thinking about what to plan for April and watching the start of March Madness and watching the newest Penny and Kelly video, I thought I would try a poetry bracket where we would read different poems, vote on them, and determine a winner. We begin our two weeks of state testing in April, and I thought this would be fun to do during that time.

But I really had no idea where to start or how to begin.

In the past, I would automatically put something out on Twitter. But I've been avoiding Twitter because it hadn't been serving me as a teacher as it had in the past. What was I going to do? I needed some ideas, some teachers who have had success with this project.

Late last night I decided to take another dive into the Twittersphere, and I was pleasantly surprised at the response. Before I went to bed, I had three teachers willing to share what they had done in the past and several who had shared poems they have used in their classrooms or ones they enjoyed. I even woke up to more this morning. I am so thankful for the generosity of teachers who are willing to share with others. That is what I enjoyed about social media before, especially Twitter.

I don't know that I am ready to be fully committed to Twitter again, but at least our relationship is starting to mend - thanks to a few teachers.

Now, to start sifting through poems and creating that bracket!

Here is the link to the Penny/Kelly video about the poetry brackets.