Tuesday @ 5:58 am: Putting the tea cup in the dishwasher, Sam says, "There's nothing like a cup of hot fresh tea to start the day off right."
Author: Ruth Ayres
Unhurried. Finding the magic in the middle of living. Capturing a life of ridiculous grace + raw stories.
Joy in the Journey
I've been thinking all weekend about today's post. I keep a list of topics to blog for days like today. Days when I'm not sure what it is I should write. However, none of them seemed right. How is it that I can have a list of 23 ideas and yet none of them are… Continue reading Joy in the Journey
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Words That Are Speaking to Me
"Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of… Continue reading Words That Are Speaking to Me
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Celebrate Student Writing
Today I had the pleasure of celebrating student writing. Mitch Willaman's fifth grade class presented their Wax Museum. Have you ever been to a Wax Museum? It is filled with look-a-likes. The difference between Madame Tussaud's and Mr. Willaman's class is the students today came alive. Each student created a button and when it was… Continue reading Celebrate Student Writing
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Stamina.
Stamina has been on my mind lately. Maybe it is because it is May and the year is coming to an end. Maybe it is because I've been thinking about standardized testing and the stamina it takes for kids to complete the English Language Arts sections. Maybe it's because I've been increasing my stamina during… Continue reading Stamina.
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Influence
Today I'm reminded how little things add up to make a big difference in our lives. Recently we learned my daughter has many issues with her teeth. What started as a tooth ache has revealed cavities needing filled, an infected tooth needing pulled, and a rotten adult molar needing a crown. If you are a regular… Continue reading Influence
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Standardized Testing + Workshop
Today I administered "The Sequel" of Indiana's standardized test to a small group of sixth graders. This portion was all multiple choice. Last month was the first round of the test where students completed the written response portions. At the end of the testing session, I was left with similar feelings as the last round.… Continue reading Standardized Testing + Workshop
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Office Tour
Welcome to my office. 🙂 I'll share some images and a little candid commentary. At the end I reveal my dark secret about organization. Computer AreaI've used this so much the letters are worn off of my keyboard! The locker cubbies are used to store important documents like staff rosters, phone extensions, and the literacy framework. Quotes One… Continue reading Office Tour
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Quips from Jeff Anderson
Today I listened to Jeff Anderson speak. (Tomorrow I'll be part of a study group he's leading and watch him model in classrooms.) He is the author of Mechanically Inclined and Everyday Editing and he is brilliant when it comes to teaching kids to understand grammar. Not to mention, he's an exceptional presenter. So today's post… Continue reading Quips from Jeff Anderson
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A Bit of This & That
You may consider today's post random, however, I prefer to think of it as eclectic. There are some things I've been meaning to share, some things I've been preparing to share, and some things I just learned about today and am wanting to share. Plus, I think a good dose of eclectic has never hurt… Continue reading A Bit of This & That
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Noise Level in Writing Workshop
One thing I've noticed as I've worked with many teachers across grade levels is we all have a different tolerance for noise level. This makes me realize that all of our students probably have different tolerances as well. Which makes me wonder -- how much noise is enough in Writing Workshop and how much noise… Continue reading Noise Level in Writing Workshop
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A Dose of Poetry
Recently I was directed to Amy Ludwig VanDerwater's new blog, The Poem Farm. Amy's poetry, photos, and insights are inspiring. You'll find yourself filled with ideas for making poetry come alive in your classroom, as well as your fingers itching to write a poem. Hop on over and visit The Poem Farm soon.
