Often on Friday afternoons, my youngest two kids and I will stop at an old fashioned general store in a tiny town on our way home. We park alongside the railroad tracks. When we're really lucky, a train will pass. "I love trains," the youngest will say. Naturally followed by, "And bong clocks and bowling." … Continue reading Ruth’s Slice: Gummy Worms.
Author: Ruth Ayres
Unhurried. Finding the magic in the middle of living. Capturing a life of ridiculous grace + raw stories.
comments matter!
Stacey and I often talk about the power of comments. The long and the short of it all is this: Comments matter. A lot. With that said, we've been ecstatic about the number of people who have chosen to become "Slicers" this month. We've been even more excited about the number of people who have… Continue reading comments matter!
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Conferring Truths.
The thing that struck me the most while observing Debbie Miller was her demeanor with children. She was genuine. Sweet. Kind. Responsive. After watching her in a second grade and first grade classroom, I was inspired to make the following list. These are little nuggets I've picked up over the years of listening to voices… Continue reading Conferring Truths.
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Ruth’s Slice: Debbie Miller Observation!
Sitting on the floor of a primary classroom, watching Debbie Miller lead a reading workshop, I am reminded of the importance of a student-led classroom. It all comes down to either embracing the thinking and work of students or embracing standardized test prep. It's either empowering students or it's empowering the test. I am renewed… Continue reading Ruth’s Slice: Debbie Miller Observation!
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Ruth’s Slice: Morning Tea.
His loud wailing sobs broke into the serene morning. Our mornings are peaceful. Always. (Usually.) Right now it isn't quiet. The sobs are echoing through the entire house -- bouncing off of the floor; binging off of the walls; filling the house. In my mind I growl my five year old's name. Certainly she did… Continue reading Ruth’s Slice: Morning Tea.
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Ruth’s Slice of Life 3/31: Hello March!
The sun streams through the sky down to my face: bright, bold, warm. The wind whips through the parking lot cutting through my winter attire: brutal, biting, cold. Hello March! whirls in my mind. The calendar says you are here. So soon, won't you bring out the green? And the crisp blue skies? And the… Continue reading Ruth’s Slice of Life 3/31: Hello March!
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Ruth’s Slice of Life 2/31: Home
Ahh, the comfort of my office. I sit here, with one of my favorite scents permeating the room – mandarin cranberry – the soft glow of my lamps and the ticking of my clock all make me feel welcome. My eyes pause on all the things which make this space mine -- a Scott Mutter… Continue reading Ruth’s Slice of Life 2/31: Home
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Ruth’s Slice of Life 1/31: New
The smell of Murphy's Oil Soap stings my nose and eyes. It's such an old fashioned smell and it reminds me that the methodical, intricate scrubbing I'm doing on my cabinets is something generations have done before me. I clean the cabinets, getting in all of the crevices, sweeping my rag in the dark depths… Continue reading Ruth’s Slice of Life 1/31: New
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Slice of Life Buttons
Here are some buttons you can use if you want to proudly display your participation in the Slice of Life Challenge. 🙂 Also, feel free to use these with your students too. My friend, Monica, made this button into a hyperlink to use on your blog. Here is the code that will get ya a… Continue reading Slice of Life Buttons
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Let’s Celebrate!
Today was the end of the trimester at my school. This also means it is the end of the course I've been teaching for the past twelve weeks. Naturally, we held a writing celebration. I teamed up with another teacher, Tif Beer, and we put together a: RED CARPET CELEBRITY EVENT Writing Celebration & Awards Banquet… Continue reading Let’s Celebrate!
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And the Winner Is . . .
No video drawing this week, I had to use more archaic measures. It went like this: Checked the number of comments and subtract one (since Stacey isn't eligible to win our own giveaway!) Said to Andy (my sweet husband), "Hey, choose a number between 1 and 10." "Seven!" (It strikes me that it says something… Continue reading And the Winner Is . . .
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Reading Response Letters.
Today my students took a summative assessment over the novelsthey read for their literature circles. There were four parts to include in the letter, which aligned with the kinds of notes they took in preparation for their discussions. Then, as a conclusion, I asked them to tell me something about their lives right now. Wow! I… Continue reading Reading Response Letters.
