Musings from a middle school reading specialist. I encourage my students to read, talk, write, and have fun!
I parent two amazing young-adult daughters with my husband of 30+ years.

February 14, 2017

Love #SOL17

Read more Slice of Life stories at
Two Writing Teachers

Love is...

  • taking a late night call from your oldest to catch up on her day and provide support
  • not getting mad at your youngest for swiping your conditioner from the shower
  • sending your husband off with best wishes for a healthy heart checkup
  • coming to teach in the morning when you reallllyyyy need another hour of sleep
  • teaching your developing readers and writers how to write a kindness note
  • watching them think and encourage and decorate and help each other write notes
  • helping students deliver notes to pleasantly surprised staff members
  • getting messages of love from your family over social media
  • spending dinner with your daughter and laughing over messed up quesadillas
  • browsing at the bookstore, choosing just the right books for the upcoming baby shower
  • warming some milk, chocolate and cinnamon for a delicious hot cocoa
  • writing a slice showing gratitude for a really sweet day

February 7, 2017

One Little Word? Not yet. #SOL17

Read more Slice of Life stories at
Two Writing Teachers

2017 started yesterday, right?  Yeesh - I'm 38 days late to that party!  Whooosh - this new year is already flying by.  Lots of excuses and reasons I haven't written on the blog or read a lot of books:
  • grad school AGAIN (ESL endorsement 84% complete)
  • new principal ('nuff said)
  • second year at new school
  • too much paperwork I keep putting off
  • lots of political tweets and news and events to follow
  • everything else has bumped writing out of the way
This year I'm trying something new (because I'm refining and trying strategies every day) of stopping and thinking before I jump in to:  answer for someone else, raise my hand to volunteer or help a child or adult do something that they are capable of doing themselves.

So that leaves me with the question... what IS my One Little Word for 2017??

Is it...
  • stop
  • pause
  • mindful
  • reflect
  • choose
Calling all readers ... do you have some advice?  I tend to talk about being intentional with my fellow teachers, but I'm too impulsive for that one.

Thanks for listening.  It was good to write and get this out of my head.