Challenge reflection #SOLC

 

The Slice of Life Challenge ends today!

Two Writing Teachers

It was good to be back writing.  Although I didn't have lots of comments on my writing (I'm a late-night slicer), I realized it didn't matter.  What mattered is that I took time out of my day to craft a slice and put some thoughts into a post.

Each year I get less and less concerned about writing for my audience.  Maybe that comes with age (I'm 50+ now)?  Don't get me wrong, I love to write a witty, funny piece that resonates with lots of people.  

But after ten years of writing during this challenge, 

I understand that writing is for the writer.

Thanks to all my fellow slicers, and congratulations to us all!  Whether we wrote for all 31 days or not, we are writers.  We shared our thoughts and supported each other through comments and community.

Thanks to the Two Writing Teachers group for hosting the challenge.  It was good to dust off the blog and my writing brain to jump into slicing again.  

Bouncy ball #SOLC

 

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Today was a bouncy ball day.

I bounced from one activity to another, finishing nothing.

                                                    Up the stairs and back down.

            Putting the bedroom back together (new carpet!)

                                                                                    Type, sit and read, go back to email.

    Jump into the group text (teachers on break!)

                                                            Answer the phone, make a call to dad

                                    Chat with daughter

Zip over to PT appointment (my knee is feeling better!)

                    My spring break is spent bouncing from one thing to another.

                                                        I'll have to go back to school to relax (NOT! Hahahaha)

Good Reads #SOLC

 

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Two Writing Teachers

My Little Free Library is never empty.  I tend to fill it with picture books and chapter books from my collection or a quick run to Half Price Books.  The patrons and the public library are responsible for any adult fiction.

Over the years, I've found myself reading more children's and YA books than adult books.  I love to finish books quickly, and reading books that my students might enjoy would connect me to some that I could recommend to them.  

Most of the books I choose to read come from recommendations from teachers & librarians on Twitter, from Nerdy Book Club posts, and connections on the Goodreads app.  I can't even tell you how many books are on my TBR (to be read) list as I collect book titles from everywhere I can.  

This year I've made a definite effort to read more books that feature characters and events that are different from myself and my experiences.  I'm consulting books listed by Project LIT Community (@ProjectLITComm) and We Need Diverse Books (@DiverseBooks) with other resources to help guide my reading.  

I truly believe in the importance of my students seeing themselves reflected in books.  Not many of my students are interested in reading longer texts right now, but when they are ready, I will have books for them.  

(Two favorite books from this month: Fast Pitch by Nic Stone, Blended by Sharon Draper)

Life Kit #SOLC

 

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I only recently got into listening to podcasts.  My oldest daughter introduced them to me when we would drive the three hours to return her college after weekends home.  Once I figured out where to find podcasts (started with Apple, now I use Spotify), I started searching and listening to find my favorites.

My top, go-to podcast for the ride home is NPR's Life Kit.  This gem is only 15-20 minutes long, so it's perfect for my commute.  Life Kit has a variety of hosts and topics, ranging from dealing with family members at the holidays, starting a hobby, and staying connected with friends.

Last week I listened to the episode centered on all the administrative tasks we have to take care of at home (car repairs, doctor appointments, bills, etc).  The episode really got me ready for tackling some of this minutiae as I begin spring break.

Thinking back to the first podcast I listened to, I never thought I would enjoy them.  But now, I'm off to listen to another episode... NPR Life Kit Podcast

Relax, restore #SOLC

 

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Two Writing Teachers

Spring Break Saturday

Freezing cold, blowing winds

Pajamas, warm socks, cozy sweatshirt

Coffee with fluffy milk

Paperwork, list making

Pause for lunch

Finish a book*

While lounging on the couch

Banana oatmeal bread in the oven

Write, post, read, comment

Today is for relaxing

* Fast Pitch by Nic Stone - really great read!

Game Day #SOLC

 

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Two Writing Teachers

We made it to the final day before spring break!  I stopped at Target last night to get a new Uno deck (cards!) and a bag of Cuties (snacks!).  Friday was established as game day for all my groups.  My reading groups could not be more different from one another, and that showed through their choices of games, cooperative game play and noise level:

1st period enjoyed a quiet round of Uno with dim lights.

2nd period shared a noisy BINGO game with two other classrooms over Zoom.  Then we jumped into an Uno game until the bell rang and the students flew out the door (whew!).

3rd period settled into their regular Trouble Battle (their words) with accompanying soundtrack of their favorite tunes.

7th period calmly and politely played BINGO, then transitioned to Uno.  They helped each other learn to shuffle cards.  Then they were RELENTLESS in the game (lol).

8th period couldn't get enough of the spinning BINGO number selector.  After a game, they lost interest and stamina and their phones took their attention.

9th period.  One short game of Uno.  Many outbursts.  Cards on floor.  Kids pacing room. Dismissal could not come soon enough.

Hooray for SPRING BREAK!

Bright moments #SOLC

 

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This week has been especially bumpy at school as we navigate to the last day before spring break (FINALLY!).  Kids are tired and grumpy, and I'm exhausted trying to keep my reading lessons engaging and entertaining.  To finish the week, I'm determined to note some of the bright moments this week (not in any order):

• When we read about two brothers who survived the 2011 Joplin, MO tornado, my 6th grade groups were completely engaged in reading, looking for text evidence and discussing the text.
• One of those 6th grade students is now referring to himself as "an unpublished author."  He has written around five books (I think it's two different series) and illustrated a bunch of comics.  When he said he wasn't an author, I corrected him - he's definitely an author!
• After the tornado reading, a student shared a nonfiction book she wrote on Book Creator about tornadoes when they studied them in science.
• One of my 7th graders turned to his classmate and said in all seriousness, "Dude - have you seen your scores? You really need to get your head in the right place."
• One of my silent, earbuds-always-in 8th graders put his phone away and totally focused on an assessment.  His score improved by an incredible amount.  I saw the tiniest smile on his face when I congratulated his focus and effort.  

These moments remind me of why I appreciate working with young people.  Now I have a few more ounces of patience for tomorrow.

Role Reversal #SOLC

 

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As I drove home from work yesterday, I checked in with my oldest daughter, Lindsey.  She relocated to the west coast about a year ago.  She's always talked about living in California or New York, so it was no surprise when she made the decision to move there.

Unlike me, Lindsey went out of state to school, and then lived far from home for her first job (and even farther for her second job).  Now she's working for a company who encourages employees to work remotely, so she is set! She has the ability to work from anywhere in the world (as long as she manages the time zones).

Yesterday wasn't an easy day at school, by far.  I ended up yelling at my last group of 8th graders because two boys decided to wrestle and push another one to the ground.  Not my finest hour of teaching, but at least no one was hurt.  (They thought it was hysterical).

As I drove home, Lindsey and I talked about lots of topics:  her recent trip to LA to see a friend, her ceramics class, and when I will travel to CA to see her.  I responded with a bunch of venting and whining, my struggle with imposter syndrome, and how many days left in the school year.

As Lindsey talked me through a few scenarios with some direct words (she is a clear communicator), it felt like a role reversal.  I have always promised myself that I wouldn't lay my problems on my children, but this felt different.  I was the person who needed someone to listen, and Lindsey was the person who could process and offer suggestions.

It really is amazing to watch your children grow into adults with glimmers of their former tiny selves.  They still keep their youthful attitudes and perspectives, but they stretch and grow into people that are ready to face the world.

Ugh #SOLC

 

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Our house was built in the 1970s, we bought it in 1998, and we added an addition with a basement in 2003.

We've always had a mouse problem.

UGH.

Every year they seem to sneak in through the garage, in through the stove.  We have tried to patch all their passageways over the years.  Some years, we were successful, and other years... not so much.

UGH.

I adapted our kitchen organization to remove any tempting treats:  only canned goods in the lower cabinet, no bread on the counter... NO food left on the counter.. EVER.

UGH.

My husband and I talk about what we need to fix next around the house.  His workshop and the garage are at the top of the list.  They are definitely stops on the mouse highway.

UGH.

Tonight I decided to start dealing with one corner of the workshop.

(Why?  My hubby went out of town this morning).  

I don't even want to talk about cleaning out this corner.  All I can say is ...

UGH.

I know we will eventually deal with all the passageways that help these tiny nuisances enter our home and stress us out.

Until then,

UGH.

To Do List #SOLC

 

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Saturday mornings always start with a few tasks:

• Cook and eat (slowly) a delicious breakfast
• Savor the cup of coffee (from a real mug)
• Finish a book or the crossword puzzle
• Make dining reservations for my father-in-law
• Clean out the email inbox
• Add events to the calendar & items to the grocery list
• Spend time with the parakeet
• Run some laundry, wash some dishes
• Stay in pajamas until at least 12

The rest of the day becomes less routine.  My husband and I will try to decide what tasks need to be done around the house. We remind ourselves of errands we need to run.  We attempt to meal plan.

Then, to be honest, we will each get wrapped up in one activity, and the hours will fly by. Sometimes it's extra relaxing on the couch looking up recipes, vacation spots and books (me) and other times it's watching home improvement shows (him).

I think I need to give myself permission to stress less about the To Do list on weekends, and savor the time to relax, recharge and regroup from the week.  There are some things that must be done, but some chores can wait for another day.  

Whew! What a Week. #SOLC

 

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It's been a long week.  I'm have a cold.  

This week a full moon and nice weather on Wednesday made for some interesting student behavior.  

Today at lunch duty, a chocolate milk came sailing in the air towards me as I rolled the garbage can around.  

Thankfully, it hit the ground in front of me without too much of a splash.

It's been a long week.  You'll find me on the couch.

Hop on the Bus, Gus #SOLC

 

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Two Writing Teachers

My mom and dad are in their early 70s.  They got the bug to travel via RV from my dad's (my great) uncle.  Great Uncle Bud and Great Aunt Toni would travel east to Illinois and Minnesota from Las Vegas, NV every summer of my childhood in an RV.  

Flash forward 45 years, and my parents have their second RV as they traded up from their class C to a class A motorhome.

They haven't decided to become full-time RVers, but that day may come in the future.  They always have a myriad of answers as to why it's not time to sell the two-story house, get a P.O. box, and hit the road.

I'm excited for all their trips, and it's fun to get text messages from both parents, as they have different styles of communication.  My mom sends the requisite photos and details of their destinations.  This week they visited the USS Alabama, the ship on which her uncle served in WWII. She was thrilled to see her uncle's photo and some details about his time on the ship.

My dad, on the other hand, enjoys sending messages with a bit of flair and, at times, written in code.  Today's texts included a picture of the shop at the Ozark / Fort Rucker KOA and the phrase:

        "Stopping early,  storms brewing , Ozark Alabama KOA /Fort Rucker, maybe I'll bump             into Darius , I'm not Hootie"**

(**Dear youngish friends, please look up the band Hootie and the Blowfish)

Dad loves when places and people he runs into on the road make a connection for him. 

Even when he's home and my mom makes him complete endless projects, the text messages are still entertaining:

        "I assume you watch Fixer Upper, Chip&Joanna Gains . I'm Chip ,     
           IT'S DEMO DAY, BABY 😂😂".   

The text when he attempted to fix the washing machine: 

        "Man vs Machine, stay tuned see who wins"

Text messages from my dad are always a hoot.  I usually get them at random times of the day, which helps bring a smile to my face.  Mom & Dad will hopefully be on the road home from Alabama this weekend, if the weather doesn't get in their way.  To quote my dad,

        "That's the Plan, Stan, get on the bus Gus, you know the rest 🙂"

Ice cream #SOLC

 

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Today it was 70 degrees in the Chicago suburbs.  Some of my students had spring fever (7 days til spring break!) and my classroom was warm and stuffy. This made for a long day.

After dinner, I mentioned that the whole town would probably go out for ice cream today, especially since it's the warmest day so far in 2022.

"Ice cream?" asked my husband.

Even the 23-year-old daughter's ears perked up, "Ice cream?"  she replied.

I sent them to the new Dairy Queen a few miles away with orders in hand.  They returned with a bonus Blizzard.  "I think they are still training people - we will just put this in the freezer!" announced my husband.

Dairy Queen cones always remind me of a favorite book, Duke the Dairy Delight Dog, by Lisa Campbell Ernst.  I no longer have a copy (I need to fix that) on my shelf, but this delightful story was a pure joy to read aloud to the kids at elementary school.  The vocabulary was super-duper, so I bet even my middle school kids would not feel like it was too babyish.

In a nutshell, the story focuses on the very detailed, cleaning Darla (ice cream store owner) as she deals with a dirty and determined Duke, a stray dog who has found his destiny at the Dairy Delight.  The two don't see eye-to-eye, but an encounter with wax and a floor cleaner manages to nudge Darla to more acceptance of Duke.

Here's to more ice-cream filled 70-degree days this spring!

Restless Day #SOLC

I'm writing (almost) every day in March

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Two Writing Teachers

Yesterday the more I spoke and read and answered questions, the worse my throat felt.  It didn't help that my little room without a window has one fan, one HEPA filter and one Arctic Air (brought my own mini AC) fan blowing all day. (That's a whole other slice!)

At the end of the day I put in for a sick day.  I pulled together plans, made copies, over-explained everything (because that's who I am.)

Today I'm supposed to be resting.  But I can't.

I'm someone who struggles to finish things.  Even emptying the dishwasher.

I've tried lists, reminders, sticky notes.  Ugh.  This brain keeps spinning.

I did manage to finish a crossword puzzle from three weeks ago, and now I'm typing this slice.  Maybe I'll be able to nap later?  Who am I kidding?

My (supposed to be) restful day is full of restless energy.

 

Anxious #SOLC

 

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Some days I second guess every decision of my 21 years of teaching, 26 years as a parent and 52 years as a human.

I spent the morning second guessing ... everything:

stay home or go to school?

turn left or right?

display the books or put on the shelf?

share the video or skip it?

join my colleagues or dine alone?

insist on reading more or give the students a break?

get involved in the argument or walk away?

over-explain or remain vague?

Maybe the anxiety runs deeper this week because of the time change, lack of sleep or impending full moon?

Maybe I can trust that I can make decisions

                                                                        without second guessing.

Impromptu reunion #SOLC

 

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The text message arrived this morning, "We'll be in town this afternoon - want to meet for lunch?

My husband and I met our friends Kris & Eric in 1996 when we rented a townhouse next to them.  I was pregnant, they had no kids, but we both had Labrador retrievers.  Their chocolate lab, Bailey, was sweet and innocent.  Our lab, Candy, was full of mischief and vigor.

Over the years, there's we have shared numerous adventures:  a cruise celebrating 30th birthdays, sharing dinners, building decks.  We've supported each other through the roller coasters of raising kids (them = 3, us = 2), and weathered tough situations:  mourning parents and saying goodbye to pets.

A few years ago K & E moved to Wisconsin.  They are less than two hours away, but our visits and messages are fewer.  The kids now range in age from 25 to 15, two are moved out on their own.  

So today we met for lunch, then spent some extra time with two of the kids while other errands were run.  We caught up on everything ... jobs, travel, kids, opportunities and bumps in the road. 

It's really great to pick up where you left off with lifelong friends.

Board Games for the Win #SOLC

 

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Each month we have an early release day.  This gives students a compressed schedule (25 minute classes) so teachers can have professional development time in the afternoon.

Back in November, I decided to bring Apples to Apples Junior and Uno for my small groups (grades 6-8) to play on an early release day.  Uno was a huge hit, especially with my students who are new to the United States.  It was easy for them to pick up the rules and play.

Apples to Apples Junior became a favorite for 6th graders.  I let the "judge" sit in my rolling chair as they decided which nouns submitted best matched the adjective card they pulled.  I was secretly pleased that they were learning or reinforcing some juicy vocabulary as they played.

In January, I discovered we had the game Trouble in our basement.  I wasn't sure how it would go over with my very particular middle schoolers.  

It was magical!

When my "too cool for school" 7th grade group of boys entered the room that day, one called out, "Oh wow - throwback to elementary school!" They immediately wanted to know how to play, but one student kept adding rules.  I went along with it because what he didn't realize was that one rule was helping us win!  I swept the game with a bunch of Double Troubles and rolling 6s.  The boys were borderline sore losers, but they definitely enjoyed the competition.

Fast forward to today.  The four boys in that same 7th grade group patiently waited for two of them to complete a running record for me.  Then they jumped into their game with a mature vengeance.  There was a tiny argument about someone over-jumping their roll, but overall it was a clean game. 

I'm thrilled that some old fashioned board games are interesting to today's students (phones were barely out!).  I don't know how long the Trouble game streak will continue, but students are willing to engage in reading and writing during the other four days of the week to earn the opportunity to play a game on early release days.

Evening jams #SOLC22

 

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My youngest daughter brought home a pet parakeet, Tiki, in 2018.  Over the years, I've become quite attached to this feathered friend.

Tiki starts each morning tweeting to the sparrows and nuthatches outside.  On weekends, she will sit for a long time on the window sill, checking out the birds in the yard.

In the evening when it's time to do dinner dishes, Tiki gets to pick the playlist.  I'll call out a variety of artists, genres or movie soundtracks (she especially likes Encanto).  When I hear Tiki "peep" that decides the evenings jams.

"Siri, play the Jonas Brothers!" I call out.  

(Yes, this 50-something likes her kids' childhood favorites hahahaha!)

As I scrub the pots and pans, we sing & chirp along to the music.

Nothing better than our evening jams.

Our pet parakeet, Tiki, enjoys the view from the windowsill.

Uplifting TV #SOLC22

 

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It's the time of year that finds me exhausted.  Yes, I'm an avid reader (more on that another day), but some days you just need to sit on the couch, wrap up in a blanket and watch some uplifting TV.

My current show that never fails to lift my spirits is "Queer Eye" on Netflix.  This fabulous team arrives to help someone (or a group) -- who has usually put themselves on the back burner -- freshen up their look, learn to cook something delicious, get some life coaching and receive a beautiful new living space.

Each member of the Queer Eye team has a speciality, and I love how kindly they address and coach each person they work with.  They have hard conversations with participants but it's always with caring, respectful ways.

I've learned a lot about taking time for myself, looking for the best in others, and helping people know how much they are cared for.

(One favorite episode:  Season 6 - "A Night to Remember")

Slightly organized #SOLC22

 

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Two Writing Teachers

The day was a roller coaster.  Students with attitudes, students who asked for help.  

One teacher (me) who barely sat down between classes, lunch homework help and book club.

How do I release some stress?

My daughter cooked a meal for us (hooray!) and I made sure to turn up the music as I washed dishes.  Then I organized the silverware drawer.  

Isn't it sparkling?  I feel better already.