Bird expressway #SOLC21

 

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Both of our neighbors are avid bird feeders.  One neighbor throws seed on his patio (along with peanuts for the squirrels).  The other neighbor has bird houses, a bird bath, and all different hanging feeders.  The feeders are hung with wires so the squirrels can't climb up to them.

We have two feeders, but right now they are empty and in the garage.  After a summer of dealing with a raccoon family living under our shed and chipmunks digging under our brick driveway, we are taking a break from feeding the birds.  As much as I want to feed the birds, we need to be seed-free in our yard.  

Even though we aren't feeding them, we enjoy watching and listening to all the different birds enjoy our neighbors' seed and birdbath.  They gleefully ZIP and ZOOM through our yard, diving into the evergreens or landing on the fence to wait their turn.  

Unfortunately, last weekend a hawk figured out that our backyards are full of sparrows, juncos and some cardinals.  I noticed the quiet outside and spotted the hawk on the back fence.  The hawk dived toward the neighbor's forsythia hedge and came out clutching a sparrow in its talons.  I know it's the natural food chain, but I hope the hawk will find another place to dine!

Waiting for the butterflies #SOLC21

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My Instagram feed is FULL of caterpillars, butterflies and flowers, and I'm grumpy!

That's what I get when I follow the hashtags #butterflygardening and #raisingbutterflies.

Too bad I live in Zone 5b and we still have snow on the ground.  Plants are still frozen and brown and crunchy.

When a coworker asked me about raising butterflies today, I got a little hopeful.  

I explained how I have swamp milkweed plants where the monarchs will lay eggs. 
I went on to talk about how I collect the eggs to raise in little containers so they have a better chance to survive.  I babbled on about how my neighbor has common milkweed plants that come in handy when the eggs have grown into full, fifth-instar caterpillars that eat through a large leaf in one day.

To feel better, I came home and ordered more swamp milkweed and coneflowers that will arrive when it's warm enough to plant them.

Back to the Instagram feed to feel a little more hopeful for spring's arrival, as I wait for the butterflies.

 

Student engagement #SOLC21

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This year is my first teaching reading groups at middle school.  I have hybrid, in-person and remote groups.  I was concerned about making the switch, but I realized that doing so during such a tumultuous school year actually has worked to my advantage (read:  we are all new to pandemic teaching).

This week my 6th grade groups (some hybrid, some remote, some in-person) explored a pair of texts that focused on the rescue of a dog floating on a piece of ice in the Baltic Sea.  

Earlier in the week, I showed pictures, maps and introduced some vocabulary.  Then I stopped talking and let them read.  It was SO difficult to sit there and stay quiet while they read one of the longest texts I've shared all year.  If there was time, we shared our reactions.  

To get student input, I created a Pear Deck (Google Slide add-on).  Students could highlight text evidence, type inferences, and answer questions.  I launched it for every group and received quite a surprise.

Nearly ALL of my students were engaged.  

Not everyone placed input on the Pear Deck, but everyone participated in some way, sharing their thinking with their voice or in the chat.  I'm still reveling in the amount of participation I've had from my students the past two days.

Are we finally in the groove of routine, expectations and conversation?  Have I built a safe environment for them to try?  Maybe the text was on the easy side and they felt some success?

Maybe I shouldn't overthink and overanalyze. Maybe I should just enjoy the "good tired" I'm feeling from this week, and go into tomorrow with a smile and satisfaction that something actually worked well for many of my students.

Dinner solved! #SOLC21

 

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I would not change the past year of having everyone in my family home.  Last March our oldest daughter returned  home and found remote work.  The youngest daughter adjusted to remote college courses and a new full-time job.  My husband has settled in to working from his basement office instead of flying around the country.

What would I change?  

Figuring out dinner.  Seven days a week.

When it was just youngest and me at home, some dinners could be egg sandwiches or pancakes.  I'd cook some random chicken dish and we'd have that for two nights.  When my husband was home on weekends, we'd eat out (before the pandemic).

I experimented with Pinterest recipes.  I tried meal prep.  I pulled out my copy of America's Test Kitchen Cooking School and attempted to learn how to cook.

We survived.  We ate.  It was fine, but this week I landed on a new miracle for dinner.

A local catering company offered a weekly meal kit.  The food is prepared (ready to heat or eat) and packaged so nicely.  I jumped on the opportunity to get one of these tasty meals every week.

Tonight was a Parisian picnic.  Next week is Nashville buttermilk chicken.

As long as I have a meal to look forward to each week, I can deal with the other days.  

I accept I may never be the diva of dinner preparation!

Choosing topics from memory lane #SOLC21

 

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I was inspired by some other slicers to look back to my first year of participating in this challenge.  I reread my post, Generating Ideas, from 2012.  My plans for one of my reading groups that day was two-fold.  I would pique their interest in writing and get some authentic ideas for what I would write about all month.

This group was one that brought me joy and frustration each week.  Out of the five students, J & A were sharp students with great attitudes, but oh my were they in competition with each other!  They constantly announced when they had exceeded the other in fluency, answering questions, who was faster at recess, and on and on and on...

J especially enjoyed brainstorming ideas for me to write about.  He did not feel the need to get a notebook or attempt writing.  Nope, not for him. Conversely, A and two other students got excited to receive little notebooks of their own to write in during the month.  They were determined to fill each little box on their calendars with writing ideas.

I often wonder how that group of students did once they got to high school (and maybe even beyond.  How old are they now?  😆).  I tried my best to meet their needs and not get frustrated by their antics.  Now that I'm in my 20th year (!) of teaching and it's mostly online, I've realized that working with actively engaged students is always more interesting than quieter groups.

During this month, I'll be exploring that calendar of ideas from 2012.  Some don't really fit anymore (there's no recess <sigh> in middle school) but there's a lot more to write about and see where the slice goes.

Routines, please #SOLC21

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It's no surprise to me that I'm back for this challenge this year.  2020 was a wild ride, so I'm grateful to be back in this supportive space, finding my writing voice again.

I've realized something very unusual this year:  I'm thriving when something is routine.  

(I know - looking at the name of my blog you would think otherwise - but I surprised myself!). 

My wake-up and go-to-sleep times, my morning routine, my route to work, and my classroom mini lessons.  When I follow the routines, I'm more calm and prepared and more likely to have success.

(If you had told younger me that I'd be thriving from routines in my 50s, I would have laughed!)

I guess my mom is right - I love having a sense of control over things.  

(I would love to have control over my family's lack of dishwasher loading...but that's for another day).  

I also think after the roller coaster of 2020, I appreciate the rhythm of routine.  When things go as expected, then I can deal with the unexpected.

So I'm excited to be off to a good start of slicing each day.  I prefer writing in the evening, after dinner, once I've changed into comfy clothes and I can put the school day behind me.

May you find a writing groove that becomes routine as we write every day this month!

I will do my best

Everyone wants to know how I will teach this school year.

"Will you be online?"  

"Are the students coming to school?" 

"What's the hybrid thing?"

I overhear conversations about school in the store, at the salon, and all over social media.

Parents are frustrated, community members are opinionated, and everyone is nervous.

This is my response:

I will do my best, just like every other school year.

I will strive to learn each student's strengths and interests.

I will read books and talk about them so students can be inspired to read.

I will use all my markers to make drawings and sketches to share ideas and promote thinking.

I will be patient with my quieter students, my outspoken students, and all the students in between.

I will encourage my students to find their voice and be confident enough to use it.

I will take care of myself (eating well, sleeping more, finding peaceful moments) so I have the energy to keep doing my best.

All students deserve a positive school experience, no matter the model of instruction.