FOCUS

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FOCUS
It's the word
my youngest daughter
used to call
the f word.

FOCUS
is hard for
someone like me trying to keep
developing readers with lots of energy
reading and
writing and
thinking
as the classrooms around them
become
placed in boxes

FOCUS
is hard for students
when the weather turns
VERY warm
and the pool opened
during the three day weekend

FOCUS
for me
is hard
when I still want to teach
and the paperwork says
"Pay attention to ME"

while

on the counter
the papers
and books
and games
and book bags
and tape players
demand
to be put away


FOCUS
can I keep my brain on target
while the school year
w i n d s
d   o   w   n ?

Second Violin

Slice of Life Tuesdays hosted by Two Writing Teachers

If you asked my family and friends to describe my personality, they would tell you that I L-O-V-E to talk.  My grandmother even bought me a shirt when I was a teen that labeled me "The Babbler."  I love to generate ideas, get people excited, and I tend to think "outside the box."

At school, do I see myself as a leader?  Nope.  I see myself as a solid second violin.

Classical music composers tend to write thousands of showy, shiny, high-pitched notes for the first violins.  They carry most of the melodies.  In contrast, the second violins have hundreds of solid, smooth, middle-range notes that support the first violins.  The first violins (in my opinion) need the anchor of the second violins to help their melodies sound better.

In teaching (and in the real world), I work best as a second violin.  I don't worry about being the first to try a new strategy.  I'm not great at leading everyone to the next best thing.  I'm much better at supporting everyone around me, helping them to be their best.  I ask questions that help others make decisions.  I nod, smile and think of more questions to guide them to success.

Sometimes I wish I was the rock-star teacher, but I think those shoes are too big for me right now.  I'm happy standing in the wings cheering on my friends, wiping their tears when they get overwhelmed, and always being here to listen.

Harmony can be more powerful than melody.

Making connections

Slice of Life Tuesdays hosted at Two Writing Teachers

This year I had many families stop by my room during two days of portfolio sharing.  This shouldn't be a surprise, but in years past, I had maybe 3 or 4 of my students convince their parents to stop by my room once they had shared everything in their homeroom.

This year, I'm all about making connections.  Not the text-to-self and text-to-text connections.
Connections with students.  I want my little reading room to be a place of respite, a place to learn, a place to speak and be heard.

At one point during the portfolio sharing evening, I had a second grader and her parents come in and get comfortable at the table.  My student was taking them through her reading response journal, speaking like a proud tour guide, as her father tried to find answers to the many questions he has about her reading progress.

Meanwhile, one fourth grader lingered outside my room with his mom.  I stepped out and chatted with them, explaining in my halting Spanish (something to work on!) to his mom how polite and hardworking her son is with his peers.

I'm sorry to say that I missed seeing one family.  Another fourth grader walked past the room twice, trying to get my attention as I spoke with another family.  I called their house later that evening to apologize for missing them.

It's an important part of my job to build the decoding skills, comprehension and vocabulary of my students.  Most importantly, I'm here to help build the self-esteem and confidence of my students by giving them an opportunity to grow as learners.

Hair Therapy

I keep my hair long, so I splurge every now and then for a partial highlight and cut. When I get to the salon, I always tease my stylist, Laurie, "Time for hair therapy!" She laughs, I grab a chair and we dish. We share stories, both positive and challenging, especially lamenting the trials and tribulations of our 8th grade daughters. We laugh at my inability to choose how much length to take off my mop, and how she is proud that I haven't asked her to cut my bangs back in after growing them out a few years ago. (A big hurdle for me!)


My two hours at the salon is "me" time.  I chat with Laurie as she covers my hair with just the right formula of high and low lights.  While the color processes, I sit back and relax with the latest issue of Glamour or People.  

Then comes the shampoo.  This salon has reclining shampoo chairs!  Ahhhhh - they give a fantastic scalp massage, too!

When it's time to head over for a haircut, the conversation continues.  We even chat while the hairdryer is going!

As I head home, I'm relaxed and pleasantly distracted from anything that was bothering me before my appointment.  Hair therapy - you can't beat it!

Lots of GOOD news!

Slice of Life stories are hosted by
Two Writing Teachers

Last week, we were lamenting the purposeful damage of my husband's new car.  <sigh>

This week, we have all found reasons to CELEBRATE!  

My husband received an email back from a community choir he contacted after he read about them in the newspaper.  He asked about open auditions, and learned they were taking new members that very day!  He now has a new choir with whom to stretch his vocal chords and singing talent each week.  HOORAY!

My oldest daughter is having a successful run on the school lacrosse team.  The team is only in their second year, and she was so excited to make the varsity team, even though she didn't play last year.  She hasn't scored a goal in a game yet, but she's had a few in practice.  It's SO exciting to hear her name over the loudspeaker at the stadium when she gains possession of the ball.  GO, COUGARS!!!

This week I inspired many intermediate, barely-motivated-readers to pick up a book, READ it, then try an Accelerated Reader (AR) test.  We're playing BINGO in each small group:  each time someone reads a book, talks with someone about it, then passes the AR test, they can put their name in a square.  They work together to strategically place their names so they form a BINGO.  The prizes included candy, erasers and mechanical pencils, so the kids were psyched to grab a bunch of books for the weekend.  WIN!

Finally, my youngest daughter had the drive and motivation to participate in poms tryouts for next year's high school team.  She stayed at the high school for 3 hours each night, managed to get her homework done (without nagging from me), and cheered on her friends who also tried out.  She wasn't a total crab when she still had to get up early for school.  Her great attitude, hard work, and smiles paid off.... she made the team.  WOOO HOOO!

I'm proud of all our accomplishments and happy for even the little moments (BINGO!)  It's an exciting time for my family.

Already damaged

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My husband bought a new car in March.  It's a Chrysler 300 SRT.  It's a total racing sedan, and it's his third one.  He really loves his car.  It's stylish, speedy and full of features.  He's waited since September for this one.

It's already damaged.

He bought his first SRT during a snowstorm.  It was tricky getting home (not much traction) and he commented that this was not a car to drive in the snow.  During spring break, he left it at the dealership to have the brakes checked.  Two of the mechanics took it for a test drive and flipped the car.  No one was hurt, but the car was totaled.  He was out of town on business when a police officer came to our house to have me sign the police report.  My heart has never beat faster.

The new car, as it sat in our driveway, was damaged.


His second SRT stayed with us through its lease, but I began to think the car was jinxed.   Two times my husband was rear-ended (once because of a duck, the other by a new driver hitting the car behind him).  He knew the first name of the receptionist at the body shop by the end of the car's lease.

The new car was scratched, purposefully.


This year he waited six months for the newest SRT to be built.  We've had it for less than a month.  Last night he discovered a scratch on the back of the trunk and a wad of gum at the end of the scratch.  He thinks it was done in our driveway, in broad daylight.  He felt so disgusted last night.

Why does someone have to ruin something nice?


It's a scratch that can be fixed, but we can't figure out why someone would do something like that.  It does hang over the sidewalk when it's parked.  Are there really bored teens?  The questions will never be answered.

Daughter - SOLC #31

HOORAY! 

It's my 31st slice!  I (we) made it!  I (we) wrote for 31 days!

This slice is dedicated to my daughters (and my husband) who have been my cheerleaders during this challenge.  I love you!!!

2002

daughter

 August                                 July 

     oldest                                   youngest

polite

honest

     athlete                                    dancer

sports watcher                          app player

funny

compassionate

           coach                             animal whisperer

early bird                               night owl

musical

friendly

  left-brained                        right-brained 

mathematician                           writer

my favorite

daughter

2012

It's been a great Slice of Life Challenge!
Check out Two Writing Teachers to slice all year long!