What a Week of Celebrations!

So many celebrations are unfolding this week. 

• Ruth Ayres shared Chalk-A-Bration with her readers at Ruth Ayres Writes this week. 
• I will get to be a guest blogger on Two Writing Teachers this week....I must be dreaming. 
• My son and daughter had their open house tonight and are excited for the school year to begin next week. 
• I re-united with several of my former students young and old tonight. 
• My classroom is nearly ready for students to come in and learn.
• In a few days I will officially be a first grade teacher.
• Summer is transitioning into to school and though I hate to say goodbye, I get to say a lot of hellos. 

Little Lights

I am lucky enough to loop with my students to first grade this year. I am truly excited to see each of them again. I know it will be a challenging year, much like last year, but the layers of foundations that have been laid will be such a benefit.
I've been thinking a lot about light lately. Inner light. How it shines and illuminates. How it breaks up the darkness and shows us the day. Even if you can't see light you can still feel it and experience it in different ways. I've been thinking about my light, my inner brightness and the brightness of others.
My little class is like a bundle of stars lighting up my day.

I hope you will slice today and chalk on the 31st. Chalk-a-bration is fast approaching and it is a chance to share your light with others!

A Day of Learning

Anticipation, excitement, notebooks, pens, ideas...these among other things are what I was carrying around this morning as I got myself ready for the first day of the ALL WRITE!!! conference in Warsaw, Indiana. Could I be surrounded by nicer, smarter, more open educators? 

NO!

I love being in an environment where I meet new faces that reflect my same beliefs and philosophies when it comes to teaching a writer. 

Here is what I took away from today:

Start and end your day with a poem.

Dedicate the reading of a poem to a student, they will remember this gift.

There is a structure to "adding details." Three main points:

• action details
• thought/feeling details
• dialogue as a detail

There are little bits in between, but saying, "add details" doesn't really help students add anything. 

When you confer there is a structure:

• Research what your students know.
• Decide what you they need next.
• Teach it.
• Link it, make a connection. 

Top Book Picks: Here are a few that stood out for me from the list of great mentor texts:

• Little Bird, Zullo  
• Ms. McCaw Learns to Draw, Zemach
• Thank You, Miss Doover, Pulver
• Zero Is the Leaves On the Tree, Franco

I wrote a poem with the simple prompt--Journey, which I will link here.

What a full and luscious day! 

As a Writer...

Writing has become so much more than words on a page. I see and appreciate so much more about the writing process since becoming a writer myself. It was always in me but suppressed by fear. This community is what brought me out of that fear and helped shape a more confident writer, free to express herself. I wasn't sure what my slice would be today, my sick daughter (sinus infection), the beautiful sunshine (perfect day to be outside), a poem (HERE) or my growing excitement for the ALL WRITE!!! conference later this month...it could have been any of these.  Then Stacey's question begged to be answered.

What does being a writer myself do for me as a teacher:

• grows my confidence
• puts me through the frustration of not having anything to write about
• gives me something to share
• allows me to model planning, drafting and revision....yes even in kindergarten
• becomes a bridge to drawing, another love
• reminds me that writing is a process
• connects me to other teachers who love teaching 
• makes me vulnerable
• makes me think and process more
• helps me to reflect as a learner
• reminds me that writing is fun and stirs my enthusiasm...therefore stirring my enthusiasm to teach writing.

I think that last one is what makes the most difference. Before I was a writer my enthusiasm for writing was lacking. I was at a loss. I didn't really know how to do it and how to create excitement. I saw writing as a "thing" to be done on the list of things. I now know better. I know it is so much more, so much more than just words on a page. 

If you didn't get a chance to see all the chalk-a-brators last week you should check them out. Remember, there is another Chalk-A-Bration on June 30th, July 31st, and August 31st! 

A Birthday Wish

It never ceases to amaze me how gratifying teaching can be. It is all by itself a satisfying and driving career for me. Then I check my email and get a message like this:

"You are probably one of the most dynamic people that I have met, in a long time. If anyone would have ever told me that my daughter's Kindergarten teacher would be life changing to my family, I would have said, "Doesn't everyone cry on their kids first day of school?" Thank you so much for the last 1.5 years. What you give back to these kids is once in a lifetime. Happy Birthday to one of the best people that I know!"

Yeah, that makes it even better.

Think...Snail

Kind of feeling like everyone might be feeling a little like this...or maybe at some point in your life you have. Such a busy time, busy thoughts, busy...busy. What more is there to say.

Two Writing Teachers Stacey and Ruth host the Slice of Life!

Slowing down my thinking

as words swirl in and pool

I drown in thoughts and feel their drag

as under currents pull

I will them to surrender

I wish them not to stay

I fight against erosion

but words don’t wash away

Their waves roll in like thunder

Though silent unto you

Like beating drums inside me

Vibration can’t undo

No fibers can divide them

No sun to dry them out

No better way to spite them

than better words to sprout

Winter Memories

Elizabeth Steinglass is our Poetry Friday host on this early day in May. 

I attempted to write a poem using the starter, "wanting memories." It is from a song that my husband sings around the house and constantly has in his head (therefore it is in my head as well).

However, wanting memories soon became winter memories.

Winter memories 

replaced with blooms

puddles pinked

with sunset hues

~Betsy

As you can see my poem has been chalked in celebration of a very fun week with fellow chalkers. If you have a moment you can check out the other chalk poets who contributed to CHALK-A-BRATION 2013. If you have a hankering for dusty palms join in on May 31st!