A Connection

Something happened this year. It was new. I had guilt about it, major guilt. A student I couldn't connect with. I've always been able to find a way to love each child. I felt so bad that I had trouble connecting to him. He is a student that also struggles to connect. He struggles to problem solve and focus, but he is very bright with great potential. Motivation however, slim. I tried. I tried hooking him with different books, fun math games, writing geared toward his interests. Still. No. Connection.
Then today happened.
We were doing a ten frame math activity. He knew how to do the activity, not easy, but a good fit for his ability. He got right to work. What was different? I'll never know. He did his job. He showed me with a huge grin, as if to say, "See what I did!" I beamed. He beamed. We connected. I announced the accomplishment. When I make an announcement like this students know it is applause time. They applauded. He blushed. Grabbed his chest. Ran his hand over his head. Eyes bright. He was proud. I was too. I sent him to the office to show off. I was so proud of him, mostly because he was proud of himself. We hugged. I felt the love.
He will be featured on our school news program tomorrow for a job well done.
It was just a math activity, but it was so much more. We finally connected.

Buttons and Bobbins

My son checked out a book about crafting and different sewing projects from the library on Friday. He has been looking at the page depicting a cross-stitch project longingly.
"It says, easy as A, B, C, mom. I really want to do this one."
What could I say, except under my breath..."not as easy as A, B, C."
However, this would be a good lesson in patience. We made a trip to the craft store last night and got materials. We decided to get a small and simple kit so we would have everything at our fingertips and then get some aida cloth for practicing. The practicing began this morning and the hardest part began when we couldn't thread the needle. We needed a "needle threader." My husband was sure I probably had one in my great-grandmother's old sewing box. I began the search. No needle threader. But it got me thinking about other places to look.
What about the seat of her sewing machine?

 I peeked inside decored needle point seat. There was an old box inside.

I opened it up to find buttons, bobbins and an assortment of sewing materials. It was what I smelled though that made me feel nostalgic. I could smell her ivory soap mixed with lotion smell. I took it in as images of her filled my senses.

I have many memories of my great-grandmother. She lived a long time and we would take her on short trips every weekend when I was in middle and high school. Her and I would sit in the back seat of the car together and she would tell me stories.
But, no needle threader.
My husband, who had continued searching the layers of the sewing box was victorious! There was one threader that wasn't broken. Yay!

It makes me happy to imagine the many projects that were made with this needle threader and the many memories that are captured in these little boxes of her life. 

Here We Go!

Here we go
adventures
noticing
listening
for smells
to consume us
as wishing
and wells
fill up with words
and synapses
fire
flickered
lines of slices
will dwell
in our lives
where will you go
where will it take you
here you go.

I am so excited to continue on this journey with a writing community that will grow again this year.
Slice your life this month and it will take you places you never imagined existed. Words will flow from you that you never knew were there. I can't wait to read them.

It Comes to You

I was talking with a colleague today about SOLSC. We were talking about how it is exciting, how to prepare, how you can't really prepare, that it is scary but then it isn't and it is hands down an amazing experience.
I was thinking back to my first SOLSC. What I remember is finding my stories. I remember not having any idea what I was going to write about most days but the stories just came to me. This got easier as the month went on because the stories appeared. I noticed more. I took things in and breathed them deeper.

You start to see a story in everything you do, everywhere you go and everyone you meet.

I have been nervous about this time around. I think because I have been writing so much more I am afraid my writing well might dry up. I was reassured today by a friend that those stories will come to me, the way they always have.

A Pop of Adrenaline

Pops of adrenaline
pulsing
paused in a moment
of panic
picked
my petals fall
in an impossible pattern
of dramatic play
punctuated power
pouring pressure
to prevail
piercing silence
as my ears split
open
my eyes closed
pondering
my packed body
to pry my shoulders open
as I rise
I am alive.


I had a surreal moment today. A school shooting training. It was so many things but mostly empowering. The only way I knew how to write about such a moment was to write a poem that took all my emotions and put them into one place. I thought about so many horrifying scenarios today. I practiced horrifying scenarios today. None of which I want to encounter. No one should ever have to, but too many have.

Isn't it Amazing?

I had a moment today. I recently got a new student. She is significantly behind in all academic areas but as sweet as they come. She is impulsive and irresponsible but she is a great hugger. She walked in my classroom and felt a bit defeated but left today feeling like a reader. I'm not sure how much reading instruction she has had, I have received very little information to help me determine this. But today she said, "I can't wait to tell my mom I can read now!"

That was the first moment.

Then came writing workshop. I have been doing lessons on the craft of writing and what authors do to bring interest to the work. This little girl was distracted, moving around the room and dis-engaged. She sat down to write. Unless I was right next to her, no words or pictures on the page. She had a nice oral story about missing a friend so I thought maybe we had something. Then she drew a couple of people, a deer (her "pet") and a rainbow of sorts. Her story was "Play Play Play, jus four JOB!" (Yes, that is 'jus' and yes she told me that four was the number four, though it wasn't spelled that way).
I asked her to explain. She said, "Well that is my pet deer and my friend Blake. I am here. I am sad because I miss him."
I asked, "Can you tell me what 'jus' means?"
Her response, "jus is a Spanish word for job. Do you like it?"
I gave her a squeeze and told her I was proud of her effort. Inside I was cringing a bit. But then she pointed something out.
"Did you see job? I made it big and bold!"
Well, yes she did. One of the items on our anchor chart that day. Hmmm, maybe she's got more to come. I can hope. I can also hope that soon she exclaims excitement about being a writer too.

Have You Asked a Friend?

Well, I did it. Yesterday I sent Stacey's post to my entire staff. I hope they read it. I hope they realize there is a writer inside of them. So far I have only heard crickets and one, "you wish." But I think the wisher may come around, crossing my fingers.
What do I wish? Well, I wish everyone could experience what I experience when I write. How I have evolved as a result of being a writer and reader of other's writing. Cross your fingers with me that some closet writers get on board and experience this evolution as well.
Have you invited a friend to slice? I hope you will.
I remember encouraging my friend Robin of Teaching Tomorrow's Leaders to join. She jumped in, all in and I have seen her grow as a result. Not only as a writer but it has brought us closer as friends. It is so nice to experience this challenge with someone else, even better when they are down the hall from you at work and you can say things like, "Did you read Linda's post today?" or "Did you see the comment from Elsie?" I also remember how excited we would get when Stacey or Ruth would post a comment to our blogs, a moment when we felt a little bit famous. :)