The Sunrise Story

Slice of Life Challenge Please join the challenge over at  Two Writing Teachers ! On Saturday I had the privilege of listening to Penny Kittle talk about writing. She said, "Fifteen minutes a day and you have a writing life"...that was passed onto her by her mentor Donald Graves. This month I've lived that...at least fifteen minutes everyday and I've written a blog post. It's changed me. My writer's eyes notice everything Always looking for things to write- My mind looks for connections The act of writing everyday has  changed the synapses  in my brain... created new pathways My writing I've created... a month filled with thoughts, musings, questions, declarations about life, dogs, education I've discovered friends writers teachers who support, challenge, guide, & inspire me as a  teacher writer My writer's eyes continue to search Always looking for things to write- ...

Slice of Life Challenge Please join the challenge over at  Two Writing Teachers ! I tell my students that I make sense of my life through writing. I tell them that I write through my pain and my struggle. I tell them that writing helps me make sense of the unexplainable. Come on writing...don't fail me now. Leo... from 2008 He's my dog but so much more my roommate my confidant he listens endlessly without complaint he snuggles close  he wags his tail he protects he loves... He's sick. For the past few months he hasn't been himself and  I've known... I've known something's wrong that he's not ok I told myself I was being a  worry wart, jumping to the worst... Last night I discovered I was right Another trip to the vet emergency vet I'll spare you the details Except to say the news isn't good Tumors Lots of tumors And a choice... quality of...

Slice of Life Challenge Please join the challenge over at  Two Writing Teachers ! Celebrations from this past week... Sunday : A day spent nurturing myself...cooking, writing, cleaning, grading...I love Sundays when I'm prepared for the week ahead! Monday : Came home after a long day and painted. I'm loving painting. It's like therapy and writing and relaxing all rolled up into one...I haven't even completed an entire canvas yet... Tuesday : Amazing book/student match today...the right book found the right student at the right time. She refuses to stop reading and repeatedly declares, "This is the best book ever!"  Wednesday : Productive training where I became inspired to create an interesting and unusual poetry unit for fourth quarter! Still working on it...details to come. Thursday : ZONE day...a day spent reading and celebrating my readers. I always love this day and my students love ZONE day too.  Friday : Surprised with dinner plans! E...

Slice of Life Challenge Please join the challenge over at  Two Writing Teachers ! To celebrate the end of every quarter, we have Zone Day.  The term is inspired by Nancie Atwell's book The Reading Zone. I LOVE that reading is a celebration for my students.  My nephew Jack celebrating his great books! My favorite part of Zone Day was watching one class sustain deep reading for 75 minutes.  They only stopped to enthusiastically discuss what just happened! This same group of students could barely read for 15 minutes in September. Seeing this growth INSPIRES me! Watching them read and identify authors they love and recommend books to each other...I'm so proud.  That's how I spent my day. I read with them, sometimes to them...all day long! What a great job I have...I get to read, celebrate reading, with amazing and motivated sixth graders! I was so busy reading...I didn't take any pictures...so the pictures here are of...

Slice of Life Challenge Please join the challenge over at  Two Writing Teachers ! It snowed on March 25th. Oh, it made me mad! I overheard someone say, "It snowed on this day last year." I thought, "No it didn't! That's silly. We barely had any snow last year and I know I'd remember that!"  This is what led me to look back.  I grabbed an notebook  and brought it to school with me ...and rere ad.  Here are some past late March  or early April entries  from my notebooks... Some entries are joy-filled,  some ordinary,  some sad to look back on... But that's how life is...

Slice of Life Challenge Please join the challenge over at  Two Writing Teachers ! I didn’t know how important my fellow teachers would be for my professional growth, for my students, for my sanity. I didn’t know that writing and reading with my students is a must and it must occur everyday. I didn't know that being a reader and being a writer makes me a better teacher. I didn’t know that technology would change the classroom, school, world as much as it has. I didn’t know how to grow as a teacher and how important that is…to continue to grow and learn. I didn’t know that after 19 years, I still learn. No year is the same. I didn't know that sometimes I have to throw out the plans and punt...and those are often the best days. I didn’t know that following the class conversation...that teachable moment...is more important than following the plans. I didn’t know how to be organized, yet flexible enough to meet...

Slice of Life Challenge Please join the challenge over at  Two Writing Teachers ! Sick doggie Resting now. Woke by a  sick doggie Little sleep Please... Please... Please... no more snow! My day  will  only get better from here, right? Here's hoping...