The Sunrise Story

Here's my slice of life for Two Writing Teachers today.  Please stop by and join us! I love teaching days like today! (Can't believe I'm saying this about a Monday!!) Those days where all the exact pieces of the puzzle fall into place for a great lesson...one where the students are actively engaged, moving, participating and learning. The kind of lesson where I, the teacher, get out of their way as they learn.  We're reviewing figurative language. Today was similes and metaphors. This is nothing new, but in sixth grade my challenge is to extend the metaphors and similes to be meaningful and to make their writing better. Working in groups, the students made lists of similes and metaphors about reading. They recorded any and all similes and metaphors their group suggested. I heard things like, "No, that's not a simile. There's no comparison." And, "Why are you comparing it to a picnic table? What do they have in common?" Listening to th...

Thank you to Ruth for the opportunity to share our celebrations every week! What a blessing! Join us here .  Have you ever watched a TED talk? I love them. They inspire me. They make me think. They make me laugh. I'd always watched them and wondered how I could incorporate them into my teaching. I'd never had any success, until this year.  Last summer I had heard that there are TED-ED Clubs for kids, so I applied to lead one at my school. Once approved, I asked a colleague if she wanted to participate with me. Today, she and I are working together to lead the first TED-Ed Club at our school. We had our first meeting this week getting to know our club members and finding out their passions. After sharing our reasons for being there, we watched some videos. These students will be creating their very own TED talks about ideas and concepts that get them excited! (My favorite part of the meeting happened after we watched the first video. I could tell many of us wanted t...

I have no idea how I found time to fit this post in, but it's a testament to priorities. Writing about my Spiritual Journey is important to me...thank you Holly! Join us here .  Communion means together. When I looked up the word online I found synonyms including: affinity, friendship, togetherness, closeness, harmony, understanding,  fellowship, relationship, sharing...Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines communion as a Christian ceremony in which bread is eaten and wine is drunk as a way of showing devotion to Jesus Christ. I had a post all planned when Holly announced this topic. Addressing the act of taking communion, the bread, at church. But now as I sit to write out the post, I feel pulled to go in another direction. Communion...fellowship, relationship...I want to write about the communion I feel with my church family.  Growing up, going to church was part of our routine. My parents were involved in church activities and so were we, my sister and I...but...

Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for the Slice of Life. I can't wait to meet many of you at NCTE. I'm in for dinner Saturday night. YAY! Please join our link up here ! Think back to the you in college...for me that's over twenty years ago. What did you imagine for your life? When I'd dream of my life, it never looked like it does now. I'm living my plan B.  Before I continue, I struggle with the term, plan B. I feel like it means second best. The leftovers. The dregs. Maybe I should quote Robert Frost instead and use the phrase, "...the road not taken". That's a poem I've always loved. I never knew that I'd be living it.    T WO  roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;         5   Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was gr...

I'm so grateful to this link up. I credit Ruth Ayres and this blog post for allowing me to see my Friday through eyes of gratefulness and celebration! (Read on, you'll understand.) Please join us here in this link up... This has been an amazing week. As I thought about what I'd include in my celebration post, I couldn't decide... Should I celebrate meeting Dani Shapiro? She's the talented author of Still Writing and Devotion . I love being an author nerd.  Should I celebrate my students working with writing partners today? I could go on and on! There's so much there to celebrate! Should I celebrate my really cute haircut? (I'll just include a picture...) Instead I'm going to celebrate, Friday, my day of blunders and mishaps...the day where...if it could go wrong, it did go wrong. Don't get me wrong, these were minor problems, but the little things can sometimes add up.  The day started out like any other, except I decided to tr...

Holly invites us to write about our spiritual journey. This post is one of my favorite to write each week as it provides an opportunity for reflection. This week our focus is forgiveness. Join the link up here . Forgiveness. I am going to start this post by asking for forgiveness. As this is the beginning of the school year, I feel so scattered. It's hard to focus and really THINK when I'm writing. Here are some of my random thoughts... The best "forgiver" I know...my dog, Bella. Complete and utter forgiveness when I come home late or lose my temper because she's had an accident...she immediately forgives me...every single time.  When I let pain and fear and hurt eat away at me, instead of letting go and forgiving, my life...my entire life...suffers! When I can find the place in my heart and the strength to forgive, everything gets better.  Even though I know that...it's hard.    Forgiveness is a gift,  a blessing.  God forgives ...

Slice of Life Challenge Please join the challenge over at  Two Writing Teachers ! I'm introducing my students to writing slices. I introduced them to one of my slices about my childhood bedroom. We talked about what makes an interesting story and how to include important details. I read them a couple of stories out of Knucklehead to show them how Jon Scieszka wrote funny stories about chores and playing outside with friends. Before we started writing, we searched our memories for stories. I shared the map from Ralph Fletcher's book Marshfield Dreams and had them draw a map of a place that's important and filled with their own stories. During one class, I created my own map.  I drew my Grammy & Papa's house. We spent every Sunday over there after church. As I began sketching, the memories came flooding back! Running into the house through the screened porch and trying to remember not to let the door slam. Grammy leaving treats for my sister and I on the ...

I'm so grateful to Ruth for this link-up ! I find myself thinking throughout the week, "I could write about this in my celebration post." This week I celebrate the power of words! Watching my students read this week has brought me such joy! One of my students came into school and told me this story, "Ms. Haseltine, I didn't get a chance to read for homework last night, so I woke up early and went outside to read on my patio. As I was reading a hummingbird landed on my book. Isn't that awesome!!!" EVERYTHING about that story is awesome. The hummingbird is amazing, but I love the fact that he woke up extra early to get his reading in! He's a reader! Listening to the writing my students have been creating inspires me. We did a ten minute quick write and many of my sixth graders shared their writing. I just loved their creativity and their bravery to share writing in the second week of school! This year we are focusing on making sure we create...

Thanks to Holly for this link up and the motivation to write about my spiritual journey. Stop by Holly's blog and join us! My post is late today...busy week with Back to School Night! (I'm so tempted to read the other posts, but I want to write mine before I do that!)  I've been thinking about the word truth since the theme was announced. What is my truth in my spiritual journey?  I believe in God.  I believe in love and God's love for me.  I believe that God has a plan. I believe that everything happens for a reason.  Those are my truths. The truths that guide my life. Other than those statements, when I think about truth I am filled with questions instead of answers.  Is truth absolute? Are there perspectives in truth? Can someone interpret truth? Is it possible for truth to be wrong? Can different interpretations, based on our lives, be true?!?! What is truth? My mind spins with confusion and wondering...and then I remember that God is...

Slice of Life Challenge Please join the challenge over at  Two Writing Teachers ! Today is slice of life day...I got nothing. I looked back into my drafts...nothing. Looked back into my notebook...nothing. I have nothing to write about. You may be thinking, "Then why are you here?" Because I need to write. Tuesday is a deadline for me. I've made a commitment to post here every week and I want to be a model for my students. When they tell me that they have nothing to write about, I coax and cajole and encourage them, "Write anyway. Something will come..." Uh-oh! Nothing's coming...WAIT! I'll write about writing with my students.  I've been lucky enough to have access to a document camera in my room for the past couple of years. This year, someone showed me how to hook it directly to the screen in the front of the room, instead of running back and forth from the front to the back. Now, I sit in front of my students and write WHILE they write.  ...

Thank you  Ruth Ayres  for providing this space to celebrate! I love the first week of school. I love the newness and the setting up of routines & rituals in class. I love getting to know my students and letting them get to know me. This week I shared my goals for the year with my students. I want them all to know that they are important. My goal is for each of them to know that YOU MATTER. I'd seen a tweet about it and done some research and read a little by Angela Maiers who has a YOU MATTER Manifesto and I decided  to share this message with them.  How did I work towards my goal this week? 1. Every morning, I made sure that the board had a message of YOU MATTER as each class walked in.  2. At the end of each class, we'd share about the best part of class or something they learned about someone in class.  3. On Friday, our exit ticket was about YOU MATTER.  I knew this was working on Thursday. The students were logging i...

I'm so grateful to Holly for the inspiration and opportunity to write about my spiritual journey. Please stop by  her blog  and share your own spiritual journey. I love this link up! It's 7:38pm on Wednesday night and I got home about an hour ago from work...with a bit more work ahead of me...so this will be short and sweet. This week I feel like there have been lots of God moments...I feel like He is ever so present in my life! Praying Mantis: A beautiful praying mantis was on my car door as I was leaving for school on the first day. I looked it up and I found this : " Praying Mantis reminds you to have patience with yourself, with growing your wisdom. It also reminds you to have patience in acquiring what you want...When you are still, you can hear that inner knowingness that has impeccable timing. Be still and listen with openness, not fear. That’s when wisdom will emerge." Rainbow: Last night a strong and scary thunderstorm blew through here. ...

Yesterday in school, a student asked me this question, "Are you an author?" We were talking about reading and authors and writing and all sorts of things.  With a few extra minutes at the end of class, students began asking me questions about myself.  "What's your favorite color?"  "What food do you like?" "What's your favorite dessert?" "What's your favorite kind of meat?" (Yes, I got that question. Haha, loved it!) I love these questions because the answers connect us. When a student responds with, "Oh, I like chocolate chip cookies too!" it reminds me that we yearn for connection.  Anyway...I got lots of these favorite questions when I heard one of my boys ask me this, "Are you an author? Have you written a book?"  For a moment, I froze...scrunched my forehead to decide how to answer it and said, "I write. I'm working on a book. It's a book for middle schoolers, so maybe you guys could...

Slice of Life Challenge Please join the challenge over at  Two Writing Teachers ! I admit it. I have butterflies.  I'm grateful for the butterflies. I'm taking on new responsibilities this year. As I've worked through the past couple of weeks of work days, I've set on my goals. The focus for me this year will include:  1. Using my time wisely.  There's a lot to accomplish this year. I need to manage my time, so I've set up a schedule...when I'll grade, work on my evaluation paperwork, plan, and take time for me. If I'm smart, everything will be fine.  2. Being in the moment.  When there's lots on my plate, I get overwhelmed easily. This year I want to stay in the moment. Be. This helps with anxiety and stress.  3. Listening.  I have a tendency to talk. A LOT. All the time...I want to listen more. When I talk a lot, I'm usually passionate about something, but I miss out when I'm talking. There's so much to learn b...