The Synergy Energized!

This week, the Arkansas Literacy Association hosted our first face-to-face conference since pre-COVID.  What an amazing time at the 50th Annual Literacy Conference!

For ALA, this year I serve as chair and have spent hours preparing for this conference, and, now, that conference is over, I regret not one of them!  The first task was to choose a theme for what would be the 50th conference.  Fifty.  Just wow.  Seemed appropriate to simply choose our slogan and build on it:  Spreading the Love of Literacy.  This, this is what our group excels in in every project, event, endeavor.

From keynotes Colleen Cruz and Kekla Magoon to Book Award authors Wade Bradford, Shanda McCloskey, and Brian Lies to nearly 20 mini-keynotes to two luncheons, one with seven Arkansas authors...all added up to two packed days of meeting and greeting and sharing and learning.  Just powerful!  Those faces in these images?  All of them spent time with us...and seem human just like us!  In Nerdville, where I live, these are stars, even maybe superhuman?!  :)

Already, I look forward to 2023 conference and hope that many more peers will attend.

My favorite part?  Working with the Board to bring this event to Arkansas' literacy leaders.  They are a group of gifted ladies who give of themselves to grow and to encourage this growth in others.  Just amazing how each had a strength that was needed, one feeding off the other to ensure that success was the end result.

Yes, I bought more books!  How could I not when the authors were right there?  I look forward to taking some new Arkansas author young adult books into my classroom this fall.  Yes, I look forward to reading the children's book read alouds...or having the kiddos read the books aloud. 

What a great way to kick off 2022-2023!

Poem 4: Little Girls Love Unicorns

Little girls love unicorns
While Tam Tam remains in awe of one born
To friends who have become fam,
Of one much sweeter than strawberry jam!

Little girls love unicorns
For to these beauties they may adorn
Colors, glam, and worlds to us unknown,
Yet…
In little girls’ worlds, many they do clone.

Little girls love unicorns,
From daydreams and memories worn
As these beauties, both human and fantasy,
Become real, by pencil drawn you see.

Little girls love unicorns!
Today, we toot this artist’s horn,
Drawn with a receiver in mind;
Received with so unlimited pride.

I love you, Bayleigh.
Thank you! Keep drawing!

Poem 3: O Gideon

O Gideon

You doubted?
You questioned?
Confirmation you needed?

No more doubting.

No more questioning, 

For confirmed you were.

Wet fleece.

Dry fleece.

No dew.

Much dew.

Tell us: how many does one need?

12,000?

Drinkers?

Lappers?

Just 300.  

All chosen.

Conquerers.

Achievers.

Winners.

Leaders.

Doers.

His.

Tell us: how many does one need?

Too many wives.

70 sons.

Tell us:  how many did the one decide?

69 gone.

One survived.

While listening and following the leading of The One,

Gideon gained.

When no longer asking for guidance,

Gideon grappled.

Lesson read.

Lesson reminded.

Lesson realized.

O Gideon, from you so much to learn.

Poem 2:

Poem 1 for TG Poetry Challenge

Tyler's Talking (Student in 8 English 11)

Oh, Tyler.
Your arrival each day
Brings thoughts of blue.

To your side I will not sway.

For your thoughts are skewed, too.

Oh, Tyler.

Keep talking...and thinking.

Good grades always your aim.

Unfortunately, your aim, not always linking.

Keep trying...your grades should not be lame.

Oh, Tyler.

A poet you are not.

Just ask Kylie.

Your lacking has been caught.

But...you do keep us smilin'.

Oh, Tyler.

Your in-depth book knowledge does further astound.

Just think Sam.

No!  Do not give away the meanings profound.

The title.  The end.  Oh, what a scam.

Oh, Tyler.

A patriot, a loyal citizen to the USA.

Fighting fires, saving lives.

Two times a student of Gillmore I do say.

This I know...your career will thrive.

Good luck, Tyler.

Poetry Month Challenge: Join Here!

Take the TG National Poetry Month Challenge! Join in!

The challenge is back!  This challenge I created last year...during the month of April...because the idea was born...right then!  Yes, I love the idea...almost as much as I love the month focused on writing poetry.   The idea is to write poetry.  Just that simple!

Without further ado, please read on.  Won't you join me this year?

Dates:  April 1-30 - Yearly

Choose an Option:

1. Level 1 - The Epic:  A poem a day...yes, every day!  You choose the topics and types of poetry you prefer.
2. Level 2 - The Sonnet:  A poem every other day (evens or odd) and write at least 14 days this month.
3. Level 3 - The Limerick:  A poem at least five times, for you are just here to have a good time and learn about yourself as a poet (aren't we all, though?)
4. Level 4:  The Haiku:  Three poems...as short as you would like them, for you just prefer to dabble a bit and want to attempt this challenge.

Winners!

One winner from each category will be awarded a prize! Other prizes will be awarded as Mrs. Gillmore see the need!  Such as, the first person to publish!


How to Sign UP!

Just leave a comment below...and then add a link to wherever you have posted your poems.  For instance, in a Google Doc?  Share with me!  On your blog (as I do), add the link to it below.

I look forward to your endeavor and the spirit behind the challenge being met.

Good luck!

Spring Break Has Sprung!

With the ringing of the bell yesterday afternoon, Spring Break #31 began!  Nice...and needed.

It's that time of the year where much emphasis is placed on preparing for the state-mandated tests, knowing there's still so much to cover yet so not enough time (or energy on the part of too many of my students) to cover or review all that is needed.  That time when you wish you could back up that date...or have scheduled earlier so that The Test would just be over.  

Year 31, and I still cannot determine how to cover all that needs to be taught AND conquer the many variables of student apathy (partly leftover from COVID and grace over grades and AMI days and...) and the attendance issues of so many, while rewarding the faithful and not allowing oneself to be caught up in the vortex of it all.

The answer to this dilemma?  Just keep on keeping on.  AND plan more (and again) this summer for Year 32, for I am not ready to retire on this note.  I really want to go out like I came in:  high energy, high content, high test scores.  BUT...are those days gone?  Times are achanging.  No doubt.  BUT...I have always said kids are kids.  Yes.  BUT...are parents still the same?  Is society still the same?  Am I still the same?  No.

I can compare little from Year 1 to Year 31.  Not sure that is all bad or wrong.  Just different.  Just changed.

Last week, I put my desks back into tables for the first time since March 16, 2020.  Felt right.  Exciting.

This past week, I did not assign seats and permitted the kids to choose where to sit; some switched with every class. 

This past week, I felt again some of that prior excitement.

But first...a week off to think and renew...and then back to Quarter 4...with tables and projects and no state test looming.  Good times.  They are 'coming!

To AMI...or Not

Since COVID hit, education has taken advantage of online platforms to continue the education of today's youth.  Or not.

Having now taught part of three years using this format, I can attest, due to my own very active research, that students do not gain from Alternate Methods of Learning...or AMI, as we refer to it here in Arkansas.

Hindsight, as we know, is 20-20 or is much closer to the truth, and had we all this to do over, I, for one, would vote again all things AMI.  Absolutely.

Why?

1. Students are not conditioned nor capable of learning in this format, and the research from these past three years will prove it...or had already proved it, and we, in times of desperation, chose to ignore it.
2. Parents are not in the business of education.  They climbed on board and, right along with educators, made the best of what was just a no-good situation.
3. Our initial motto was "Grace over Grades," and too many took advantage of that grace.  These students' knowledge base will forever be damaged and, unfortunately, so will their work ethics.

Active Research

1. Assignments could be nothing new.  This year alone we have now taken seven days.  
2. During AMI days 3-4, more than 60 of my students did not even attempt to complete any of their AMI work on the days assigned.
3. Some do not have Internet access.  Some have slow Internet access (to this I can attest!).  More, though, just will not do the work.  Work that contained no new information.
4. Educators did not get in this business/career/calling/passion to teach like this.  I know I did not.

Other Research

1. Granted, I have not conducted much research, but from the first article I opened, this author made these two claims:  1) "Stress impairs learning."  2) "The brain is a social brain."
2. Living in a pandemic is stressful.  Very.
3. Brains are social and need to be social and need to be in social settings with trained persons who encourage that social well-being.

Outcomes

1. We will never go back to normal.  Not for a while yet.  Those norms will have to be taught again.
2. Too many good teachers will retire.  Too many more will keep on keeping on, feeling like failures as they cannot help but remember the "good ol' days."
3. Too many low expectations have become ingrained; not sure that I want to even visualize what that means for the future.
4. Yet...I love this word...dispite all the above, I have witnessed young leaders rise and young minds strive to be more.  My hope lies in them.

Tell me:  what have your experiences taught you?

22 in Intentions for '22

I began this tradition of writing intentions instead of resolutions about a decade ago after reading a blog post rationalizing the word change...gives one more grace when one initially fails at a resolution.  Grace...a beautiful thing.

Wow!  22.  Twenty-two.  Better get started on that list!

1. Read Gone with the Wind.  I never have.  I am choosing this one as my Independent Read for Quarter 3.  Pressure...and assignment...is on!
2. Watch Gone with the Wind...only after having completed #1.
3. Lose 52 pounds...one pound a week.
4. More water...less sodas.  
5. Read an average of one book a week.  Hummm...see #1!
6. Read the Bible through...again.
7. Read The Christmas Carol and complete a Bible study connected to this book.  (AND I received another book regarding this same book.  Must be meant to be!)
8. Attempt to complete this book challenge:  52 Book Club's Reading Challenge.  Why this challenge?  To push myself to read books out of my comfort zone!
9. Read one professional read every two months.  I need to read one a month...but...  I have not grown professionally during this pandemic...as surviving became the goal and little energy or want-to was left to read books, other than ones of personal choice.
10. Re-read the Harry Potter books!  
11. Find good deals on books and buy/stock them up for 2022 Christmas gifts.  I gave books this year...and I have enjoyed doing so.
12. Give books as gifts for birthdays.  This one will take some planning, as birthdays tend to slip up on me!
13. Send birthday and thank you cards much more diligently!
14. Blog...more.  Write, reflect...just write.
15. Finish all the quilts I currently have started or promised to others AND make more quilts for others...and for me.
16. Paint.  
17. Put away and pick up...especially in my car and house!  Family gatherings will more often be hosted within our home; much less work to be more diligent about keeping it consistently presentable.
18. Focus on my One Word:  knowledge.  Maybe refer to all the above intentions that deal with books?!
19. Continue making time for my friend groups:  Meeting of the Minds and the Wildcats.
20. Be even more involved in ALA and WRLC...two literacy groups.
21. Spend quality time with the fam, especially The Man and The Daughter.
22. Create and grow even more beautiful flowers than I did last year.

Did you notice that many focus on books?  I just really like books!  2022...going to be a good year!

How about you?  Resolutions?  Intentions?  One?  22?!