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?!

A Model I Am?

Again, this year, I am asking/requiring my students to post to their blogs.

Again, this year, I continue to implement components from Penny Kittle's Write Beside Them.  Or am I?

For nearly all assignments, I do the assignment with my students, providing models for them, sometimes, to use word for word or, more often, as a guide on the side.  I have, too, have a class blog where I post here.  Yet. (Such a powerful little word.)  Yet...I seldom blog on my own personal blogs, often using time as my rationale.  Truth is that after teaching...still all day during pandemic guidelines...I often want to leave school at school.  Anyone get that?  Understand that?

Yet...writing here is a catharsis of sorts, one that has often been a healing time for me, a place where my thinking is tapped onto this blank canvas, and, while a work of art does not always develop, a result does occur that remains therapeutic for me.

Additionally, just have to say, hypocrites get on my last nerve...just bless them.  Yet...is that not what I am if I do not blog and post my thoughts?  Hummm...I see that thinking and tapping bringing thoughts and conviction to life.

Here's hoping that weeks, if not months, go by without my checking in here!

Sidenote:  Google removed blogger from student accounts.   Ugh.  I have yet to read a reason.  Thus, I implemented Plan B, which has resulted in a small delay of creating student blogs and in my decision to use Edublogs with my students this year.

2021-2022: Top Eight...so far

Eight days in...and having a great year, as we continue teaching in a pandemic.  Good to be back face-to-face!

For those eight days, a list of my favorite thoughts so far on this year and this group of students:

1. Great kids.  This group as a whole seems on track more and ready for the learning to begin.  Nice.
2. Books...all had a book checked out by day eight...and off we go on our independent read journeys.  My book?  One a student recommended as her most favorite book ever.  How could I resist?!
3. Ordered more books...always this is part of check out week as I do not ever have the exact titles or need more titles of certain books.  Speaking of that...need to order two more right now (I need to re-read Divergent series...and somewhere along the way the first in another series walked way.
4. Book Clubs...one boy, when I mentioned we would be reading The Crucible, asked for another book about the same subject.  I just happened to mention my paired text.  Before the conversation finished, two more wanted a copy of A Break with Charity.
5. Evenly numbered classes...meaning all my classes have about the same number of students.  Love this, as last year I had one with 29...and then one with five.  
6. Educators Rising...new name for the Teacher Cadets...and...wait for it...17 students signed up for the class!  These students either are future teachers or have some interest in learning about education (or the class was chosen for them!)...they total up to an amazng group of young leaders.  Yes.
7. All year-long projects are set up...except for creating their blogs...which will happen on Monday and Tuesday.  At that point, we are ready to dive into our first nine-week units.
8. New Schedule:  a modified block on Mon-Thurs and Fast Friday, where we meet with all classes.  I like it.  Days are a blur, which means, of course, that this year will again fly by!

I hope you have had an amazing beginning to a 21-22!  What have been your highlights?