2019-2020: A Perspective

Last Wednesday, I completed year 29.

Year one for me at a different school.

First year to ever have just two preps.

Experienced a sense of family within these walls that extended my previous years.

Encountered challenges within my classroom walls that I resulted in more learning and growth on my part.

Taught eight weeks of the last nine online.

Contact with some students is near impossible.

Marked event after event off my calendar as meetings were canceled.

This online teaching definitely affirmed my real passion for face-to-face interactions.

See those sentences above...that is one of the results of the pandemic on me. Flashes.  Segmented.  Distanced.  A loss. 

Yet...I can take that same half-empty glass and switch my perspective to half-full.

No one I know caught the virus.  My daughter, an essential worker, also kept working, sometimes 60+ hours a week.  She had definitely proved her work ethic.  :)

I watched many of my students rise, completing every assignment, remaining in contact, maintaining their positive attitudes, proving, too, their work ethics.

I "attended" more virtual meetings and sessions and grew to very much enjoy how small this world really is, as I continued to learn...and learn.

I read books, several of which were series, most of which were ebooks, spending less money, taking full advantage of online checkout of ebooks.

I cut, sewed, and distributed nearly 250 masks.  I pray they protected someone.

I met daily with my hallway PLC via  text messaging, an anchor they became that held us steady.

I enjoyed more me time and completed projects at home...and began more.  Of course!

I watched spring flourish through my big windows here at home as I have not in many years...if ever.

I dove into online Bible studies, professional development, and book clubs, one of which was for my students...we have met three time so far...and they want to continue meeting through the summer.  How powerful is that?!

And now...

Our state, which never fully closed, is encouraging more events.  Celebrations will occur in July for graduations, proms, and end-of-year see-you-laters.

I do not see life ever being the same again; school already sounds different for 2020-2021.  But.  Teaching is my vocation and my avocation.  Therefore, already, I feel the stir of interested for what will be...but first...let's take June off and enjoy some real downtime!

I have said this before...I hope to spend more time here reflecting...

How have you survived the pandemic?

2020 Begins...Encouraging Reading

On the second day of 2020, I met two teacher friends at school where we spent some time working in our classrooms and then enjoyed lunch together.  A superb way to begin the new year!
I spent part my time creating a snowman and putting together a new bulletin board...as shown at right.

First, may I say?  I LOVE making bulletin boards (when I have the time).  Second, may I say?  This is the only elementary teacher bone I have in my body!   Bless them.  I admire them.  Give me my big, older babies any day!

The purpose of this bulletin board (still need to add snow!) exists to encourage my students to read the nominated books for the Arkansas Teen Book Award.  Awesome promotion of reading by the libraries in Arkansas.  Just cool!

Excited!  Our principal has agreed to purchase a set of the five books for each English classroom. 

Yes!  I must get these read soon so that I can book talk and encourage others to read.  On it! (Right after I finish my current read...second book for 2020!)  Right after that...need to prepare lessons for the first day of this new semester in this new decade.

Happy 2020!

28.5...of How Many?

Wow!  Another semester completed.  So many changes.  So much still the same.

I have quite the high aspiration to chat more here...would seem that I plenty to say about all things literacy, especially with this many years of experience and still enjoying my vocation/vocation.

Signs That I Still LOVE Teaching:

1. Mentally beginning to plan for Semester 2...with still a week of Christmas Break remaining.
2. Meeting peers for lunch and work time...one day next week...while still on Christmas Break.
3. Learning students' backgrounds...and using that info to make a difference.
4. Decorating my room for the seasons...still in love with the vintage truck theme!
5. Reading professional books and magazines to be ever better prepared.  Love learning!

Speaking of planning for 2020...our principal has shared a book with all students and is encouraging each student's choosing One Word.  Several of my advisees have chosen their words...and the group has a Group Word...Oh!  Yes, oh...with an exclamation mark, which is just so cool!  That word represents epiphanies that occur during our daily times together.  

Between now and going back to school, I am going to create a piece of artwork, on which "Oh!" is the center word.  Then, I will print each of their words in outline form.  They, then, may color/decorate their words.  As they complete their words, we will decoupage our words around the Group Word.  I have the vision!  Hope it turns out as I foresee the final product!

My One Word?  Restore. Such an interesting word for me.  

• bring back (a previous right, practice, custom, or situation); reinstate.
• repair or renovate (a building, work of art, vehicle, etc.) so as to return it to its original condition.

Hummm...really an interesting word.

Now...to read Murder on the Orient Express for a book club this week...:)

ALA Lit Conference 2019...an inspiring time

I sit now in my comfy recliner, reflecting on the previous two days, an amazing time, a time I so needed.

First, our ALA board, they are amazing; they inspire me to be more than I was.  A group of 14 leaders, these focused individuals work hours to ensure that the love of literacy continues to spread across our state.  I am privileged to be a part of this endeavor.

The scary thing?  This conference was almost NOT.  Due to declining numbers and other obstacles, the Board had concluded that the time had come to no longer host a state conference.  Until.  Until we met and chatted and just could not leave this tradition behind.  There, then, began the work to bring the 47th Annual Fall Literacy Conference to our state.  And.  It.  Was.  Amazing!

To be continued..

Take Eight...Completed!

Eight days already completed of my first year at Southside Charter High School!  In summary, so far...fun, family, happy, fast, two preps.  Yes!

Changes for Me

• Seven classes a day + advisory:  For the first time in my entire teaching career, I only plan for two classes.  Sweet!  These will...eventually...be the best  I have ever taught!  
• I have larger classes this year...but such good kids! Should say here...kids are kids.  I have taught many...and when they walk in (no matter where I am)...they appear the same...males/females...short/tall...too skinny/healthy!...of different races...different faces...loud/quiet.  Always the mix...which makes them kids.  :)
• I am assisting the Key Club sponsor.  I have much to learn, as this is  a new club for me.  I do miss Beta...and I might...maybe?...ask to "assist" the Beta sponsor...maybe?  Giving this one some time...thinking...
• Leaders in and out of my class...listening, sharing, laughing...several times already.

Sad Days

On the second day of school the assistant principal and the resource officer arrived at my door and said I had a phone call in the office. 

Never a good sign.  Yet such a sign of tremendous support.

My daughter had called to inform me that she and a brother-in-law had found Granny Barbara's soul absent from her body.  A double whammy there:  accepting the loss of my mother-in-law and wanting to reach out to The Girl who had too many images swirling in her mind.

Thus, on the second day of school, I left my new babies in very capable hands to head to the family home and face the beginning of a new normal. 

I would miss another day for her service, resulting in my feeling like I was behind at school...especially in learning names for all these new faces.  Getting there!  Much compassion shared by all. 

Day Eight Goals Achieved (Somewhat)

• Learning certain kids' names on day one.  Yes, you know/have those kids!  
• Learning who could sit together all year and remain on task...and those who should have already been moved!  Bless them...they just have so much to say!  Especially off-topic comments!  Nothing inappropriate...but bird walkers they can be!
• Norms established...notebook tabs created, Writer Notebook expectations covered and practiced three times, writing sample submitted, writing jargon shared, technology used (Google classroom, Remind, blogs...take two needed, as the site was blocked...but no more!), four vocab practiced (respect, collaborating, analyzing, facilitating, elaborating), lots of smiles given and received. Going to be good!
• Room layout attempted...and Rearrange 2 completed yesterday...now have soooo much more room!
• Sticking with pre-designed lesson plans...modifying and changing some as I go.  My mind's full of popcorn right now of ideas and plans and activities...to achieve that end-in-mind goal.
• Students are checking out books!  Love it!  This I want to continue!  Bought two more at the Dollar Tree this week.  Good place to find some young adult books...yes, for $1!
• I have a great Advisory Group...am planning to take my first pan of Gillmore Brownies to them on Monday.  They seem excited about this.  Of course!
• Found this note in my teacher mailbox...made my heart happy.

Hope your year more than meets your positive expectations!  Good luck...and blessings!

That Excitement!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...when I begin to look forward to attending professional development, meeting and greeting with peers, and returning to school and the built-in routines.  Yes, the excitement has returned!

Good thing...as, beginning tomorrow, I have five straight days of in-service; then, the following week, Open House and school starts on August 14.

What a busy summer I have spent making and creating for my new classroom!  Fun!  Pics...coming soon!

But...what did I not complete?

1. While I did read 12 books (so far) this summer, I had planned to read nearly double that number.
2. I am reading four...yes, four...professional books concurrently, with two set aside, which may explain why none are finished!  Need to focus and complete...Joy Write by Ralph Fletcher, The Unstoppable Writing Teacher by Colleen Cruz, Workshopping the Canon by Mary Styslinger, and We Got This by Cornelius Minor.  Sitting on the side...Atomic Habits and All Learning is Social and Emotional...Yes, I need to focus!
3. I signed up for Book Love...and have read only one of the four books in its entirety, although I have started them all. (Again...focus!)  I will complete two; one I may set aside for now.  I am pulled into the pages of Reading with Patrick, Michelle Kuo's memior of her time spent here in Arkansas with Teach for America.  Interesting.
4. My lesson plans are not drawn up in detail; this, I had envisioned completing, and, now that my classroom sets ready, I do intend to focus on this next step.  Excited!  I only have two preps.  Never have I had so few.  Wow.

Yet...what I did complete?

1. I moved many of my young adults books and created an in-class library.  While I love books, those books simply sitting on my shelves at home would be so much better put to use with my new groups of students.  As I shifted from shelf to shelf, I did note gaps in book genres.  Need to work on that.  Oh, to have the $$$ to buy and build an even healthier student library!
2. I painted...and painted...bookcases, tables, boxes, a podium...as I attempted to color-coordinate my room.  I do so like my new classroom...and its huge window!  Awesome!
3. The brain is more rested and rejuvenated and ready.  :)  Well, the brain is busy...so much to plot and plan!  
4. I am back to waking up earlier...and the brain kicks in immediately with mental to-do lists...and sleep takes a hike!  Just that time of the year!  I like it.
5. I did order Katherine Howe's new book The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs, a sequel...or would it be a prequel?...to The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, a very favorite book on mine.
6. Number five makes me laugh, for it sounds as if I only acquired one book this summer!  Gentle reminder:  I am a book addict.  No hope of recovery.  Two more are in the mail right now...Gordon Korman's Restart and Brene Browns' Daring Greatly.  No hope of recovery.  :)
7. Praying already for these students I have yet to meet.  May we each be better for journeying through CAFE 114 together through 2019-2020.  

Yes, it's the most wonderful time of the year.

Here's hoping your summer as been slow...and productive...and full of many wonderful reads!  

An Unintentional Haitus

Drawn, I am to begin reflecting again here on all topics literacy.

Much has changed since I last jotted down ideas here.  I completed year 28 in education and also finalized my last year with the district for whom I had taught for the previous 14 years...and began preparing for year one in my new school district.  Much more about this soon!  And pictures, as The Husband and I have been working diligently to make and create a few items for my new classroom...which has a large window!  For this, I am most excited, as my previous room had no access to natural light.  Yay!

For the last two days, I have attended the Media and Literacy Conference, partially hosted by my professional organization, the Arkansas Literacy Association.  On the first day, I also hosted a session entitled Learning...CAFE Style, all about my classroom and the acronym I created for the word cafe.

One of my favorite parts about such conferences is the networking, the meeting of fellow English teachers who have the same passion I have for the classroom...still...as I prepare for year 29.  I so enjoy listening to their passions and walking away with nuggets that I will incorporate within my own classroom (need to research Kagan...loved the presenter's passion for what she attributes making her the teacher she is today.  UPDATE:  just purchased three books from thriftbooks.com, so I may check out this tool for myself!).  Another positive of this networking is the connections I made from this conference for ALA's fall conference...asked three presenters to bring their ideas and share with this fall's attendees.  Yay!

This time away also grants me more memories with my dear ALA friends, women I admire, respect, and with whom I just enjoy spending time, plotting and planning and eating, as we further plan for upcoming events.  The synergy that comes from such relationships encourages me to be more, to be better than I have ever been.

One last perk...click here...where I blog about all things books...to learn about how I have even more immersed myself within books...brought home eight more books!  Love it!  (Also, I asked one of the authors if he might participate in a book club for his soon to-be-released MA book.  He said yes!  Yay!)

More thoughts to come!  Until then, what literacy highlights have you enjoyed this summer?