I’ve been a member of the Slice of Life writing community for nine months now. It’s been a source of inspiration, support and validation as I work to become braver in my writing. As time goes on, I learn more about the rituals and traditions that “slicers” have. Most recently, I learned that each NewContinue reading “One Little Word…For Now”
Tag Archives: teaching
On Days After: Picking Up The Pieces
“I hope I won’t have another opportunity to get better at this.”
Offerings: Slice of Life Tuesday
Today, I bring you a bouquet of wonderfulness, plucked by my own hands from the bounty around me, gathered with care and bound with a length of twine I found in my kitchen drawer…
Slice of Life Tuesday: Missing Dreams
Today for the weekly Slice of Life challenge I knew I had a poem to write, but wanted to experiment with language and form. I came to a modified version of a triversen, a William Carlos Williams-created form consisting of six tercets: 18 lines in 6 stanzas. I’m still tweaking and working and thinking, butContinue reading “Slice of Life Tuesday: Missing Dreams”
On Finding a Writing Community
Sometimes my lessons are OK, but no great shakes. Sometimes they crash and burn – sometimes sadly and softly, others in a great fiery blaze of glory. But sometimes. Sometimes I have an idea for a lesson that’s a GREAT ONE. And it WORKS. I’ve been trying to be deliberate this year about writing workshopContinue reading “On Finding a Writing Community”
Little Folks, Big Ideas
My third graders have been delving into philosophy, of all things. Because if little minds deserve ANYTHING, it’s the ability to wrestle with BIG ideas. I’ve been using resources from The Prindle Institute to support our work. Our questions lately have focused on: what is alive? what is real? After an AMAZING webinar with myContinue reading “Little Folks, Big Ideas”
A Thing of Wonder
Today I saw an owl. It glided over and lit in my next-door neighbor’s tree just as I was returning from a walk at dusk. There it sat, easily a foot tall and several inches across. It was a thing of wonder. It sat long enough for me to walk through the front door ofContinue reading “A Thing of Wonder”
Upon Re-Entry
I’ve been here. I’ve returned to school after a devastating loss before, and I did it again today. Days like these are strange, tiring and full of uncertainty. Will I be able to hold myself together? Can I make it through? Do I have it in me to accept the “we missed you’s,” the knowingContinue reading “Upon Re-Entry”
Encouraging Signs
It all started with a super-cute dog video. (Go ahead and watch. it’s only about a minute long.) And then a question. “Is this language?” Boy oh boy, did THAT ever stir up conversation. For me, as a teacher, this could not POSSIBLY have gone any better. I wanted students to be engaged from theContinue reading “Encouraging Signs”
On College Education
Well. Looks like I’m stepping back up on to my soapbox. What’s got me so fired up this time? My college son called me to chat about one of his professors. Things have gotten so bad that students banded together and complained to university higher-ups, so much so that the department issued its course evaluationContinue reading “On College Education”
Soapbox: The Way I see Things 