Celebrating This Past Year

It's my birthday, and I'm celebrating the life lessons from this this past year. The older I get (52 today) the more my perspective (OLW) changes. Life gets simpler not easier. When I think about this past year, I realize moments of celebration are always around my family and occasionally my career.  I am perfectly fine with that.  I'm celebrating

• text messaging and face time (with our daughter in SC) it's like she is never too far away - although there are several days I wish it was a shorter drive to visit her
• life lessons learned as our son is a senior at The Ohio State University and the opportunities as we continue to help him grow.
• a wonderful new group of fifth graders - everyday we learn side by side. I'm on the floor more, I'm inquiring more, and best yet I'm slowing down more.
• our home, for 20 years, I am always thankful as I pull in the driveway and cross over the creek especially at this time of year which is another celebration
• LOVING autumn celebration of colors, cooler weather and my pumpkins!!
• my grandfather who was and continues to be a strong influence in my life. He helped me to find my passion in choosing to live in the country "You have to have water on your property." "You need to get back up on the horse." "Walk the lane and get us lunch" as we're bailing hay. 

Thanks to Ruth for encouraging celebration here is the link up

Slice of Life My OLW

My #OLW reflection really hit me as I drove home today after school! I am celebrating putting the brakes on today in class. I started the day with a list of students who I needed to conference with from last week. It was after lunch and my list was still sitting there. I knew I wanted to find them but my lesson plans had other ideas.  I looked at my list for the fourth time after I finished read aloud.

I just couldn't do it...I decided that we would have extended time choosing SSR or continued writing in WNB.  You could have heard a pin drop. M. replied, "But Mrs. Caplin we already had time to read we never get it twice." With a huge smile, I replied, "You do this year." And they cheered.

So many times, way too many times, I have forged ahead with my LP. I always get stressed and if I'm honest I know that the lesson I taught wasn't the best. I am choosing to slow down this year. I am choosing to focus on students first. After all it is really easy to draw an arrow in the LP box to the next day.

Side note: I didn't even plan on blogging tonight. Left my computer at school. I composed on my iPad - wow I'm still a learner.  Thanks Two Writing Teachers for encouraging me.