4 Meetings = 4 Memorable Moments

Today was one of those days when I step away from teaching in a few years that I will look back on fondly and remember why I became a teacher. My day started at 8:00 with our Newbery Club that Bill and I host for students who love reading. Seventeen fifth graders showed up 45 minutes early to discuss their favorite books and share their top picks for winning the Newbery,  Top picks have included:  Counting on 7''s, Navigating Early ,Rump, and Boy on the Porch. If you have ever considered starting a reading club focusing on students who love reading and want to read several books a month in order to have rich conversations I would encourage you to begin your own Newbery Club.

At 8:45 I had a MFE (multi-factored evaluation) in which a dedicated team of teachers and the student's parents met to go over testing for their child.  The big take away for me is taking time to listen and remember that every parent always wants what is best for their child.  We were able to work as team for this child and design a plan that will positively effect this child's learning.  

During my lunch, I had an 11:30 meeting with a grandfather and parent of a student in my class.  We have been working together on an amazing learning opportunity for myself as well as my students.  The conversations were rich and reminding myself again to listen to their feedback was not only fulfilling but also gratifying because of their recognition of how I am implementing technology into our classroom.  

At 12:00 I met with eight mothers to organize my favorite event of the year. Honestly this afternoon was the #1 event I look forward to since the first day of school.  Each year along with my teammates we organize: Fifth Grade Gives Back!  We have each class rotate every 30 minutes through four stations.  My station includes making 100 brown bag breakfasts (pancake mix, cereal, fruit cup, granola bar, and drink) students decorate brown bags as wrapping paper for our local food pantry.  The next station was practicing holiday carols and then after school 34 students along with their parents went to our local nursing home to sing after school. Thanks Sarah for making this happen every year! Next the students made holiday cards and crafts that will be taken to Children's Hospital to help encourage the sick children during the holidays. Finally the last stop was bagging toiletries which we collected for a fews week.  These toiletry bags will also be delivered to our local food pantry.  Finally at 2:30, all the meals were packed and were taken down to the stage to be delivered tomorrow morning.  

Today was the BEST day for so many reasons but for me there were several opportunities for me to stop and remember to listen. Always an important reminder as the holidays get busy. I also have huge feelings of (OLW) gratitude for another chance to teach my students about the importance of being grateful. To top it off we just got the mail, and I got a Christmas card from a friend that touched my heart with her kind words!  Life is grand and I am thankful!!

OLW: November Gratitude

It seems just like yesterday it was November first, and we were changing the calendar at school.  Our daughter and I just started our turkey day countdown for her visit home to build some more family memories.  Tomorrow our "baby" turns 21, and it seems like in a blink that we have two adult children.  But I guess that is how life is...you blink and you'll miss something. That is why I am so thankful for my OLW this year: gratitude.  I remember when I chose my new OLW word I didn't think there could be a better OLW than reflection which was my 2012 word choice, but I think gratitude takes the prize. 

 I live my life differently this year. I at #23 on my way to #26 Random Acts of Kindness which was my way to cope with Sandy Hook Elementary School.  I have to be honest I think of Sandy Hook often as I walk the halls of my school, or I sit with my students who just felt success for the first time because they completed their first chapter book.  There are so many reasons to be thankful in November. Family is always at the top of my list, a career choice that allows me to touch students lives and help them become life long readers and wordsmiths. Finally I am thankful for opportunities that push me way out of my comfort zone. There have been a few of these already this school year, and I wonder why I don't choose to say no? Afterward I understand why I say yes. When I have said yes I learn lessons that I never could have seen coming around the corner.  Gratitude for hidden lessons.

Compliments of NCTE website

My next corner comes this week as I head to Boston for #NCTE13 conference. I am a newbie and a presenter. I am pretty sure that is not the correct order but here I go again.  I am thrilled to have the chance to discuss the importance of WONDERing and connect elementary-middle-high school.  What an amazing opportunity!  In addition, I am excited to meet my virtual twitter friends who I feel like I already know.  

As November turns the corner toward December, I am once again thankful for the gifts I am given and most importantly all the lessons I learn from each experience.  I am taking a blogging break until after Thanksgiving so I hope your end of November opens doors and allows you the chance to find your own gratitude.  Makes such a difference.

OLW: October Gratitude

Yesterday was one of those special days.  It started at 8:00 AM, fifty minutes before students typically arrive at school. Bill (librarian), Margaret (kindergarten teacher) and I met with Newbery Club. This year we have 17 students who are all reading at least 2 books for each club meeting. Today the top winners included:  Counting by 7’s, Center of Everything, The Mouse with a Question Mark Tail.  The conversation began with how all of these stories were very confusing and several students struggled when they started these books. After listening, the three of us supported them by explaining that higher-level text can flow back and forth with setting, flashbacks for characters and the importance of tracking their reading. By the end of club, the conversation shifted and students were using stronger examples from the text.  You can’t begin to appreciate a group of boys and girls who love to read and more importantly enjoy having a conversation with their peers and teachers. Off we sent them with their new list for the next two weeks. Of course, I had already had a three of the books on the next list to book talk.

Excited to see so many ideas for exploring vocabulary. Love the illustrations

Later in the day, when I was tired and feeling frustrated, two students asked if they could talk to me.  I asked them to join me at the round table for a conversation and they arrived with a smile. When they sat down, they wanted to tell me how much they love their word notebook.  Both students have never collected vocabulary words, and they just wanted to thank me for having a basket of fun word notebooks to choose from and more importantly for encouraging them to start their own word notebook. By the way, these two special memories were not in my lesson plans for yesterday.

Set up to support Newbery Club and reading Navigating Early

OLW: September Gratitude

As September comes to a close tomorrow, I am thankful for so many small moments that when placed all together in my life made September a special month.  As I celebrated my 50th birthday and as the years move on, I am always thankful for the my birthday. I have always believed it is the one day of the year that is a time to be thankful for the gifts that I have received.  

Celebrating with my family is always at the top of my birthday list and this year I was pretty sure that we were not going to be able to all be together.  With Anna in SC, I just didn't think she was going to be able to come home until her fall break. All of a sudden, she called and figured out with a little help from my cousin that she would be able to fly home for the weekend. As a mom, I knew that everyone in our family needed time to be together. It might have been for less than 48 hours, but I  now have treasured memories that will always be with me. Time to talk and laugh, time to solve life problems and time to be together early on Saturday morning. There is never a better present in my opinion.  Next, I have extreme gratitude for my support team. Those friends at my school, my CL writing community, my NCFL family that lifts me up and is a consummate cheerleader along with a voice of reason when our education world gets a little crazy.  We all need different levels of support, and this month all the pieces fell together. OLW continues to help me pause each month and lift out those moments of gratitude.