Today we started to write memoirs. While I’m glad to share the steps leading up to these very-first-inkling drafts, I’d rather just show y’all what they came up with. Here is the mentor text we used. It’s from Knots in My Yo-yo String by Jerry Spinelli. We are using his memoirs as our mentor text…
I am quite certain I will have a new set of first day thoughts to share, but in the meantime I will shamelessly re-post from last year. I feel like this captures the first day for me. Originally posted August 17, 2010… Amid the hurley-burley of the new school year each little Lovie shakes out their feathers,…
Click here for an article I want you to read. I also want to hear what you have to say about it. If you haven’t told me yet, or chatted it to me, or commented it to me, please do so. Send an email, an airmail, a carrier pigeon, or an unladen swallow. I’ll get the message.
I have a lot to say, but I’m having a small moral quandary. What is the line between gossip and sharing stories? Who am I allowed to tell these things to, and how much am I allowed to say? There have been a few things in my district lately that have surprised me. Things people…
Although a short week (for me), this week held very many things to think about, deal with, look up, figure out, wonder about, come to terms with, understand, or fix. Here is a list of things off of the top of my head. Each of these things is directly related to one or more of…
In my college days a “mini-lesson” was defined to me as a part of a Writers Workshop as follows: Mini-Lesson The mini-lesson is part of Writers’ Workshop and provides a short (5- to 10- minute), structured lesson on a topic related to writing. Topics are selected by the teacher and based on student need or…
It is the first weekend after the first two days of school. This caped teacher has been trying to mix in some good downtime, some quilting time, and some cleaning time in with her working time. As can be expected, though, all of my newest little cherubs are swirling around in my head. There are…
Subject line of an email I received this week: Last Chance to register for Gang Violence Have decided not to register for this professional development opportunity. I feel that, perhaps, I do not need to include gang violence in my repertoire of talents.
Here it is, the first official Teacher Work Day of the 2010-2011 school year. Two days until the kidlets come stompin’ in the door. How does this happen so quickly? What happened to the Summer? Why didn’t I get all of that planning done? And, while I’m at it, why are there no size “B”…
I sat here, thinking it was time to write summat inspiring*. I Googled it: I sifted through the quotes and the cartoons and the jokes. Now I’m depressed. They were either sickly sweet and made me gag, or were negative and whiny. The few that weren’t were kind of stretching it. I briefly considered posting…
Wear The Cape 