Planning and Predicting

I had to work with my Literacy Team for the school district today. We're planning for next week's "New Teacher" inservice and training session. Today, 6 of us gathered to review the entire reading curriculum and materials, set up a plan for training, wrote a lesson plan/agenda, gathered materials, and discussed what we envision. It was very exciting, but I left at 4:00 with a headache. For the next 2 days I'll be attending a retreat with all of the district administrators for an in-depth training session that will help all of us continue to move toward excellence in working with teaching staff to create magic for children.

When I got home, after watering all of my exterior potted plants and setting up sprinklers, I had to lie down on the couch and close my eyes for a bit. I was mentally drained, and physically exhausted from SITTING all day! When I arose, I cooked a very special dinner and convinced both of my teenagers to be home at 7:00 so we could share a meal for the first time in more than a week! It was awesome! We laughed, ate, ended up playing card games, and teased the dogs, just like we used to do when they were much smaller...the kids, not the dogs.

Just a minute ago, I told my husband that I have a desire to find a way to not have to work outside the home, and instead be a full-time putterer. He's completely not supportive of my joking about this. I will always have to work. I have always had to work. I regret that I didn't stay home longer with my children when they were little. It's something I guess many of us figure out too late...

Civil Rights Leaders...an elementary discussion...

For the past 2 weeks, my 4th and 5th grade Literacy Group has been studying Famous Civil Rights Leaders in America. We read the story, Happy Birthday, Dr. King a few weeks ago, which led to lengthy discussions and questions. There are 9 native languages in my classroom this year, so lots to talk over and compare.

Anyway, as a culminating project, I decided that each child should choose a person to research and write a simple, 3 paragraph report about. They also had to find a good photo or picture of the person online. Now, we're creating a QUILT! Yes, that's right, a Civil Rights Leader Quilt! It's going to be so cool!

One young child in my class is here from South Korea. He decided to do a simple study of Malcolm X. Wow, what a report he wrote. See, in Korea, there is very little tolerance in regards to race. Basically, this child has told me often how much he doesn't trust black people. He also doesn't like poor people in America. He said, "Why can't everyone buy food here? It seems like everyone owns a cell phone, even when they are poor?" He and I have some very interesting, sometimes slightly heated, discussions. Anyway, in his report he said, "Malcolm X is regarded as a civil rights leader. However, he was not very logical. MLK was logical. He thought we should create a nation of people who are caring and fair. Malcolm X, however, thought that black people should be able to create their own nation within a nation, a nation of only black people. That is illogical. Black people cannot take care of each other very well." Hmmmm...I'll work with him more tomorrow, but I realize that he is coming at this from a very interesting background. His mother, interestingly, was crippled with polio as a child and walks with a terribly painful limp. She is a specialist in autism, yet said, "I don't like my child being in a school with children who have physical and mental disabilities. He won't learn as much here."

I will photograph the quilt later and show you! We're using cool transfer paper to get images onto quilt squares! Way cool!