Poetry

The following is a poem written by a second grade student in my class. Her inspiration - she made it up...but the voice I feel is powerful. I would like to publish this...Teachers, do you have any ideas as how I go about doing this?

Loneliness

I'm sad today
lonely
No one wants to play
with me.
Today's just a bad day.
No one will talk to me
No one will come to me
I don't know what's wrong with me?
I didn't do anything wrong did I?
I try to talk to people but they don't talk back to me.
I didn't do anything gross did I?
I don't know what's wrong with me today?
I guess it's just a bad day today.
They're just playing but not
with me.



Thoughts and comments? PLEASE leave a comment if you can...my student was really excited when I told her I was putting it on my blog.

What a Story!

After heading home from a small run (preparing for Saturday), I cancelled my small group get together. They normally come over every Tuesday and hang out. I had just finished eating and was sitting down to relax when my phone rang. My friend, Megan, called and told me that her roommate, Brandy, had to have us come to get her from college. She had headed to her final (and had been sick during the day) an hour away after the professor said it would be hard to make up the lab.

While taking her final, she felt like she was going to pass out...and she did. Her professor took her (carried her) to the student lounge and while coming to (she had been out for about 30 seconds), she projectile vomited on herself AND HER PROFESSOR. Serves her professor right for making her come to the final when she called and told him she was sick.

So Megan and I drove an hour to get her and then I drove her car back (Love the Honda...must say). I am currently sitting with her in the hospital while she gets fluids...and using the free wi-fi. The story, though, is not about how great of a friend I am, it's about the amazing timing of vomit!!! And the reason that as a teacher, we always say, "if you feel sick...go to the bathroom."

This week

This week we have reviewed for part of our math benchmarks, taken part of it, and written our writing prompt for the language arts benchmark. I've had good moments and bad moments. At some times I was REALLY frustrated with students because they weren't doing things that I know they can do. One girl (who is an amazing writer) put in hardly any ending punctuation. Ugh! And she's normally one of my strongest writers with always a strong voice present. Another girl used the time passed mark (thanks Ruth) twice and did it correctly. Now the question is, do my co-workers know what that means and will they grade it accordingly? Time will tell.

We also worked in reading workshop this week on summaries and will continue into next week. I am hoping to lead back into non-fiction and picking out the main idea of paragraphs and supporting details. Hopefully, I'll still have hair left (if I don't pull it all out before then). After our poetry unit is finished, I'd like to work paragraph writing into their workshop...hoping to prepare them for third grade. We'll see...time will tell and they will direct my decisions.

But most of all, I truly do love my class. The good times and the bad times. They were REALLY talkative today, but I still am so blessed to have the group I do. I am just amazed at how well they mesh together. It truly is a community and while many people can't wait for summer, I am not looking forward to saying good-bye to this class yet!

What is 11:42 - 1:50?

My time for this year's mile. Last year I ran the mile with my students (I began running about 2 1/2 years ago) and each year I am planning on running with the students. Why? To show them that not everyone is great at everything and we can all do our best, try, and get better. So my time this year was 9:52...woo hoo! I have NEVER run a mile in under 10 minutes. I am so proud of myself. I have worked really hard and it's paying off. I am participating in my first ever mini-marathon next Saturday in Indy. It's apparently the largest one and I'm hoping just to finish (and sneak in my iPod somehow - they aren't allowed). I'll update you afterwards...

Funnies

Wouldn't you love to hear what this child has to say as he grows older???

Anyone else in a rut?

I feel right now like I am not accomplishing almost anything in my life. I feel that the only thing that I have poured myself into lately is my workouts...I am almost obsessed.

Granted, I know I am doing much for my class...but I feel I can be doing better. We have our annual benchmark testing window coming up and I haven't done any explicit teaching before we take it. I've increased our random sampling which reviews the benchmarks (but in a random order)...so I don't feel like I am teaching the test, but testing them throughout the year. But as the window draws closer, I want to start "teaching" exactly what will be on the test to insure better scores...how awful!!!

We also started a poetry unit and this week I really haven't pushed the workshop as best as I could...that's my fault. I have worked with them this year on inferring themes and lessons in their reading, which some are getting better than others.

Maybe I can push myself this weekend to really evaluate and look at what we're doing next week and really hit home with the workshop. I'll have to update and let you know if I am doing what I said I would do.

Any words of hope???

What next?

For the past SEVERAL months, I have devoted my life to training for a mini-marathon. I lift 4 days a week, kickbox 2 nights a week, two treadmill runs a week, a longer run somewhere in there, and then cross-train by riding the bike other days. The mini is approaching (about 4 weeks) and I'm starting to get down. It's not even here yet, but after the mini, what do I do? I've never been so motivated and driven to finish something like what I am attempting. And I say attempt because this will be my longest run EVER! I don't see myself doing a marathon (at least not running it). But the question lingers, what will I devote myself to afterwards?

Maybe my brain is just down from having Spring Break. I feel like sometimes breaks are extremes for me. I go from working at school to doing nothing...then back. I don't like the pendulum swing of full activity to none. Do other teachers or people in general find vacations hard to get used to? Or is it just me? And for those who comment, I'm okay with it being just me. Just curious.

The Single Life...

I drove to visit my sister today before we board a train to visit another sister. I had several hours to sit in the car, listen to my iPod, sing out loud, and just think. I currently am not dating anyone (unless you count the treadmill) and really have no prospects. Lately, I have been crushing on one person, but I don't feel that this will lead anywhere for several reasons: 1) I don't think he's a believer, 2) I don't think he likes me (he just jokes with me when we work out - I met him through the gym, and 3) guys don't ever seem to think of me as more than just a friend.

As I was talking with another friend of mine, she said that maybe my expectations are too high. I have never really wanted to drop my expectations. I don't see them as being too high. All I'm asking for is (the basic requirements): 1) a believer (with hopes that he will be a spiritual leader or at least be willing to grow), 2) someone I enjoy being with and can be myself with, 3) someone who adores me and likes me for who I am and not who I could be, and 4) a guy who enjoys doing some of the same things that I do.

Is that asking too much? I know that who I am now is a better person. I am physically healthier, emotionally healthier, and hopefully stronger spiritually. I am glad that I wasn't in a relationship a few years ago. I am not the same person. But some days, it's just really hard when you see your family and friends in loving relationships.

I know that God's plan is ultimately the best and I need to cling to that...but I just long to know...will it ever happen for me? Is God calling me to be single or will I ever be married?

This song today, as I listened to it, is what I want to be the cry from my heart...it's from Hillsong United and it's called, "From the Inside Out."

Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself
In bringing You praise
Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame

In my heart and my soul
Lord I give You control
Consume me from the inside out
Lord let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love you from the inside out

spring break...

So I most likely am taking a few days off...with spring break! I am visiting my family and will probably have pictures to post later. I hope you all check back in soon!

Do your kids do this???

Today, we unveiled our last book...oh sorry, forgot to tell you the third book.


My kids went NUTS when they opened it. We know the characters so well that they could barely keep from talking throughout the ENTIRE book.

Today, we unveiled...



As I read today, I noticed, my students do what the book says. Barry Tuckerman constantly waves his hand...when he does this, my students do it too. When the students get out their dictionaries, my students micmic it. I wonder...do they do this because they have such strong mental images, because they are comprehending the story, or do they do it just because I let them and haven't said anything??? I often have them make a sigh if I read it in a book...I want them to know what it sounds like and to engage themselves in a book like I do.

Any ideas? Do your students do this too??? Or are mine just crazy like me?