Slice 2012 13 of 31 Little Helper

I took this photo yesterday before the scout's banquet and it just right to post tonight.

          I am not sure where his desire to help and work came from but my nine year never ceases to amaze me when it comes to getting jobs done.  Tonight as I was folding laundry and chatting with my husband about where to find the extension cord so that I could quick vacuum out the van, Matt (the nine year old) interrupted asking, "Can I help?" before I even said the word vacuum.  He is a doer, a helper and always wants to be involved in assisting anything that involves a car, electronic device or any type of  building or putting together of well, anything.  I chuckled a a bit after he interrupted, pleased to have some help after a long day. A help he was as he attended to the shop vac and extension cord.  He was two steps ahead of me at all times, pulling out the weather matts and shaking them out. Then hollering to me as I was cleaning trash out of the seat pockets, "Hey mom, there is a ton of stuff in the back of the van that we need to clean out." Next thing I know, the stuff was in a nice pile on the garage floor.  I sorted through hats and gloves that needed to be put back in the hall closet then threw some blankets in the laundry.  By the time I was done, he had practically finished the vacuuming.  I am still amazed by his stamina for working and completing the jobs we ask of him around the house but even more grateful for the times he jumps in when we don't ask him. ( I would love for this quality to rub off on his brothers.)  For today, I am thankful for him.
I love you Matt.

Slice 2012 12 of 31 Digital Reading

I was about to jump into bed when I remembered how much I wanted to keep my goal for writing each day.  I could go through my list of things that kept my husband and I in the car or at activities all night but you already know how that goes, we all get busy.  So, I thought I would just share something I listened to last week that helped me think about the importance of exposing our students to opportunities for digital reading.

Dr. Julie Cairo is a researcher at the University of Rhode Island and has studied online reading comprehension with  upper elementary and middle school learners learners.  She has found that with so many choices online that careful reading is lost.  She also mentions that offline readers aren't sure how to tackle multiple texts in different places.  Her big point in this pod cast is that we need to teach kids to stop think about cues, predict, infer and make meaningful choices.

  How can we help support students who are and will be online readers in their futures?

Slice2012 11 of 31 Welcome Baby Vinny

There is nothing like holding a brand new baby.

Carefully holding up his head in the crook of my arm, I welcomed my newest nephew today.

6 pounds and 11 ounces of beauty.

Baby Vinny came into this world greeted by his mom and dad and big sister (2 yr old) Vivian.

We oooed and awed over his smell and his warmth and his calm nature.

We imagined his cousins fighting over whose turn it will be too hold him.

 And then, we thought about how, too soon, he will be running to keep up with his busy sister.

We know how time rushes by

 But for today,

I hope the world slows down enough for all of us to enjoy every bit of how it feels

to love a brand new baby.

Slice 2012 10 of 31 First Grade Writing

 One of the best parts of being with first graders is watching them grow leaps and bounds over the course of a school year.  Many of them walk in the door with little courage when putting pencil to paper to draw and write. Bravery is a huge part of the whole year. When kids grasp this notion, they soar and that is just the case with a young man in my class this year and I couldn't get him off my mind today.


Little E wasn't sure about what to do when someone didn't tell him what to write about the first few weeks of school. The more he saw other kids sharing and listened to great mentors for writing, he gained the confidence he needed.   He started with wordless stories and had lots to say in his pictures after we studied  ways writers can think about pictures. Then he eventually started writing more text when we studied personal narratives.  He has now come alive now with our non-fiction study.  You'll notice we haven't ventured into the research piece that often goes right along with non-fiction. Instead, I decided to introduce some text structures first and have the kids practice teaching others in areas that we feel we have some expertise. I'll tie in research after spring break.  On Friday, he shared the start to his book Sea Creatures (something he feels he is an expert about) and talked about how the mentor Ten Things I Can Do To Help My World helped him think about adding tips to each page.  He is generating ideas, building stamina for writing longer and telling the reader more.  Thinking about his success makes me happy for him.  It would be so nice to have a comparable piece from the beginning of the year but I don't so  do your best to visualize.  Hopefully these beginning pages in his story are enough to put a smile on your face.

Slice2012 9 of 31 Daily Reflecting

Each morning on the way to school, my boys and I read a daily prayer and reflection from Living Faith Kids.  I am a praying kind of person (hopefully not offending anyone with sharing faith type moment in this post). So, by setting this routine (which we have had for 2 or 3 years now), I feel like it is one way I can show them the value of learning and reflecting about life.

We read the short excerpt from Matthew 21:42 which begins The stone that the builders rejected has become the corner stone... Then proceeded to read the short story connecting it to how we can build the kingdom of God in our own lives by helping others and caring for others.

My fifth grader has become very willing to read these and share his favorite line from the reflection even somedays what he learned. It isn't every day that he is willing but at least 65% of the time.  My third grader has just been brave enough to read it aloud. Some days the excerpt and reflection are above what he can comprehend but we talk him through it.

Today he asked "How is this prayer?"

And without thinking too long about it said, "Well, prayer is talking and listening to God right?"

"Yea," he said.

"So these are kind of like short pieces from the bible with stories that help us think about the piece and a few words to lead us in what to say to God.  It really helps us reflect so that later on when God talks to us through things in our life or people in our life, we are ready to listen and change or just know what to do."

"Oh, ok." was his answer.

I am not sure if this confused him more or helped him but I know he is beginning to think, maybe even beyond how to read the words on the page.  We'll keep reading.

Slice 2012 8 of 31: Slowing Down

The first words out of my 12 year old today were, "I can taste spring break."

I know that he is as anxious as the rest of my family to relax and slow down.  Slowing down has been the lesson I took away from a day of great reflection surrounding common core.  Our fearless leader, Jill, always seems to help me discover something that I should be thinking about to improve my time with children.  So, when she reminded a roomful of K-1 teachers to step back and listen to kids while embracing workshop, I heard her loud and clear.

I have been so busy worrying about getting what I think I "have" to get done that somedays I feel like I gently shoo off kids that would otherwise need to be heard.  It is somedays hard to find a balance with 25 eager little eyes and ears who are dying to tell you about something, waiting for you to listen to their every word.

I have had to remind myself to remember to bring my students back with a song instead of yelling or clapping at them angrily. They are only 6 and do what 6 year olds do.  I have high expectations but I need to remember to keep them reasonable.

I have had to remind myself to whisper gently to kids who need help listening or move them kindly towards me instead of calling them out.  It keeps their dignity and keeps it calm.

I have to remember to keep digging deep with what my kids are learning in math, reading, writing and help them create thoughtfully and authentically instead of rushing through a set of skills.

I have to remember that I can get to all the things I think I "have" to do at home.  There is always time. I just need to trust.

I am very much looking forward to the upcoming break.  We are headed to stay with my brother in Florida where we can slow down, feel the warm air, read what we want to read, walk on the sand and just be. I will be eating it all up!

Slice 2101 7 of 31: Thinking Back on a Busy Day

It's the end of a non-stop day. As my husband and I sat across from one another at dinner (Wendy's at 7:30pm because we were too tired to make anything and have to clean up the dishes at home), I said, "It feels good to sit down."  He answered, "I know."

As I thought back about my day and the busyness, I was surprisingly thankful.

I was thankful for my friend who so kindly picked up my elementary kids and brought them home while I was off at meeting today. She is always there if I need her. Thank you Lauren.

I was thankful for my son for helping grab the bikes of the ceiling hooks before I left for work.  It always makes me nervous to handle those  clunky things on my own.

I was thankful for my grade level team and the conversations we had today reflecting on core standards and resources.

I was thankful for the friends who participated in our district Tech Talk. I learn so much from these friends and don't know what I would do without them.

I was thankful sharing in my school's Art It Up evening, where kids performed songs, dances, modeled clothes they had created in art and shared all the pieces they created with our school community.

I am thankful when busy days like today come to an end and I can look forward to changing into pajamas and sliding into bed.