It had been a long week, made even longer by the antics of a handful of students and I was looking forward to getting home Friday afternoon, but it was evening when I got home Friday night. William was mowing the grass, Beth was working in the yard weeding, and I felt guilty for not wanting to jump in and help. But, not guilty enough to jump in and help. Besides, I figured I’d get busy on Saturday and do some chores, like the gutters – which are full of maple, elm, and other tree seeds. Continue reading Late morning, Saturday…
Tag Archives: seventh grade
Winding Down
- Courtesy of FineArtAmerica.com
It is Teacher Appreciation Week and I am feeling appreciated. More importantly, I am grateful for the teachers I had who shaped me through their lessons, stories, patience, and passion. Thank you to, and in no particular order, Atlee, Guinn, Wright, Giesberg, Clark, Shand, and Gilbert. I know there were more, but it’s early and I am thinking and writing. I am also grateful to the teachers who have shaped my kid’s lives and made a difference for them. THANK YOU and THANK YOU for being a teacher. Continue reading Winding Down
Easter Sunday Morning
The alarm ruined it, or maybe not.
I dreamed last night, but when I awoke, the dreams were cloudy, as they usually are. I went to bed thinking about school, writing or rather about teaching writing, the book we are reading – The Giver, and blogging. Interspersed were thoughts about Easter, Easter Sunday, and the bunny. So, you can only imagine my dream. I can’t recall precise details of the dream, but I was at a writing seminar with my peers and writing a blog came up. I remember sharing my blog and the ideas that drove it, that drove the daily topics, or sometimes weekly topics L.
Then the alarm ruined it, or maybe not. Continue reading Easter Sunday Morning
Thursday, before Friday
I woke this morning trying to breathe, it took almost an hour of blowing my nose and trying to go back to sleep, before I gave up and started the day. Ivy wanted nothing to do with me, or my waking ideas, and is still sleeping soundly – as only she can.
“We have so much time and so little to do. Strike that, reverse it.”
Roald Dahl from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Continue reading Thursday, before Friday
weekends, sigh
Weekends disappear in the blink of an eye; actually, the entire past week disappeared in the blink of an eye. I can hardly believe the week is done. It was an easy week due to state testing, but it is done except for makeups for students who missed a day or two. I look back at the week with a bit of pride – I accomplished quite a bit and am current with just about everything at school; however, my office space downstairs is a fire hazard and I have other tasks to accomplish this weekend. Continue reading weekends, sigh
Testy, testing, whatever…
It’s springtime – or pretty darn close. The days are getting longer and slowly warmer. Yesterday it was in the sixties and windy with gusts in the 30-40 mph range. It’s been a pretty lame winter and I’m glad it’s getting closer to spring. There is that feeling in the air when it smells like spring. The wind howls and you know, really know, that warmer days are near. Right now, it is that time in the day when the sun seems to hang in the air and make the afternoon linger and seem to last another hour, or two. Continue reading Testy, testing, whatever…
March Saturday Morning
It is another three-day weekend for the kids and they need it. Yesterday was a teacher institute day (teacher learning) across the county and all schools were out. I sat through a class on vocabulary acquisition our district rolled out at the beginning of the year. It is a pretty successful program focusing on Greek and Latin roots. I like it because it is concrete. There is a right answer and a right way. As much as the kids needed a day out of school because state testing begins next week, I needed a day in the classroom. I got a lot of the learning yesterday and am looking forward to applying it, but most of all it was it was good to get confirmation that what we are doing is helping kids learn. Continue reading March Saturday Morning
Spring Day
Spring has sprung, at least for a brief moment earlier this week. Wednesday morning, I walked out of the house and it was 50 degrees; it was the same morning the storms rolled across southern Illinois. Right now, we are back in the mid-30s and cloudy; it looks much the same as most of January and February did. Nevertheless, it is spring. Continue reading Spring Day
Stamps, stamps, and more stamps
For those of you who know me and maybe those of you who don’t – I like stamps. My last post included a mention of stamps and I have mentioned stamps and letter writing several times. But, I love stamps, postage stamps, commemorative postage stamps to be precise. Continue reading Stamps, stamps, and more stamps
Olivia’s Dad, WOW, what a week
I can hardly believe that the week has passed me by. It was a busy week full of activity and teaching. However, the best part, or parts, was sharing it with Olivia. A normal week, depending on the season, can be spent at basketball games, scout meetings, outings, church, managing homework, and having dinner together. But, this week was different. Our week began with the Super Bowl where I was out numbered 3-1 in favor of the Giants and ended with the Daddy-Daughter Dance Friday night. There was a lot in between. Continue reading Olivia’s Dad, WOW, what a week