Tag Archives: teaching

Free Write Friday

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My cutout and character for the class wall, the kids will appear next week

Every Friday in Language Arts is Free Write Friday or rather was…. I write in Free Write Friday, at least try to write most Friday’s, to model the practice. Yesterday, I used the computer and typed instead of using my notebook. Below is what I wrote for Free Write Friday…. 

I walked in this morning, late. I really need to work on this. I have not been sleeping well and it is affecting me in so many ways. I am tired and not as effective as I could be in any of the areas of my life – father, husband, son, or teacher. Continue reading Free Write Friday →

Week 4: Being Amazing and Brilliant – Part 2

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The American flag flies on 9/11 in front of our home.

It is hard to believe, but I am seventeen days into the school year with 155 remaining. Mind you, I am not counting them, but rather working to make them count. In my last post, I referenced Mawi’s Unstoppable Blog: A blog for unstoppable educators & anyone who wants to be inspired. I had stumbled across his post and shared it with my students last Friday – over a week ago. Over the course of the week, I have reflected back to that moment in class when I challenged my seventh graders to be amazing and brilliant. At the same time, I challenged myself to do the same. Continue reading Week 4: Being Amazing and Brilliant – Part 2 →

Amazing and Brilliant Today?

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Amazing and Brilliant Today?

As a teacher, especially a Language Arts teacher I read ALOT! Over the years, I have been exposed to many writers and thinkers. One of the writers who most impressed me was Mawi Asgedom, known simply as Mawi. I first met him when he spoke at my church about his journey from Ethiopia to Sudan to America and finally to Harvard University. His story is amazing and commendable; he wrote a book chronicling his journey of overcoming the many obstacles stacked against him in our society about how he overcame them through hard work, dedication, and focus. Continue reading Amazing and Brilliant Today? →

Week 2: Tigers and High School Football

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Olivia and William root on their Tigers! State Championship game 2009

Nothing means Fall more than high school football. Of course there is cool crisp air and fall weather. It is leaves falling, harvest, pumpkins, apple picking, and Halloween.  Last year for Halloween, and the previous one as well, Olivia dressed as a Tiger. She came home from her school’s Halloween celebration and did not want to take her costume off. Continue reading Week 2: Tigers and High School Football →

Day 81: Tuesday – shopping for school supplies

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I have seen a new Wal-Mart commercial, recently. It opens with a well-dressed mom walking in her front door and calling to her kids that she has returned from shopping for their school supplies. The kids come running and root through the packages with glee – just like Christmas. The kids, a girl and a boy, thank their mom for getting just what they wanted. It is way overdone and an announcer voices over the action and says, ‘We know your kids don’t act like this about their school supplies, so why should you pay too much for them? Come to Wal-Mart for your school supplies this year.’ It is a good commercial and it drives their point home, few people enjoy shopping for school supplies, mainly because what it means going back to school. Continue reading Day 81: Tuesday – shopping for school supplies →

Day 79: Sunday: church the kids come home…

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Beth had wanted a wakeup call and I woke up early and came downstairs about six. As usual, I was welcomed by Ivy, but she curled up on her pad and went back to sleep, she was fast asleep and stayed that way until eight, when I had to wake her to go outside before I left for church.

Wheaton was established when the United States was growing rapidly in the nineteenth century. It is largely a Christian town with Wheaton College and legend has it – more churches per capita than any other town in the United States. Wheaton was established by the Wheaton and Gary families who settled it west of Chicago. Continue reading Day 79: Sunday: church the kids come home… →

Day 76: A visit to school…

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courtesy Chicago Tribune.com – Tom Skilling’s Weather Page

Thursday was hot, very hot. So hot the National Weather Service called for an excessive heat warning and urged people to stay inside and avoid strenuous activity. Ivy and I were more than happy to comply. But, I wondered how in the world did I ever survive growing up in Sugar Land, Texas? I do remember summer in my youth, but I do remember staying indoors quite a bit, but I also remember swimming in the pool or in the lake. But, that was then and I was used to the heat, now I am not. This type of heat is uncommon for Chicago. Continue reading Day 76: A visit to school… →

Day 75: This means one week to go…

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Summer Reading is Killing Me by Jon Sciesczka

The number of days remaining in summer vacation hit single digits earlier this week and now I am down to a single week. I am left with spending time getting ready for school and wrapping up loose ends before school starts.

Teachers view the end of summer much like students do, I am certain. We view it with a sense of sadness that our time to rest, relax, and rejuvenate is over. Our time of dressing casually will end, as well as sleeping late or staying up late, they too will come to a halt. It also means some activities will need to curtailed or stopped altogether. I had not really planned for summer to end so I had not planned what to do with the blog, I do want to continue but I cannot keep the pace of writing daily and maintaining my sanity and grip on class all at the same time. I have some thinking to do on this matter and I hope that – if you are reading – you continue to stop in and read along on my journey through the year. Continue reading Day 75: This means one week to go… →

Days 73 and 74: The Doghouse in the Nile

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...it just says it all...

Monday and Tuesday were much the same: I stayed home and worked in the basement and walked Ivy occasionally. It was too warm and muggy to want to be outside, though I did sit outside and read Monday afternoon. I had Ivy on the tether and she was barking so, I went outside and sat down and she stopped. She was content to lie beneath the chair while I read. Otherwise, my sole outdoor activity was simply walking Ivy. Continue reading Days 73 and 74: The Doghouse in the Nile →

Day 71 and 72: Sillybandz, Nemo, and Mosqitoes!

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Marlin and Dory encounter Bruce the shark - "fish are friends, not food."

The purpose of this blog was to chronicle what I was doing to make the days count. It is a philosophy that I have used with my students at the end of the year. I challenge them with the statement; “We can all count the days, but can we make the days count?” Hence, why I named the blog: Making the Days Count: A Summer Well Spent. In some ways, I have answered the call. I have reported what we have done as a family, what I have done individually, but I have failed, in some cases, to connect the dots to why it counts. With the days dwindling a summer has been well spent and the school year will soon be upon me. Continue reading Day 71 and 72: Sillybandz, Nemo, and Mosqitoes! →