Dear First Year Teachers,

Dear First Year Teachers,

I have never been able to complete a letter to you newbies.   I have tried, but never got past drafting.  This is how my letter started last summer (it was still in my unpublished posts):

Dear First-Year Teacher,

Congratulations!  Your first year of being a teacher will be upon you very soon.  I am sure you are full of emotions.  If your emotions are anything like in Inside Out (which I suggest you see before the start of the year), I am pretty sure that Fear is at the control panel most of the time.  Don’t worry, it won’t always be that way.  Joy will be upfront quite often.

Be sure to ask questions.

And that is as far as I got before I couldn’t decide what to else to say.  Everything in that first draft is true.  And there is sooooo much more…I will try to keep it short and sweet.  I know that there is a lot that you need to know, but I also know that you won’t remember most of what people tell you!

Ask questions.

Ask for help.

Listen to your students.

Save resources and advice somewhere because you aren’t going to remember it once the school year starts.  But, later after things settle down, you will know where to look to find it and you will be better ready to decide if it is useful to you.

When people start telling you more than you can handle, tune them out.  Smile, nod, and say “Thank you.”  You aren’t ready for what they are saying, and that is perfectly fine.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

Jennie B.

Gratitude

I have so much to be thankful for, including Michelle’s Big Time Literacy Blogging Challenge and today’s “Gratitude Lately” prompt.

“Gratitude and attitude are not challenges; they are choices.”    –  Robert Braathe 

I am grateful to the very special group of third graders I had this past year.  With all of the hate and violence across our country and the world this summer, thinking about these children that are the future of our country gives me hope.

On a similar note, I am grateful for the opportunity to listen to our First Lady’s speech tonight at the DNC.  The intro video brought tears to my eyes.  One young woman said, “She’s not just a woman standing next to a man.”  And a young man says, “She is making her own place in history.”  And then Michelle Obama gave an incredible speech that you just need to hear if you haven’t already.  Thank you, Michelle Obama!

I am thankful that the project I wrote about last July, my son’s Minecraft room, is almost complete.  I procrastinated for too long, but tonight I wrapped up that wall and will never again make a promise to stencil anything!  However, the painting is done and the new carpet comes tomorrow.  Thank goodness!

Last, but not least, I am thankful for my amazing family and every second I get to spend with my son.

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”  –  Robert Brault

 

 

Teacher Balance

I don’t think it exists.  Nope.  It is a dream that we are always chasing, like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

I realize this sounds very pessimistic, but I believe teacher balance does not exist.   (Stick with me here, this isn’t a totally negative post…)

Balance doesn’t and can’t exist if you are dedicated to both your life outside of education and your role as an educator.  There is no way to balance two things that require so much passion, so much of you.

At different points in the year, even within a week or a day, the scale tips one way or the other.  Tips to School.   Noooo, I have not been listening enough to my son.  I haven’t seen my sister in weeks.  Tips to Home.  I haven’t done enough prep work for this unit and now I’m floundering, I need to spend time on this over the weekend.   Tips back to School.

Balance doesn’t exist, not the balance we strive to reach.  If we accept this reality, if we pay attention to the tipping scale and if we recognize when it has gone too far one way, maybe then we can find happiness, health and everything else we need…

…

A few tips I have found helpful…

• Don’t be afraid to say “I’m flattered that you asked, but no thank-you.  I just can’t add anything else to my plate right now.”  (It goes back to paying attention to the tipping scale.)
• Don’t set up your phone to get work emails automatically.  If you have a smart phone, you can access your email through the internet, if you need to, when you are ready.  Trust me it helps!

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Closet Cleaning…Sort of…

Crash!  Crumble. Crumble.

“What are you doing?”

“Just looking.”

He was looking, just looking.  Of course, he was also making an even bigger mess out the already disastrous closet.

So, I had to leave the comfortable couch where I was reading in order to clean a closet I have putting off cleaning all summer.  And, if you have kids or have tried cleaning with kids around, you know that cleaning means you cleaning while your kid plays with long lost treasures…

But, the closet did get organized, so I guess it turned out to be a productive day!

P.S.  If you have young kids or plan to have kids one day, NEVER let them take out garbage that you have cleaned out of a closet.  Don’t even let them look in the direction of the garbage.  I made that rookie mistake and ended up with a hole in a bag because of a bouncy ball…rookie mistake…

 

Evaluate and Judge

“the ability to evaluate and judge is not a school skill, it is a life skill.”

– Kelly Gallagher

I’m working through the different real world writing purposes in Write Like This.  In the chapter on Evaluate and Judge, Gallagher gives many examples of evaluation in life:  print ads, YouTube videos, commercials, websites, and presidential candidates.

Express and Reflect √

Inform and Explain √

Evaluate and Judge – ↓

Inquire and Explore √

Analyze and Interpret√

Take a Stand/Propose a Solution√

…

Gallagher states in this book, and repeats, “it is valuable for students to watch their teacher produce a crummy first draft; it gives them an honest look at how writing is produced.  In fact, modeling on days when I don’t write very well may actually be more valuable than modeling on a day when my writing is flowing.”  Therefore, I will continue to share my writing for each of these purposes, even though these first drafts aren’t spectacular writing.

…

With the upcoming election, this year will be a great opportunity to teach students how to evaluate and judge candidates.  And then hopefully these skills will transfer to literature as well.  So,  today I am going to Evaluate and Judge a YouTube video – kids (including my own) do spend a lot of time there.

I found this series by Kid President:  Awesome Girls!  And I thought it was the perfect thing to write about.  Especially after the amazing essay by Jennifer Aniston.  Here are the links.  You need to watch them!

AWESOME GIRLS! | Kid President

BOYS vs GIRLS! #AwesomeGirls | Kid President

Kid President Talks to A Girl: Rachel Platten! #AwesomeGirls

The purpose of this campaign is to make sure that girls know how amazing they are and to remind everyone that girls should be cheered on.   The audience being twofold:  the girls that need to be encouraged and the people who need to encourage them.

The first video linked above is Kid President introducing the idea of Awesome Girls and explaining his (and his brother’s) purpose for this campaign.  He also asks for help, for people to share examples of awesome girls using the hashtag #KPAwesomegirls.

In the second video, Kid President shares his struggle being a boy and doing this campaign about girls.  There are two videos of Robby (KP) juxtaposed, one being the inner voice supporting girls, and the other being a “typical boy” inner voice.  He asks, “What about awesome boys?”  And then he explains to himself that supporting girls isn’t saying that he doesn’t support boys, it is just that girls don’t have all of the opportunities that boys have.  (Sound familiar to something else that has been all over the news?)  The two “voices” side by side is very effective in bringing up counterarguments in order to argue against them.  Way to go KP team!

The final video linked above, is Kid President talking to Rachel Platten.  She encourages him to not feel awkward against girls and gives great advice to girls across the world.  This one is a great message from a successful girl and would be even more focused on a female audience.  She tells KP that as a young girl she was very hard on herself and never felt like enough.  Which one of us haven’t felt that way?  It is so important for kids to hear they are not alone in the way they are feeling.

And the video concludes with Rachel Platten finishing the sentence that KP always asks, “The world would be a better place if…”

“…if we understood how similar we are to each other.  […] if we were all a little kinder to each other.  […]”

Awesome Girls!

What I’m Loving Wednesday 7.13.16

♥  Not only do I love the emails I have been getting from a student all summer, but one was about poop emojis!  They are my favorite and she knows it!

♥  Spending time with my Best Friend!

♥  My 2016-2017 Planner and Coloring Book in one!   Genius!

♥  Museum of Science and Industry with Troy

We spent over two hours in the Lego Exhibit!  Troy was in heaven.  My favorite is always Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle.

♥  Technically, It’s Not My Fault

This is an amazing book of concrete poems.  Even the cover is a concrete poem.  They are funny, engaging, and thoughtful.  This is going to be part of my library in the fall!

 

My Next 30 Years

The lunchroom was filled with chatter, shrieks, and noise that only middle schoolers could produce.  As I sat at a table, waiting for a few former students to sign a book for a retiring teacher, I caught up with them.

“Ms. Bless, can you believe I’m going to be thirteen this week?!”

“Wow!  That’s scary!  I’m going to be thirty this summer.”

“That’s even scarier!”

I can always count on kids to be honest and blunt!

But, as August approaches, I keeping thinking about that Tim McGraw song “My Next Thirty Years.”  I remember hearing that song when it was released, thirty seemed so old.  And now I am almost there and I can’t help but reflect on these past thirty years and what I want out of the next thirty…

If Michelle were a character in a Western film, she would be…

I am continuing to draft writing for each of these real life writing purposes according to Kelly Gallagher in Write Like This:

Express and Reflect √

Inform and Explain √

Evaluate and Judge

Inquire and Explore √

Analyze and Interpret – ↓

Take a Stand/Propose a Solution

…

Apparently iMAgiNiff is a board game that I missed out on as a child.  It is also an inspiration for an activity in the Analyze and Interpret chapter.  This one seems like lots of fun and would be great analyzing practice as a Morning Meeting activity with my new fifth graders.  It could also be used to reflect on characters in books.

Pose a question for students to answer, explaining their reasoning.  For example: “Imagine if _________ were a character in a Western film.  Which would he be?  a)  Sheriff  b)  Outlaw c)  Deputy  d)  Farmer  e) Stagecoach Driver  f) Barkeep”

…

Since Michelle is hosting the Big Time Blogging Challenge this month, and that is why I have been writing every day, I am going to use her.  Thanks Michelle!

If Michelle were a character in a Western film, she would be the barkeep.

Michelle is a social butterfly and can talk to anyone. She can serve people their selected beverage and make them feel at home.  This is similar to what she does as a literacy coach, she has to develop relationships and make teachers comfortable with her.  She knows when to help and provide support.  She knows exactly when to hold back.

Everyone tells their secrets to the bartender.  People can spill their guts to her and she can keep a neutral expression, not always needing to give an opinion.  Let me tell you, co-plans can be tense!  But, I have heard more than one teacher say that Michelle knows how to stay cool and not take sides.

Finally, when push comes to shove, Michelle is capable of putting people in their place!  Chairs fly, glasses break.   Someone has to put an end to it…

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Querencia

In his book Write Like This, Kelly Gallagher shares six real world writing purposes and different ways to get kids to start writing with each in mind.  I’m going to try at least one example from each chapter.  Although this is written with high school in mind, I think most of the ideas can be adjusted for middle and intermediate elementary school.  And the real world writing purposes:

Express and Reflect √

Inform and Explain – Trying this one today!

Evaluate and Judge

Inquire and Explore √

Analyze and Interpret

Take a Stand/Propose a Solution

…

There are so many great ideas for Inform and Explain.  Here are a few of my favorites:

• “You Should Know”  Biographical Paper (“Find an ‘average’ person in your life with an ‘above average’ story.”)
• How does _______work?
• Unwritten Rules  (Inspired by The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian)
• My Favorite Words

 …

Today I am going to try “My Favorite Words.” Christina, this one is for you, my word loving friend! The word I decided to write about isn’t in all dictionaries and I hadn’t actually heard of it until today:  querencia.

Querencia

noun

Definition according to www.merriam-webster.com:  “an area in the arena taken by the bull for a defensive stand in a bullfight”

Origin according to www.merriam-webster.com:  “Spanish, fondness, haunt of an animal, favorite spot, querencia, from querer to want, like, love (from Latin quaerere to seek, gain, obtain, ask) + -encia -ence (from Latin -entia)”

I’m not a huge word person, so when approaching this idea, I searched around a little on Pinterest for words.  (To clarify:  I consider myself a reader and writer.  It’s just that I’m not one to use big words when a simple one to do.  I love stories, words strung together.)  In my search I found this:

 This word alone didn’t stand out, it is it’s definition that struck me.  “the place where you are your most authentic self”  This is a powerful word and got me to thinking about my querencia. Do I have one?

For a very long time, I don’t think that I had a querencia.  I’m not sure I do now.   At this point, my home is becoming a place I am comfortable.  Each new memory, each laugh, erases some of the damage done.  Each smile makes me feel safer.  One day, this home may become a place that I can draw strength, my querencia.

I think the place that I have always been able to be closest to my authentic self is in the presence of children.   Standing among kids, I have always been able to take chances – dance, twirl, joke, and even sing.  I have always drawn strength from my time with them and not needed courage to be myself.

I hope that my classroom can be a querencia for my students, as well.  I hope that my students feel safe, at home, and accepted each year.  I hope that my students have a querencia in their life, but if they don’t – I hope our classroom can be that place for each of them.

Shopping Carts

Most of the chapters of Write Like This are organized by purpose.  In the Express and Reflect chapter, one idea I tried is childhood games.

Today I’m trying “Things I find disturbing…”  from the Inquire and Explore chapter.  The idea is to write a list and then choose something from the list to write long about – Why do you find that thing disturbing.

Another option he suggests is for students to research using the newspaper and find articles that are disturbing to them, research, and then write about that.  However, based on the horrible things I am sure to find in the news this week, I am going to go a little less research-based and more light-hearted…shopping carts.  Here is my flash draft…

Why do I find people leaving shopping carts in the parking lot, not in the cart corral, so annoying?

I have very early memories of sitting in the car hoping my mother would not get back out of the car to yell at the person leaving the shopping cart in the parking lot.  I have other memories of my mother reprimanding people for leaving the shopping cart in the parking lot. 

Oh, and there is that time that my aunt, my mother’s twin, got out of the car. My mom, my sisters, cousins, and I sat watching her chew out some unsuspecting shopper.  Awkward!

I am not the type of person to give a random stranger a piece of my mind.  When I see a shopping cart sitting alone in the middle of the parking lot, I push it to a corral or push it inside.  My son is used to it at this point.  If the person that left it there is still near, a dirty look is all I share. 

As a new mom, getting the groceries and the kid in the car wasn’t simple.  However, I was never willing to leave the cart, so I started parking right next to the cart corrals.  Problem solved.  Try it people!

For some reason, there are never cart corrals near the handicapped parking…What’s with that?  Yet, I once saw a lady that was obviously having trouble walking, push her cart up to the other carts in front and then struggle back to her car in the handicapped lane.  I remember thinking, “If she can do it, why can’t everyone?!”

So, I guess my answer is that putting shopping carts away has been ingrained in me since childhood.  I wonder if one day my son with have the same issue?

What grates on your nerves?