#SOL21: Poetry Revisited
Who knew? Our 9th grade class published a student poetry anthology with a front cover, back cover and pages of ditto-copied poetry fading in between.
On page 5 my poem sits. My inked signature, scrawled across the words, lines barely discernible, requires repetition to be read with any accuracy, and even then does it make as much sense as when it was written. What’s my take on poetry? Remember these models: I Hate Poetry. I Love Poetry. (LINK)
To Wear or Not to Wear
(Formatted . . . )
- – – – – – – – – – –
I do remember using this format in a high school writing class to pen the most eloquent . . .
To Write or Not to Write
I was a firm believer in imitation.
Poetry: I can take it or leave it (Link)
What’s your take on poetry?
Necessary?
A frill?
A Luxury?
Why?
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Check out the writers and readers here.
GRRR
Formatting
#SOL21: Point of View
About five months ago, we “seemed” more optimistic. Some pandemic numbers were headed in the right direction. There were more mandates and then evil seemed to form this schism wider and deeper than the Grand Canyon.
Black or white
Empty or full
Nothing seemed quite so simple.
I blogged about point of view here.
As school begins/continues/or is perhaps even delayed . . .
here’s some food for thought.
Give yourself grace. Pause. Think. Take a deep breath. Listen to understand.
Is it really this simple?
It’s not easy. There are multiple “sides/views” of every interaction.
Solutions require us to look each other in the eye.
We must let go of the old and ineffective beliefs and practices.
We cannot grab onto the “new and shiny” promise dangled in front of us.
We must center students and their identities in all that we plan and do.
We cannot let fear keep us from embracing the work needed for our students to flourish.
We must stand together in unity.
We cannot stand by when loud voices take over the bully pulpit.
What can you personally do? What are you WILLING to do?
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Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this weekly forum.
Check out the writers and readers here.
#SOL21: Summer Learning
Reading. Wriing. Thinking.
So many great books out there.
What am I reading this summer?
Here are some of the professional books that I shared with the “BookLove” community last week!
What I am rereading . . .
Rereads
New Reads . . .
August
Speakers that I am listening to . . .
What are you reading? writing? thinking? What are you listening to? How is your plan working? Are you working your plan?
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Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this weekly forum.
Check out the writers and readers here.
#SOLSC21: Same? Different?
Same
Prep in advance. Study schedule. Decide on big questions. Develop a plan. Set all devices to charge.
On Saturday, review schedule. Develop a “notes” page. Set tabs. Check power levels on all devices. Hydrate. Caffeinate.
10 minute alarm. Ready. Set. Go.
Flurries between sessions for drinks, snacks, restrooms.
Worry about keeping caught up.
Worrying about wi-fi connections.
Worrying about rooms being filled and second and third choices.
Rousing keynotes
Readers, Writers, Makers, Authors, Thinkers!
Informative sessions
Practice doing the work
A wish list . . . long and lengthy
Different
Alone
No subway
No travel
No F2F meet ups
Many square boxes
Sitting in my living room in Iowa
Saying group and individual “hellos” in chat boxes
No time to process with others
No coffee with friends
The 99th!
It wasn’t my first. I wrote about that day here. Six years ago was my first #TCRWP Saturday Reunion (88th), and I missed it terribly yesterday. The hustle and bustle of NYC. The traffic. The navigation. The travel. The farm girl in the big city.
The people. Clare, Tammy, Melanie, Tara, Julieanne, Dayna, Sally, Catherine, Stacey, Ryan, Christina, and Lanny. Just a few of the familiar faces.
The hustle and bustle of the day long ago and yesterday.
Some same. Some different.
What do you find when you compare two days across time and space . . . one pre-pandemic and one still regulated by the pandemic?
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Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this daily forum during the month of March. Check out the writers and readers here.
#SOL20: Keynote speeches
Inspirational?
Motivational?
Aspirational?
What are some characteristics that you expect from a keynote speech?
Last week I had the distinct pleasure of seeing/hearing five different keynotes as a part of the TCRWP June 2020 Reading Institute. Each had its own distinct features due to the knowledge base and presentation styles of Lucy Calkins, Katy Wischow, Sonja Cherry-Paul, Michael Rae-Grant and Sarah Weeks as you can see in the keynote titles below.
Titles:
- An Opening
- You Never Read Alone: Community, Identity, and The Power of Talk
- Radical Teaching: Reading Workshop as a Powerful Space for Transformation and Liberation
- I Know, Therefore I Am: Why Nonfiction Reading Is About So Much More Than Extracting Information from Texts
- A Few Choice Words
Some common themes I found: Communities of learners and stories draw us together in these turbulent times. The texts of our lives ARE our lives: Are we living them? We are the sum of our experiences so we need to make sure they reflect our lives. If not you, then who? Readers are never alone!
But the surprising commonality for the five keynotes was the deep emotional connections: the tears, the laughter, and the joy of learning in a community. And yes, even through Zoom/electronic devices, the stories were that powerful.
If you would like to learn more about “keynotes” here is a great source from the business world. Link Tips 1, 3, 7, and 10 are my favorites. Especially 10. Always 10.
What will be your keynote for the 2020 school year?
How will you focus on priorities?
What are your expectations from a keynote?
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this weekly forum. Check out the writers and readers here.
#TCRWP Reading Institute 2020
I miss:
- the participants
- the staff developers
- Riverside Church
- Horace Mann
- the up close and personal feel of the FRONT row of the auditorium
- the subway
- being asked for directions on the subway
- living out of “carry on”
- coffee meet ups
- packing my lunch
- dining out on the NYC cuisine
- the bookstores
- the impossible and usually untimely return trip home (AKA stranded in NYC on the 4th of July)
- the conversations as we walk past our location, to the wrong Starbucks, or just wandering
- meeting up with #TWT friends
- meeting up with #Voxer cousins
- squeezing in a #G2Great chat (and what time zone am I really in?)
- meeting up with #CuriosityCrew
- and leaving the world behind for that short interlude . . . no TV, few phone calls, few emails.
Thanks to the pandemic, it’s truly a Brave, New World.
Conversation and chatter seems non-stop . . . even if it is typed into a box! Or in a break out room!
It’s Wednesday night. Past the mid-point. My brain is full. It’s leaking. Time to let something out!
My choice session today was all that I envisioned. (Envision- my #OLW)
And then some.
Grand slam?
Winning game of the World Series?
Kentucky Derby winner?
Gold Medal at the Olympics?
30 minutes of pure bliss.
Head nodding,
Amen-shouting,
Fist-pumping,
Zoom waving,
YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!
Title: The Six Most Important Things You Can Do with Your Students Who are Reading Below Grade Level Benchmarks
Find some paper or point to your fingers.
What are your 6 Most Important Things?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6
You don’t have to fuss over the order. Look at them. Are those the six most important things you believe in?
Are you sure?
Are you really sure?
I had a difficult time choosing this session. There were three choice sessions that I needed to attend according to the titles. This session was not #1. However, I made a guesstimate on the “Six Most Important Things” and I wanted to know if I was right. So I chose this session.
Here were my six:
Know your students / Relationship
Feedback, Self-assessment & Goal-setting
Talk about reading / Rehearse
Stuff to read
Reading, Reading, Reading every day
Was I close?
No bets.
No money.
30 minutes invested in checking my understanding.
Thoughts?
Here were Hannah’s Six Most Important Things.
One small corner of my brain organized and ready for tomorrow’s learning.
So by tomorrow night I can be back at one of these stages . . .
Summertime,
Summertime,
Sum, sum, sum, summertime Learning . . .
It’s the best!
#SOL20: Patriotism
Basic Theme: Red, White and Blue
Secondary Theme: Stars
Thirty six squares beginning at 2.5 inches each form the basis. Thirty six different designs with and without stars as well as a sashing of white on white stars and even starts stitched as a part of the quilting. Thousands of stars.
More importantly, my first patchwork design. Hours selecting. Hours laying out. Hours sewing and then the picture in my head did not match the final design. And then rinse and repeat times three.
A noble goal. A gift times three. Completed. Mailed. Ready for the holiday. The red, white and blue of liberation.
Table runner – left half
Table runner – right half
Which was emphasized: process or product?
Had you guessed from this post? Link
How was this process like instruction? Education?
How will you share your patriotism on July 4th?
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this weekly forum. Check out the writers and readers here.
#SOL20: #BookLove
Are you ready?
What is one of the best books in the world? What is a book that will surprise you with each reread? What book will nurture your soul? What book will allow you to write beside the poems and unwrap your own stories . . . your own life?
I believe the answer is found in this book that is the initial book for elementary teachers participating in the Summer Book Love Book Club!
Franki Sibberson wrote about this book by Irene Latham and illustrated by Charles Waters in her blog post here. As I read Franki’s post, I was nodding my head to every statement. And like Franki said, this week’s discussion in Book Love Foundation’s Summer Book Club is already underway. (Seriously, go read what Franki said!)
You could still see these amazing speakers.
And interact with the almost 1,000 folks in the Book Club.
You might write or see examples . . .
Like my first draft poem for the beginning of #BookLove.
Week 1 has begun.
We wrote poetry Monday.
#BookLove learning has begun.
What is on your learning agenda?
What is your favorite poetry book?
Is there a book club in your summer plans?
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this weekly forum. Check out the writers and readers here.
Addendum: Amy Ludwig VanDerwater Resources bit.ly/2YU6Ifi
#SOL20: What If?
What If?
What does it look like if/when students resume classes in school buildings?
Maybe this?
Or this?
Or this?
What will school look like?
What will students look like?
How will everyone be safe? secure? and ready to learn?
Who makes those determinations?
From Sarah Gross and a superintendent in New Jersey: Link 91 questions.
What If?
It’s hard to plan for the future
So many uncertainties
So many possibilities
So many paths
Too early to choose
So many uncertainties.
Rest.
Rejuvenate.
Dream of “best case” solutions.
What is your plan?
What will you do in the interim while waiting for decisions?
What questions are swirling in your brain?
What if students, communities, and school staff planned collaboratively?
What do you envision?
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this weekly forum. Check out the writers and readers here.
How many devices?
Daily writing withdrawals are real after 31 straight days of posting with #SOLSC20. This morning I thought I would return to my pre-March schedule of early morning reading and writing. But my brain has been puzzled by an “off kilter feeling.” The last two days have felt disconcerting and uncomfortable as I navigated Zoom links, a Trail Guide and learning via distance media.
WHY was it so difficult?
My standard process is to listen and absorb with my chromebook as my note taking device and my phone as a snapshot archivist and a tool for tweeting. During this institute, my chromebook is my source of information – auditory and visual – as well as the navigation to move from session to session.
That moved my phone to note taking duties. Simple enough as my google doc was all set up with time frames, speakers, and links. Yet I was not prepared to enter all my notes on that teeny, tiny keyboard. Not. prepared. at. all. No tweeting during learning. Still in new learning management mode. Off kilter. Stressed.
What I missed most?
Saving seats for friends. Sitting in the front row. Checking in with a friend to make sure my notes were accurate.
Learning
Distance learning
Is not just a change in location
It’s a change in processing
It’s a change in responding
The new reality . . .
Safe learning is hard!
Change is hard!
How many devices do I need for a remote learning institute?
One for viewing that allows me to participate in break out rooms and see all the visuals. A second device is needed for recording notes and thoughts as I process the information. And the surprising third device in order to connect with attendees, tweet out words of wisdom, and look up additional resources. Bandwidth limitations that cause Zoom to freeze rule out the practicality of having three simultaneously connected devices, but that’s my dream. Learning. Sharing. Thinking. All from a Virtual Literacy Institute!
How has a virtual world impacted your learning as a facilitator or as a learner? What words of wisdom can you share?
