#SOL22: Talk
Oversell? Undersell?
The waiter was charming. “It’s the best. As a third generation LA resident, it’s the best.”
Tempted to scoff at the claim, I didn’t. And yet, “Tell me more,” did emerge from my mouth.
As a Midwesterner, I was doubting the claim. I was expecting “the sell” on the sea bass so close to the ocean. Seafood, yes. Or the pasta, in an Italian restaurant. Beef, not so much.
A bone-in ribeye, on a patio, with friends, a celebratory dinner.
Tender, flavorful, perfectly done.
Every morsel eaten.
Best steak in Santa Monica!
What talk matters? What talk is convincing? Who are the experts? How do you know the anticipation matches the outcome?
I can’t imagine that I will ever stop asking waitstaff about menu items. It’s truly a pleasure when the “sale” matches expectations. And now my chagrin. After googling beef production, my state lags behind California in beef production. We’re seventh and CA is fourth. Oops. A traveler with arrogance about quality beef is now apologetic. However, I do know quality steak! And you don’t have to be in a steakhouse to find a superb steak. Thank YOU, Il Formo! Thank YOU, Santa Monica!
And this week’s adventures will continue!
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#SOL22: Weekend Recap
Being patient in order for a topic to separate and rise to the top from the busy weekend is difficult.
What should I “slice” about today?
6 seniors on a panel for a Q and A session with the whole group 6 hours of excitement at LFA.
5 years of participating in the Ladies Football Academy at Iowa. 5 family members playing Hand and Foot.
4 family members together most of the weekend. Saturday dinner = 4.
3 football player “lifts” at LFA. LFA and 3 Marek women
2 gooseberry pies made and devoured this week. 2 elder Ruth sisters. 2 Baby Ruths. 2 sisters. 2 from FL 2 winners at Hand and Foot.
1 French toast breakfast created by a chef. 1 glorious day of fun. Best place to relax and unwind.
Which story to tell? Which one wins the story “lottery” for this week?
Revising my list of six. You’ve already seen some of the revisions above.
Revisiting.
Wondering.
Which story?
Maybe it’s not really one of those.
Maybe it’s about being on the front page of the sports section for both the Iowa City Press Citizen and the Des Moines Register on Saturday, June 11, 2022.
Moi? On the front page? Of the sports section?
Yes, the Front page of the Sports Section
Do tell!
Here’s what the article looked like in the Des Moines Register.
(picture from the field on the north side of the indoor practice field … 2019)
Here’s a link to the Iowa City Press Citizen. Scroll down to the second picture.
You may have noticed that the picture looked like a pose in the video from last week’s post. Yes, that 2019 photo of us lifting up AJ Epenesa at the LFA with the help of teammate Chauncey Golston made the front page of the sports section in two major Iowa newspapers. (And it was AJ’s idea)
So the new pics from 2022. Riley Moss. Notice that no assist was needed.
Back 2021
Eric Epenesa – (brother of 2019 liftee AJ)
Fun
Camaraderie
Community
Learning
Tours
Drills
Autographs
Petras / Moss Duet of “Piano Man”
Favorite foods, stadiums, coaches . . .
Thank you, #IOWALadiesFootballAcademy #ForTheKids #UIHC
How do you choose just one small moment from a day fillled with joy and occasional raindrops?
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Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this weekly forum.
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#SOLSC22: 29
Day 29 of the 2022 Slice of Life Story Challenge
Then and Now
THEN
Three girls
Book lovers
Talkers
Cooks
Farm living
And all spaced out
A gap of five
and then a gap of seven –
Twelve from top to bottom
Sharing a room
Similar but not exactly alike
NOW
Mothers
Friends
Book lovers
Talkers
People connectors
Flower lovers
Cooks
Quilters
and crafters
Connected with texts, emails, Twitter and phone calls.
Pictures, jokes, and news flow back and forth.
Similar but not exactly alike.
Today I thank my two sisters who have allowed me to “get it done” when they were more inclined to approach tasks more collaboratively or at a different pace. You’ve taught me so much. Thanks, Sherry and Pat, for being models of grace, a source of inspiration, and the best sisters possible.
How do you describe your siblings? How would you describe them at different points in your life?
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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.
#SOLSC22: 27
Day 27 of the Slice of Life Story Challenge 2022.
Who Am I?
What stories do you know about me?
I have no idea why the “cloud creator” added an “s” to teachers and books lovers? That doesn’t make sense. However, what does make sense is that these are a few of the words that describe Erika.
Thank you, Erika Victor, for your love of family whether it’s your family in the US, your family at your international school or the family of readers and writers that you navigate here!
How have you stayed connected with your family (personal or professional) the last couple of years?
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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.
#SOLSC22: 26
Day 26 of the Slice of Life Story Challenge 2022.
Today it’s a format that will lead to the reveal of an educator.
Six Word Stories
Best Maine guide for clam chowder.
Sparking writing and student literacy.
Using quick writes to improve literacy.
Midwesterner transplanted Maine literacy teacher coach.
Thank you, Paula Bourque, for your books, your passionate coaching, and your instructional expertise.
What formats help you determine the “most important information” to share? How do you know the format is effective?
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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.
#SOLSC22: 25
It began on Twitter.
That’s not a surprise.
It began on Twitter with an #ILA chat.
Also not a surprise as#ILA routinely has chats.
It was my first introduction.
So I researched her on the ILA page here.
We discussed the “Power and the Promise of Independent Reading.”
And then I met her again through work with the Book Love Foundation as she interviewed authors and helped with book selection.
Again, we worked online, at a distance.
In February of 2022, I had the privilege of seeing and hearing Julia in two powerful back to back in person sessions at #CCIRA22. What a joy! And so many new books to consider.
In the beginning . . .
Respect for a master librarian (and teacher) envisioning new possibilities, Julia E. Torres. Thank you for opening up new worlds!
And watch for her book from ISTE out this summer with co-author Valerie Tagoe,
How do you connect with literacy professionals? How do you strengthen and grow those connections?
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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.
#SOLSC22: 24
It’s day 24 of the Slice of Life Story Challenge for 2022. (one week remains!)
One highly researched and effective reading intervention is Reading Recovery. I’ve calculated the cost savings when one student is successful in Reading Recovery and does not enter into special education.
I’m going to use $4900 as the per pupil allotment for each resource student in Iowa. It’s a rounded number for illustrative purposes.
If Reading Recovery helps one student be successful in reading, the student saves:
- grade 2 $4900
- grade 3 $4900
- grade 4 $4900
- grade 5 $4900
- grade 6 $4900
- grade 7 $4900
- grade 8 $4900
- grade 9 $4900
- grade 10 $4900
- grade 11 $4900
- grade 12 $4900
Cumulative savings from grade 2 through grade 12 = $53,900.
Of course there are costs associated with Reading Recovery, but if two students are successful each year, Reading Recovery has paid for itself in savings.
A teacher leader in Reading Recovery leads professional development, teaches behind the glass, and observes teachers teaching. In some ways that work is similar to a consultant’s work: PD, demonstration teaching and classroom observations.
Yay, commonalities.
Our lives also intersect on Twitter, sometimes in chats, or also just some random retweets!
We’ve participated in multiple book studies: Including What Readers Really Do as well as online groups.
We’ve attended institutes where we’ve enjoyed the sights and sounds of The Big Apple.
We’ve shared stories of our families.
We love to learn.
Thank you, Sandy Brumbaum, for helping me strive for both joy and balance in my personal and professional life.
How do you find both joy and balance at work? At home? Who do you use as sounding boards?
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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.
#SOLSC22: 23
Today is Day 23 of the Slice of Life Story Challenge.
As I started writing this post, I wondered if I needed a chart to mark similarities and differences between the honorees for this March blog series. I quickly discovered MANY similarities.
Blogs? Check
Presents at NCTE? Check
Have personally presented with her? Check
Numerous zoom sessions? Check
An author featured on #G2great? Check
So many ideas were swirling in my brain, but I had already decided on “Supporting Writing” as my focus.
Today’s “Thank You” goes to an author who shares similar thoughts about students leading their own writing seminars for their fellow students. We’ve tweeted about this often. We promote student independence as much as possible.
Current books:
Available later in March, 2022 . . .
Drum roll . . .
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Thank you, Melanie Meehan, for your expertise as a writer and as a teacher of students and supporter of writing teachers,
What questions do you have about writing? What writing do you support? What writing do you do yourself?
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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.
#SOLSC22: 22
This book.
This book had a profound impact on my personal and professional life. This book brought together folks who continue to impact my personal and professional life.
So much of reading is invisible. So much of reading is complex. So much of reading takes a deep understanding. A reader who slows down and spies on themself as a reader can learn about the process of meaning making.
This book was the center of a book study on Twitter. #WRRD We spent time discussing the contents and the application. But additional highlights were in meeting with, chatting face to face, and having dinner with the authors. Approachable authors. Authors who share their thinking. Authors who model their own learning.
Dr. Mary Howard wrote this post after Dorothy and Vicki were on a #G2Great chat about What Readers Really Do in 2017. Now more than ever the invisible processes of meaning making must be a part of the goal setting and discourse of educators.
Beyond celebrating the authors … Thank you, Ryan Scala, for organizing what began as a book study and actually evolved into a community of scholars with common interests in improving learning, literacy and leadership.
How do you build community that endures beyond a single goal/purpose? Who leads the work? Who does the work?
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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.
#SOLSC22: 21
Today is Day 21 of the Slice of Life Story Challenge.
In a book group, we respond to the text. We use words, colors and pictures. We read. We talk when physically together. We use google docs or padlet when apart. We laugh. We reread. We write.
Rinse and repeat.
Every year I participate in book groups/clubs. Sometimes I bite off more than I can chew. That was the summer that I was in seven different groups, teaching a graduate class, and attending two week long institutes out of state.
In reflection, that sounds totally crazy and overbooked. Seriously crazy. But my love of books, my desire to be better at responding to texts, and the need to accelerate my own learning led me to say yes to all the possibilities. (The inability to say “no” to book clubs will have to be a slice after March.)
We’ve presented together. We’ve laughed together. We’ve learned together.
Thank you, Julieanne Harmatz for writing about book purchases in a slice here this year, for adding to my own TBR stacks, and for adding joy to my life.
How do you add books to your reading list? What is your criteria? Who helps add to your list?
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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.
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