Party Pooper

My friend and I (Jen over at A Teacher's Life) have been attending a conference this week. This is a conference that we have been anticipating for a while. Our energy and enthusiasm has been building. Three whole days to just sit, listen, and sponge up great ideas from people who have researched and modeled these ideas. We were thrilled to be going! (Can you sense our enthusiasm?) We made a deal regarding people who like to rain on other's parade. My personal policy on negative people is, "flee, flee, flee, flee!" I don't do negativity just normally, let alone on something that I am considering my happy place! We wrote this poem today for all those people out there that just can't help themselves, they just have to poo-poo on everything.
Enjoy!

Poo-Poo Platter

by Sarah Amick and Jen Barney

Every party needs a party pooper,

Faces drawn, lips pursed, body rigid;

Rains on my parade,

That's why we invited you,

The sigh of discontent when challenges are never met,

Party pooper.

Every party needs a party pooper,

complain, complain, complain,

Eyes going back and forth,

That's why we invited you,

Listens inactively, expressionless gaze,

a generic, "mmmhmm."

Party pooper.

Disclaimer: I was actually encouraged by others, I won't name names, to add a photo of poop here! Can you believe that? Well, I just couldn't do it. The thought of looking at others' poo grosses me out. Aren't you glad I spared you?

Miss Grace

After visiting Kathy and reading her post about a tea party she went to recently I remembered Miss Grace. Miss Grace lived across the street from my grandmother with her sister. She was a special lady. She hosted neighborhood tea parties for the little girls. Here is that piece:

One warm, summer, afternoon my grandmother opened her closet removing her best summer dress. She fitted herself with a pair of low heels and a sun hat. After adorning herself she pulled my frilly sundress from the hanger. This was my Easter dress for that year, chiffon, bonnet, and white gloves. I placed my feet inside my white Mary Jane's, my grandmother tightening the buckle. Taking my hand she led me across the street where Miss Grace was waiting in her quiet sort of way. Miss Grace, quiet Grace, kind Grace, I loved Miss Grace. We entered her home welcomed by the antique furniture that filled the parlor and were led around to her garden. Day lilies, peonies, lilacs, forsythia, and Iris filled the garden with a rainbow of colors and smells. Miss Grace's most prized flower, her daisies, "because they are so friendly."
These friendly flowers adorned the table, freshly cut just for this occasion. Other girls my age had gathered here and were sitting quietly with their adults waiting and wondering what the event would behold. Miss Grace brought forth her pot of steaming tea and poured each person a cup. My grandmother handed me a beautiful container with pretty pink flowers on the side and allowed me to take one small cube with the adorable, silver, grabbing tool that I had never held before. She showed me the proper way to stir the liquid without so much as tinking the sides. As we settled into our new, adult, drinks Miss Grace produced a book that when opened smelled of the many years that it had been in print. She read poems of old as we listened intently to the soft lilt of her frail voice. Miss Grace was so beautiful in the afternoon sunlight with her pretty white dress with the small roses upon it. She had comfortable practical shoes on and she carried a white hankie in the palm of her hand. I admired her in the light, watching the sun reflect upon her. She was everything feminine to me.
As we left for the day Miss Grace paused with each of us. Taking my white gloved hand she squeezed it in hers and thanked me for coming. She said, "we should do this again sometime." I breathed her in: rose scented talc, her sweet endearing voice, and her white rolled hair. Her most endearing quality was her ability to make you feel like this, no, "I," was the center of her world.
Thank you Miss Grace for that very special day. I will never forget the afternoon and all that it has meant to me. When Miss Grace passed on she gave us a tea cup and saucer from her collection. I admire it to this day. When I had my second daughter, her middle name: Grace.

Five things Meme

The Literacy Teacher tagged me for this meme. I thought it would be fun on a Saturday that I didn't have anything to write about. I changed a couple of the titles to fit my needs, hope you don't mind.

Five things done 10 years ago
1. Got Married, August, 16, 1997
2. Started student teaching, August 18, 1997 (pretty crazy huh?!!!)
3. Lived on the lake (our own dock, boat, it was pretty picturesque)
4. Lived far away from home (4 hours)
5. Graduated from college

Five favorite snacks (all ice cream flavors)
1. Rocky Road
2. Chocolate covered cherry
3. Chocolate
4. Pineapple sherbert
5. Homemade- any flavor

Five Songs I know by Heart
1. Papa Don't Preach (Madonna)
2. Ice Ice Baby (Vanilla Ice)
3. Lady in Red (Chris DeBurgh)
4. The Greatest Love Of All (Whitney Houston)
5. Tomorrow (from Annie)

Five things I'd do as a Millionaire: for myself
1. Have a horse
2. Travel, travel, travel
3. Not feel bad about buying books
4. Have a house with a lake
5. Start a book shop like Meg Ryan in the movie "You've Got Mail"

Five things I'd do for others if I were a Millionaire
1. I'd adopt dogs that need rescuing
2. I'd start a fund for professional development for teachers wanting to go to various conferences.
3. I'd work with my district to start a model school
4. At my own school I'd start any afterschool enrichment program for my at risk kids- field trips, crafts, experiences they'd never had before, with transportation provided.
5. Free books for all!!!!!

Five Bad Habits
1. I vaccuum often- drives my family nuts!
2. Goodwill- do I need to say more girls?
3. I pick my nails
4. My bed must be made at night
5. If I take a bath I must clean it no matter how long it's been.

Five thing I'll never wear again
1. a bikini
2. maternity clothes
3. jelly shoes
4. turtlenecks
5. high waisted pants

Five favorite toys
1. Speak N-Spell
2. my books
3. my dolls including Marie and Donny Osmond Barbie (so cool!)
4. All things paper (being a waitress, schoolteacher, artist, writing, sending notes)
5. The woods beyond my house

Very fun! Thanks for tagging me!

Poetry Friday

Summertime Mommy

by Sarah Amick

"Relax, it's summertime," I hear myself say,

Irritated as I pick up the clutter of a crazy summer day;

flip flops, wet suits, children at play.

"Relax, it's summertime," I hear myself say,

As kids stay awak, at all hours of the night;

breakfast, lunch, let's just eat light.

"Relax, it's summertime," I hear myself say,

"I'm bored," two weeks in my children complain;

Play doh, Chutes N' Ladders, and a day filled with rain.

"Relax, it's summertime," I hear myself say,

Putting on my swimsuit, to go to the pool;

splashing, diving, and water that's cool.

"Relax, it's summertime," I hear myself say,

My kids filled with sugary treats, carried in a pack;

granola bars, fruit chews, an afternoon snack.

"Relax, it's summertime," I hear myself say,

Saddened in August buying new school supplies;

book bags, glue sticks, and my how time flies!

Check out Poetry Friday Round-up this week hosted by Cloudscome and read some great poetry!

My Favorite Post

If you haven't checked out the Hipwritermama I would highly recommend heading over there and checking her out. She has created a link for us to post our favorite posts from the past. She has a very endearing piece about her sister. So, I thought what post would I use? (I haven't been at this for very long) Here is my choice, it is one that meant a lot to me.

Scrutiny

Please read this website that I read on a blogspot: Sarah says.... She is a special education teacher from Indiana. Very cool blog Sarah, and very cool name. Anyway, here is the website:
http://www.thearcofil.org/document.asp?did=749

After reading this I thought of my classroom this year and one of my students. This year I have had the pleasure of being the teacher to a remarkable young man who is brilliant, a great friend, has a wonderful working memory, and who is constantly under the scrutiny of others. Did I mention that this young man is completely blind?

I know, you are saying, "Oh, Sarah, what a tough job teaching 20 "normal" kids and then adding a child that is blind." Or, how about this one, "Oh, Sarah, why is he here in a regular room when he could be at the School for the Blind?" His parents I am sure have faced this their entire life, the pity and the sadness in people's voices when they find out their son is blind. I've only had to witness it for 9 incredible months. I guess as an educator I was excited about having a student with blindness. I mean, why wouldn't we want 20 other kids to learn how to accept a person's disability and erase the discrimination that we live with everyday in our world?

Never have I had the honor of knowing such a remarkable child. He really is brilliant. His ability to conclude what is going on and respond to is it unbelievable. He works so hard. When his visual specialist teaches him something new from the mysterious world of Braille he begs for more. He listens better than anyone I know. What impresses me most is his astounding resiliancy to the rest of the world. They expect, since he is blind, that he will not be able to do something, or that we should be easy on him because he is blind. He takes this expectation and throws it back in their faces. He works so hard overcoming the world's discrimination for him. It's almost an, "not only can I do it, but I can do it better!" attitude. After spending any amount of time with him you don't pity him. You just wish you had the same superpowers that he has!

My only sorrow is that during his life there will be a multitude of people who will never get to know his superpowers. They will never be able to see past the pity, and the blindness. They will always keep a wall up. It's a shame because not only is he blind, but he is a remarkable, brilliant, super human.

Recently, we got to talking about the special education preschool we have at my school and one of my students asked, "why don't we have anyone with a disability in our classroom?" that question says it all......

Thankful Thursday

I have been touring around the blog world and finding posts that deal with giving thanks. I thought I would give it a try because it could stretch me. I have a lot to be thankful for let me tell you. Here are just a few:
1. My children are healthy. They are happy, and they are learners. They both have very distinct personalities that most people like even. I am blessed to be given to them.
2. My house is a home. It is a great place to entertain, to be a family, and to just be a home. I am very blessed to live in such a dwelling.
3. I am thankful for whoever invented air conditioning. Indiana is hot in the summer and this summer has been even worse early on. I am thankful that I have central air.
4. I am thankful for the opportunity to go to the All Write conference, to read professional books to better myself, and to just take the summer to indulge in educating myself. To be a lifelong learner.
5. Friends. My world has been increasing in this area. I am blessed to work with some really great friends. They encourage me, pick my brain, and inspire me to work even harder at bettering my students. We have a conversation among us that usually ends with someone saying, "I just don't want to get to the end of this career and think 'have I done enough?' for my students." Keep inspiring friends!

Well, there you have it. 5 things I am thankful for. It's very reflective on a day that has been very good.
Remember that poetry friday is being sponsored by cloudscome. Follow the link from this site. It's a lot of fun!

Question #3 How will knowing your prior reading experiences help you in your classroom?

Note all the good times were time when I was read to, or I read independently. My independent reading, I chose the book. My favorite read alouds were appropriate and high interest.
I also noticed places where we talked about the reading. I got to make connections, ask questions, and sythesize. Also, it gave my teachers and my mother a chance to recommend books that I would make a connection.
So here are my conclusions:
1. Read alouds are important- they must be high interest and developmentally appropriate. They must also be purposeful, why am I reading this book to my first grade class? What would I like them to glean from this book?
2. Children must be allowed to choose their own books for independent reading.
3. Children must have independent reading time to practice what they are learning.
4. Children must have a time to talk, discuss, ask questions, ponder out loud, talk, discuss, be social, etc. It is important for comprehension and growth.
5. Children must have a future reading plan. I used to think, "WHAT?" their first graders, their 6/7? Looking back over my experiences I noted that my mother helped me make future plans. She noted that I enjoyed Laura Ingalls Wilder books, she went out and bought me Jeanette Okes' Unending Legacy series. Very similiar texts. My 10th grade teacher noted that I enjoyed John Steinbeck and introduced me to Lewis Sinclair. How did they know this? Read number 4!

Have you taken the challenge yet? Be reflective.