Miscellaneous Missives

Yesterday I spent my entire afternoon and evening grading poetry books.  Our kids actually do well with poetry.  It wasn't horrible, but it did consume most of my day.  I need to remind myself to be more thankful for the good that surrounds me and focus on the positives. I'll also remember to keep my fingers out of my nose if someone is filming me.  Oh, I know the video had so much more to offer...

Are you ready for some football?  Tonight is the first night of the 2012 NFL draft.  I'm glad I have something to watch as I relax after a long day. Today was Poem in Your Pocket day.  It was crazy and fun.  I work with brilliant language arts teachers, BRILLIANT.  Our staff is fairly amazing too.  This morning I actually gave a student a bag of candy to take around to teachers.  Her assignment was to ask them to read a line from their poem and give them a piece of candy.  I may have given a bag of candy to a student, but I really think she asked them.  Not only do I think she asked them, I think they had a poem in their pocket.  After school I sat in on interviews to replace my fellow seventh grade language arts teacher.  Without saying anything about the process or the questions, it reminded me of our brilliance.  We are sooooo far beyond any of the teachers we interviewed today. 

Today is a beautiful day.  As I was out on my deck, I took pictures of the buds on the tree.  A neighbor walked by with her dog, Senator.  We discussed how we will see each other more often now that it is nice outside.  It's unfortunate I was at home on the deck instead of on the golf course, but for some reason my hip wasn't cooperating.

 Each year I try to incorporate this video into my teaching.  This year I used it to teach setting (time, place, and mood).  First I showed a clip from Mary Poppins and asked them to write the time, place, and mood.  Next I showed this clip and asked them to do the same thing.  We were concentrating on mood.  I love this clip.  In the past I think I've used it for a variety of things, but since there is only 32 (?) days left of school, I wanted to make sure the clip was used.

Today I gave out my books .   I think I did a good job choosing my twenty students .  Since I really wanted a copy for myself, I even suggested they could give it back if they didn't want it.  They seemed excited to have their own book.  We sat on the floor in the middle of the hall, and I explained World Book Night.  Even after I explained it a couple students still wanted to make sure they could actually keep the book.  I can't wait until next year!

When I entered worship this morning, I was given a cup of dirt.  This commercial was on television as I was growing up.  It has always stayed with me.  I think it's amazing.  Watch it even if you've seen it and/or I've shared it before. Happy Earth Day!! and for further political statement... http://www.sonofthesouth.net/american-indians/cheyenne-indian-pictures.htm

I think dinosaur is a difficult word to spell.  Thursday, while playing Drawing Something, I knew the picture was a dinosaur, but I didn't know how to spell it.  I kept trying different locations for the a and o.  Today I watched a ten year old guess my picture of dinosaur in draw something.  My picture was horrible to quite horrible.  Perhaps it's because I'm drawing on my iPhone and don't yet have an iPad, but I really don't think a larger screen will help.  At least  I was smart enough to write Barney at the top in purple.  She also had a difficult time trying to figure out the spelling although she knew the word. Last night I arrived in Okoboji and spent the evening talking to a dear friend.  Today was set aside for my hair appointment and school work.  It is noon, and feel I've accomplished some things but nothing related to school.  After working out at the Y and doing my PT exercises, I picked up my books for World B...