on the first day
after a long winter break
the kinders (and we) are back at it.
—
“well it’s life, back to the salt mines.”
-sadaf zahra
Jan8
Tag Archives: school
Sep5
waking up.
getting used to being back on a school schedule.
kinders arrive today!
Aug1
germ.
spent time in my classroom
doing some pre-planning with my team
and saw how thorough
our summer cleaning crew had been.
i especially loved the note they left on the chairs:
they did not merely say
‘chairs cleaned’
but instead they kicked it up a notch to an ’11’
the ‘disinfected’ level
for the kinders’ chairs.
i can certainly appreciate that.
—
“growth itself contains the germ of happiness.”
-pearl s. buck
Jun25
wisdom and kindness.
what a lovely afternoon spent
with a family whose three daughters
each of us have taught and loved in our turn over the years
as they gave thanks to all of their teachers
by cooking and serving us an amazing brunch
at a beautiful table
complete with many homemade delights
main courses, sweets, desserts, coffee, and fruit prosecos
dad and daughters prepare our meal
while mom finalizes the drinks and details in the dining room
—
such an amazing and generous gesture
as their last daughter leaves the familiar comfort
of our elementary school
and moves on to her next chapter
in the middle school division
along with her lovely family
who we will miss
and who have taught their daughters
the wisdom of gratitude and kindness.
—
“what wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?”
-jean-jacques rousseau
Jun9
open doors.
one kinder opens the door for another after making sure it is safe for him to go
—
the bittersweet feelings of being part of our multi-age class
most of the children don’t see themselves as being
different ages or stages
and may not yet see
that some will be moving on
to the higher grades
where they will have the chance to grow
in ways they have yet to imagine
and some will stay with us
for one more year
where they will have the chance
to be the leaders and teachers
to the new little ones joining our class
what we all know without any doubt
is that we are one
we will always keep an open door for all of them
to safely come and go as they need
and as some leave and as some stay
our journeys continue another day.
—
“if I look back when I begin to leave, will they remember me?”
― adam young, owl city
Jun7
gangsters.
our 5th grade boys
milling around
excited and nervous and happy
decided they were going to do their ‘gangster walk’
on the way in to their graduation ceremony
in their suits and ties
jackets thrown over shoulders
and i had to smile
when i heard them
strutting by
singing ‘sweet caroline’
at the top of their lungs
i’m betting neil diamond would take it as a compliment
and when they went inside
they recited their kind words
sang school songs
watched as pictures of their younger days
flashed upon the screen
and finally ended with a beautiful candlelighting
i’m proud of these gangsters
as i’ve known some of them since they were 3
before they even knew what letter ‘gangster’ started with.
—
“any distraction tends to get in the way of being an effective gangster.”
-terence winter
Jun6
end/beginning.
kids from school days long since past
happy that this day was last.
—
“the biggest happiness is when at the end of the year
you feel better than at the beginning. “
-henry david thoreau
—
image credit: ann arbor news, ann arbor public library vintage collection
Jun2
homework.
the following was posted in the lost and found section of my neighborhood website:
‘Help me neighbors! I found young Marcus Wilson’s geometry notebook on the way to work around Revena. Anyone know him or his family? I hope his homework isn’t due today!’
—
“the worst thing a kid can say about homework is that it is too hard.
the worst thing a kid can say about a game is it’s too easy.”
-henry jenkins
—
image credit: calvin and hobbes – bill watterson
Feb28
portable magic.
what an elementary teacher
after-school book meeting looks like
all full of colors, sparkling water, and clever words.
—
“books are uniquely portable magic.”
– stephen king
Jan10
making my mark.
first time playing in the snow with my kinders
after our return to the playground.
—
“i rolled up my sleeves and said, ‘i want to make a mark on this world.’
-bebe rexha
I didn't have my glasses on.... 