I'm celebrating joy and enjoying.
It was Wonder Wednesday which led us to Wonder of the Day #1677 - What Makes Your Tongue Burn? We've been visiting Tuesday's actual wonders so we can then visit The Poem Farm and enjoy Wallow in Wonder. This week we were quite intrigued with Miss Amy's poem If We Were Whales and was so happy to have her explain how she from tongues burning to whales as she explains her writing process.
My instructional plan was unfolding. We had stretched our inquiring minds by generating further questions for the day's wonder. We listened to the wonder being read and then wrote down new learning we had. We orally shared some new learning for each of us. We were learning from our favorite mentor poet and suddenly this planned out path went a little curvy. We learned about Emily Callahan and her students from Kansas City while visiting The Poem Farm and wanted to know more about them. As we read through their post, we discovered their video Popcorn and Poetry Movie. My class begged me to watch it. I was already off the planned path and had to honor their request but I didn't expect what happened next.
Joy. The music to the video is quite upbeat and my students knew every word. Each of them started singing with a full and happy heart. Their joy made my heart full. I kept watching the video and singing myself because I didn't want to look at them for fear I would tear up or one of them would stop singing. My heart became full because we/they were having fun. They were inspired by other students. Their reaction was honest and joyful.
The curvy path brought us joy. The curvy path reminded me to allow them to enjoy our space, our community and our time together. We have fifteen precious days together and each day I'm going to find moments for us to enjoy. This feeling of joy and the act of enjoying has brought me back to why I wanted to be a teacher.
Thank you Ruth at Ruth Ayers Writes for being that little voice in my head today saying this story needs to be told. It feels good to return to celebrating what matters. If you need to read more positive things stop by this weeks linkup.
Only 15 days left, wow! This serendipitous day seems to be the start of a wonderful final few weeks together. It's great when you follow a path just for fun, but it turns out to be even better than imagined. Lovely memory, Mandy! Your students will carry this with them into summer.
ReplyDeleteJoy is a critical element in learning! What a delight to step off that path and explore. You only have 15 days left? Wow! Time has zipped by!
ReplyDeleteOh, Mandy. Your post made ME tear up. How beautiful and hopeful it is when we all find each other. I am going to connect you and Emily. Much love to you and your singing wondering poets. They are so very lucky to have you. xxxx
ReplyDeleteOh I just love this. Thank you for sharing our movie and becoming inspired. I'm so excited to follow you and your blog now! Yes let's connect!!!
ReplyDeleteMandy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to let me follow along your curvy path. It was a very good journey. I'm glad you shared your joy, and I'm glad you collected this celebration. You are a very good teacher.
Ruth
Mandy, thanks for sharing Emily's video from Amy's post. I inadvertently gave Carol V. credit for sending me there, but it was you. Such a delightful celebration of poetry every week. I can't wait to share it with my teacher friends. Love that you and your students sang along to the video and found joy on that curvy path!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your curvy journey! :)
ReplyDelete