Time and Connections {Slice of Life}

Third grade has the first special area time slot this year which means my morning meeting time was squashed and squeezed.  We have ten minutes from the start of the school day bell before we are to be IN our special area. 

We start our day with everyone settling in and do a morning greeting along with a few business items. I've missed the pieces where we are able to connect as a whole community and find joy. We are in a winter slump here in the midwest. The skies are more gray than blue and the ground is more brown than white. I felt our community needed an opportunity to connect as a whole class. I was especially missing the responses to the question, Who has something to share? We often experience joy, excitement, and sadness together by answering this question.

I decided to give this piece of our morning meeting routine a try when we returned after our special area. A student shared her parents had a meeting the night before to finish their basement. Another student sat up straighter and started beaming. He said, yes that was with my dad. I inquired about how his dad was meeting with her parents and he shared his dad has a business that does small home construction projects. He shared the name of his business, Stewart and Sons.

I probed more about the name of their business and he kept beaming. His grandfather started the business and his dad worked with him. Now grandpa doesn't work that much and he, my student is the son. I wish I snapped a photo of his big, broad smile and beams of pride we all felt that day.

Turn the Desks! {Slice of Life}

I'm walking down the hallway and look in on a kindergarten room as we are all adjusting our physical spaces.  I go past the door and stop.  I take a few steps back and look in again.  I observe they have desks now and they are facing into the middle of the classroom.  I wander to the door and inquire why.  My friend shared they got permission because the smart board is on the front wall and their word wall is on the back wall.  If the desks were facing forward the word wall may not be used.

I continue down the hallway and ponder what I saw.  I walk into my classroom that I do not like right now.  I have desks facing forwards and a couple of tables until the desks come.  My custodian comes by and I pounce with new thinking.

I share what I saw in kindergarten.  

I ask if I can do this too?  

It makes sense to use the smart board and the back wall for anchor charts, which I always have.

We lost our carpets.

Why do we have carpets?

We have carpets so we can sit in a circle and see each other in conversations.

If we have desks facing forwards we can't see each other and have conversations.

Can I move my four vertical rows so two and two face the middle?

He's nodding his head yes and I think he's just grateful I'm not tearing up as I did 48 hours earlier in the first five minutes I was back in the building.

My other desks come.

We take out the two tables.

We move the desk to face the middle and my whole self settled.    

I can do this.

Students can see each other.

We can have conversations and be safe.

It's not 1920 - turn the desks friends!

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community.

Grateful {31 of 31 Slice of Life}

Reflections - 

What a month of slicing with some very unexpected turns.  It was nice to rejoin this community.  I started several pieces and restarted trying to focus on the small moment.  Too many things going on that could easily turn into a rant.  At one point, I thought about abandoning and in all my years of participating I've only abandoned once when some really hard things were happening personally.  I knew it was okay if I had to abandon and I knew I didn't want to.  I had to find some new norms for my participation.  If I didn't slice I went back and caught up because the thoughts were in my head.  I did this twice I think.  I had two days without a slice and I think 29/31 is a win considering all that is being thrown our way.  My commenting wasn't the usual level of participation and I am thank you for the comments I still received.  My reflection is a bit of a confession.  Right now, I'm working hard to accept grace.  To give grace to others and myself.  Thank you, Slice of Life community and beyond for anyone stopping by that helped foster grace; making me grateful for slicing all month.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

We found the Nowhere Road! {30 of 31 Slice of Life}

She woke up earlier than usual today and I knew we needed to get out of the house for some fresh air.  My college sophomore is done with spring break and back to learning on line.  My husband is working in the unfinished basement and we are on spring break.  It's going to be a long day and I thought an adventure early would help.  An adventure that took us outside and kept us practicing social distancing.  We saw a local author and bought a book a couple of years ago titled, Secrets of Columbus.  We grabbed the book and headed to the van.  Hand sanitizer and clorax wipes - check.

#68 here we come; the nowhere road.  We meander through the city a bit and my first attempt at finding it wasn't working out.  I went to our local Audubon park and we kept searching for a road over a highway with no cars on it.  Could it be...we park and start walking.  Yes!  We found it with a no trespassing sign on and a fence.  A small fence with a crack to the left if we step on a barrel.  The sixteen year old is just smiling with joy because we found it and of course we should trespass.  I look around and think about the warning about going with someone, in the daylight, and know there could be homeless people in the area.  We aren't the first people to trespass and I just became the coolest mom.

She easily hurdles the sneak through with her really long legs.  I make it work because I couldn't let her be on the other side of the fence.  Goodness, that's not responsible parenting.  I take pictures of her on truly a paved road with a yellow line and weeds exploding in many places.  The road actually arcs and I only agree to going two street lights up.  I won't let her go out and over the expressway below.  I'm not sure why - it obviously wasn't falling down.  I think because of the arc and knowing it was a dead end at the other side with maybe homeless people, we stayed close to the entrance.  

She giggled, and jumped for joy and just smiled.  This has been on her list for a couple of years and we never made the time.  Maybe slowing down a bit for this temporary normal is okay. 

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

Checking In and practicing social distancing {29 of 31 Slice of Life}

The sun is shining and she said we could go for a walk today.  I'm driving down to campus and there's no traffic; stay at home order is in place.  I can be out because I'm checking in on a family member.  I have a bag full of groceries; random things I know she likes and things I've made this week.  Graduate school was cancelled.  She's practicing social distancing and is a social person.  She's staying at her apartment because her one day a week job at the rehabilitation hospital just increased to five days a week.  She could use the extra income and I've been wanting to see her this week to just check in and decrease my own worries.  

I pulled up to her little apartment/house in the middle of three parking lots and there she was as I came around the corner.  Sitting on the front porch with a big grin.  It's so good to see her in real life and not in FaceTime.  I pull up and say, your uber groceries have arrived.  She laughs.  I find free parking and we walk to a city park and practice social distancing.  It was a sunny afternoon with buds blooming filled with causal conversation and catching up.  We parted with an air hug, air elbow touch and an air high five.  I can't wait to hug her again!

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

Humor is Welcomed {28 of 31 Slice of Life}

Baking has become a past time for one of my daughters.  We are enjoying freshly baked chocolate chip cookies after dinner.  She made a double batch and plans on dropping some of to her friends later tonight.  My other daughter takes a bite and says, "this cookies doesn't have enough chocolate chips."  The baker replies - it's like an Easter egg hunt.  We all started laughing.  Humor is welcomed and needed during a pandemic.  

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

Rallying for One More Hour {27 of 31 Slice of Life}

Today I took a midday run; two miles.  I planned my day around the raindrops that keep interrupting my life and staying engaged with my distance learning.  As I returned to the bottom of my driveway, I didn't feel like going inside quite yet.  I knew I needed to go back inside.  I had Seesaw posts to view and respond to.  I wanted to get them done before my Zoom PD with Kristin and Katie.  I decided to lay down on the blacktop and capture any warmth that might be radiating from the sun. I was surprised the blacktop wasn't as warm as I anticipated and then I remember it is only March and not July.  I laid down, closed my eyes and tried to rest my mind.  Resting my mind wasn't happening.  Nine days didn't sound that long nine days ago.  Distance learning has brought new learning, new ways to connect, and new worries.  Thinking can be tiring.  I wasn't sure I had one more hour in me.  I closed my eyes.  I took a selfie with my eyes closed to document this moment and bam.  I rallied for that last hour. 

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

 

Distance Learning Grading to BLUEBIRD! {26 of 31 Slice of Life}

I was on the phone with a friend I work with and we were discussing an email we got earlier about grading what we are now calling distance learning.  When, I blurted out mid-sentence, I have a bluebird in my backyard!  Then I talked at a rapid pace explaining I've had this special bluebird feeder for a few years and I've never seen a bluebird go in and out.  It's a traditional rectangular hanging house with plexiglass longer sides so you can see through it.  There's a dish inside that houses bluebird energy food right now because I couldn't find mealworms at the store.  There are two holes at either of the short ends allowing just right sized birds to go through; that being a bluebird.  I don't have a bluebird box here at the house and help over see a bluebird trail at school.  I'm in love with them and now I'm thinking I need a bluebird house at home now.

As I reflected on this moment today, I think it was a sign.  It was a sign that the world is turned upside down personally and professionally.  Things are not going to make sense for quite some time AND I need to find ways to shift my thinking.  We are on pause.  Stop and notice.  Celebrate what you stop and notice.  The pace can be slower.  Decisions of others are out of my control and I can only show up each day and try.  That's all any of us can do.  

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

4pm Win! {25 of 31 Slice of Life}

Earlier in the day. in the middle of a Mario Kart tournament that was just created I announced -  at 4:00pm we are going to the park.  No one squawked back at me.  I thought they didn't hear me and just kept walking.  I had already announced the sunshine was out and we needed to take advantage of it. Maybe they knew there was no negotiating time in the sunshine.

I went for a short run and returned at 3:59pm to find my people gathering to get shoes and coats on.  Something felt odd about this and I wasn't going to question it.  My husband was able to stop working from his makeshift basement office.  The girls were done playing this round of Mario Kart and we decided to leave the dog home.  Less things to worry about.

We drove down the road a bit to a park we can easily visit and were there for an hour.  It's not a big park.  There's a loop in the woods with a break off path down to the pond.  Here I decided to see if we could jazz up this walk and explore across a dried up creek that leads into the pond and walk some fallen trees.  The youngest a junior in high school was all in.  We were very daring with the height being at the most three feet off the ground.  On the return she thought she could jump the creek and I warned her if her feet got wet we'd still keep walking.  She fell in with one foot, it was wet, the mud pulled at her short boots AND we kept walking.  

After the loop in the woods she and I took the loop through a prairie field while the other two waited on a bench.  I was so surprised she came with me and she said she was worried I could be kidnapped. Who has energy for kidnapping right now, I asked.  We chatted and noticed things and chatted some more.

I think this all worked today because there was sunshine.  We know we have to take advantage of our "Ohio stay home" guidelines which let us get outside while social distancing.   I also thought it worked because I gave them a warning and made a statement.  It wasn't a question.  This was a huge win for parenting teenagers and young adults.  Sometimes those toddler moves of mine still work.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

Flexible and Grace {24 of 31 Slice of Life}

As I wrestle with slicing each day I think - Things are different.  Routines as they were are not here right now.  My teaching world is not as it was and I'm learning new things daily.  I'm working hard to connect digitally with my students daily so our connection to each other stays active.  Last week was overwhelming and this week we are finding a new groove while being asked to stay at home.  I gather slices in my head daily and then it might take a couple of days to get them out.  For me, I had to let go of physically writing each day to help find balance and take some pressure off.  I'm being flexible and shifted my goal to be 31 slices by the end of the month.  As I asked my families at school, I'll ask you for grace.  Grace for understanding and grace for being part of this journey in uncertain times.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

Home Office Hours? {21 of 31 Slice of Life}

I slept in and made a small plan for my day and it got derailed as most days have so far.  The derailments that came up weren't bad derailments.  They were just needs or wants of others.  As we ventured out with Clorox wipes for final bedroom needs at IKEA's curb side pick up and fabric to make blankets for the bestie friends we can't see right now, I found myself wondering...can I hang a sign up for office hours availability?  Helping others settle in has become a huge priority here.  Going from three here full time to four has been a bigger adjustment than normal.  My friend said to me today, I don't miss those days when all the college disorganized stuff comes home and she reminded me we usually have a warning when it's coming.  That made so much sense to me and I had to remind myself on top of all of this - we flipped her bedroom.  We are almost there; having her settled in.  I see light at the end of this welcome home early phase.  

For now, I'm not offering office hours - it seems a bit odd to do at home.  I know once things are settled physically; more will settle within us.  I'm headed out for a long walk bundled up without my dog.  I think going alone with a few podcasts will clear my head.  I might even sneak in a yoga session here at the house; I'm missing those before family movie night.

 Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

A List and Grace...{20 of 31 Slice of Life}

I woke up this morning worried about my days.  This week they were fully consumed with online learning and helping my own children navigate this new way of living.  I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and thought I need a schedule and realized as things come up for others I usually respond and a schedule wouldn't work.  However, a list of things I want to do each day could help me find balance and make sure we were doing things that help us connect and create with each other.    So, I wrote a fluid, flexible, and list of fun.  Maybe a list would help this weird sense of time and questioning I feel we are all in.  I wrote it.  I shared it.  It got a bit derailed today and there's always tomorrow.  I'm giving myself grace.  Grace might just be my new favorite word.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

A Ghost - 19 of 31 Slice of Life}

I find peeling off painters tape rewarding, soothing, and an accomplishment.  That means the walls are painted, the trim is painted and we can start rebuilding the space just painted.  My energy level usually spikes and I start shifting and moving things to make it home again.  I try to use existing things and plan for a few new to keep the new momentum going.  This week I'm learning not everyone operates this way.  Her energy level didn't spike.  While she's very excited for her new space she's been overwhelmed.  Overwhelmed is bringing a rollercoaster of emotions and rightfully so.  She thought she would be on campus til May and independent. I'm walking a fine line of coach, director, listener, therapist, and ghost.  Yes, a ghost because sometimes I have to disappear and give us both a break.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

Tears of Joy {17 of 31 Slice of Life}

I've been sitting quite a while this morning implementing the first day for e-learning/remote learning. It's been an interesting journey.  I thought I understood quite a few things and at times I felt like I was lost.  I did with some questioning along the way with my friend, Google.  Sometimes Google helped. Sometimes I needed to rephrase my questions.  Sometimes there wasn't an answer and I did some rethinking.  I've launched a few activities in Seesaw with a link for Flipgrid.  I'm feeling uncertain, tired, and working on avoiding overwhelmed when...the first response from a student comes in.  I wanted to cry; sweet tears of joy.  I heard a sweet voice describing his thinking and strategy while using the drawing and recording tool in Seesaw to solve a math problem.  I didn't realize how important it was for me to hear and see them during this time away.  We've been away before.  We had winter break, we've had long weekends and spring break is approaching.  All of those have a beginning and an end.  Right now had a rushed beginning and I pray for a quick ending.  Until then I watch each response about math problems, writing about reading, and writer's notebook entries with joy inside.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

Who's Helping Who? {16 of 31 Slice of Life}

I'm staying.  An email had come from our building principal that when we had our things ready for families we could go home and work from home.  Teachers were given the option to put things outside at the curb and families could do a drive by pick up.  It's also report season time and more preparation for remote learning.  I appreciated that message and offer and hunkered down til 4pm.  I had offered for my families to come in for their child or with their child if they wanted to book shop for themselves.  Our public libraries have closed and books were needed for independent reading at home.  Each time I heard footsteps approach my door I smiled.  It was so nice to have closure with families and many students came in.  It was so fun to help students build reading stacks.  Some had plans already for what they wanted.  Some were willing to take some new suggestions.  Some lingered a bit pondering what they wanted and there was a sense of calm with our departure from what we know.  If parents needed me to pull a book stack it was fun to read what their child wanted and I often snuck in a stretch or something new.  I received a couple of emails thanking me for helping their child have closure and I really felt they helped me more than I helped them.   New adventures await...staying connected is going to be key.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

The Essentials {15 of 31}

As I entered the building, there was an eerie feeling.  Things were shifting and going to be different.  It felt a bit like packing a hospital bag for each pregnancy.  I had a list, what are the essentials they each needed.  I don't want to overwhelm anyone.  I want to give just enough to maintain and make it engaging.  I had planned a balance of technology focusing on connecting with me and each other and real books and connecting at home.  I had planned familiar things and things they could do independently after a little guidance.  I started making stacks around the room for their pick up on Monday; family math folder with three games, reader's notebook for writing about reading, writer's notebook for collecting ideas, three blank booklets for stories, a book stack if parents replied with a request list.  As I closed the door, I felt prepared and feeling prepared helps calm the what's next.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

Accepting What You Can't Control {14 of 31 Slice of Life}

Today was bumpy.  It had twists and turns.  I anticipated a smooth day with an agenda to figure things out at home.  The twists and turns happened because each daughter has to accept changes to their lives that were made for them and they can't control.  Softball season has been put on hold.  Living independently and experiencing college as one should has been put on hold longer than anticipated.  Anticipating a day full of connecting with second graders and getting ready for our time apart was put on hold.  Twists and turns brought sadness, tears, hugs, naming emotions and sitting with them.  I saw a hashtag today that made me smile and think there are things we can control.  #notcancelled - I think that will be my focus tomorrow.  There are things we can control and embrace that are good for us.  Be strong friends in these times of uncertainty.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

Buckle Up....{13 of 31 Slice of Life}

School backpack on my shoulder, yoga change of clothes backpack on the other shoulder, tote bag on the same shoulder, lunch box in my hand with a crate housing a math project that I could work on at home during our shut down is a juggling act as I reach my super sized sports car (aka mini van).  Earlier in the day my high schooler stopped by and brought out my classroom plants to the van.  I see some greenery through the windows.  All day I felt I was juggling things in the air and rotating through different things that needed to be done.  It was a productive day without students and as I reached the van I was willing to drop all the balls and things in my hand.  I open the van door and laugh out loud; all alone in the parking lot.  I stop and smile.  The humor of high schoolers can be simple and funny.  I pause and wonder did they do this because they cared?  My yellow crate filled with plants was safety belted in to the seat for their ride home.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

Easing My Mind {12 of 31 Slice of Life}

Piglets.  It's all I needed to hear when I got to the farm to visit and think about the benefits of gardening at my own school.  I visited various areas of the farm and looked at ways we could implement ideas at my school knowing I was being called to the Piglets.

Eleven.  Eleven baby piglets were sleeping soundly in a heap.  I spent a few minutes counting to make the sure the sign of eleven was correct.  They were flopped on top of each other and the counting was tricky.  Then I noticed the variations in coloring.  Some were speckled like a Dalmatian dog.  Some had patches of shading and some were solid shades.  I was surprised that the medium sized mama had so many babies.  

Suddenly one piglet springs up and mama heads over.  She lays down and more piglets spring into action - headed her way for nursing.  They are trying to latch on, grunting baby piglet sounds and flopping all over her.  One piglet in particular heads up over her back - I found myself cheering him or her on.  As soon as the piglet reached the top of her back - Whee, it kept right on coming sliding down the other side to her stomach and joining his or her siblings for nursing.  

I needed to stop and observe this afternoon.  I needed to marvel at the joy of little ones.  I needed to learn piglets in a litter come in different markings and shadings as puppies do.  I needed to breath and be with friends while the world around me spins a bit too fast.  Today we learned we are shutting down all of our schools in Ohio for three weeks.  There was a time of day with unknowns and we have work ahead of us with report cards do and online learning or away learning to be planned.  

Thank you baby piglets for easing my mind and day.  

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.

Rethinking Writing Tool Organization {11 of 31 Slice of Life}

They looked at me puzzled today when I shared I wanted to reorganize our writing tools by color.  I shared I thought it would improve our illustrative work and help us make better decisions.  They still looked puzzled at me.  I mentioned it could be hard trying to find a specific color in a container of crayons and they didn't seem to think that was harder.  I tried to think quickly from their point of view and realized that's all they knew.  I containers with lots of crayons and they've always just searched through for the color they wanted.  I realized I needed to think quickly to show them a new way or reasons for my thinking and to get their buy in.  I grabbed a handful of purple crayons and showed them the range of shades.  

I did some thinking out loud.  

I have five purple crayons.

They all aren't the same color.  

If I wanted to draw spring flowers, I'd pick this light shade of purple.

If I wanted to show anger, I'd choose this very dark purple.

Then the puzzled faces turned to heads nodding yes and smiles.  

I can't wait to see how our illustrative work changes and conference over their decision making.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.