Grateful Slice #SOL18 March 14

Today was the third Match day I’ve had this week. My students interrupted me 38 times in 20 minutes; I know because I made tally marks each time. One even made fun of me for making a mistake; that did not go over well! This afternoon, we role played how it looked and sounded when I was teaching and they were acting up. We followed up with a discussion that led nowhere. The students who misbehaved just blamed everyone else for their behaviors. In the end, I decided to have a new seating chart. It will be interesting as I put all the talkers together in one area.

After school, I had a meeting to discuss a delicate student issue. I cried multiple times because there isn’t more I can do except love and pray.

It was a rough day! To help me get through, I decided to write this and include a gratitude list in hopes I can let go of the stress and focus on the positives.

1. My husband: He loves me no matter what. He also gives great hugs and makes me laugh. 
2. My cat: He sits in my lap and gives me that pressure like a weighted blanket which calms me. 
3. My dog: She is crazy and encourages me to play with her which makes me smile. 
4. Students who give me hugs
5. Students who ask for help and then listen
6. Retweets and replies on Twitter
7. Connecting with former colleagues and getting support from them!
8. Sunshine
9. Music
10. Not having cable or satellite television 
11. Quiet moments
12. Having dinner made for me when I get home
13. Colleagues who are friends
14. Laughter
15. Freedom
16. Pie in Pu Day
17. Coffee
18. Wine
19. Books
20. Love
21. Family
22. Popcorn
23. Chocolate
24. Chips and salsa
25. Traveling 
26. Writing

What would you add? How do you cope with stress as a teacher?

The Table #SOL18 March 13

Stagger to room with backpack, 2 water bottles, coffee cup, and lunchbox

Manage to find keys while balancing said items

Lights brighten room

Table is cluttered 

Manage to find a spot for coffee.

Drop the rest on the floor.

Clean off table

Grade math papers and enter into grade book.

Look for lesson plan book that I just had!

Realize I need the papers for word study.

Organize for the day by cleaning desk again

Students enter.

Nurse forms, registration forms, notes go onto my desk.

Take attendance

Escort students to specials

Return to room

Clean off table again

Math lesson

Meet with students

Can't find my pencil

Need to clean my table

Lunch time!

Where is my water?

Phone rings

I need those forms

Look at my table

Clean it again

Literacy begins

Time to confer

Where is my table?

Forget the computer; sticky notes will work

Library time for students

Clean my table?

Nope. Not again.

True or False #SOL18 March 12

Today, I am copying a student's idea for his slice. His was hilarious! He included one about kissing a girl and my class of sixth graders were not having it! Thankfully, it was when he was in kindergarten. I already told him I was copying his idea.

True or False
I have lived in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

True or False
I believe prayers do get answered.

True or False
My favorite beverages are coffee, wine, and water.

True or False
I am very protective of my students.

True or False
I have a master's degree in special education from the University of New Mexico.

True or False
I attended school on the Crow Indian Reservation.

True or False
I still am in contact with some of my students from the first class I taught 19 years ago.

True or False
I have lived in 5 states.

True or False
I am addicted to Amazon and Netflix.

True or False
I am a divemaster but haven't been SCUBA diving since 2000.

True or False
I am an introvert.

True or False
I was a complete and total fangirl when I met Stacey Shubitz, Aimee Buckner, Jeff Anderson, Meenoo Rami, Kylene Beers, and Bob Probst in February.

True or False
When I fangirled Meenoo Rami, Pernille Ripp was with her and I didn't even realize it until hours later and then it was too late to apologize.

Drumroll please!

All of those are completely TRUE!

Staring #SOL2018 March 11

Go ahead. Keep staring at me. I'm not moving. I can sit here all day. You have to make me move. I won't do it without you. I honestly don't have a problem being on the couch for days on end. It doesn't bother me at all.

I mean, really! Before this, I was nice and warm and surrounded by friends. And that was after you tried to drown me! Soap in my eyes and constant spinning. Even before that, I was on the floor where you left me after getting home. You wanted something better than me; something softer and less confining. I made you look good that day and you just dropped me like I was nothing.

Well, what goes around comes around, lady! I am just going to annoy you by taking up space on your comfortable couch. Until you decide to put me where I belong, I will be here watching you stare at me. I mean, I can't put myself on the hanger and then hang myself in the closet. I can't fold all my family around me. So I will be here staring right back at you until you get up and do something about me. 

Saturday for me #SOL2018 March 10

Sitting on my couch and all I can hear are the wind chimes we bought in Jamaica on our honeymoon nearly 4 years ago and our year old puppy snoring slightly. Wearing sweats and sipping coffee are how I choose to spend my day today. I just want to spend time in the quiet so the tv is off, no music comes from Alexa, and my husband is gone for awhile. I am alone with my thoughts.

Outside it is snowing sideways again. Such a change from yesterday's 55 degree high. I look around and see piles of laundry to wash and fold (I wish clothes folded themselves), piles of jewelry to put away (I take off my pretties when I cook), and piles of writing assessments to score (I wish we didn't have to rate student writing). I know I can't sit and no nothing all day, but it sure would be nice. For now, though, I will relish the silence around me, sip my coffee, and pretend the wind I hear and white I see are ocean breezes and sandy beaches.

Celebration, Devastation, and Acceptance #SOL2018 March 9

Yesterday my first guest blog post was published and I wrapped up my first writing class as the only teacher for a group of educators in my district. Then, I witnessed a former student sign for our local community college to play soccer. I was on a high!

This morning, I opened my email and my high crashed down on top of me. The leader of our local Writing Project emailed to say that because of funding issues, we would not have our summer leadership institute. National Writing Project had their funding slashed which means grant funds don't exist. State help isn't possible because of budget cuts here too. I was shocked. I had to reread the email. I was sure I had read it wrong. Nope. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I couldn't move. All I could do was stare at my phone as tears pinged off the screen like spring rain drops. Big, fat, never ending. No rainbow at the end of that shower though.

I told my husband. I texted my mom and a friend. They all know how much Writing Project has changed me as a teacher, a friend, a wife, and a writer. They know how much I adore the people in our Writing Project and how much they have supported, challenged, and taught me. They tried to console me; I wasn't ready to be consoled. They tried to make me smile; I didn't want to smile. They told me I would be alright; I didn't know how that would be possible.

All day, I contemplated why this was happening, how to feel, what to do. Writing Project became my second family. Why would the government not fund it? Why isn't everyone as excited about writing as I am? How can I get them to be? I was so sad this morning. By lunch, I was better but still so uncertain. Now, I have accepted it. I reread the email again and saw that there may be a retreat for  teacher consultants. That gives me hope. I also accepted that this may be God's way of helping me to slow down this summer. I will keep writing. I will go on solo writing marathons around my town. I will write in my backyard. I will go camping alone and spend time writing in the mountains. I will work on a new research project on my own. I will share what I learn with my colleagues and my writing tribe. I will be okay, not the same, but okay.

Reflective #SOL2018 March 8

This morning, I woke up pumped to get online. My first ever guest blog post went live at 4:00 MST. It’s not my first blog post, but since I have exactly zero followers, I knew that this post would be more popular than my own. Imagine my excitement as I opened Facebook and Twitter and saw links to it! My heart raced. My hands shook. I clicked on it. There was my name in black and white! I admit, I teared up. Then, I saw that someone had already commented on it! Wow! I felt famous! I returned to Twitter and saw that I had several notifications. My writing tribe was already retweeting the tweet for my guest post. More tears! My smile spread across my face and made my eyes scrunch up until they were slits of light.

Why this excitement? Well, a year ago, there is no way I would have been brave enough to fill out a questionair to be a guest blogger. I wasn’t a writer. I didn’t have anything anyone would want to read so why waste my time. Now, I love to write. I love to blog. I love to share my new found passion. I love to teach teachers and encourage them to become teacher writers with me.

Today is also bittersweet. Six weeks ago, I started teaching a class for people in my school district called “Teacher Writers in a Workshop Model.” Tonight is the last class. I was so nervous to teach teachers at first. Now, I feed off of their energy and I am already thinking about a different class to teach. The teachers seem to be enjoying the class and I am sad to see it end. So, what am I going to do now? I have no idea and I am okay with that!