This was my last week with my students for this school year. I always get reflective at this time of year, wondering if I’ve done enough for my students. So yesterday, our last day together, I asked them to write me a letter. I asked 1. What do you remember about our school year? 2. What was your favorite activity? and 3. What was your greatest lesson? For the most part, I was touched by their letters. I just want to share a few quotes and celebrate them.
This year we got to meet Caroline Starr Rose and Greg Pincus! We went to Mississippi! We saw a haunted house! But most of all, we bonded like a family. That was my favorite activity. My greatest lesson is that you don’t have to be famous, or super smart, or handsome, or even popular to be loved. Matthew
My greatest lesson I’ve learned from being here is to not be afraid to make mistakes as a writer and in life. Mistakes will help you to become a better person. No one is perfect and sometimes all of us forget that. Brooklyn
My students finished their poetry projects. They made altered books out of discarded books. They illustrated and glued in their own poems and some favorite poems by other authors. Vannisa put in a collection of some her favorites from the school year, a bookmark from Margarita Engle, A bookmark from Amy Ludwig Vanderwater, an Eleanor Roosevelt quote, and “Keep Calm and Write Poetry.”
Brooklyn’s poetry book cover. Gotta Love Poetry!
Today, I am also celebrating magnolias. They are in full bloom, our state flower, and I went to a watercolor workshop this morning and painted one. I am posting a picture of a real one from my neighbor’s yard and the one I painted. Wish I could also post the scent.
Watercolor magnolia by Margaret Simon.
Magnolia, the Louisiana state flower.
Reflections on the Teche 
Lovely post! Your magnolia watercolor is great!
Wise students, led by an inspiring teacher. Plus a talented artist! Great painting, I love the scent of magnolias.
We had a magnolia in our back yard in Texas! Love your painting – hints of Georgia O’Keefe. The altered books project sounds intriguing. Would love to learn more about it.
Ramona, Here is a link to a previous blog post about altering books: https://reflectionsontheteche.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/altered-books/
I have three more weeks left and am planning the questions I want to ask.Thank you for sharing yours and the wonderful responses. The poetry books are gorgeous as is your magnolia. I echo Ramona thoughts, it’s very Georgia O’Keeffe!
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“But most of all, we bonded like a family. That was my favorite activity. My greatest lesson is that you don’t have to be famous, or super smart, or handsome, or even popular to be loved.” – That made me cry!
Me, too, and especially when you know who it came from. So sweet.
[…] For the last two years, I have made an altered book using poems I have written beside my students. An altered book is a hardback book that has outlived its time, been discarded from the library, or left behind at Goodwill. I usually try to find ones with fairly large pages that are sewn, not glued, to the binding. I take out some of the pages and glue a few together to thicken each page and create space. Then I use Gesso and paint to cover the pages. My students have the option to make an altered book for their poetry project. […]