December | 2016 | Reflections on the Teche

Archive for December, 2016

Haiku-a-Day #11

Posted in Spiritual Growth, tagged #haikuforhealing, haiku-a-day, Jesse tree on December 11, 2016| Leave a Comment »

#11
When we blink, we can’t see.
Only God sees everything.
How can we be healed?
#haikuforhealing
@MargaretGSimon

DigiLitSunday: Craft

Posted in Digital Learning, Gifted Education, Writing, tagged craft moves, Emaze, Kate Messner, PowerPoint on December 11, 2016| 5 Comments »

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When I think of crafting in digital literacy, I think of those literary elements that make writing sing as well as design elements that give a project more meaning and audience appeal. This week we worked on both aspects.

I read aloud two of Kate Messner’s picture books, Over and Under the Snow and Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt. Both of these books lead students on a journey of discovery about plants and animals. We learned about the subnivean layer in the snow and which animals hibernate and which ones remain active in tunnels below.

Following the reading, we read the facts about the animals in the back of the book. We also looked back at Kate’s craft moves. On a few pages the words are spread out and down the page to show action in the words themselves. She also used alliteration and imagery and figurative language. The craft moves of a real author are ours to take and play with.

My students turned to old favorite PowerPoint, while a few tried out Emaze. Madison found an Emaze background with an ocean, the ecosystem she had chosen to write about. Jacob and Noah used the drawing tools in PowerPoint to illustrate their pages. I showed them how to group the pieces together and move them with animation. So cool to watch a fish that you made out of the shape tool actually move in the water.

Emaze has a variety of backgrounds for different ecosystems.

Lynzee chose the bayou for her ecosystem to study. She didn’t know about the nutria, so we talked about them and looked up information. When I turned back to see what she had written, I was pleased to see such clever craft moves.

Nutrias scrabble, skitter, scratch away the dirt as they search for the root of a forgotten summer plant to feast on when they are rare.

Andrew’s slide features the wildebeests of the African savanna with a connection to the ancient boabab trees.

Andrew decided to research the African savanna. As he was researching, he found out about the plight of elephants from poaching. He decided he wanted to do something about it. This week he will present his findings to his classmates and try to raise funds to adopt an orphaned elephant. I suggested we make a poster out of the baby elephant picture I took this summer in Africa. He loved the idea. He will sell the poster at a profit. (Much discussion about how profit works.)

As a teacher of language arts, I feel drawn to the craft moves authors make. They become mentor texts for my students, but then my students amaze me with their own use of craft. They become authors (and difference makers) themselves in this digital world.

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Celebrating Main Street Magic

Posted in Celebration Saturday, tagged #DoGood16, Borne to do Good, Main Street New Iberia, Walking Wavers on December 10, 2016| 8 Comments »

Find more celebration posts at Ruth’s blog.

Looking for goldfish
Main Street elves explore magic
Do good for good’s sake
#haikuforhealing

This morning I took a cold walk to downtown Main Street. I knew Callie would be there with her kids selling hot chocolate. But this was not just your everyday Christmas season hot chocolate. This cup of cocoa would help needy families celebrate Christmas, too. Callie applied for a grant from the Acadiana Do Good Project. They were given $100 that had to be used to do good. #DoGood16

Callie and her family decided their tag line would be “Borne to Do Good” because they are the Borne family. Her four children range in age from 3 to 10. I learned about her project on Facebook where she advertised a Go Fund Me page. She is not only soliciting funds, she is getting her whole family involved. Selling the hot chocolate is only one of the steps. They will then shop, wrap, and deliver.

Callie’s project touched me from the beginning because we have adopted a family for many years. My girls remember wrapping gifts and delivering them, and as adults are continuing the tradition.

Callie told me about all the donations she has received. One person gave them $20 to give free hot chocolate to all service workers, police, firefighters, etc. While I was hanging out, they waved down a police car. This cop passed the word on to his colleagues. The kids were so excited to give away their hot chocolate. Doing good passes on.

I also met Marti and her dog, Jenny. They were doing good as well. Marti has started a project called “Walking Wavers.” She explained that in working on her own health, she started walking. She realized that when she waved to drivers, she felt safer because they knew she was there. She was also passing on a smile.

As I walked home, I practiced Marti’s initiative and waved to oncoming cars. She was right. I felt safer and happier.

Today I celebrate the Do Good projects and ask you, “What Do Good project will you do this season?” Let’s pass it on!

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Haiku-a-day #9

Posted in Poetry, Poetry Friday, tagged #haikuforhealing, haiku-a-day on December 9, 2016| 19 Comments »

Poetry Friday is with Jone at Check it Out.

I am small. What difference can I make? Who knows or cares? When I get into this kind of self-talk, I am defeated before I even try. What good is this hate talk? Isn’t there enough of it in the world?

Then I read from other writers:

Trust your power. It’s all there. The moon has lit your path. You have the fire of ambition. You have a vast sea of emotions and ideas. You hold a magic wand and a symbolic sword––the means to write across the sky.

–Jane Kelley, Smack Dab in the Middle.

Recently I jumped into a writing assignment that I began to doubt I was ready for. I had a hard time when the editor kept pushing back. But isn’t that what makes it all worth it? At the same time, I questioned whether or not I was worthy. Each response sent me back to my poem, my idea, my self. Writing from the heart tugs at your perseverance. Do I dare let anyone see this part of me?

Then there is a community of writers, penning a poem a day, tweeting out poetry in response to our world. I am grateful for this push to put my voice out there. I am grateful to listen to their words, too.

Heidi Mordhorst at My Juicy Little Universe
Mary Lee Hahn at Poetrepository
Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
Buffy Silverman at Buffy’s Blog
Jone Rush MacCulloch at DeoWriter
Diane Mayr, posted on Thursdays at Random Noodling
Julie Johnson at Raising Readers and Writers
Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
Carol Varsalona at Beyond LiteracyLink
Carol Wilcox at Carol’s Corner
Julianne Harmatz tweeting @jarhartz
Linda Baie at Teacher Dance

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes at Today’s Little Ditty

If I missed someone, please let me know.

Join in with #haikuforhealing

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Haiku-a-day #8

Posted in Poetry, tagged #haikuforhealing, Christmas, haiku-a-day on December 8, 2016| 3 Comments »

When you live near a bayou, sometimes your visitors are green.

Created with Word Swag

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Haiku-a-day #7

Posted in Poetry, Writing, tagged #haikuforhealing, haiku-a-day on December 7, 2016| 6 Comments »

The inspiration for today’s poem came in a blog post on Smack Dab in the Middle.

Writing advice that basically says Just.Do.It. That is my mantra for this daily challenge. I’m doing it. But in the process, I am discovering a voice. One that wants to be heard. Poetry does that to me. It’s like there is this other me hiding deep inside. She’s not sure how to express herself until she writes one word, then another, then a few more. That’s how it works. Sounds simple. Try it.

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Hallmark Holiday: Haiku #6

Posted in Poetry, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged #haikuforhealing, haiku-a-day on December 6, 2016| 15 Comments »

Join the Two Writing Teachers blog for the Slice of Life Challenge.

The news channels have been turned to the Hallmark channel. The living room smells of Douglas fir and burning wood. The front door welcomes visitors with poinsettias and a wreath.

It’s looking like Christmas. The days are short and darken early. This journey to winter solstice seems slow and cold. I want to make soup. I want to curl up with a warm blanket and drink hot tea. But this season also begs for things to get done. Shopping. Decorating. Writing Christmas cards. Wrapping… the list goes on…

Once a day I slow down. I open my notebook and pen a haiku or two. Poetry makes me stop and pay attention. Haiku-a-day for December. #haikuforhealing

Join me in taking a small moment to stop and listen. Join me in making Advent what it’s truly meant to be…a time of waiting.

The tree is waiting,
like me, in time we will know
secrets hidden here

–Margaret Simon

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Haiku-a-day #5

Posted in Poetry, tagged #haikuforhealing, haiku-a-day, PicMonkey on December 5, 2016| 3 Comments »

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DigiLitSunday: Gratitude

Posted in Digital Learning, Gifted Education, Gratitude, Poetry, Poetry Friday, tagged #haikuforhealing, haiku-a-day, Janet Wong, Mary Lee Hahn, Michelle Heidenrich Barnes, Poetry Friday Anthologies, Sylvia Vardell on December 4, 2016| 9 Comments »

Please use this button on your site for DigiLit Sunday posts

Gratitude takes many forms. Gratitude for my online community means writing a haiku-a-day in December. Mary Lee posted the challenge, and Michelle is curating all the bloggers participating. We are all using #haikuforhealing.

I also feel gratitude for poetry and for authors who promote poetry in the classroom.

Poetry has the power to transform a classroom environment. On Friday I went off the lesson plan path and shared a new book that I received at NCTE16 from Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, the partnership behind Poetry Friday anthologies. Just You Wait is their latest anthology. I love the new way this one is designed with a poem from an outside poet, a response poem from Janet, and a poem writing activity from Sylvia. The subtitle reads “A Poetry Friday Power Book”, and it certainly packed a good punch in my classroom.

After showing my students a picture of Margarita Engle (by looking at her picture, we knew she was of a different race, but which one?), I read her poem “Who am I?”. This poem speaks of the half Cuban she is and how there is no bubble on the form for being half. I have bi-racial students, so we talked honestly about what this means.

We also discussed the mentor text poem and how the end is like a punch line that makes you think. So my students and I wrote together using the form “Today I am someone who…” I could not have predicted the impact this exercise would have on my students. They wrote from their hearts. So much so that some do not want to share with the public, but they did feel safe enough to share with me and their classmates. We were all moved. And through connections and writing, we became closer, a stronger community of writers.

Some posted their poems on our kidblog site for the public. You can read them here. I emailed Sylvia and Janet, and they both graciously left comments. I can’t wait to share these on Monday. #Gratitude for digital spaces that allow this immediate and authentic feedback.

Erin handed me her poem and asked that I publish it on my blog. She is bi-racial. Her mother is from the Philippines. She is determined to fight the stereotypes.

Poetry Friday: Stereotypes

by Erin

Today
I am
not just another stereotypical Asian
I’m someone who doesn’t want to be a doctor
I’m someone who isn’t just a goody-two-shoes
I’m not someone who thinks studying is more important than friends
I’m someone who doesn’t always make good grades
I’m someone who will never be just another Asian
I’m someone who will crush these stereotypes and others like it

I write alongside my students. When I wrote this last line, little did I know how true it was. My students find poems and express their hearts.

Today
I am
someone who welcomes toe tickles from my dog, Charlie
someone who froths milk for coffee every day
someone who looks at nature for inspiration
someone who finds poems hiding in her junk drawer
someone who finds poems in the hearts of children

— Margaret Simon

Please join the conversation today with your link.

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Haiku-a-Day #3/ Celebration

Posted in Celebration Saturday, Poetry, tagged #commonplacemarvels, #haikuforhealing, field trips, Jim Foret, Mr. Al oak tree, nature, preservation on December 3, 2016| 6 Comments »

Reds, golden autumn
pushes its way to winter
with silent leaf fall

–Margaret Simon

More about the haiku-a-day project here.

Find more celebration posts at Ruth’s blog.

This week I grabbed the opportunity to take my students outside. We met Mr. Jim Foret, a naturalist and professor from ULL, at Mr. Al, a 150+ year old oak in our community.

Mr. Jim has known Mr. Al for awhile. He was instrumental in saving this amazing oak from being destroyed. Once the blue-haired ladies from Garden Clubs along with the Optimist Club and many school children got involved, the legislatures listened and ordered LADOTD (Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development) to move this old oak from its original home to its specialized, protected home now. Jim explained that the time was terrible to move the tree, but the progress on the service road was halted, so he had to be moved in mid-summer of 2011, a summer of no rain.

Jim figured out just the right amount of water to give Mr. Al. For years, he paced and worried about Mr. Al’s survival and questioned his own resolve to save him. And the sprawling, amazing oak made it, and has withstood the test of time. “He will probably outlive all of you,” Jim explained to the children and parents.

Mr. Al is a community icon. Boy Scouts have mulched him. ULL students have planted prairie grasses. And many others pass by and wave. If you are traveling down Highway 90 away from New Iberia toward New Orleans, take a minute to say hello. Loving care has saved this old grandfather oak, and loving care will sustain him.

I celebrate the history of the land.

I celebrate the gift of an oak and his master.

I celebrate exposing my students to nature.