Reflections on the Teche

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

Find more celebration posts at Ruth’s blog.

As is true for every day of life, sometimes things are good, sometimes they are not so good.  This week after our Berry Queens Hats and Hallelujahs brunch, I’ve been singing an old bluegrass song in my head.  If you know the song at all, be warned.  When you read the words, it will keep playing in your head for days.

There’s a dark & a troubled side of life

There’s a bright, there’s a sunny side, too

Tho’ we meet with the darkness and strife

The sunny side we also may view

[cho:] Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,

Keep on the sunny side of life

It will help us ev’ry day, it will brighten all the way

If we’ll keep on the sunny side of life

Celebrating the Sunny Side today!

Slicing students.

1. My students are slicing fools!  Before March began I warned them that it was coming.  They’ve done this before.  There were moans of “Oh, no!  Not Slice of Life Challenge!”  Everyday the first thing my students do is open up our Kidblog site  and type a slice.  The rhythm of typing is music to my ears.  Occasionally conversations were started over posts.  For the most part, these conversations are about the writing.

Two of my students have challenged each other with a bet.  They’ve bet a dollar that they can write the most slices.  One of them is up to number 15.  These girls are setting the tone in my room without even realizing it.  Even though the others are not involved in a bet, they are inspired to write from these classmates.

2. Comments from teachers.  On Friday, poet Donna Smith visited our blog.  She left poem comments.  She wrote about 10 of them, so if you visit our site you can see more of her fun brilliance.  Thanks, Donna!

You talk of the speed of light
Like the turtle and the hare
You zip through the topics heavy
As if they were light as air
Slow as an encyclopedia
Is how life used to be
Fast as a Google engine
Is now the choice for me!

by Donna JT Smith

3. Kathleen Sokolowski took inspiration from my students to create her slice today.  Wow, kids inspiring teachers!  That’s awesome!

3. I drive by the mural every day.  Here’s the latest progress. You can see my post about this mural here. 

4. I enjoyed the last of the azaleas blooming on my walk Friday morning.  These white ones open their eyes and spread pure Joy.

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