Reflections on the Teche

Goodbye to Hummers and Hurricanes!

October 15, 2016 by margaretsmn

Poetry Friday is with sweet Irene from Birmingham.

I was letting this Poetry Friday go, but this morning (Saturday) I received the Full Moon Alert from my friend Jim. Jim has missed two FMAs. When I saw him out dancing at La Poussiere a few weekends ago, I felt I conjured him out of the dust. (La Poussiere means “the dust” in Cajun French.) Turns out, Jim and his wife Paula are fine, just busy. That’s my excuse, too. Well, isn’t it everyone’s?

The thing I love about Jim, in addition to his attention to nature and moons, is his love of poetry. I am reposting the two poems he sent. The first is from David Lee. I have taken in the hummingbird feeder, but I still have such a fond image of them at the feeder this summer.

Hummingbird at the feeder in my backyard. Taken August 30th. Photo by Margaret Simon

Ode Beneath a Hummingbird Feeder

1

Greenflash of lightning
and memory of a red scar
etched on the golden throat
of a still afternoon.

2

Whirr of tiny wings
like a small thunder
across the redwood porch.

3

Oh, arrogant little warrior,
if I had a naked weapon
I could brandish like yours,
I, too, would suffer
no foolish rival suitors
sipping at my ruby fount.

–David Lee

The second poem Jim sent was by Mary Oliver. The sentiment she expresses of hurricanes and the resurrection after is familiar to me. I send this out to my Poetry Friday friends who recently endured Hurricane Matthew.

HURRICANE

It didn’t behave
like anything you had
ever imagined. The wind
tore at the trees, the rain
fell for days slant and hard.
The back of the hand
to everything. I watched
the trees bow and their leaves fall
and crawl back into the Earth.
As though, that was that.
This was one hurricane
I lived through, the other one
was of a different sort, and
lasted longer. Then
I felt my own leaves giving up and
falling. The back of the hand to
Everything. But listen now to what happened
to the actual trees;
toward the end of that summer they
pushed new leaves from their stubbed limbs.
It was the wrong season, yes,
But they couldn’t stop. They
Looked like telephone poles and didn’t
care. And after the leaves came
blossoms. For some things
There are no wrong seasons.
Which is what I dream of for me.

–Mary Oliver

Posted in Poetry, Poetry Friday | Tagged David Lee, full moon alert, hummingbirds, hurricanes, Jim Foret, Mary Oliver | 3 Comments »

Celebrate October

October 15, 2016 by margaretsmn

Find more celebration posts at Ruth’s blog.

October is my favorite month of the year. The air is cooling. My favorite fruit is ripe, satsumas. And Halloween is coming soon.

This week I had a discussion about Halloween with my Voxer group. For me Halloween evokes memories of my super-mom-syndrome days when I decorated, made costumes, and invited friends over for hot dogs and chili. I remember when my girls and I dressed as the Wizard of Oz characters.

Lately, though, Halloween is a happy memory. But one of my schools is going all out. I am on the first grade hall, and my door was the only one not decorated. So I turned to Pinterest. I’ve never used Pinterest in this way before. I emailed myself a picture and with the help of one of my students, we made the door look like a one-eyed purple monster.

Pinterest Halloween door

Andrew made a plan to read aloud to his sister’s first grade class. He selected the book Louise Loves Art. We had such fun reading the book, singing along with Emily Arrow, and drawing Kelly Light’s cat “Chuck.” We tweeted to Kelly Light.

https://twitter.com/MargaretGSimon/status/786593375357206533

Emily made me my own pair of Louise glasses.

Friday was Madison’s ninth birthday. We celebrated with chocolate-chocolatey cupcakes. They decorate them with candy pieces. Look at those smiles!

We love cupcakes!

By Friday evening, I was exhausted. I headed out to pickup takeout and the moon was rising in the sunset. I had to stop and notice. There is always time to stop and notice.

Posted in Celebration Saturday | Tagged birthdays, Halloween, Kelly Light, Pinterest | 7 Comments »

A New Genre of Literature

October 11, 2016 by margaretsmn

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

The air is turning cooler, and the leaves are changing color. Satsumas are ripening on our satsuma tree. They are so heavy the branches are dragging on the ground. And when I take Charlie out at six in the morning, it’s dark, very dark, and the sun doesn’t rise until we are almost home. All these signs should have made me realize that the first nine weeks of school is ending.

Each grading period, I ask my students to revisit all the books they have read and select one to present to their classmates. This is a fun activity for them. I also want to make it a learning activity, so we talk about elements to include: title, author, genre, tone, characters, setting, plot…

Madison was excited about her book trailer. Animoto was her choice and she carefully selected pictures, music, and background. When I looked at her finished product, I noticed that she had identified the genre of the Warrior Cat series as realistic fiction. This gave me pause. Maybe she just didn’t have a clear understanding of genres.

I started a private discussion with Madison that I’m afraid made her cry. I was confused about her tears. She just kept repeating, “It’s the point of view of the cats.”

I finally realized that to her the story was very real. By then a few other classmates had joined into the conversation. Jacob recalled that they had learned about lucid dreams. He said, “It’s like that lucid dream when you feel like you are really doing all those things.”

Ding! The Aha bell rang. I told Madison that it was OK that she feels like the story is real. The author writes as if everything is real, like a lucid dream.

The next thing I knew, Madison had created a new genre, the lucid book. At this point she excitedly went back to her video and changed the genre to lucid. I did not correct her this time. Some things are best left to the imagination of children.

To see Madison’s Animoto book trailer, click here.

Posted in Slice of Life, Teaching | Tagged fantasy, genre, lucid dreams, Warrior Cats | 8 Comments »

DigiLitSunday: Mentors

October 9, 2016 by margaretsmn

Please use this button on your site for DigiLit Sunday posts

Mentors are teachers who have a specialized experience in a certain area and can pass on that knowledge to someone else. An effective mentor builds a level of trust by being authentic and understanding.

In my classroom, I invite all kinds of mentors from the students themselves to professional authors. One day we may watch a video of Naomi Shihab Nye, while the next I am projecting a student mentor text. It doesn’t matter where the mentor comes from as long as the writing is real, accessible, and pushes the level of my students foreword.

This week my students were working on end-of-the-nine-weeks (yes, it’s here already) book presentations. I allow the students to choose which technology platform to use. They will use Animoto, Emaze, Prezi, Powtoon, etc. My sixth graders love Powtoon. It’s my least favorite because I just can’t figure it out.

Emily was working on her project, and she was having a blast. She was taking screenshots of the Google doodle and making the computer automatically type the text in. The presentation looks like it is happening right before your eyes. At one point, she called out, “Kaiden, I need help.” Kaiden rushed over to show her how to do what it was she wanted to do. On the spot mentorship.

I do not have to be the expert in the room. I can call on expert authors, speakers, or colleagues. Most of all, I can call on my students. They are the experts for each other. And that is just the way I like it.

Please add your link below.

Posted in Digital Learning, Teaching, Writing | Tagged mentors, PowToon, students as mentors | 4 Comments »

Celebrating All is Well

October 8, 2016 by margaretsmn

Find more celebration posts at Ruth’s blog.

I took this video from my classroom window this week. Our school lies in the middle of sugarcane fields. The harvest season is here. The air is filled with the sweet smell of sugarcane. I celebrate fall, the cool sweet air, and the harvest. All is well.

My husband took this picture on Sunday after all the guests had gone, after a marvelous wedding night, after sending the happy couple off on their honeymoon. I celebrate the happiness of family and the quiet peace of knowing all is well.

Wayne, my son-in-law, sent this picture of him and Katherine in the mountains of Costa Rica. All is well.

Posted in Celebration Saturday, Photography | Tagged celebrating, sugarcane harvest | 4 Comments »

Fairy Tale Poems

October 7, 2016 by margaretsmn

Poetry Friday is with Violet.

This week my students and I have been reading and writing about fairy tales. They enjoyed hearing Sleeping Ugly by Jane Yolen. We also read aloud reverso poems by master Marilyn Singer in Mirror, Mirror.

“Writing a reverso is stressing me out. How did she write a whole book of them?” said Emily as we worked together to write a reverso for Sleeping Ugly. Yes, it was tough. But we were happy with our results. (Formatting has been another challenge.)

Sleeping Ugly

Plain Jane

On the outside,
beauty sleeps
lying still
finds
the Prince
wandering through the woods.
He knows
beauty
lies within.

Miserella

Lies within.
Beauty
he knows
wandering through the woods,
the Prince.
Lying still,
beauty sleeps
on the outside.

Andrew worked on his own and created this reverso about Pirates

Don’ Steal me Booty

Here’s the truth Forever I have it

I have the treasure I shall battle

An ordinary treasure Or I have to let it go

Give it up never

never Give it up

I have to let it go An ordinary treasure

I shall battle I have the treasure

Or forever you have it Here’s the truth

Kaiden enjoys word play in his poem about “Fairy Fales (not a mistake)”

Magical stories, forever to be told.
Fairies,princes,and eggs made of gold
Talking toads, yellow brick roads,
stories happy and Grimm
Evil queens, horrible dreams
Long sleep, what a treat
In a palace, standing bold
Slaying trolls
Magical stories, forever to be told.

Posted in Gifted Education, Poetry, Poetry Friday, Writing | Tagged fairy tales, Jane Yolen, Marilyn Singer, Reverso poem | 22 Comments »

Mother of the Bride Advice

October 4, 2016 by margaretsmn

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

As many of you know, my middle daughter was married this weekend. This was one of the happiest days of my life. Today, I can barely see through my blurry eyes. I am recalling all the advice I received as a mother-of-the-bride. Most of it was unsolicited and tended to make me feel like a total failure. However, this weekend, my daughter told me something entirely different. A snippet of her note to me:

Without you, I wouldn’t be the woman I am. Without you, I wouldn’t know what a real, true, and loving marriage is…

I have compiled my own Top Ten list of advice:

When you don’t know what to say, say thanks.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. So much of it is small stuff.
Love much!
Pee when you can.
Family is who shows up.
Invite the talent of those in your circle.
Hydrate (see #4)
Everything around you is an expression of love.
Let people be nice to you.
Love much! (That one bears repeating)

The day after, left overs, flowers, and snapshots.

Posted in Slice of Life | Tagged advice, mother-of-the-bride, wedding | 13 Comments »

Presence

September 27, 2016 by margaretsmn

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

There is no better time for me to revisit my One Little Word than this week, the week my daughter Katherine is getting married. It’s here! We’ve worked for months to be ready for this day, cleaning, painting, planting… And here it is.

I want to be present for this event. I want to lose the list that has been running my life, and just BE!

My Enneagram Thought for the Day for Sunday was this: “How can you fully experience your Presence here and now? Allow yourself to be touched by impressions of life around you.”

Photography helps me experience Presence. I stop and pay attention.

A heron happened by.

Bayou Teche blue heron, photo by Margaret Simon

Light made shadows on the side of our house.

And fresh acorns match the color of Bill’s eyes.

A close friend advised me that when the wedding day comes, the details are done, and all that’s left is joy. I am ready to be Present for the Joy.

Posted in Slice of Life, Writing | Tagged Digital photography, fall, wedding | 14 Comments »

DigiLitSunday: Agency

September 25, 2016 by margaretsmn

Please use this button on your site for DigiLit Sunday posts

Eva (not her real name) walked into my room quietly. Her usual smile and enthusiasm wasn’t there, so I called her over to me. “What’s going on? You look sad.”

“No one in our class is brave enough to ask if we to get the poster for our teacher.”

Eva’s math teacher had been sick all week, and she had worked with some other girls to make a poster for her. They were hiding it in another classroom.

“Why don’t you try asking her ‘When would be a good time?'” She liked this suggestion, but then tears welled up in her eyes.

“And my dog was stolen. I know they took her to fight.”

“What? How do you know this?”

After our discussion, I found out Eva’s dog is a pit bull. She went on about how pit bulls are not bred to fight. They are trained. And it’s cruel.

It was Wonder Day, so I suggested she use dog fighting as her topic. She spent a little time reading about pit bulls and dog fighting.

Then she checked Wonderopolis. There she found another topic of interest, “Why do parents get divorced?” Eva’s parents have been struggling for a while. I’ve taught her since she was in first grade. She’s now in fifth. As she wrote on a recent card to me, “We’ve been through thick and thin.”

I teach my students year after year, from the time they are identified as gifted to their end of elementary school. This can be up to 6 years. You really get to know a child after this amount of time. With this knowledge, I am able to give my students agency. I know them well. I can direct them to channel their concerns about themselves and the world into their research and writing.

Dabrowsky identified overexcitabilities in gifted students. I see these qualities every day. Eva is a prime example of a student with emotional overexcitabilities. She has a heightened sensitivity to right and wrong. She is timid, but has a deep understanding of her emotions and why she feels what she feels.

In the end, after much bouncing around from topic to topic, Eva asked, “Can I design a web site of my own?”

She had discovered the Wonderopolis topic, “How do You Create a Website?”

I thought she would want to create a website about dog fighting or helping kids get through divorce, but she had moved on. Eva wanted to build a website called “Share your Story” where kids can submit their own stories and teachers can use it to showcase student writing. Where did this come from? I embraced Eva’s idea and got her started on Edublogs. We’ll see. I hope she will stick with this idea, but I really never know with my students. Especially, the emotional ones like Eva.

I follow my students’ lead because I know that it will take me down a new and exciting path. I honor their choices and work to give them a space where their voices are heard.

Link up your posts about Agency (or anything DigiLit) below. Next weekend, my daughter is getting married. Julieanne Harmatz will host the link up at her blog, To Read To Write To Be.

Posted in Digital Learning, Gifted Education | Tagged agency, Dabrowsky's Overexcitablilites, Wonderopolis | 11 Comments »

Light a Sparkler!

September 23, 2016 by margaretsmn

Poetry Friday is with Catherine at Reading to the Core.

I am a big fan of poet Laura Purdie Salas. Every Thursday she posts an image and invites her readers to write a poem in 15 words or less. I love this challenge. Her post yesterday reminded me of sparklers. I left the computer, made coffee, and these words came into my head. Then last night’s Good2Great chat (#G2Great) was about Dreaming Big. This is what my Big Dream is all about: lighting that fire of passion in my students.