Reflections on the Teche

Keeping Watch

December 23, 2014 by margaretsmn

Join the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Challenge.

Chrismons decorate a large fir tree in our church.

On Saturday, I attended an Advent Quiet Day led by my friend Brenda. She asked us to contemplate receiving gifts, being a better receiver. Having quiet time in the midst of the bustle of Christmas preparations was a gift that I was there to receive.

I wrote this in my journal.

Gifts abound. Friends who respect and care for me, a family that not only needs me but wants me. The obligations of mothering are fewer as my children become adults. I am given the gift of watching now, watching them be who they are. This watching fills my heart with pride. Sisters–their strong bond keeps them grounded and loved.

For you yourself created my inmost parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139

That was long ago.
From my mother’s womb,
I have strayed and lost my way.
I have tarried too long in the weeds.
My hands are scarred.
My feet are swollen and sore.
I cannot wait.
My impatience is debilitating.

I must take time to keep watch and wait.
The darkness of the winter night
soothes my wandering, busy mind.

Rest.
Wait.
Watch.
Recognize the need to walk on.
Take the long road.
The journey will guide you.
Keep walking.

–Margaret Simon

My Christmas wish for you is that you will have time to sit in silence, reflect on your journey, and prepare for the coming of Christ and the coming of a new year.

Posted in Gratitude, Slice of Life, Spiritual Growth, Writing | Tagged advent, Chrismons, psalm, quiet, spiritual reflection | 10 Comments »

Book Talk Videos

December 21, 2014 by margaretsmn

Please use this button on your site for DigiLit Sunday posts

This last week before our Christmas break, my students created book talks. Unfortunately, Powtoon is being blocked by the network, so the choices of digital media were limited to Emaze and Animoto. I am still a big fan of Animoto. I have even purchased a longer time for my students’ videos. The platform does not allow for much text, so I tell them that the bulk of the text needs to be written in their book talk. The Animoto enhances their talk. Another thing I like about Animoto is the videos can be uploaded to YouTube and easily embedded on a blog.

A few weeks ago, Julie Johnson posted this blog about reflecting digitally. While my students do not have tablets, they could still reflect. After each presentation, I asked them a few reflective questions. I was pleasantly surprised that their choices for design were intentional. I will continue to use Animoto and hope the site continues to be free or reasonably priced and easily used.

Andrew, a second grader made this Animoto (his first) about Kate Messner’s Ranger in Time.

Emily chose the music on her video to reflect the idea that each person is an individual. She thoroughly enjoyed Sisters and her excitement over the book showed in her video. She asked me to take pictures of certain pages in the book to make her point clear.

Use of technology is a line on my rubric for book talks. Technology offers a wide range of choices for enriching presentations and motivating students to be intentional about their choices.

Add your own DigiLit Sunday post with Mr. Linky.

Posted in Digital Learning, Gifted Education | Tagged Animoto, book talks | 4 Comments »

Looks Like Christmas

December 20, 2014 by margaretsmn

Ruth Ayres invites us the celebrate each week. Click over to her site Discover. Play. Build. to read more celebrations.

Last Saturday, New Iberia commemorated artist George Rodrigue with a day of festivities and a Christmas parade. George Rodrigue (1944-2013) is a well-known Louisiana artist who created the iconic “Blue Dog.” He grew up in New Iberia. The whole downtown is colored blue with blue lights and blue decorated windows. My Berry Queen sister, Cathy, made us matching blue dog poodle skirts to wear in the parade. We all word blue wigs. The streets were lined with festive parade-goers.

Blue Dog Berry Queens

The Shadows always looks beautiful. Our final day of performance was Monday. My student Erin, dressed as Harriet Weeks, looks out dreamily to the gardens below.

Harriet surveys the Shadows

I caught a nasty cold and spent Thursday afternoon on my soft sofa with Charlie at my side. Even though it took illness to get me there, I was grateful for the quiet time to watch the twinkling Christmas tree.

My view

Jack, the lemur, became part of our origami Christmas popper making. Vannisa set up a “photo shoot” with him among the wrapping paper. Together we wrote a Christmas poem for you. Merry Christmas everyone! Celebrate!

Jack the lemur wishes you a very merry Christmas!

Posted in Celebration Saturday | Tagged Berry Queens, Blue Dog, Christmas, George Rodrigue, The Shadows, tree | 6 Comments »

Be Amazed

December 19, 2014 by margaretsmn

Find more Poetry Friday at Buffy’s Blog.

My students have been working on book talks this week. Some of them wrote poems about their books. Tyler reviewed Eye of the Storm by Kate Messner. He wrote the following poem as an acrostic with the word storm. One student’s response, “I like how you included the theme in your poem.”

Saving lives from disaster
Taking risks
Only to see a surprising face
Revenge is never the answer
More and more problems appearing

–Tyler

Kielan reviewed Naomi Shihab Nye’s poetry book A Maze Me. Kielan said she selected the background and theme of her Animoto because it reflected the dreamy tone of the poem “Necklace.” This is the kind of poem that stays with you. “Can Monday be a porch?”

Posted in Digital Learning, Gifted Education, Poetry Friday, Teaching | Tagged A Maze Me, acrostic, Eye of the Storm, Kate Messner, Naomi Shihab Nye | 9 Comments »

In Blue Veils

December 18, 2014 by margaretsmn

Original is in blue watercolor wash, a painting by John Gibson.

In Blue Veils
Celebrate the mystery
We drape her in silk veils of blue
and blur the lines of fame and truth.
We speak of heaven; say we know her.
The mother we paint in azure.
We behold her framed in gold.
She’s the lapis lazuli of the Silk Road.
Her constancy like ocean waves
rocks and cradles the Son she gave.

So we drape her, cover her face.
Imagine a beauty—a place
we cannot touch. If she could see
through this broken glass, our uncertainty,
Would she want to craft us anew?
Cover us, too, in shades of blue?
–Margaret Simon, from Illuminate

Click here to read more #spiritualjourney posts. Thanks Holly for hosting this roundup!

Posted in Spiritual Growth | Tagged Illuminate, John Gibson, Mary, sonnet | 3 Comments »

Celebrating 500 Posts

December 16, 2014 by margaretsmn

Join the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Challenge.

Today I am celebrating my 500th post! I have been blogging for about three and a half years, but only in the last year did I commit to blogging 5 days a week. I connect to The Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Challenge on Tuesdays, Spiritual Journey Thursday, Poetry Friday, Celebration Saturday, and even started my own round up on Sundays, DigiLit Sunday.

This blogging business is making me braver. I have connected with some of the most supportive people on this earth. Some of my blog friends have become collaborators, some writing partners. On Sunday, I had two Google Hang-outs with fellow bloggers. The first group I met with is working on a presentation idea for NCTE 15. The second group was a writing group I was invited to join. My heart was full after these two meetings with like-minded people who are passionate about their work with students, teachers, and writing.

Whether you read regularly or sporadically, whether you subscribe or link up, whether I’ve met you face to face or only through comments, thank you for being here. Thank you for reading my thoughts and scribblings, for being supportive in any way, and for giving me this space to be myself.

Posted in Blogging, Gratitude, Slice of Life, Writing | Tagged blogging, teacher support | 15 Comments »

A Little Christmas Story

December 15, 2014 by margaretsmn

I have a new writing friend. Stephanie Fournet is a high school English teacher. She self-published her first romance novel with the help of a Kickstarter campaign. I love how she is jumping in with both feet and pursuing her dream of being a writer. Here is a sweet story she sent the group, a little lagniappe as we say in South Louisiana. She wrote the story for a 200 word or less challenge with her faculty. She won first place. Congratulations, Stephanie and welcome to Reflections on the Teche.

Stephanie Fournet is a college counselor, English teacher, and novelist. She lives with her husband, daughter, dogs, and bird in Lafayette, Louisiana, which is the setting of her debut novel, FALL SEMESTER. When she isn’t working or writing, she can often be found running or curled up with a romance novel.

Erin said goodnight to the last customers. It was 10:55 the night before Christmas Eve, and the rush of last-minute shoppers had kept her busy. Now, she would wipe down the remaining tables and lock up.

He wasn’t coming.

Of course, he isn’t coming. Male customers flirted. That’s what they did.

Erin shook her head to clear the foolish thoughts. Erin Parish was lucky; she had more than most: a home of her own and a successful coffee shop. Business at Parish Perks had boomed from the start. She didn’t need Luke and his devil-may-care-curls and teasing smile.

Still, it had felt good the first day he’d come in, ordered two peppermint lattes, and handed one to her.

The next day, he’d swiped her Sharpee, leaving his number on the cup. She’d laughed, but ignored him.

This morning the note had read, “Go out with me tonight?”

“I work ‘til 11. Sorry,” she’d said.

“We could get a drink. I’ll be here before you close.”

But so much for that, she thought, rolling her eyes.

The bell on the door jangled, and Erin turned.

“Sorry I’m late,” he said, clutching a green bundle. “It took forever to find mistletoe.”

–Stephanie Fournet, all rights reserved.

Posted in Writing | Tagged romance short story, self-publishing, Stephanie Fournet | 2 Comments »

Origami Gift

December 14, 2014 by margaretsmn

Please use this button on your site for DigiLit Sunday posts

For the past several years, my students and I have made origami poppers out of wrapping paper, stuffed them with Hershey’s kisses, and delivered to the teachers for a holiday treat. I wanted to teach my nephew how to make them over Thanksgiving, but I had a brain freeze. So I asked Matthew to give the instructions on video. Now we can share it with the world.

Please join in the Digital Literacy discussion by linking with Mr. Linky.

Posted in Digital Learning | Tagged Christmas gift, origami | 5 Comments »

Celebrate this Week

December 13, 2014 by margaretsmn

Ruth Ayres invites us the celebrate each week. Click over to her site Discover. Play. Build. to read more celebrations.

Every week when I sit down to write this Celebration post, I am amazed at all there is to celebrate, even with the stress of the season settling in. My stress started when I slept a whole hour late on Tuesday morning. I managed to get where I was going in time, but it set a hurried tone to my day that was uncomfortable.

Yet, there is much to celebrate.

On Monday, my students performed their play at the Shadows. They were so wiggly and full of nervous energy, but they all did a wonderful job. After our performances (Each scene occurs multiple times for different sets of first graders), we walked downtown to Bouligny Plaza. I told the students that the plaza was named for the founder of New Iberia. I allowed them to play a healthy game of hide-and-seek but said there would be a quiz at the end about the plaques in the plaza. Here a student photo bombs Bouligny.

On Tuesday, Glenae spoke! If you follow my blog posts, you know Glenae was seriously injured in a car accident. She has had a ventilator then a tracheotomy, so speech was not possible. A new smaller trache allowed her to say, “Hi Momma.” What joy and celebration! She has now been transferred to a rehab hospital. Today I received a praise text that she has had the valve shut off to see how she can tolerate it. She is on her way to a full recovery.

On Wednesday, Jeff and I learned the Western Two-Step at our dancing lessons. We have found a Texas swing band that we enjoy, so we asked Lou to teach us some new steps. It’s keeping us young.

On Thursday, my writing group welcomed a new member. She is a good writer and a willing participant. Also, Maggie made dinner. She is an imaginative cook. She used the abundance of satsumas to make a delicious sauce for salmon.

On Friday night, I attended a faculty Christmas party at a local restaurant. It is always fun to relax and talk to colleagues about non-school things.

Today, I started this post but had to hurry off to our Solomon House Christmas party. Without Ellen, Glenae’s mom, to organize the whole thing, I think we did a pretty good job. St. Nicholas came and my husband showed up with chicken fingers galore. Not to mention all the church members who donated time and gifts. Our clients are going to have a better Christmas due to their generosity.

Solomon House volunteer, Betty, holds precious Melachi.

Posted in Celebration Saturday, Solomon House, Writing | Tagged satsuma salmon, Solomon House, The Shadows | 8 Comments »

Terza Rima after Robert Frost

December 12, 2014 by margaretsmn

Find more Poetry Friday with Paul at These 4 Corners

Silence in the Snow by John Gibson

We don’t get snow here, but the colder weather made me think of presenting Robert Frost to my students. I started with the beautiful Susan Jeffers illustrated book, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” Then we read together Frost’s poem Acquainted with the Night and talked about rhyme scheme. A terza rima is a difficult form to write even for gifted kids, so we worked together. We started with a line from my own poem, Snow Day from Illuminate. My first group of students incorporated a repetitive pattern that I reminded them is called anaphora.

Collaborating, stealing lines, playing with rhyme, and writing from an image worked together to result in a nice poem.

Lost in the Snow
a terza rima after Robert Frost

I wake to a field of white
where a bunny rabbit hides,
where a night owl takes flight,

where Santa’s sleigh slides
where I stand on the ground
where a snowflake above me glides,

where something is lost, not found,
where sight begins to fail,
where a whisper is the softest sound,

where dreams set sail
and miles to go before I sleep
I am strong, not frail.

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I wake to a field of white.

–A collaborative poem by Mrs. Simon’s class

Acquainted with the Night by Robert Frost

My second group of students was larger, so the collaboration became more cumbersome. Too many different ideas don’t mix well with strong wills and sensitive writers. I don’t think the poem is as strong, either; however, I am struck by the sense of loss and sadness and overcoming that permeates each one. The images of snow covering the page and the words of Robert Frost set a tone for both of these poems.

Winter

Snow fell silently through the night.
These streets I have walked across
into the darkness, out of sight.

The sun I have lost,
Frosting over the glass in this faded frame,
The windows are covered in frost.

Each pattern has its own fame.
Sun rises, suddenly the cold vanished.
Once it is gone, it will never be the same.

Stars above shining bright.
Snow fell silently through the night.

a collaborative poem by Mrs. Simon’s class

Posted in Poetry Friday, Teaching, Writing | Tagged collaborative poem, Robert Frost | 11 Comments »

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