Orange You Glad You Wrote Today? #SOLC23

I am going to end this challenge the way I end every week--with a little writing from my time tutoring my poetry pal.  

We started our lesson today talking about shades of meaning and plotting sounds words on a continuum from quietest to loudest.  We had a great discussion about the difference between piercing and roaring and added a jingle between muffled and clatter.  We truly are kindred word nerds.

Then she chose to do some paint chip poetry.  I picked out 6 random paint chips and a prompt card.  Our poetry palette is pictured below.  

She wrote a poem about school memories each name inspired, and I wrote about a fictional school scenario.

School Days

I walked into school

after having sucked in the largest breath of fresh air,

bracing myself for another day

inside the confining concrete walls.

I entered the classroom

to find kids flitting about screaming

all because a yellow jacket

was buzzing around a light.

Papers littered the tables and floor,

chairs were toppled-

it looked like the innards of the classroom

had spontaneously combusted.

I froze and stared,

tongue-tied as

one student greeted me,

"Mrs. Morris, orange you glad you came to school today?"

There is no better way to end a week than with a student who loves words and poetry as much as I do.  

We Escape Together #SOLC23

Yesterday, I had a substitute in my class to allow me time to evaluate the data from the reading assessments I recently administered.  The students were finishing up an escape room about Edgar Allan Poe.

I was disappointed to hear that one of the boys was very distracting in his group and not helping them complete the tasks.  I decided to have a conversation with him because many students hesitate to work with him.

When we sat down, and I explained my concerns.  He admitted that he was not a good teammate.  He said, "I am just not good at escape rooms."  

I asked if he would like an alternative assignment; he said no.  He said he liked the idea of an escape room, but he felt he could not do it.

I have confessed many times to the class that if I would not escape a room on my own.   An assignment like this is about teamwork.  Each member of a team has something to contribute to the group, and I assured him that he had many strengths.  I am not sure he agreed with me on that, but he left committed to doing his best.  

With three minutes left in the period, his group came up with the lock codes for all four tasks complete.  With no help or hints, they got every code correct.  

The student started to jump and high five his group mates.  They were the first and only group to escape the room.  He came around the desk for his prize and looked at me and said, "You were right."  

Only One Vowel #SOLC23

 Betsy Potash of Spark Creativity always has wonderful ideas for the classroom.  Too often, I don't have the time to sit and read her posts on Instagram, but today she had me at "writing a poem with only one vowel."  I could not resist.  I continued to read and accepted her challenge.  Here is my short poem using only o as a vowel.  It perfectly fits my current vibe.

Work non-stop,

drop onto floor - 

slow roll to morn.

I would love to see others.  I may even come back if I have time to write more.

A Nonet to Nothing #SOLC23

Stuck

searching,

but nothing

reveals itself,

laughing and taunting.

Frustration builds until

I pick up my pen to write 

nothing a particularly

uninspired nonet to end its hold.

I thought this was better than writing about the boys' bathroom shenanigans.

Adult Steps Are Like Baby Steps #SOLC23

I always tend to get the frantic texts from my twenty-year-old daughter during school.  Not over the weekend.  Not at night.  Only when I am teaching.

11:17 a.m. text:

"I think I'm going to need a new phone before summer.  This week I've taken out my SIM card 5 times because it keeps breaking.  It stopped working a day or 2 ago."

Hmmm....She did not let me know about this over the weekend.  I can feel my chest start to tense.  I think And what am I supposed to do?  

11:19 a.m. response

"You are due for an upgrade, but you will have to go to the AT&T store."

She had all weekend to take care of this, but she decides to wait for Monday morning.  I know she wants me to do something.  I can see that in the responses she is sending, and then she reveals her motive for texting.

11:21 a.m. text:

"Lily suggested to have the phone send to me."  

Meaning I go to AT&T and get the phone for her.  BUT, I live 1,100 miles away.  

I start taking some really deep breaths.  Several of them.  I look for an AT&T store near UW-Madison and find one not too far from campus.  I send her the address and tell her to take an Uber.  

The conversation goes on as she explains that she has to go to the gym and then eat before she can go to the store.  She also has a chapter meeting at 5:30.  Basically, she is insinuating she does not have a lot of time.  She is quite the busy girl.  

12:27 p.m. text:

"That's plenty of time right"

Yes, it is!  Just go!  I want to write this, but I try to keep my frustration out of the texts.  It is probably good that her phone does not work and we can't talk.  

1:33 p.m. text:

"Going to AT&T now."

The texts continue as she makes her way to the store.  

I anticipate a call.  I even make a back-up plan with the teacher across the hall to cover for me when it comes.  However, it never comes.  

2:06 p.m. text:  

"Getting it now!!!!"

She is taking some of her first real adult steps with only a little help from mom.

A New Nighttime Routine #SOLC23

The evenings can be hard for me.  Exhausted from the day, I tend to want to snack even though I am not hungry.  I sit in front of the television only half watching.  I play on my phone, mindlessly scrolling for what can turn into an hour.  None of this is healthy or fulfilling.

Last night, I found myself starting to rummage through the pantry for a snack to eat eat.  When my husband is away for work, I find sadness creeps in because I am alone and miss my kids even more.  That sadness tends to steer me towards sweets and chips.  

I stopped and asked myself if I was hungry.  I was not.  I looked at the black screen of the television and thought about what I wanted to watch.  Nothing.  I had no desire to turn it on.

Suddenly, I picked up my knitting bag and book and went upstairs.  I put some lavender drops in a diffuser, played instrumental ukulele covers on my phone, and sat down in my chair with my knitting.  

I hummed.  I moved the needles, sometimes talking myself through the pattern.  I let everything else drift  away while I focused on the sound of the music and the movement of the needles and yarn.  

I continued until I felt my eyes start to get heavy, and then I inspected my work and was relieved to find no errors.  

When I climbed into bed, I was content.  I put my head on the pillow without tears of sadness, closed my eyes, and feel asleep without any anxious thoughts.  

That may have been the beginning of a new nighttime routine.

Fun with Titles #SOLC23

 Thank you, Leigh Anne, for the inspiration and push to try a book spine poem today.  I actually went to Leigh Anne's list of book title writing prompts she prepared for the Teach Write Academy.  

I cut the titles apart and randomly selected 10 to create the poem.  

Then, I started to rearrange them to create something that made sense, but I knew I would want two versions - the actual title with no words and another poems with a few words to connect the ideas.  

I wonder if I selected too many titles to create a poem.  I feel that it needs more to bring it all together to convey the meaning I find developing in the titles I have put together.  Here is the poem I created with only the titles:  

Falling Short

Waiting for Normal

Rain Rising

A Wish in the Dark

Possibility of Now.

Words with Wings

Freedom's Promise

Finding Someplace

Between the Lines

Paper Wishes.

I wanted more, so I added a bit more.  This is the poem with some additional words to bring it all together.  The titles are in Bold.

Falling Short and 

Waiting for Normal,

I feel the Rain Rising.

I make A Wish in the Dark,

and feel the Possibility of Now.

Words with Wings bring 

Freedom's Promise,

Finding Someplace 

Between the Lines

for my Paper Wishes.

My Thoughts Are Sleeping #SOLC23

My thoughts are sleeping,

they have been on a hamster 

wheel all week running, 

and now, energy sapped, they

have decided to collapse

My Special Four Corners #SOLC23

Thank you to Megan's slice for the inspiration today.  I am going to share the 4 corners that surround me for most of the day and bring me so much joy because of all the students that share the space with me.

Top left corner:  My classroom library.  This is where two books shelves stand filled with bins of books that are worn and tattered from greedy hands.  There are more books displayed on top, along with my Harry Potter Legos.  I love to sit with students to find a book for them to enjoy.

Top right corner:  Metal cabinet.  Inside the cabinet, there are word games, escape rooms, Legos, paper brown bags filled with writing inspiration, puzzles, and books.  It is a cabinet of goodies for a word nerd!

Back right corner:  A file cabinet and book shelf filled with lessons, books, and units.  19 years and 3 grades worth of lesson materials and units are housed within these drawers and upon these shelves.  On top are pictures and mementos of years of teaching and a few writing games.  In essence, it is the history of my learning and growing as a teacher and learner.

Back left corner:  The entrance.  There is a community "Where I'm from" poem written by my 8th graders handing on the door and a sign that says "We Can Do Hard Things."  I love to greet my students as they come in the door each day.  

What are in your four corners?

Riddlanka #SOLC23

A few months ago, my writing group hosted a writing party at which we wrote riddlekus - riddle poems in the form of haiku.  It was a blast, so I took it back to my classroom and had my 8th graders write them for attendance questions.  They were a big hit, and my 6th and 7th graders often ask for more.  

We are going to read Nikki Grimes' Garvey's Choice, which is written in the tanka form.  I am going to task my writers to write a tanka poem about an important object as a riddle.  I will have days worth of attendance questions, and the students will enjoy trying to guess the objects. 

I am going to create a mentor poem here.

every morning it

patiently waits for me to 

sit, open, and share, 

thoughts trickle out of my head

between its covers, unseen

What is it?

10 Line Tuesday #SOLC23

This is my first time trying a 10 line Tuesday poem, which I first learned about from Tammy E.  Thank you for the inspiration.  

I rose before the sun to write my morning pages,

just like every other morning.  

However, a community conversation with sixth-graders 

about women in STEM and a change in schedule

had us all a bit off-kilter.

A rocky testing situation kept the staff on its toes, 

but the shortened periods meant time was numbered.

At school end, a Meet the Creeps rehearsal with a double cast

went seamlessly smooth, and after a quick change,

I surrendered to a comfy chair and twenty needles for release.

Spring Rejoicing #SOLC23

Multitasking Problems #SOL23

A friend gifted me a guided journal for calm, clarity, and joy.  The prompt for the other morning asked me to write about a recent multitasking experience.  I am the queen of multitasking, so it was hard for me to really hone in on one experience--until yesterday.  

I recently signed up for a knitting class for beginners on Saturday afternoons.  On Friday night, I sat down to do a little "homework," and I thought it would be relaxing.  Unfortunately, I sat on the couch it in front of the television.  I completed one row, and when I inspected it, I realized I made a mistake.  I was a little frustrated, so I decided to put it aside and wait for class.

The next day, I entered the class a little sheepish because I had not made any progress on my project.  Sure enough, I had messed up the pattern I was supposed to be following--knit 1, purl 1.  Somehow, I also split one stitch and twisted another stitch.

Charlotte fixed it all, and I started knitting my scarf, listening to my friend share about her son's heartache about a recent break-up.  

I finished the row and turned it over to check my work.  Ugh!  I had made the same mistakes.  

I Put my head in my hands and waited for Charlotte to finish helping another knitter as I had no idea how to fix my mistakes.  She was very encouraging and told me I did an excellent job overall.   She fixed my mistake yet again and sent me on my way.  This time I vowed to pay close attention.  I was even talking to myself as I stitched my knit 1, purl 1, but as soon as I stopped talking, I lost track of what I was doing.  

I had to check in with Charlotte again.  Apparently, I was seeing things because it was okay.  Feeling a little more confident, I continued and started humming to the music playing in the background.  I finished the row only to find another mistake.  

Frustrated, I took a deep breath and said, "I can't talk or sing or watch television while I am knitting."  I realized that multitasking was causing me to make mistakes, and I thought of the journal prompt and the following quote, "Multitaskers make twice as many mistakes and take 3 times longer to complete their tasks."  

Now, this explains why I forget what people tell me, forget where I put papers, and forget why I go into a certain room.  My mind is thinking about a bazillion things all the time.  

I need to stop and focus on one thing at a time, at least until I know what I am doing.  😉

Colorful RSVP #SOLC23

Thank you, Leigh Anne, for the slicer party invitation.  Here is my colorful RSVP.

The best blue is the turquoise ocean water of Florida, which brings me peace and draws me closer to family.

The best white is the sand at Nokomis beach, which covers my feet and worries.

The best red is the color of my University of Wisconsin sweatshirt, always a reminder of my daughter and a beacon for shout-outs of "Go Badgers!"

The best green are the shoots of newly sprouted plants in my garden, a teaser for the bountiful vegetables to come.

The best brown is the lounge chair next to the pool where I spend hours reading and relaxing.

The best yellow is the color of Ashley's costume for "Turning Page," her self-choreographed solo--she lit up the stage.

The best orange is the sunrise at the beach with Cam and Ashley.

The best black is the ink filling up the pages of my journals and planner.

The best purple is the lilac bush on the side of the house near the chimney, planted as a reminder of my childhood home and reading place.

5-4-3-2-1! It's the Weekend! #SOLC23

 Ending the week with my Friday reflection routine.

Finding Joy #SOLC23

Thank you, Lynne's Blog for the inspiration- a list of underrated joys.  Coincidentally, I set the intention to find joys today, so this prompt seems appropriate.

Underrated Joys from the Last Few Days

1.  8th graders seem excited about Genius Hour.  Their proposals are phenomenal.

2.  I walked into school fully prepared for teaching.

3.  Texts from Ashley

4.  Playing with Canva

5.  Snow day (even though I worked all day)

6.  Slaying my to do list

7.  Staying away from the chocolate drawer

8.  Planning engaging (I hope) lessons for my students

9.  Writing daily slices

10.  Warm and fuzzy sheets

Wednesday Night Senses #SOLC23

Thank you, Hannah's Happenings for today's inspiration.  I am supposed to be working on being more mindful in my guided journaling practice, so waking up my senses this evening seemed fitting.

I smell coconut as I massage moisturizing lotion over my hands to soothe my dry, cracked hands.  

I hear cars zooming by intermittently outside my window and a dull ringing in my ears.  

I see screens all around as I tutor over Zoom.  I would much rather meet in person at the library.

I feel chilled while working next to the window, so I drape a warm wrap around my shoulders.

I taste wintergreen mints, which provide a fresh zing to cover the remnant taste of dinner.

And now, I feel the urge to shut down my computer to watch the last episode of Virgin River under a thick warm blanket while munching on popcorn.

Snow Moments #SOLC23

Last night, the texts were flying about the impending snow storm.  I was in a virtual workshop learning how to put my writing on pictures in Canva.  I captured the moment in a haiku.

This morning, I woke up to the rain and hopped in the shower, expecting an early release.

Around 8:00 a.m., the snow started much earlier than predicted in the forecast, and now, the yard looks completely different.

Tanka Mood #SOLC23

The house is quiet.  Ashley is in Florida for spring break, and Scott is in France for work.  Cam and I are home working, but in different parts of the state.  Last night, the silence made me a bit blue, and that mood called for a tanka poem.

When I am alone,

missing creeps into my heart--

a reminder that 

those I love are far away,

trying to keep tears at bay.

The Un in the Fortunates #SOLC23

Thank you to The Biblio Bard Blogger and Joyous Thoughts for the fortunately/unfortunately inspiration.  It seemed fitting today as my colleagues are active in the group chat about the crazy weather.

Fortunately, today is 46 degrees and sunny enough to walk in my sweatshirt.  Unfortunately, a Nor'Easter is moving in tomorrow night and throughout Tuesday.  Fortunately, the forecast is usually wrong.

Fortunately, I have the day to myself to correct, plan lessons, and update Canvas pages without feeling guilty.  Unfortunately, Sundays are never long enough.

Fortunately, my kids are thriving and living their best lives (one at UW-Madison and the other working an hour away).  Unfortunately, I do not see them often.

Fortunately, I work with the best colleagues/friends and feel the most connected in the 19 years I have worked at this school.  Unfortunately, changes being made to our school, department, and schedule may require a move for me away from my team.

Fortunately, I have the best friends.  We call ourselves fr-amily.  Unfortunately, we do not see each other often enough.

Fortunately, my parents live on the Gulf coast of Florida near beautiful beaches.  Unfortunately, I live in the interior of New England, and I am unable to visit them often enough.

Fortunately, I am a part of the best writing group and have developed friendships with other teacher-writers from all over the world.  Unfortunately, we are rarely able (and some never) to see each other in person.

Unfortunately, I must move on to school work.

Driving in Circles #SOLC23

Thank you to David's slice "The Waiting Place" for inspiration today.  It was the model I needed to capture my Thursday night adventure into Boston with a friend to see Margaret Atwood.

Driving in Circles

We've arrived,

but not quite,

as we drive past

Sander's Theater

once, then

twice

with the traffic.

The 20 minute leeway time

we built into our journey 

dwindles from 20 minutes 

to 10 minutes

because

We can't find 

a parking garage

and the spots along the road

are for permit parking only.

There is a long line for one garage,

so we venture to another,

BUT

it is not there.

We drive past the address

once, then

twice - 

and do not see a sign for parking

or a parking garage.

Then

we realize the garage is underground.

We park.

dash through academic buildings,

round a corner,

and spot Harvard's historic hall.

We are late, so

we pick up our pace.

Our excitement soars

as we enter the building, 

grab our signed books, 

and find a seat in the balcony.

We sit and

sigh, grateful that Margaret Atwood is late.

Canva Contemplation #SOLC23

Thank goodness it is Friday.  It is time to reflect on the past week, and I decided to play around in Canva.  

Routines Disrupted #SOLC23

Three years ago, my morning routine was pushing the snooze about 5 times.

Currently, I get up an hour earlier than I need to just so I can write for 45 minutes.  Now, my morning routine is sacred to me. 

I write my to do list in my Passion Planner.

I write my morning pages, which include my intentions for the day.

If I have time, I update my One Question a Day Journal.

No matter how tired I am, I show up to the page.  It has even spilled over to the weekend.

Today, however, I needed to break that routine, and it is has put me into a bit of a tizzy.  I have absolutely no time to write tonight.  I have rehearsal after school, and then I am attending our district's Science of Reading book club.  Directly from there, I am heading into Boston with a friend to see Margaret Atwood speak.  

I was (and still am) excited to see her, but I have to admit that excitement was dampened by the disruption in my routines.  As I was planning my day, I realized that I do not have any time to write tonight, and since I made a commitment to myself that I would slice every day, I needed to figure out a way to make that happen.

When I realized the only time I had to write it was this morning, I got a bit distraught because my morning pages really help me prepare myself for the day.  I feel a bit lost without that time and space to dump my thoughts and clear my mind.  

While it took me about 15 minutes to accept this change, I am here--writing on a virtual page--sharing the inner workings of my mind.  

It's all in the Roll of the Dice #SOLC23

As I was working with a student on metaphors, inspiration hit.  

I pulled out Taylor Mali's Metaphor Dice, and threw them on my desk.  And this is what came from the roll of the dice.

The mind is a divided thunderstorm.

Bright lightning ideas
can be overshadowed by dark memories

booming in your head as

driving thoughts pound down 

into your heart.

What's a little more stress? #SOLC23

There are two days a year I detest--casting days, and it was looking like the second one was on the horizon.  

Last week, we had auditions for our spring play Meet the Creeps.  Thirty-three students auditioned for the play, and all thirty-three of them did well.  

My colleague and I started to cast the show on Thursday, but we were unable to finish because we both had other commitments.  It was a good thing because we were stuck.  We still had about ten kids to cast and no parts left.  That meant we were going to make a lot of students unhappy.  

I dreaded going to school Friday as I knew there would be tears and heart break.  

As I drove to school, I had this crazy idea (I get some of my best ideas in the car)--let's double cast the show.  We could have two casts and add two more shows, and everyone would be happy.  One of my faults is trying to make everyone happy--or so I am told it is a fault.  

Not five minutes after entering the building, my theater partner showed up ready to finish the cast.  I was quiet at first because I was afraid to share my idea and afraid NOT to share my idea.  

Finally, I blurted out, "What do you think about double casting the show?"  

She looked at me wide-eyed and firmly said, "No!"

We started to get to work, but long story short, she came around.

*

Four days later, thirty-three excited students came pouring into my room for our first rehearsal.  One student grabbed the attendance book and started to call names.  Two other students came in with our scripts eager to pass them out.  

I had heard from a sibling the our lead was already memorizing their lines from the audition scenes.  

It took a while to settle them down to start the read through, but once quieted, they became a different people--their characters.

The time flew by, and the bell rang too soon.  

As they walked out, we heard their appreciation.

"Thank you, Mrs. Morris!"

"I am so excited!  This is going to be great!"  

"We rocked this!"

A few weeks from now, I may have to come back to reread this post because a normal show is quite stressful.  However, I will take the added stress any day to see the smiles I saw today.

An Acrostic Monday #SOLC23

Marveled at how hours of preparation dissolved

Only minutes into the day--

No matter how ready I am, the

Ding of the bell brings

A nervous energy before I facilitate

Young scholars' learning

The Decisions a Pen Makes #SOLC23

Today, I have spent a lot of time at my desk writing and correcting.  I have been wanting to try my hand at an etheree poem, and since my pen has been in my hand most of the day, I decided that would be my first line.  I write morning pages every day, and sometimes, I feel like I write the same things over and over.  Sometimes I want to dive deeper, and sometimes I don't.  I wonder why.

Pen

marches

across page

spilling out thoughts

that only paper 

can hear 'cause if uttered 

aloud then others might know

a heart's mind, and sometimes there are

secrets the pen decides are better

left liquid in the barrel - forgotten

5-4-3-2-1 Weekly Reflection #SOLC23

I am trying to get back to some of my journaling routines, and Britt reminded me  of my favorite reflection for the week.  After I posted my slice last night, I sat down  to write my 5-4-3-2-1 review of the week.

5 things that made me smile:

1.  Snow delay gave me hours of quiet morning time at school.

2.  Students sharing that the theater is their safe/happy place.

3.  Cam came home for a surprise visit.

4.  Magic desk $ and sticky notes.

5.  Double casting Meet the Creeps (I may not be smiling a few weeks from now.)

4 things to describe my week:

1.  Non-stop

2.  Stressful

3.  Long

4.  Grueling

3 weekend plans:

1.  Knitting class (canceled due to snow)

2.  Correcting 

3.  Writing for myself

2 things I learned:

1.  My principal thinks that his plan for literacy intervention may get approved.

2.  Scott is getting a job offer (he was not even looking for a change)

Goal for next week:

1.  Plan ahead!!!!

Poetry Pal Writing Friday SOLC23

My Fridays end in a writing session with a student I tutor in my home town.  It is a treasured time of the week.  

There is nothing better than writing with a student who has as much passion for poetry, punctuation, and words as I do.  

Today, she was writing a Diamante poem for a poetry contest.  There were four words provided for a potential topic.

I decided to write with her.  One word caught my attention because I have been living it for the last year and a half at work--uncertainty.

We sat for about 10 minutes writing, and then, we shared our poems.  We picked the same word, but we did very different things with the topic--another one of my favorite things.  

Uncertainty

Frustrating, troublesome

Worrying, stressing, hoping

A constant uneasy state

Resigning, giving-up, relenting

Forceful, risky

Dilemma

What a perfect piece of Friday for me, which just got bigger with a surprise visit from my son.

Magic Desk #SOLC23

This weekend, we had some family fly in from Colorado to stay with us for the first time.  It was 3 days of laughter and love, which ended in magic.

I had to vacate the guest room, aka my writing room, and I was happy to return to my space at the beginning of the week.  

When I sat down, I peered at a reminder I wrote on a notepad and found a 20 dollar bill peeking out the side.  I don't usually carry cash in my wallet and certainly do not leave it under my note stack.  

Hmmm...something fishy was going on.  I immediately thought of the magic table video my husband showed us that weekend.  In it a man shares his excitement about the magic coffee table that cleans up after him.  I thought that was hilarious until my desk started giving me money.

The next day, I closed my laptop to find a row of 4 sticky notes behind it.  

Now, my desk was sending me positive notes.  I swore it was not there the day before.  It even knew my name.  Upon a first reading, I swore it was addressing me in the last note.  

And then I remembered...Scott's cousin's name is ALSO Heather.  

Okay, so maybe my desk is not magical, but the feeling of joy most certainly felt as if magic was in the air.  

I am excited to be participating in the 16 Annual Slice of Life Challenge.  

Currently...SOLC23

 Currently...

dusting off my blog for the 16th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge (my third)

listing potential ideas for my daily slices

distracted by school thoughts

writing with my Teach Write friends

striving for a perfect 31 days of slicing

distracted by school thoughts

sitting at my new desk trying to focus

praying for creativity to hit me in the head

distracted by school thoughts

hoping I can create the time and space for writing joy

feeling worn out

BUT excited for another month of slicing with this wonderful group of writers.