Thinking About: Hamilton

Over the long weekend, I watched Hamilton thanks to Disney. I was grateful for the "bargain price" of 6.99 vs $$$$.  The music, the cast, and the historical-fiction-musical-infused perspective of America's story were worth the price! 

Lin Manuel Miranda's depiction of Hamilton as progressive and anti-slavery is not historically accurate; yet, the depiction of Hamilton and America's founding fathers as people with economic and political vision combined with a need for power and prestige is part of America's story.  The movie has spurred my thinking, reading and questioning!  

I knew Hamilton was an architect of our economy and was on $10 bills! I didn't know much else and so, many decades after my last history class, I started reading everything I could find about Hamilton and other founding fathers. 

https://www.amazon.com/Alexander-Hamilton-Ron-Chernow/dp/0143034758https://www.ushistory.org/us/18b.asp#:~:text=Hamilton's%20vision%20for%20reshaping%20the,a%20more%20stable%20paper%20currency.

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtid=2&psid=2973

I've been reminded that Hamilton authored many of the Federalist papers that proposed 3 branches of government and he, as well as most if not all of our founding fathers were owners of slaves even while penning documents that "All men are created equal."  

I've been reminded about the power of controversy to spur reading, thinking and learning. If only we could inspire our students with books, films and talk so they want to know more about prejudice, racism, sexism, immigration, privilege, climate change, pollution, health care, education, welfare, critical thinking......so they can be a part of the change in the  course of our nation's story....

@celebratelu Forces That Keep Me Balanced

Last week, I never got around to posting. I was busy, stressed, consumed with elder care and trying, hoping and praying that the storm bearing down on us would be easier (on them) than the week before, yet, I thought of how I really had a celebrate post in my crazy life experience! This week, even though there is another storm bearing down on us, things are brighter and a wee bit easier.
So this week , I want to CELEBRATE some of the "forces, inspirations, and caregivers" that make me smile, even when I feel differently, and keep me balanced over the rocky terrain.

• Family and Friends all of FB and Twitter

I joined FB and Twitter, initially, at the urging of family and friends and yet I could never have imagined the power of an image of a great game, a pile of snow, or of a pup napping on a cold dark, dreary morning.  Keep them coming!

• Humans of New York  https://www.facebook.com/humansofnewyork

I am not sure when these links started showing up on my FB page, but there are stories of teachers, people, leaders and humans that are changing the world one action at a time every day.  It's a reminder that everything we say and do matters.  It's a reminder, to me, to look beyond myself.  

• StoryPeople by Brian Andreas https://www.facebook.com/storypeoplebybrianandreas

I am sure where my links to Story People began (thanks Sandi) and since I love a catchy line, a powerful image created by words, and a good short story, I am grateful for these images and ideas that filter in through FB to make my think and smile.

• Home Health Care Providers like Senior Helpers

At times in our lives, we need a little help.  Asking, accepting, and acknowledging the need are all challenging and I don't think I will be a roll model of what to do when I am lucky enough to get to that stage of life; however, like tests and taxes, aging is part of life!  I am VERY grateful for a new caregiver who has joined my circle of support.  She listens, cleans, cooks, and is there for my mother now.  Everyone is happier and I get to be a daughter, again! 

•  Ruth Ayers http://www.ruthayreswrites.com/ and Two Writing Teachers https://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/

I am very grateful for these writing forums that "give me permission" to take a few minutes and write because even though it took me a long time to practice what I preach, writing really is our link to reading, thinking and comprehension (of our always complex lives filled with many intersecting identities).

@rubberbootsandelfshoes Sharing books about penguins

Today's share is a collection of PENGUIN books that Sandi at Rubber Boots and Elf Shoes shared over on her blog ...perhaps but not only for kindergarten immersion in thinking about these waddling wonders.  I can't wait to talk about central messages in these books! I can't wait to share this before today unknown to me book with my students:)

http://rubberbootsandelfshoes.blogspot.com/2015/01/5-penguin-books.html

@performingineducation Mentor Texts for Persuasive Thinking

I had already been immersed in the thinking about reading clusters of books around themes/big ideas/ enduring understandings as I prepared for this spring semester when I cam upon this Performing In Education post about mentor texts for teaching persuasive thinking!
http://www.performingineducation.com/2014/12/10-mentor-texts-for-teaching-persuasive.html
You really should check out the whole list......I'm ordering this, new-to-me, text right now!

  

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Signs: A Single Shooting Star

I was headed home, late, thinking about the full, but very good day. In school, one of my students jumped "two levels" indicating he is starting to read texts with more than one line of print per page!  My mother is finally taking/responding to her medicine and is "back."  I was infused with "hugs and kisses" after an evening with nieces.  In my head, I was planning the remaining hour of the day before heading to bed.  Then, straight ahead, out over the water, a single shooting star moved at lightning speed across the sky.

(picture from Google images) 

At first, I was not sure what I had witnessed.  Was I dreaming?  Had I fallen asleep at the wheel?  No, the truth was, sure as could be, I had seen a shooting star descend from the heavens and sweep across the darkened winter sky above the reservoir.

I've written about signs before (about a year ago).  Tonight's sign took my breath away.  It was the first time I had ever seen this sight.  Yet, I've read enough stories about them to know I had just a few minutes to decide on a wish.  

The brief battle that ensued inside my head was intense.  How do you choose the one thing you need/want the most? Do I make a wish for the world, such as for resolution of the racial/cultural strains that permeate the news?  Do I think "smaller" and wish for health for family/friends?  Relief from financial strains? Happiness for those I love? Peaceful settlements to one of many disputes?  Diet successes? A book to be published?  Jobs for those I care about?

I think my heart was pounding.  My mind raced to the tale told long ago by the Brothers Grimm about about the fisherman and his greedy wife http://germanstories.vcu.edu/grimm/fischer_e.html.  What if I were greedy?  What if I wasted my wish? It might be a long, long time before I ever saw such as sight again.  In fact, this opportunity might never come by my way again!  I had to make my "wish" the right one!  It seemed like minutes; yet I suspect it was merely moments when my thoughts crystallized and I verbalized to the dark December sky a prayer of gratitude mixed with a single wish!

As I headed home, I sighed, audibly, thinking about how HARD it was to make a single wish when there is SO much at stake.

The First Thanksgiving: Wisdom From the Wampanoag About Wearing Fur

It's no secret that this site is one of my late November favorites.  It's a winner for close reading and determining meaning from complex texts.

http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/webcast.htm


Another reason I return year after year is that Scholastic keeps updating the site!  This year, I learned that we've been wearing our "furs" all wrong!  You need to wear the FUR side next to your skin in cold weather for maximum warmth and the fur side to the outside in rainy weather as fur naturally repels water.  Now I know!

Wampanoag Homesite: Witness the day-to-day life of the indigenous people who were part of the Wampanoag Nation in this 17-minute video for all grades

Grammarly: Just another Spellchecker, or your path to better content?

To all of us who may have gotten a little "sloppy" with the old grammar in the past generation or so,

   You should read this article: 
   Grammarly: Just another Spellchecker, or your path to better content?  It starts with this pretty great quote:

Grammarly is an Online Tool that claims to “reviews and improves your text, correcting grammar, spelling, word choice and style mistakes with unmatched accuracy.”  There is a free trial even if it will be a bit pricey after that.  I am doing the free trial right now myself.   starting a free trial. 

This program picks up not only subject-verb agreement, but also dangling modifiers and better word choices.  One thing that has become abundantly clear to me is that our written English ha become quite sloppy over the last hundred years or so.  As I tried this program last night, I could imagine my Grandmother, a teacher long ago, smiling from ear-to-ear. "Thank goodness grammar is back in vogue," she'd say.   

#sol14 Let's go for a walk

"Put on your sneakers.  Let's go for a walk," he said hurriedly waving his hand towards the door as if I were a puppy awaiting his arrival and my walk.

"I'm almost done with this closet," I frowned surveying the piles of winter-ready wool still on the bed and the floor. If the weather turned cold, again, I wanted to have more than a cotton sweater to put atop a summer skirt!

"It's gorgeous outside," he assured me, "turning on his heel and looking pathetic, "but if you want to stay in and clean, I will go out and blow some leaves around."

The practical, organized and perfectionist side of me looked straight into the embrace-this-moment-of-life-that-you-can-never-get-back-a-sort-of-date, love-a-good-walk side of me and I joined him halfway down the driveway.  I suspect, after all these years, he knew that the desire to be organized and ready for the week ahead would give way to a crisp fall afternoon's potential.

We headed down to the "pond" and trudged through the piles of crunchy leaves, mostly in silence, looking at the newly fallen branches.  After all these years, we both knew, on some level, what we were looking for.

About halfway around the pond, the sun leaned into the horizon and cast an orange shadow that nearly ensconced the entire pond. It seemed to be saying, "I'm glad you came to stopped by to visit in these hours before hunting season begins in earnest in the morning."  This time, quietly acknowledging the darkness that takes over in minutes this time of year, we decided to head home.

"I was remembering," I began.

"That time when we got lost in the woods, back when the kids were little," he finished.

I didn't need to respond as we were in a silent-symphony as we trudged home in the fading light of day.  The clothes were not straightened out this weekend, but I was absolutely grateful for the "afterglow" in my muscles and peace in my heart that follows a brisk walk through crunchy leaves on the edge of the "don't walk in the woods season."

The next morning, the temp was close to 60 degrees, a clear reminder I had made the right choice to let go of preconceived notions about what "needs" to be done. Truth be told, I "needed" that walk filled with the sights and smells of late fall far more than I will ever need a sweater!    

#celebratelu That old "ahhah" moment feeling

When I looked out the morning in the predawn darkness, the snow was everywhere.  My first impulse was to "sigh" with a realization that our color-laden-crispy-sunshiny-fall was morphing into a white-tipped-barren-dark-cold-to-your-bones-winter season. Perhaps, I wondered momentarily, if I should climb back into bed, pull the covers over my head, and forget this day!

Instead, I showered and dressed in layers, emerging in an old-favorite-wool sweater that had been waiting all summer for a chance to come back into the line-up. I fortified my insides with a bit of Quaker's finest that tasted surprisingly delicious as I shivered in the cold!

As I headed to work, the darkness gave way, somehow, to a glorious, early morning "ahhah" moment so lovely I wished I could have taken a picture while driving (so I borrowed this one from a Facebook friend!).  I celebrated the beauty, and the miracle, of thin branches carefully balancing inches of snow while the roads, still warm from the fall's sunshine, remained beautifully-bare!  

A few hours later, I was once again having one of those "I should have climbed back into be and pulled the covers over my head" moments as I coerced my first-period-amoebae-like first-graders into reading an old classic, Get In.

"Sure didn't plan this well," I thought to myself as I guided the amoebae through a short text where Mindy is encouraging her raccoon friend Buzzy to get in a blow-up pool!
"Point to those words," I implored them as word-to-word correspondence is still sporadic.
"Get your mouth ready for that word," I encouraged them.
"We have that word right here on our list," I said hopefully as I pointed to "you" on a short list.
"Now, read it again," I strongly encouraged one particularly reluctant amoeba as I wrapped my arms around him and placed my hands over his own, strongly, scaffolding the reading experience with my mouth moving for his and my heart not too far from his own.

"Will you get in?" we said together.
"I will not get in," he said softly, miraculously pointing to the words as I held him securely.
"Will you get in, Mindy," he continued, effortlessly getting his own mouth ready to say the words as if he had been doing this for a long time.
"See me get in," he said as if he had been doing this a long time.
My breathing slowed so I could hear every soft word coming from his mouth and I smiled from ear-to-ear as I felt that lovely "ahhah" moment-feeling for the second time in as many hours.

"I'm not sure who is more excited right now," the principal, who knew this amoebae quite well, offered as we celebrated our "ahhah moment rereading a page to him and to anyone else who would listen.

There is nothing quite as lovely as snow laden trees, except, if you teach beginning readers!

#celebratelu At That Moment

photo from Google images, not my phone!  

If my day is off to a good start, I reach a milepost on the Interstate as Charles Osgood shares his Osgood File.  I was right on schedule the other day when he started talking about one of the top wide receivers in the country, Malcolm Mitchell, who was reading things he never dreamed he could read and was eagerly participating in a book club consisting of 40-50-60 year old women! http://osgoodfile.com/  (You Can't judge a Book By It's Cover, September 17, 2014)

I work with kids who find reading challenging, so my focus was heightened.  I took a mental note of the name thinking maybe I'd try  to get a picture and create a bulletin board about him...or maybe I could get him to autograph a picture and offer it as a reading incentive....but the last thing I remember about the Osgood File that day was something about football coming naturally to him, ...a gift....unlike reading....he had to work hard to read.....

It was a good thing my mental acuity had been heightened because at that moment, traveling with the pack well above the speed limit, a little black car right next to mine began to enter my space. Somehow, I knew I could not move left as another car was in that slot.  He or she was not looking and my heart began to beat outside of my chest. Somehow, I placed the palm of my hand firmly onto my steering wheel and laid into the horn as if pressing harder would somehow create a magic bubble around my own silvery transporter.  Yet, he kept coming, and while I pumped my brakes and hoped the guy or gal behind me was also experiencing a moment of enhanced acuity, I saw, for a moment, my life, my future, my hopes, and my dreams vanish.

Somehow, at the very last possible moment, with only a sliver of space between us, the black car corrected his course.  Perhaps he or she had been talking on the phone or maybe even texting (although for the life of me I cannot figure out HOW someone could do that at 70+mph on a crowded interstate no less). Perhaps he or she was entranced by the sunrise where fuchsia encased clouds were surrounded by gold fringe.  Perhaps he or she was listening to another radio station!

Thanks to Charles, Malcolm and a Guardian Angel or two, or three, the rest of my trip was uneventful.  I finished sipping my coffee as I stopped at the light nearest to school and marveled that I had made it to school on schedule.  I celebrated small not always acknowledged moments of the day like lunch duty!  I celebrated Open House where I assured parents that sometimes learning to read is hard work, but working together, miracles happen, every day.

I made it to today and I really need to acknowledge Charles, Malcolm and Guardian Angels, everywhere, who not only were hard at work at that moment, but who were also using their gifts, helping small miracles to happen for so many, all week, in all the corners of my life. 

http://www.ruthayreswrites.com/

#sol2014 Walkway Over the Hudson Edition

We sat and watched,

Longer than we had planned,

Looking up through the maze of steel,

Watching cotton puffs that filled the sky,

Drift ever so slowly past

The old rail bridge spanning the Hudson.  

 We focused on the glass box,

It groaned under the stress of bikes and people,

Then it crept up and down those cables,

Ever so slowly.

Smiling people loading and unloading.

"Wanna try it?" he asked.

We entered slowly, cautiously,

Doors locked, the ascent began,

Past strong legs 

Planted in the Hudson,

Long ago transporting trains,

Connecting people.

 We went 21 stories in 90 seconds.

Right into those puffy clouds.

Emerging victorious

As if we had 

Conquered 

The biggest roller coaster on the Boardwalk

 Some worried when they talked of 

Restoring the old rail bridge.

"The costs, the risks, the dangers," 

They predicted.

 "The views, the history, the exercise,"

Is what we have.

Perfect for walkers, bikers, hikers, 

Accessible for strollers, wheelchairs, 

Entertainment for the young and old,

Available to the rich and the poor,

A magical, surreal Slice of Life

In the Hudson Valley

Walkway Over the Hudson State Park

 http://hikethehudsonvalley.com/walkway-over-the-hudsonhttps://www.facebook.com/walkwayoverthehudson

• The first train crossed Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge in 1888. 
• At the time, it was the longest bridge in North America.
• It was the first bridge across the Hudson River between Albany and New York.
• It carried freight trains and people, including students and shoppers from New Paltz to Poughkeepsie's famed Lucky Platt’s!
• During World War II the bridge was painted black to make it less visible in the event of an attack. 
• The fire that destroyed the tracks was probably started by a spark from a train’s brakes on May 8, 1974.  

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Enjoy Life: Even If It's Not Perfect

I woke up with a cold, 

But I woke up.

I slept fitfully,
Concerned about loved ones,
Praying for a plan, 

But I have hope.

I had many messages to respond to,
Work to do,
Excel spread sheets to finish,
Syllabi to post,
Bills to pay,
Errands to run,
But I was able to do so.

I was worried about "nesting,"
The cobwebs, the dust-bunnies,
The start of school syndrome,
Meals frozen at home,
Pinterest worthy classroom envy,

But I have plans.

I woke up realizing the summer was almost over,

Yearning for a day at the beach, a trip to a spa,
Bike rides, hikes, time with family,
Yet, excited about the "new" year.

I'm a year older and still unpublished,
Still not near perfect, still learning,
Still praying for patience, tolerance,

But more hopeful than ever,
More sure I must rely on prayer,
More sure that I am not in control.

With more 

Aches, pains, gray-hairs and wrinkles,
I woke up
Assured that even though I did not get to Europe,
Even though I did not get to the beach,
Even though my clothes are still a bit too tight,
Even though my house is still not clean
Even though there are weeds in my garden,
Even though my life is still not in order,
I do have 

The promise of this day!  

How to live and work effectively

 I'm a support teacher, 

Sharing classrooms and students.

I observe, I reflect

Thoughts on sticky notes.

Here are a few

That appear to impact

How to work effectively with

And live happily with

People

Laugh, Smile

Be fair, Be kind

Be nice

Share

Don't boast

Think before you react

Protect, Trust

Respect property

Respect ideas

Respect words

Clean up after yourself

Admit when you are wrong

Overlook when others are wrong

Forgive and forget

Be patient

After I wrote this list, 

I thought it sounded kind of familiar

....it was!  

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten 

    

Taking over the faculty meeting, one idea at a time.

Over MOST of my career, I have seriously dreaded faculty meetings.  To sit and listen, at the end of a long day, to upcoming events and calendar items, in a stuffy room when there is SO much you need to do back in your room is just plain hard.  Plus , we are usually hungry, thirsty, need to find the rest room and have to call at least one parent! 
In recent years, it has been clear that my own administrators are trying to revamp faculty meeting time into real, valuable PD sharing opportunities. It certainly seems like the movement is not just in my building and flipped as well as creative use of those 10 hours a year seems to be more common than in past years.
@LisaMeade23 who blogs at http://msprincipal23a.blogspot.com/2014/08/faculty-meeting-smackdowns.html
is certainly leading the way with her "faculty meeting smackdown" idea!

Now, truth-be-told, the idea of a smackdown scares me as we should be working together not "knocking down an opponent in a wrestling competition!"  Yet, we are a competitive lot.  We all want to do our best and to be at the top of the heap so putting a competitive spin on things does get our blood flowing.  

Lisa's idea was to have teachers sign up for 2-5 minute slots sharing ideas with their peers.  It sounds so simple and yet so profound at the same time.  It forces us (teachers) to look reflectively and critically at what we do well.  It forces us to think about our strengths and areas where we can grow.  If forces us to look inside and outside our rooms.  

If we were to do this in MY SCHOOL THIS YEAR, I would run like a mad woman to the sign up sheet and be eager to share how TWITTER, this wild and crazy medium of internet travel, has been the VERY BEST FORM OF PD I could have ever envisioned.  

What did women wear in the 1920's?

I am sure you really wanted to know!

http://glamourdaze.com/2010/05/1920s-fashion-womens-dress-and-style.html

Two Flappers -Photo – 1928 

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In th

Balanced Literacy is a Lot of Work

If you live near NYC, you've heard of Carmen Farina, the head of NYC Public schools.  She is a proponent of Balanced Literacy and is insisting that teachers focus on teaching kids to be readers and writers rather than just literacy as a test prep genre! 

I share Farina's passion for teaching that balances skills and practice.  I share her passion for preparing students to be life-long readers and writers who find reading comforting, empowering and informative.  

Yet, I worry that Balanced Literacy is a LOT of work and takes a LOT of prep during every single one of the 180 days of school.  The secret is right in the name: balance: shared reading, shared writing, interactive writing, word study, interactive read-aloud, working independently, working in whole-class settings, thoughtful mini-lessons, conferring, and small groups are part of every single week - all year through. 

Like many other teachers, I believe balanced literacy is best - even for the kids who have limited literacy experience, smaller vocabularies, and less focus. I know that balanced literacy is also more work than any scripted unit of study could imagine.  I worry that we might end up doing scripted programs rather than empowering learners.  

#SOL2014 The Impact of Cultural Language on Multi-Meaning Words

I have a short and sweet SOL about misunderstandings that can occur when background knowledge "distorts" our understanding of mult-imeaning words!
The Setting: My Aunt and I are sitting in a podiatrist's office.
The Problem: My Aunt has a nasty,lingering toe infection. We've tried a host of antibiotics already.
The Solution: The podiatrist says, "You should get her a pair of thongs!"

Now my Aunt does not get out much anymore, however, she can tell you the details of J'Lo's love life and knows about "red carpet" styles!  She also informs ME of the "in" colors and styles each season as her cultural language is strong, even IF based on day-time TV talk shows like The View and The Chew!

So with a strong, perhaps even sultry, yet over 90, interpretation of what the doctor has just said, she turns to me and asks, "Did he just say I should get a thong?" Without waiting for a response, she adds, "How is that going to help my toe?"
I smiled as I reassured her that the good doctor meant flip flops! 
"Oh,  you mean a Japanese sandal," she corrected me!
I smiled as I bought a pair of thongs, flip-flops, or Japanese sandals (depending on your cultural language about such items) later than afternoon.  I couldn't help but wonder how many other words in English might evoke strong (perhaps even sultry) images in different contexts!

#celebratelu The Power Of Words

It's Saturday and time to celebrate life thanks to Ruth and her people who remind and encourage me each week to stop for just and moment and reflect on the small wonderful moments in life. This week I am celebrating the power of words.

This week, we all celebrate, the great wisdom (and words) of Maya Angelou.  Her quips and quotes are far more than fodder for Hallmark cards: they are the wisdom of ages and a beacon of hope during the good, bad, happiest, and saddest moments life has to offer.  The legacy of words she left here on earth is a gift that will keep on giving. Centuries from now, her words will still support, guide and encourage the human soul.

This week, I took my Aunt, her special shoes, her caregiver, her wheelchair, and her walker to a podiatrist to see if we could get a nagging toe infection under control. The doctor needed an x-ray, but there was no way my Aunt could get on or stand on the platform without support; thus, there were three of us on the x-ray platform.  The technician politely asked me and the caregiver if there were any chance we were pregnant, and we assured her we were not. As we settled my Aunt back into her wheelchair, she quipped, as if she were insulted, "The nerve of that girl!  She never asked me if there were any chance I was pregnant!  I guess she read the papers and assumed there wasn't much chance at 91. Hmm. It's a good think she doesn't work at 7-11 because I hear you get fired there if you don't 'card' people when they buy beer!"


Finally, last night, a little girl in my life told her mom, "I wish I could read all weekend.  Food would come out of the book and be fed to me when I am hungry so I wouldn't have to stop reading."  I smiled when I read that quote because I know just how it feels.  There is no joy quite like the power of words that guide, inspire, and make us smile even when we know we really should be doing the laundry, starting the coffee, or heading out for a three mile morning power walk! Oops!  

Poppies: Perhaps I Was Wrong

Long before close reading and rigorous texts were made popular by our CCS, schoolchildren memorized poems such as John McCrae's In Flanders Fields.  They knew it honored soldiers lost in war and thought of the poem when they saw veterans offering paper poppies to anyone willing to donate to the VFW.  In the days before "visualizing" texts was popularized, most of us had a clear image of the poppies dancing in the spring breeze between endless rows of crosses.  The poem, which depicts the ravages of war, was written by a doctor whose own life was marred by the loss of life in a WWI (spring 1915) battle.  For me, at least, the poem has forever connected poppies and cemeteries, sadness, and death.

Now I know that poppies are the only flower that will only grow in "rooted up" soil.  The seeds will lie on the ground for years and will not root until the soil is dug up, as it was for graves in the aftermath of the Great War, the one men, in vain, hoped would be the war to end all wars.  Perhaps, I have been wrong about poppies for all these years.  Perhaps they represent the strength to carry on after great tragedy?  Perhaps they represent the strength we need to live in a world where there still, nearly 100 years later are wars?