Reflections on Slicing...Lessons for writers and teachers of writers

Slicing this month has been a little bit stressful, but mostly an exciting challenge. There are loads of lessons that I can take from the experience of blogging, daily, for a month - but three top the list for me:

1. I had no idea how important writing for an audience is (well, I knew intellectually, but...), knowing that you guys are out there on the other end of the blog world was terrifying at first, because I had no idea who you were and how you were going to respond to my writing and ideas. Later, after I began to feel a part of this unique community, I realized that I was writing with you in mind. This leads me to consider our classrooms - especially classrooms in which the teacher is the only audience for student writing...kids will have a hard time thinking of the teacher as a person who is interested in what they have to say and how they say it. I thought carefully about my words and ideas with you in mind. What a great way to emphasize thinking about language.

2. I get the sense that writing is much like taking pictures...out of many, many pictures you may have one or two pearls (except for a few of you who manage to post beautiful pics daily). In re-reading my writing, there are a couple of "golden lines" that I think are very well-written, but the real beauty is in the daily practice of the craft: think, write, revise, write, revise, write, revise, publish when ready. Pushing that Publish button was often difficult, but taking a risk is part of learning.

3. Most rewarding was the opportunity to reflect on life as I am living it on a daily basis. There were only a couple of days that I felt really pressed to find a topic to write about - kids provide lots of fodder for the blog - and I love that I have a record of what was going on in my mind and my life during the month of March. It is often the minutia in our lives that reminds us where we are going and why... I enjoyed sharing and processing those things with you!

So - thanks for being a wonderful audience for my tentative foray into blog writing; and, thank you all so much for sharing amazing slices of your life and world with me! I learned so much.

Today, when I went to school to clean out 20 year of files, the doors were locked and I could see only a layer of plastic covering the inside of the lobby. We have been under construction, but I hadn't seen this coming. Fortunately, I ran into one of the people in charge - and they let me know that my section of the building was closed for asbestos abatement. I wasn't going to work today - or any other day this week.

I drove away from school with very mixed feelings. On the one hand, I had planned this day of spring break as a work day at school - a day to get caught up on things that I don't seem able to do during the normal school work-day. I was totally bummed not to be able to accomplish what I had set out to do. On the other hand, I had a day that I had intentionally filled with school - that was now completely unencumbered - what were the possibilities?

Returning home to examine my to do list, reality slapped me silly. Of course I should go shopping! So, I shopped - not for me, though. I shopped for Rebecca - with Rebecca. We went all over the Northern Virginia region looking for shorts and tops that would be appropriate to wear on her school exchange trip to Costa Rica. "Look nice," the pamphlet said, "nicer than normal American kids in school." So we headed out to the Lands End store at our local Sears.

"Nice clothes, Rebecca," I said, "not as nice as church, but nice." In minutes we ran through the embarrassingly skimpy selection at Lands End. Drawn by the closely packed racks and bright colors, Rebecca quickly moved out of Lands End and into the regular kids' section.

"How about this, Mom?" she called, holding up a thin t-shirt with bold graphics proclaiming that she was a "Love Princess." "And shorts. I need a few of these," Rebecca added, thrusting a glittering, pink pair of booty shorts at me.

Ugh, I couldn't even bring myself to really dig through the racks. The outfits were so grown-up, almost sleazy - I taught Rebecca this word today, much to my dismay.

I just want to send Rebecca to stay in another country, with a family she doesn't know, looking nice, clean and neat. No frills, or lace; no glittery graphics; no suggestive language spread across her chest or plastered to her rear. Where can I find these kinds of good, sturdy clothes for my pre-teen daughter? Does it seem like clothes for girls are going off the deep end?

Perhaps I should take up sewing; now that has possibility!

Last night the kids and I went to a different church for Palm Sunday services. We went, really, because this church offered a Sunday night mass that was more convenient for our schedule than Sunday morning; what was interesting was the kids reaction to this change...and I knew this about them, it just drove the point home. They really didn't like it, especially Rebecca. On the way home, I commented that it was nice to see another church's traditions and recognize the similarities that thread throughout Catholic Church services everywhere. Rebecca, kind of out of the blue, said, "I don't want to go there ever again. I only want to go to our church." I was kind of aghast - but in asking her more questions, she was able to clearly say that she liked seeing people she knew and people who knew her when she was in church. For her, going to church is about being a part of a community, after all, this is the church that she has grown up in. I appreciate that. For all of my struggles with the Catholic Church, there is a part of me that wants to raise my children in the Church and be a more active member myself. For me, too, this has more to do with belonging to a community than it does agreeing with the doctrine that is set forth. Nothing too deep here - just ruminating on a thought.

Travel Envy...

My baby girl is going to Costa Rica in 2 weeks. I can't believe my 10 year-old is heading off with a group of her schoolmates and teachers...to explore the unique environment and culture of Costa Rica without me! I must admit, I am very excited for her. However, as the date draws near, her jitters, and mine, get a little more serious. What about the plane ride? Will she get lost? How will she entertain herself? What about her manners? Will they stand the test of another person's house? Bathing? Will she? Aagh - there are so many unknowns. But, I guess that is the beauty of going off on an adventure by herself...she gets to figure the answer to all of these questions by herself. Growing up - hard for us, exciting for her.

Today, I

Today, I
woke without an alarm
brushed my teeth
and climbed back into bed.

Today, I
finished a book
that I started yesterday
and began another one.

Today, I
ate eggs for breakfast
washed all the dishes
and finally showered at 11:00 a.m.!

Today, I
finished a paper
not due until Monday
and submitted it early!

Today, I
read the paper
national news through style
and took a nap.

Today, I
totally enjoyed
the beginning of
Spring Break!

It is never easy to hear that a former student has died. On the few occasions that it has happened, I find myself contemplating the young person as a middle school student and reflecting on how much hope and potential each had when they were with us. Unfortunately, all of the kids I can remember who have died struggled academically in middle school, and usually that was symptomatic of other life situations that they dealt with.

This particular child was a gifted runner - he might have had the possibility to be a great runner - and he was a terrific challenge in the classroom. The last time I saw him he was working at a grocery store in my neighborhood, in the fruit and vegetable section. We glanced up at each other, probably over the apples, and I glanced shyly back down at the bin. I never think they will remember me. When I looked back up he was smiling at me, "Didn't you?" he asked.

"Teach at Jefferson Middle School? Yep, I still do!" I completed his unfinished thought. "Wow, how are you?"

"I'm great," he said, "working here until I find something else. Maybe I'll go to school." An irrepressible smile shone from his twenty-something, youthful face.

"It is great to see you," and as I always say, selfishly, I guess, "come back and see us at TJ, sometime. There are plenty of people who would love to see you! Good luck."

"I'll see you," he replied, and grinned, looking more and more like the seventh grader who had run circles around me.

Wish I remembered more. Devastated to hear about the loss. Wondering, what I could have done differently.

I miss teaching, a lot. This afternoon I thought the lesson was going to bomb, for sure. Take 30 eighth graders, after school, the Thursday before spring break begins, and toss in a lesson on characteristics of confidence (part of the leadership lessons that I try to do once a month with the National Junior Honor Society); it sounded like a recipe for "lesson failure!" But, it wasn't, and I am so delighted. The kids were engaged, asked questions, made thoughtful comments to each other and the large group...and set a goal for themselves - to work for the month on a particular element of confidence that they consider a weakness. I guess, more than the teaching, I miss the relationships that develop in the classroom; how precious those relationships are, as they form the tenuous bond that is the foundation for learning.