59. Sometimes I Surprise Myself

#64Challenge

This week my AP of curriculum called to ask about placement of a student in Language Live. After our conversation, I asked him what I would be teaching next year.

Keep in mind, I NEVER usually know this until at least a week ahead of school starting.

Andy told me he had me teaching all Inside curriculum -- level 2 students. Fine, as that is my wheelhouse. Sadly, we are going to a horrendous 6X6 schedule, which is difficult to fathom. All that starting and stopping, all day long!

Anyway, Andy told me I'd have four classes of 6th graders, and six classes of 7/8 graders. As I had already suspected, I will no longer be teaching creative writing. He said, "I need you in reading."

Of course, I knew that. I had just been holding out a teeny bit of hope.

When I got off the phone, I told Jim and he suggested I start a creative writing club. I was like, hell yeah!  Why not? So I'm thinking about that, and already have some support from admin.

The good part I see here: I am used to the Inside curriculum, and know how to apply the standards and bump it up.

I can stick to my overall foundation for the course I found in an article in an ASCD magazine I got at the conference last year: Identity, Mastery, and Creativity.

I will basically have one prep for the first time since the 2007-08 school year. Of course, I know I will be doing slightly different things for the younger kids, but in general the prep is the same.

The not so good part: I like variety in my days. These will be too much alike. I will have to work hard not to be bored!

I have always found it hard to remember what I told to what classes when I've taught too many alike. It used to happen when I taught 6/7.  Now with 10/12...I'm going to have to take copious notes!

Andy said he'd tried to keep the classes to 22. So, 220 students, more or less. More than I've ever had.

But I've surprised myself in that none of this bothers me. I've been sitting with this for days and it's okay. I feel that these past few months, actually since the beginning of this year, I have learned better than ever how to roll with things. I just don't feel the emotions I used to feel about this stuff. Now I know in a deeper way I can get through anything, as long as my heart and soul are in the right place.

I know what I want my kids to achieve in my class: Identity, Mastery, and Creativity. With a clear vision, anything can be accomplished. No doubt, we will get there, calmly and with purpose.

Write Around the Corner Meeting Prompts 5/30/2020

#WriteAroundtheCorner

We celebrated our 10th meeting together! 

1. We began with an invitation to write from Natalie Goldberg from her classic book Writing Down the Bones.

 

 

2. Listing: Make a list of 10 things you could write about.

3. How To.  Write instructions for anything.  Examples from the meeting: How to Walk the Beach.  How to Love Me.  How to Destroy Yourself.  How to Sing Your Favorite Song.

Elements (7/7 #2)

#108Weeks

May 24-30, 2020

 
What does it mean to be free?

The Dharma contains the elements that make up life.

More than ever, I can see how I integrate parts into a whole.

I've come a long way from the fear, agitation, and roller coaster of emotions I was feeling for weeks.

"Release the struggle" -- a new mantra.

The point is to be flexible.

I am satisfied All will be well.

Green Again

Inspired by these word by Gary Snyder in his poem "Loose on Earth"

an after,

rubble -- millennia to weather,

soften, fragment,

sprout, and green again.

After everything blows apart,

all we knew erupting into

an unrecognizable mess,

our job is to see beyond,

but damn, that is hard.

We like being shocked, bewildered;

it's a stopping point to gather

ourselves for the journey needed,

the one we didn't plan to take,

but one that might actually

lead us to what is most 

important, productive, essential,

and most of all, equitable.

Forces are already gathering

against us. There are those

willing to poison the fields.

Be aware!

58. The Rising Sun

#64Challenge

Today I am inspired by these words from Owen Sheers' poem "Tree."

...silhoutted against a reddening sky

that could be the setting or the rising of the sun

I wrote this in anticipation of learning who our new principal would be.

Today I want to feel the sun rising

on a new day for CLMS.

I know Kelly is part of the setting

sun, as she rides off into her

retirement, well-earned.

I need to believe in a rising sun

today. Everything has already 

changed. It's okay if there is

more.

Yet, I will remember a tree takes

a long time to grow, its roots

to establish, the sun and rain

in due time. Nothing will be

immediate. I will allow the

branches to establish themselves,

so they may 

grow strong.

"There's a Rainbow in the Sky"

Many, many inspirations today.

Began with this photo:

Continued with Joy Harjo's poem "In Praise of Earth," these lines in particular:

And this Earth keeps faithfully to her journey, carrying us around the Sun,

All of us in our rags and riches, our rages and promises, small talk and suffering...

I wrote:

Everything has become fodder for

writing, a spark point. There is 

a multi-dimensional aspect and

depth to uncover in everything I read.

In a time of great disparity, suffering,

loneliness, and rage,

my mind pierces the possible.

I am highly aware

that the promised moment

from many years ago

has come, when I saw, 

during a shamanic journey,

the rainbow, heard the words

 "You're the great integrator."

And today I was taken by the breathtaking

photo of a rainbow over Chicago.

I've received the sign of hope and renewal.

The painting in the sky.

This is for me.

I accept the challenge.

Then, this poem I read every day took on deeper meaning:

Cut brambles long enough,

Sprout after sprout,

And the lotus will bloom

Of its own accord:

Already waiting in the clearing,

The single image of light.

The day you see this,

That day you will become it.

~Sun Bu-er~

I saw the rainbow.

The image of light.

And it was me.

"My life is full of color here

My mind is clear."

Heart (7 Lines, 7 Days #1)

 #108Weeks

Week of May 17-23, 2020


This is based on a prompt from Write Around the Corner. I went through my journal from the past week and chose one sentence that expressed something I'm currently thinking and feeling. Starting to feel things lining up, which is exciting.

HEART

Hasn't my life been served greatly by art?

Something inside me tells me to keep going -- to keep teaching and working and being present.

Starting to think about summer.

Let me remember that I'm making effort with the best of intentions.

All I need to do is listen with my heart.

I vow in the midst of difficulties to listen deeply and love.

This past week has been the best during this whole pandemic time.