Memorial Day - We Remember - 3 Generations

Today of all days we remember.  We remember those who have served our country and are now gone.

My Dad:  Master Sergeant
 William Norman Bagley, US Army

Born:  November 29, 1930
Died:  May 28, 1999
Buried: Bushnell National Cemetery, Bushnell, FLorida.

Memorial Day is a difficult time for my family.  Although we know my father is with our Father in Heaven it is a sad time.  It is made even sadder by the fact that because he died on Memorial Weekend we were unable to have his funeral until the 2nd of June.  This is significant because it is the birthday of my sister Gloria who is now with our Heavenly Father.

My Brother:
Rex Allan Bagley
US Air Force Retired

I am so proud of my brother for serving his country in Iraq.

My wonderful son:
Christopher William Torres, US Army

Christopher will be deployed to Korea sometime this July.  He will leave behind his children and his wife who will give birth to another child in November.

I am very proud of these three.  I've had numerous nephews serve as well.  To all of my family, and all soldiers everywhere, I salute you, and thank you for serving our country.

Is America Dumbing Down Education?

Every year I get more depressed when I see how little we value reading.  I have been a teacher for the past nineteen years.  My passion has always been reading.  In first grade I sat with struggling students during our recess and helped them with their reading.  In middle school I worked with the learning disabled in their classrooms with their reading.  In high school my father moved us from Indiana to Florida.  It was quite the educational shock.  The English books I had used in seventh grade were our tenth grade books.  I had most of my credits so I took every Literature and English course I could.  Imagine my horror when we received a program my senior year called "Individualized College English".  I immediately signed up.  After all I had been taking AP courses so this must be one of those, right?
After the introductory class I learned it was a reading program I'd taken in fourth through sixth grade up north.  It was to help students learn to comprehend what they read and to pick up their speed.  It was an SRA program.  I became the teacher's assistant working with the really low level readers.

 As you can see I have always taught reading.  Both of my younger sisters entered kindergarten reading on a second grade level.  When we lived in the country and had to stay indoors due to bad weather,  we played a multitude of things.  My choice was school.  When our elementary school had burned down, and they placed the smoke damaged text books outside for the taking, I had an entire set of first through sixth grade text books.  I made my sisters and cousins help take them home.  So, we played school.  I was the teacher and taught my sisters before they entered school.

Nineteen years later I still love the idea that I may be able to change one student through teaching.  I dream of inspiring kids to become readers.  However, the longer I teach the more afraid and disillusioned I become.  We as teachers know what we should do to help our students become well rounded, educated, global citizens.  Then we have those above us who tie our hands.

I keep books of all reading levels and genres on my shelves.  I have books for my more mature readers that require parent permission due to subject matter.  These books contain issues that many of my middle schoolers face.  An example book would be Sarah Littman's book, "Want to Go Private".  We live in a technological age where kids are on Facebook talking with total strangers.  This book is the fictional story of one girl who learns through a horrifying lesson how dangerous it is to chat online.  As much as I've been criticized by some parents for having it on my shelves, I've been praised by other parents for having a book that gives them an opening to discuss topics like this with their young teens.

I am not wandering here, there is a point to all of this.  As we near the end of the school year and prepare our summer reading lists I find myself in the same frustrating situations.  We want students to continue to read over the summer so we make up a list of books and some sort of activity or project for them to bring in after school begins.  It sounds like such a lofty idea until told that it has to be simple so parents won't complain or get to frustrated and call the school.  Something as simple as keeping a reading journal with explicit instructions on how to do this, morphed into having the student write a reflective paper about the book, what they liked or didn't like and why.  It also included a collage of words or pictures from the book.

I feel most frustrated because I work in an IB school and feel that we need to up the anti for these future global students.  Why is it that America keeps letting those we are trying to help, the parents, set the rules for how we teach.  We want our students to be able to compete for future jobs on a global scale, yet we continue to dumb down our education.  We can create all kinds of test for our students. We can't continue to listen to parents say, "My child couldn't do their homework last night because they had a football game", and then turn around and complain that their child can't keep up so it must be the teacher's fault.  It is time America wakes up and says, education should be first.  I think we had it right many years ago when we didn't promote a child in a subject until they had mastered it.  Now we promote them so they won't be socially affected, hoping the next teacher will be able to catch them up.  This becomes the snowball affect.  I can't catch catch your child up AND teach them what they need to know for this year at the same time.  At some point parents have to take responsibility for their child's education.  I'm tired of hearing, "I'm a single parent and I have to work two jobs so I can't help my kids with their homework."  I was a single parent, working three part-time jobs and attending college full time and always made sure my kids did their homework.

I've taught international students.  Many of them laugh at our educational system.  In some countries students are all taught the same curriculum.  Those students who fall behind are then put on an educational track to teach them a trade, while those who want to work hard for future college are given that opportunity.  I've taught students who attended classes in an auditorium with 300 students then had to engage a tutor in the evenings so that they could get a good education.

We in America have lost sight of how important an education is.  Our students don't value it.  Many of those higher up evidently don't value it.  If they did they would not advocate dumbing it down to keep from offending parents.

It is time that we take back education, raise the bar and do what is right for our students.

Reading and Writing Love

Today was a very successful day.  I would consider this one of my most successful days.  Next week we start our State testing.  I didn't want to start a new unit so this week I've done creative writing with my students.  Of course I wrote along with them.  I have the most fun with this exercise because I allow my students to give me the topic/character and the setting and I take it from there.  It seems my most recent story Called "Human Stew" was a big success with my students.

Today when discussing fears the  students I will be testing may have with the upcoming test, I was told by one young man that in the past he'd had a nightmare where the test came to life and ate him. I suddenly had this vivid image and a title.  "The Test That Ate Students". He wanted to know if I would have it written for him to read by sixth period.  I told him "Not this time". They like that  I have a very warped mind.  Activities like this get not only my students' writing juices flowing, but mine as well.  That was my first mission.

My second mission was to get students reading again.  It is the last quarter of the year and they are slacking off.  I will always have students who have no problem finding books to read, and gladly check them out 3-4 at a time.  I also have students who won't try a new genre. They tell me they only read "this" or "that".  Today I did a modified book pass.  Most book passes work this way.  You place a stack of books in the middle of a group of students.  They each choose a book and read the back and a few pages in until time is called.  Next they write down the author, title, and  rate it and explain their rating.  Next they pass the books to their left and complete the activity until they have reviewed all of the books at their group.  Today I chose a book from five different genres for each desk.  The frenzy was on.  "Miss can I change books? Can I check one out? Can I exchange one I've already read with someone who hasn't read it?"  My answer to all of the above was yes. They argued over who saw a book first.   I have 108 students total.  I checked out 58 books today.  That was terrific.  What was even better, was when a student who told me the only type of books she liked were fantasy, chose a realistic fiction and a science fiction book to read.  I introduced them to genres they had never read.  One of the kids said she finds reading hard but loved reading in my class because I let her pick her books instead of telling her what she had to read.

Yes!  Today was such a success and a wonderful way to end the school week.  They were excited to be relaxing with a book over the weekend.  That is something I like to hear.

HAPPY EASTER

HE IS RISEN!

In Celebration of Easter my book "Steps to Courage" is free as a Kindle download Today, Easter Sunday.

Click here to get your free download.

HAPPY EASTER

Spring Break Read-a-Thon, Day 1

Well Today is the first official weekday of my Spring Break.  I have set a goal of reading and reviewing at least 3-5 books a day.  Why?  I want and need to get my book pile of review books down.  I have cut way back on the number of books I am accepting to review.  I have noticed several things in the past six months that has me a little concerned.

 First and foremost is that I seem to have moved away from my reason for starting my blog.  Originally it was started to help my students find books they might enjoy reading.  They are always saying that they can't find anything to read.  Over the last year I have observed from my statistics that I have been reading and reviewing more adult books.  That is not a bad thing.  I have parents who read my blog and are looking for books to read.  I have lost some of my students because of this. I need to find a balance in what I review.  I also need to read and review the books I've had on my shelves here at home and at school for the last couple of years.   I  often purchase books for my shelves at school.  If it is a young adult book I read it first to make sure it is appropriate for the age group I read.  That doesn't mean it won't go on my shelf.  It means that often I need to send a letter home to make sure the parents are okay with their child reading it.  I've got stacks I'd love to read and place on my school shelves, but I've not had time to read them.

Another problem created by my backlog of books to be reviewed is that my writing has virtually stopped.  Not because I want it to, but because I am playing catch up on my reviews.  There are some days where I may exceed my goal of reading 3 - 5 books.  No, I am not skimming or speed reading, even though I do read very fast.  I have at least 10 - 15 books on my desk I have started and not finished.  When I looked at my bookmarks in them they were anywhere from half to three-quarters finished.  Yes I know, I'm really bad about starting several books and then not finishing them until later, because life happens, and so does school, you know grading papers, etc.

I have not decided if each day I am going to post  reviews as I go, or try to post them all at one time.  So please, check back often this week to see what I have read.  Besides, Katrina at Callapidder Days will soon be hosting her Spring Reading Thing and I want to read from my TBR pile, instead my review pile.

So join me in reading over spring break.

Weeks End - Sorry this week is kind of a downer : (

Today I am starting something new.  I am wanting to use my Sunday's to wrap up my week. Kind of like a "week in review".  I stole this idea, I mean got this idea from Vicki at  I'd Rather Be At The Beach.  Vicki gives us a peek into what has been happening in her life throughout the week.  Sunday's are kind 0f hectic.  After church I come home eat lunch and then try to decide what I can cram into the rest of my afternoon.  I hope that this will take care of my Sunday Postings.

This has been a hectic week.  First I've been under the weather all week.  When feeling under the weather and backlogged with papers to grade I don't get a lot of reading accomplished.  I will be taking advantage of a three day weekend to read as much as I can and then write reviews as I can get to them.  I hope to get caught up with reading.  I don't like feeling like I'm always a step behind.

School has become very disappointing.  I pray that God will direct my steps as our county once again cuts our pay and increases our premiums on our benefits.  At the bottom of this post you will find more information about our "teaching situation".  Please pray that God will let me know what he wants me to do.  My family is barely making it, and now we have this situation.  I already spend a large portion of my paycheck on school needs.  Our printing budget for the entire school year was $50.  We were told we could add our own personal money to this at anytime so we could make more copies.  We've been making class sets of required materials because of the printing budget.  Oh, did I mention we must provide our own copy paper?

On a happier note: I received these this week in the mail to review:

I have several books I will be reading this week.  Chomp by Carl Hiaasen is top of my list.  The reason for that is my students and I will be starting "Flush" in two weeks.  It is part of our Core Curriculum.  I am so looking forward to finishing up Chomp.  I do like Carl Hiaasen's books.

My week ended with a visit from my niece, her two sons and her future husband.  She is expecting a little girl the day after my birthday.  She has picked out a very unique name for her "Essence Monet".  My mother hates it, but I like it's uniqueness.  It was good seeing her.  Due to several events, most not good, we had not seen her for 5 years.  We've seen pictures of the kids and I had last seen her and held her oldest son when he was 3 months old.  She has matured a lot.  She has promised to come back down and visit with us in the next 4 weeks.  Maybe then we'll have pictures.  I was sick so I didn't take any.

As promised here is an article about our teaching situation:

Retroactive pay cut for Manatee teachers

By Christopher O'Donnell

Published: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 1:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 12:07 a.m.

MANATEE COUNTY - In a devastating night for Manatee County teachers, School Board members imposed a retroactive pay cut of 2.75 percent for this school year, raised health insurance premiums and ended automatic annual pay raises awarded for longevity.

 The moves came despite a protest by more than 300 teachers who lined Manatee Avenue West and packed the hearing, many wearing red T-shirts and holding signs saying "enough is enough."

 Even worse for teachers: the pay cut applies to this school year as well, and will be retroactive. Beginning with paychecks in March, a year's worth of salary cuts will be jammed into the 11 paychecks left in the school year.

 That means that a first-year teacher will lose $1,059 in salary, roughly $96 dollars per pay check. A teacher at the top of the pay scale would lose $153 per pay check. Teachers are paid twice monthly.

 The hearing was held because district officials declared an impasse after ongoing talks with the Manatee Education Association failed to produce agreement. The salary reductions were part of a $14 million package of cuts. By state law, the School Board acts as final arbiter in event of such a dispute.

 "I wish we didn't have to do it," said board member Bob Gause. "At the end of the year, we have to meet our budget."

 At times, the meeting descended into farce.

 Most of the pay cut was needed because board members last year demanded that McGonegal cut an extra $3 million to address a deficit in the district's health insurance fund. Yet twice board members voted against the proposals Superintendent Tim McGonegal had drafted to follow their wishes.

 And an odd silence then greeted Chairman Harry Kinnan's call for alternative proposals.

 "If you don't want to cut the pay, tell us where you will get the money," Kinnan said to his fellow board members.

 Clearly frustrated, Gause traded criticism with board member Julie Aranibar, who he said had supported the district's position in executive sessions held outside public view.

 "I've tried to be fair — I've tried to be fiscally responsible," he said. "At this point, I need my colleagues to come up with something we can support."

 The pay cut eventually passed by a 3-2 vote with Aranibar and Karen Carpenter voting against.

 The outcome could have been worse for teachers. The pay cut will be achieved through two enforced furlough days and a pay cut, meaning salaries will automatically go back up by 1 percent next school year.

 The board also decided to adopt lower health insurance premiums than originally proposed. Premiums will rise by about 20 percent.

 The board already cut pay for administrative and clerical staff who are not represented by unions, with top administrators taking a 5 percent pay cut. Principals and assistant principals received a 3 percent pay cut.

The vote to end annual automatic pay raises was also controversial.

Assistant Superintendent Scott Martin said the longevity awards tied the district's hands during difficult budget years.

Bruce Proud, Manatee Education Association business agent, warned that without the raises teachers with classroom experience would be paid the same as first-year teachers.

Superintendent Tim McGonegal withdrew a proposal that would force teacher assistants and aides to take three furlough days.

That would have saved the district about $200,000 but cost some of the district's lowest paid staff almost $300 per year.

Board members decided last year to spare school bus drivers and cafeteria staff from any pay cuts.

Teachers who attended the meeting said their presence had clearly given the board pause for thought.

"It made them see that it's not just a bottom line, that there are people out there who will be hurt by these cuts," said Laura Moran, a biology teacher with 35 years teaching experience.

 But there was still recognition that despite the protest, teachers' pay and benefits have taken another hit. Teacher pay was cut by 1 percent in 2008-09 school year.

 "It's terrible for morale," said Jeff Lego, a music teacher at Tillman Elementary School. "Everyone is overworked as it is."

This is our situation in a nutshell.  My suggestion is to cut from the top.  Each of those people start at 6 figures while ours just keeps dropping.  I am even for an all volunteer school board, as in no pay.

I promise the next Sunday post will not be quite so depressing.  Things have to get better Right??  : )

Mythology Questions

We have been studying mythology in our Language Arts Class.  Today a student asked another teacher a question.  She sent him to me.  The question was, "What would happen if there were no myths in the world.  Would things be the way they are now?"

I gave him my answer.  Our cultures, religions and many other things are built upon myths.  Myths make us question our beliefs in many ways.

Here is a second question:  "What would you say is your favorite myth and where does it come from?" (Greece, Persia, etc.)

So weigh in on this.  How would you answer these questions?  I told him I would put  out there and give him an answer next week.  Please leave a a comment.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Often we find our attitude not where it should be this time of year.  This year, right before Thanksgiving my car decided to have some major problems.  Three weeks later and quite a bit of money later and it was fixed, or so we thought.  Those costly repairs cut into our budget which is already tight.  So a week after Thanksgiving I've been able to drive my car to school, happy to have it running again.  My husband takes the car to the store and when he returns he says, "Well I guess I'll be driving you to school until you have your break,  Your steel belts are poking through on your tires."  I went into the house and thought, "Really Lord?  We just spent two paychecks on the car and then this,  and now I have nothing for Christmas." My mother asked when I was setting up the tree and I told her I didn't know if I was going to put one up.  There was nothing to go under it.  My husband heard me and reminded me that we had experienced tighter Christmases.

Our first Christmas together he brought home a small live tree.  It fit on our coffee table. The kids were so excited.  The year before my children and I  had borrowed a tree from my sister's storage unit  and we had made paper and wooden ornaments and colored them with markers.  I was a newly divorced mother of two. My kids reminded me that we had those ornaments to place on the tree.  By the third day the tree had almost no needles left on it.  My son remarked that it was beautiful just like the one on Charlie Brown.  He then reminded me of the reason we celebrated Christmas.

On this occasion my husband  was my reminder.  So, two days later I called my daughter and asked if her daughter could spend Friday night with us.  School was out for Christmas break and she could help me set up our tree.  It was a wonderful time as my granddaughter Haylee talked about each ornament.  Some of them were ornaments we had given to our children, some were the ones we had made.  She proclaimed the tree was beautiful.  We waited until her mother picked her up  to put the candy canes on the tree.  Both my daughter Angie and my grand-daughter Haylee have this honor each year.  My daughter was looking at the ornaments and picked up a bell shaped piece of construction paper with her kindergarten picture on it.  Her eyes misted over and she said, "Now I have one of these on my tree with my daughter on it."  I realized that the tree was a symbol of memories.  If I never have anything to put UNDER the tree I have memories covering it.  I have several ornaments that were my father's.   He has been gone since 1999.  It has always been a tradition to give an ornament to everyone.  When the kids got their own place they had a baggie of ornaments to start off their decorating.  I have not made any for them or my grand kids yet.  I do know what I will be making though.
I look forward to this years traditions.  We open gifts on Christmas Eve so that the kids can visit in-laws and other relatives on Christmas day.  We always have dinner and then read the story from Luke before we ever open presents.  Christmas day is a day we celebrate Christ's birthday.  When the kids were little we had a birthday cake for him.
I may only have a couple of gifts under the tree this year but the family that sits around it is what is most important.  Besides, we have the greatest gift of all.  We have the gift of God's son.  What more could I ask for?

I hope that as you prepare for this busy time of year you find the peace, love and memories to carry you through.  May you find a reason to celebrate in the face of hard times.

God Bless You All!

What do your kids know about 9/11

This is not my usual type of post.  It is not a review of a book.  Thursday at school I presented a slideshow to my students of pictures I had taken at ground zero 10 months after 9/11.  Although many of my students were knowledgeable about the events, I was shocked by how many had false knowledge or no knowledge.

As a teacher and parent it was important for me to discuss those events with my children.  It is just as important today for parents to discuss those events.  Here is a smattering of how my students replied when asked what they knew about 9/11.

Student one:  "Bush blew up the twin towers then blamed terrorists for it."
Student two:  "The Pentagon got hit too?"
Student three:  "Planes hit the towers?  I thought someone shot missiles or threw bombs in there."
Student four:  "What happened on 9/11?"
Student five:  As I was showing the pictures she asked, "did this just happen a couple of days ago?"

This is scary.  It is not taught in our curriculum.  Teachers are afraid of scaring the children or they think it is the responsibility of the parents.  We've left it to the parents and this is what we have.  True, most of my students were about age 2 when it happened.  Where have the parents been since that time?  They allow them to watch "R" rated movies and MTV but think that 9/11 news footage would be too much?  These kids are our future.  It is time someone stands up and teaches our kids what is going on in the world.  Don't leave it up to the teachers then complain when they can't fit it all in.

I asked my students to talk about the pics I had shown and reflect on how pictures are used, and the emotions they bring out.  I asked them to go to the memorial site and look at it then write a letter to a friend explaining what happened on 9/11.  I was one  of two teacher at my school who did something.  How do I know this?  We were asked to let administration know what our plans were so they could let the county know.  The other teacher created a beautiful fence reminder using plastic cups. Knowing her I am sure she has mentioned the events of 9/11.  I invited administration and teachers to come sit in on my class.  I had one administrator, one teacher and a guest and I asked them to share with the students as well.

As I told my students, "You must learn the facts because you are our future.  If you don't learn from these events then we can expect to repeat history."

So I ask you:  What do your kids know about 9/11?

New Cover is Here

The New Cover is here!  The book is available on Amazon once again.  I am still offering the special.  Order the book from my blog at only $10 and I cover shipping.  Don't want to use PayPal?  Contact me through email.  I will accept checks or money orders.

Steps to Courage - Special Limited Time Offer

I am happy to report that as of today I have gone from "writer" to published author.  My book Steps to Courage is available on Amazon.
 Here is an expanded description of my book.

Trina Lacy is passionate about Angel Hope, a service that she once relied on to get her through one of the toughest times in her life.  Required to complete community service hours for graduation she proposes a charity fundraiser held at Windows on the World, in New York City’s Twin Towers.  She is joined in

this venture by her ex-boyfriend Lucas James.  He is hoping to use this not only for his required hours, but to mend the broken relationship with Trina.  Mark Jacobs volunteers for the project out of guilt.  He has been carrying around the guilt of playing a major role in his parent’s death.  He hopes to find a way to forgive himself. 

They meet at the Twin Towers on 9-11 to divide and conquer.  None of them expected terrorists to fly planes into the Towers.  Each of them is a survivor of a horrific tragedy from their past and, now they must face escaping the burning towers with all the odds stacked against them.  How will they survive this ordeal when each of them feels guilty at having survived in the first place?

I am taking advance orders for my book for a limited time.  Order from my site and pay no shipping.
Cost of book for limited time is $10.00

Student Poetry Saturday

Death  by Ryan

The cold hand of Death waits around every corner,
 and outside of every door.
He has a horrid sight of putrid rotting flesh,
and the screeching silence that he creates.
His stench follows wherever he goes,
along with his sulfurous breath.
When he claims you for your end,
you taste the horrifying bone-dry taste,
that signifies you have joined him.

Dumpsters  by Jack

Dumpsters are horrendous
Everything that's bad
In an unholy box
Its putrid smell will leave you screaming
A blood curdling yell
A very homely sight
Might be quite a fright
A rough rusted outside
A jagged inside
Filled with bitter, rotten food
Formerly mouth watering
Now furry with mold
The horrid urban monster
Is nasty and old

Chocolate Strawberry  by Nirali

The Chocolate Strawberry stare at me like a dog begging for a treat.
I think about the savory taste which tastes like it is as fresh as a loaf of bread.
I am still staring at the chocolate Strawberry which looks as beautiful as a pear sitting in an oyster.
Finally I pick up the yummy looking strawberry as carefully as holding a precious diamond.
It feels as soft and smooth as a baby's skin.
It is so intoxicating I quickly take a bite of it.
I cannot get rid of the Chocolaty and juicy taste.  It is like it has be glued to my mind.
Now, I have stopped moving and I am still thinking about the sound of the crispy outside and soft inside.

Student Poetry Friday

Pizza by Evan

As I walk in New York one thing catches my eye,

Saucy, steamy pizza stares back at me.

It says, "Hello!" as I walk by,

Those certain words just brighten my day.

I walk in the shop and say, "How do you do?"

and the pizza says, "Not much how about you?"

I ask the shop owner, "2 slices please!"

and he gave me that yellow, saucy pizza.

As I took it to the table,

I listened to the sound of the sizzling cheese.

I picked up that warm pizza and he said, "Here I go!"

Before I put him in my mouth I said goodbye,

and he said see ya soon (If you know what I mean)

He went in my mouth with grease slipping out,

and this is what I tasted.

That warm, cheesy, mushy pizza

with an ending of crunchy crust.

He went down my throat with an ease,

and I said, "You are delicious Mr. Cheese!"

Thursday's Poetry

This is a poem by Marquia.  She started out trying to do a free verse poem and found out that she had a lot of internal rhyme.  This has been re-typed exactly as she spelled it and punctuated it.

Townhome

I need to buy a townhome,
A very special townhome.
It needs a juicy price,
So I don't have to roll the dice.
I don't want to get a loft,
I want my town home to be soft.
The mailbox can't feel rusty.
The town home can't be dusty.
I don't want irritating sounds,
Or else I'll stomp the ground.
I don't want to hear a quack.
Or else I'll go crack.
I don't want a stinky smell,
I prefer a lovely smell.
It needs a handsome sight,
So it won't look like a fright.
Like I said,
Like I said.
The price needs to be sweet,
One that I can't beat.
I need to buy a townhome,
A very special townhome.

Another Day of Student Poetry

Asteroid by Jose

Asteroids are cold and hard,
They're dark and look like they're made of lard.
If I were to smell one
I guess it would smell like smoke and coal.
Asteroids probably taste
like granite or a hard glass bowl.
It sounds like a whoosh when it passes
and a boom.
That boom is when it hits a planet,
When that happens it will cause
major doom.


Eternal Sorrow by Mikey

The Horror!  The Horror!
You're gone!
Where are you!?
My beautiful fat cat!
So fat you can't groom yourself.
There you are on the window sill.
Oh No!
You fell out!
Where are you?!


Here is another one the students gave me to do.  I am not very good at writing free verse poetry.  So I picked alliteration to focus on.  They wanted to stump me but I think I did okay.  Once again the underlined words are sensory words they chose for me to use before assigning me  the topic.

Platypus   

  

Putrid, prickily platypus

Playing in the water

Plumping up your body on

Scrumptious, stinky shrimp,

And tasty insect larvae

A coat so coarse, a nose so flat

Tremendous tail, long toenails

Hurry through the hazy water

Making your scary, annoying grring sound

Poetry Day Three

Today I am giving you two poems by Mac and also including two that I had to do as modeling for my students.  The underlined words in my poems are sensory words from their lists.

Shy  by Mac

Shy is when you’re scared to meet someone,

And meeting new people is not very fun.

You feel very scared, sad and embarrassed,

And if you talk to people they’ll be most unfairest.

If you can’t meet new people and you don’t want to try,

It’s not a big deal you’re just being shy.

Green   by Mac

Green is lush, green is beautiful,

Green is a color that is tropical.

Green is the color of trees you know,

But I love green because It’s the signal to go!

Rhino   by Sandra Stiles

I sat upon the bench seat

And watched the rhino eat,

Sweet and savory grasses

And not a hint of meat.

I knew that he was something

Very special in a way,

A rigid  horn for charging,

Muddy skin that’s usually gray.

He lifted up his skinny tail

Out came a boom and whoosh,

That left a vile, gassy smell

That came out from his tush.

Shoes   by Sandra Stiles

The taste of sweet and salty feet

Is one sure thing I love to eat.

My tongue caresses every toe

And then its time to go, go, go.

I smell the flowers as I run

All sweet and floral in the sun.

Cushy socks inside of me,

Keep me as dry as I can be.

I crunch and munch the tasty grass

When I am running with the class.

I click and clack as I’m prancing

Pretending that I am tap dancing.

Running near and running far,

I am a running superstar.

I’m telling you that I’m the best

But now it’s time I get some rest.

A Change for this Week: Student Poetry

My students have been working on a poetry unit and I thought it would be great to post some of their poetry this week.  Most of them are not comfortable with writing poetry so I was surprised at what I got.  This last week they worked on sensory poems.   Each class made a list of 10 sensory words under each sense for a total of 50 words.  They were unaware of the assignment.  I then asked each of them to pick a noun and write it at the top of their paper.  They were then told they had to write a poem that used two words from each sense and it had to be about the noun at the top of their paper.  They also had to use one of the following devices:  similies or metaphors, alliteration (the repeated use of a sound), onomatopoeia (the use of words that sound like their name ex.  buzz), or personification (giving human qualities to a non-human item)  So enjoy each day this week.

All of these poems were written by one of my ESOL students.  Her English is improving by leaps and bounds and she is actually one of my better poets.  Enjoy

Poetry by Hilda

Home                                                I Crushed Flower

Like cracks                                       I want to die like

in the stone                                       a flower-crushed

they are                                            from head to toe

place of                                            How sweet I’ll

pure silence                                      smell

that let                                                

us know                                           like spicy perfume

we are home!!!                                among the broken

        reeds!!!!

I Miss You            (Rhyming)                          Geese (Personification)

I miss you                                                           the geese

in the morning                                                     dance

I miss you late                                                     above my window

at night.                                                               singing

just to think                                                         honking their rusty

about you is                                                        trumpets reminding me.

my joy and my delight

                                                                           Parts of me will go

I can’t wait                                                         with them and will

to see you                                                           dress me in their

please hurry and                                                 whispery down

come back                                                          promising me pleasure

you always make                                               of southern treats

me happy; you have                                           releasing me from

that special knack!!!!                                          winter’s grip

Happy New Year

I Am the New Year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bible Illustrator

I am the new year. I am an unspoiled page in your book of time.

I am your next chance at the art of living. I am your opportunity to practice what you have learned about life during the last twelve months.

All that you sought and didn’t find is hidden in me, waiting for you to search it but with more determination.

All the good that you tried for and didn’t achieve is mine to grant when you have fewer conflicting desires.

All that you dreamed but didn’t dare to do, all that you hoped but did not will, all the faith that you claimed but did not have—these slumber lightly, waiting to be awakened by the touch of a strong purpose.

I am your opportunity to renew your allegiance to Him who said, "Behold, I make all things new."

May God bless you and your family in all of your endeavors this new year and may he grant you good health and peace.

Student Saturday

Gabi is a student fairly new to my after school writing program.  She is a very talented writer who aspires to  be published in the near future.  This is an idea she is toying with.  Enjoy.  Feel free to give feedback.  Please remember that she is a sixth grader so no profanity.  My after school students are looking for ways to improve their writing.

My Life in Depression


I just couldn't bear myself to believe it when my family got wind of the news. I absolutely refused to think she was dead. Danielle had been my best friend for thirteen years how could I think she was dead? I looked out the window at the afternoon sky with the sun hanging over the grayish white clouds and bunches of tiny buildings. Darkness was creeping slowly up into my heart unable to accept the fact that Danielle really was dead. I sat on my bed trying to piece together all the facts. She hadn't been at school today, she hadn't answered any of my texts or e-mails, she hadn't met me at the mall and she didn't even seem to bother to pick up her favorite book from my apartment at all this week. Of course I'd gone over to her house and questioned her parents but their only response was that she was dead. I didn't want to believe anything told me about Danielle at the moment. All I really wanted to do was sit and mourn in my bed that Danille might actually be in the hospital or she could have possibly run away from home and her parents didn't want to tell the truth. Of course I wanted to wish all these things were true but my mind was so twisted and confused between sadness, anger and thoughts right now I hardly had a clue what to do. I'd considered going out to look for Danielle knowing she wouldn't have traveled far if she'd run awaay from home but that would only worry my parents. I'd also thought about visiting the hospital but that would just give my parents the opportunity to tell me Danielle was dead and I had to accept that. Both those ideas were eliminated after I'd thought about them of course. So all I could really do now was sit and wait for a better day when my life wouldn't be in the hands of depression.

Gabi (from writing class)

The Big Crash

My computer decided to crash tonight.  I checked email, left the computer on to go eat dinner and then came back and it was off.  It would not turn on.  Tech support said it needs further diagnostics.  I wanted to scream,  "No, ya think?"  So it is not like I have no access.  I have to use the computer we have my mom use.  It is an older desktop.  That means I have to cart everything from my office into the mudroom and do any work while I listen to her tv and listen to her argue with whomever she is listening to on tv.  Hopefully it won't take long to fix the computer.  Don't know how often I'll be able to post.  Thank goodness I had already written posts through Wedneday.  Hopefully Iwon't be gone for long.