22/31

My students and I have begun the poetry genre study. Students have been perusing various kinds of poetry with the purpose of answering "What is Poetry?  As we allowed the books to consume us our day frittered by and I was left without time for a sharing circle so on an exit card my students answered the question of the reading time. As I collected the cards and wished everyone a wonderful afternoon I set the cards aside and began my next session.  At the end of the day I looked at my collection and began making a Smart Board Anchor Chart.  Many of them were the same Poetry is short, poetry is white space, poetry rhymes and sometimes it does not.  However one student surprised me her idea of poetry is this "All those incomplete sentences. Those fragments are hard to understand, but they are packed full of meaning."  I couldn't have said it better.

21/31

What is Down syndrome? It depends on who you ask. If you ask a doctor, he or she may tell you it is the number 1 genetic disorder that people are born with.  Some people might tell you they were once pregnant with a child with Down syndrome because 90% of them are aborted before they even take their first breath. But, if you asked someone who has Down syndrome what do you think they would say?  My daughter has Mosaic Down syndrome.  She is almost 7 years old and I think if she had the words in her vocabulary she would say, "My life is no different than yours.  I am no different than you. I just happened to have an extra chromosome on the 21st chromosome."

If you were to ask me I would describe Down syndrome as this.

My child moves
at her own pace
She sees the real people
She has learned
to overcome many
obstacles
Her life has been
on display
as doctors
therapists
teachers
all tell her
what to
do to
learn
But her life
is FULL
Her love is
IMMENSE
You are missing
out if you don't
know her--
LOVE her--
She is special
but not
because of
an extra
chromosome
She is special
because
she's
EMMA.

20/31

As I reflected on my Spring Break and look at how much was accomplished I am realizing how much I have left to teach my 5th graders. I have spent 27 weeks with them and I only have 9 left.  I feel this way every year.  I hate to prepare them to move on. My job is a 36 week job though.  They only have me for one school year. But each year I find my heart not wanting to let go of them. You know the ones that run up to you at Reasor's when they see you outside of school and give you the warmest, bear hug!  My time with them is ending, but I know that it leads to a new door of fabulous fifth graders.  So tonight I remember the smiles, the giggles, the witty comments that echo in my heart with my current group. Tonight I figure out what remains of the standards to accomplish before May 25.  Tonight I figure out what I have left to teach them.  Good Night!

19/31

I am the oldest. I am the one who was/is bossy. I am the one who taught my "little" brother to do things when we were younger.  Now as adults I've come to realize how great little brothers really are.  Little brothers have the ability to make their nieces smile by just walking in the door. Little brothers have the ability to lay a new floor. Little brothers have the ability to find windows for my house. Little brothers have the ability to repair icky wood rot. Little brothers have the ability to climb 16 foot ladders without their knees shaking. Little brothers say, "I'm so glad I can  help you" when you say thank you.  I love little brothers who help out big sisters when they need it. Little brothers who are quiet show love by helping big sisters do things they cannot.  Thank you, Boo-Boo!

18/31

Second day of painting.  Today I was able to look at my house with it's fresh coat of yellow paint and sigh with relief that we are 1/2 finished.  But most of all I feel pride and thankfulness. My house looks beautiful even the neighbors marveled at it. Thankfulness that my entire family stepped in to help. My back may ache, but the reward is just around the corner...I can see it!!

17/31

Writers write.
Even though
My back hurts.
My fingers hurt.
My head hurts.

Yet I know writers write.
Today three of us
painted a fresh color
onto my house.

Words too can create
a freshness.
newness.
like the smell of new fresh paint.

To start again.
Renew
Much like an old house
with new paint.

16/31

Exhaustive Fun.  Beautiful day today in Oklahoma. I should have been painting the outside of my house. Instead I took the kids to the Jasmine Moran Children's Museum. Often times at the end of the day my brain feels fried, but today I believe exhaustion is fun. 

My girls were able to be fireman swooshing down the pole to save lives.
Today they were surgeons performing surgery.
My girls touched a baby in the  NICU.
Gracie and Emma were encased in a body bubble.
They walked in a castle maze.
Rode a sonic train.
Went on a dinosaur dig.
Drove a Model-A.
and flew a plane.


My hope is they believe they can do and be anything they want to be.  We are all exhausted, but holy cow was it exhilarating. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.