Becoming an American citizen

According to the New York Times, immigration officials have released a new version of the test required to become a U.S. citizen. With my only excuse being history was my least favorite subject in school, I am embarrassed to say I did not get all of the sample questions correct. It caused me to wonder how immigrants fair on this quiz, or probably more revealing: how well do "natural" U.S. citizens know their own country? Test yourself!

Poetry Friday!

In honor of my first participation of Poetry Friday (I have enjoyed reading contributions for some time now), I am posting a poem I wrote earlier this week:

ENOUGH

What is....

good enough,

strong enough,

kind enough,

funny enough,

smart enough,

brave enough,

thin enough,

fast enough,

generous enough,

beautiful enough,

fair enough,

brave enough.

Who decides

when enough is...

ENOUGH??

Longs Peak

Yesterday, a group of us set out to climb Longs Peak (14,255 feet). Getting up at 3:00a.m. to avoid crowds at the trailhead, I did question my judgement. However, I had been looking forward to it all week and knew if I backed out I would be very disappointed. We drove up to the trailhead just as the sun was coming up, and for the first time I wondered if I had gotten myself in over my head (of course would never show this though!!). Here I am, barely adjusted to the altitude, never having climbed a "fourteener," with a group of guys who climb almost every weekend! I didn't let this discourage me though. I just did what I do in most areas of my life- remembered why I was there, and reminded myself to enjoy the experience.

As we put on our backpacks and hit the trail, I felt the same way as when I used to take my black lab for a run. SLOW DOWN!!! The only difference being I knew these guys would not wear out the same way Ellie eventually does. Of course, the first thing I did was think "Oh my gosh, I am so out of shape..." but in reality it is just that I am not in the kind of shape these guys are in! Within the first half-mile I realized I better quit trying to keep their pace if I actually wanted to summit. I decided I would much rather go at my pace, enjoy the experience and reach the top in my own time (while they napped in the car at the bottom)! Once the competitive side of my came to terms with not being "out front," I relaxed and enjoyed things much more. The sound of the rushing creek, the sight of the sun rising, and the amazing views above tree-line kept me company until it started to rain and sleet. Eventually meeting up with the group and passing many climbers who had turned around, we realized the weather would prevent us from continuing to the summit. So, at the halfway point (about 4 miles) we turned around. Disappointing yes, but a great reminder that we will never know the storms that may come our way in the future. Enjoying the experience of life is far more important then reaching every goal we strive for (and this is coming from a perfectionist!!) And most importantly, one setback does not mean we will never get there... hey, that's what next weekend is for!

Jerry Spinelli

Wow! I was able to hear Jerry Spinelli on Saturday afternoon! Even though his books are for are not for Kindergartners, he is an author I try to follow. His work is inspiring, thoughtful, and very entertaining. I loved seeing so many young people had come to hear him speak and get a signed book. He had two pieces of advice for writers:
1. write what you care about- if it is something that interests you and you are passionate about then it will connect with readers
2. write, write, write!!

I will be sharing this advice with my kindergartners on Monday (along with the book he autographed for them!)

Just Another Amazing Day in Kindergarten!

Every year I continue to be amazed by what young children can learn if they are exposed to something, excited about it, and free from "academic pressure." A few examples from our classroom today...

During our "Newsbook" I had written the following "_____ saw a bee outside on the playground. Buzz, buzz, buzz!" After reading it together as a class, a student raised his hand and said, "I'm wondering why you made that B (letter) big and the other ones little." He was referring to the "Buzz, buzz, buzz!" It took me a second to realize what he was actually asking, then I was SO excited.... I mean how many "authentic invites" do you get to explain why the first letter of a sentence is capitalized! :) Of course I also had to play-up the great thinking he was doing since I am always reminding my students that is what we are supposed to be doing at school (and other places as well)!

Then during writing workshop another student came up to me and said, "I used one of those dots that means to stop reading." Being only two weeks into the kindergarten year I think I had casually mentioned what a period means maybe once or twice this year. No, he didn't use the correct punctuation name, but he knew what it was and why he was using it.... WOW!

Finally, as we are beginning our inquiry unit into bees we talked and drew about our schema for bees. Then we brainstormed some things we wonder about bees. Hearing things like, "How do they transport the pollen," and "How do they find shelter if they are far away from their hives and it starts to rain or snow?" reminded me of the natural curiosity and wonder of children. As teachers I believe it is SO essential to help them keep this as they get older. Without it, they lose an important piece of their authentic selves.

A Good Laugh

If you need a laugh or an alternate birth control method just check out this actual item/story from e-bay.

Problem-solving

A great example of why I teach kids to THINK, and be problem-solvers! (even if it is exaggerated, it's pretty funny!)

What guides you?

Since I moved out here there have been a few times, while driving, that I have gotten majorly lost. Now, when I say 'major' I mean that I had absolutely NO idea where I am. No familiar looking streets, stores, houses, etc. You may wonder how this could happen, but that is another post :) So in these times that I have become majorly lost, my typical reaction is to just continue driving, turning, etc. until I find something familiar to help reorient myself. As I continue to maneuver my way around unknown territory I usually begin desperately looking for the mountains. They are my guarantee, my relief, and my direction. Once I find them, no matter how lost I am, I can regain some sense of direction.



As the school year is now getting into full swing, and as our school calendars quickly fill up with meetings, writing newsletters, learning new curriculum, etc. it is easy to become lost among the distractions. Distractions from why we are in education: the kids. Just as when I am lost among side streets and the mountains help me regain a sense of direction, when I keep my focus on the students I remember why I became a teacher (no, not the committees!) and know exactly where to go!