ROCKTOBER

I know it's been a while since I last posted. No excuses other than conferences, strep throat, and starting a classroom blog which has consumed most of my "blogging time." Wish I could share the amazing things on that blog that my students are doing, however it is password protected to ensure safety for students. So, in our classroom we no longer can say "October" it has officially become ROCKTOBER! We were even illustrating the poem "October" for our poetry binders today and several students had to put an "R" in the front so it said "Roctober!!" I found this quite amusing (and a great use of using phonics!) So with the series starting in 2 days about all I have to say is GO ROCKIES!!!

Technology!

I LOVE this video from TeacherTube!! It makes me laugh out loud!

Question or Comment

Kindergartners are full of stories... and they love to share them. So, one of the things we are continuously working on is what constitutes a "question." So yesterday we had firefighters visiting our classroom, and of course we had the "reminder talk" about asking questions to them and saving our stories or connections for writing time. Well the time came in the presentation for questions from students, and of course one of them raised her hand and shared something... not a question. But, the BEST part was when another one of my students said, "that was a comment." :) The firefighter thought it was great and I was quite amused also. Hey, maybe they are starting to understand the difference between a question and comment after all!

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!)