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I have never been a sports fan, not really.  There was a time in high school when I cheered on our football team on Friday nights.  And I was an avid basketball fan for a short time in college, but I am not the type to tailgate and have a team to follow, whether that be football, baseball, basketball, or hockey.  However, this summer changed all that.  At first, I wasn’t even sure what FIFA was and thought soccer was something kids played in the park.  A few short weeks in June and July, and I’m now an avid fútbol fan. 

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This week, as we look forward to the 250th birthday of America, I want to reflect on an unlikely Revolutionary heroine, Phillis Wheatley. Her history is remarkable.  Born in West Africa in 1753, she was brought on a slave ship, The Phillis, for which she was named.  She was sold to the Wheatley family of Boston, who raised and educated her.  Phillis learned English, Latin, and Greek and wrote her first poem at the age of fourteen.  She published a collection of poetry called Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral in 1773, making her the first enslaved person to publish a book.

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While trying to recover and relax, I took a short journey to a local garden shop.  I love this place; it always brings me solace.  I forgot to take my camera with me, so I took pictures with my little flip phone.  I just snapped images that appealed to me.  I love that they arrange pots and flowers by color.  It was such a good way to unwind without worrying about my tummy troubles.  There are rows and rows of flowering plants outside, and rows and rows of garden pots inside.

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Some words feel wonderful in your mouth: benevolent, pashmina, Constantinople. They roll right off one’s tongue and into one’s imagination.  Words hold meaning and are the building blocks of all human thought. I marvel at students’ curiosity about words and how they often understand and use words far above their age and grade level.  One of my students was so enamored with geology and dinosaurs that his vocabulary in these areas far surpassed mine, allowing him to be my teacher, and I, his attentive student!  I believe that spark of curiosity and imagination in learning vocabulary ignites the power to explore a universe of ideas and concepts.   I've taken this first week of my summer vacation to reflect on the techniques I've used to support students' vocabulary development.

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When he asks me what I’ve been up to, I rattle something about putting my attention to poetry this summer.  And Henry says, “I don’t know who said it,  but someone said, poetry is like someone running at you with a knife in a dark hallway.”  That stopped me in my tracks.  He was right.  Good poetry stuns, surprises with sharp clarity.  It is an idea I will take with me this summer, as I turn my attention from teaching to writing.

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My mind has been on high alert, making yet another “to-do” list. However, a springtime cold slowed me down this week and forced me to sit, sleep, and wonder.  June snuck up on me; all of a sudden it arrived. With only two more weeks of school ahead of me, I’m looking forward to getting outside into the air, the green, the blue of nature.  I am thirsting for time on my own to roam the woods and shorelines from Maine to Miami.  Most of my colleagues and our student body are also weary of indoor school days and are anticipating the freedom that June brings: our own pace, our own activities, our own adventures. This sense of freedom is part of the school cycle that I have been part of since I was four years old.

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This month, my dear friend, colleague, and school librarian, Deborah, invited me into her 4th and 5th-grade classes to mix library and poetry skills. I thought Book Spine Poetry would be the best vehicle for this foray into found poetry. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the term, book spine poetry is a form of found poetry where the poet takes another person's words (in this case, book titles) and forms their own poem. The beauty of book spine poetry is that it is a low-stakes way to introduce poetry writing. The poet becomes an editor of sorts, a connoisseur of the best titles that fit together to form a clever poetic message.

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Last week, a small group of 5th graders decided they were going to teach me to crochet. I bought crochet hooks and yarn, and tried to remember this skill that I had learned in high school. High school was a very long time ago for me. I remembered nothing. I realized my hands aren't as dexterous as they once were. This crochet adventure was going to be an uphill climb. I needed a good teacher.

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This week, I was reminded that sometimes good things come in 3’s, and that connecting with students remains my main joy in life. There are three quotations at the end of each email I send.  They sum up my philosophy of teaching perfectly:  Educating the mind without educating the heart, is no education at all – Aristotle, Creativity is intelligence having fun – often attributed to Einstein but is not confirmed, and Difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations – Zig Ziglar, a motivational speaker.  I realize that these three pillars have been the foundation of how and why I continue to teach.

Three Pillars of Teaching: Heart, Creativity, and Connection

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I have worked with many students who have been diagnosed with ADHD, and they respond well to me because I have shared with them that I have a similar kind of mind and that it is a special, wonderful gift. I don't excuse them. They still need to learn to be organized and hand in homework, but I also celebrate their wild wonderings. I encourage them to question and think. No idea is too ridiculous. All are welcome in the broadest sense.

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Four years ago, as we lived through COVID restrictions, I continued to work in the Wonder Studio with students, and crafting became our safe haven. I had considered abandoning for a year, but the children would stop me in the hallway or during classes and ask, “When is Wonder Studio starting again?  You need to get it up and running!”  I could not disappoint them.  I have been privileged to work alongside some of the bravest and most brilliant little girls who would not take “NO!” for an answer. So, I kept offering times throughout that COVID year, stopping occasionally when restrictions prevented us from meeting.

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As a Learning Specialist, my job is to monitor and support learning in early childhood through fifth-grade classes. This is the place of my ultimate joy and satisfaction - seeing children grow, witnessing their struggles, and their hard-fought accomplishments. The daily struggles seem like small roadblocks to adults, but to children, struggles loom large. And if you have a learning difference, struggles can seem overwhelming. We do all in our power to motivate and encourage the young minds in our charge. Sometimes these efforts work right away, sometimes it takes a long time to see the fruits of our labor.

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Houston, we have liftoff.  My heart swells when I hear that phrase.  Today, I think of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, the NASA astronauts and Jeremy Hansen, the Canadian Space Agency astronaut who are, as I write this, heading back to Earth on their spacecraft, Integrity, after being the first humans to see the far side of the moon. They are also the first humans to go the furthest away from the Earth, 252,760 miles.  Imagine being that far from home!  What does that feel like?  How courageous and optimistic do you have to be to venture that far?  I am amaze and proud that we still live in the Age of Exploration.  I was beginning to doubt if humans had that creative bravery anymore, and I’m please tonight to see that we do.

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A few weeks ago, during a full-day professional development session, I facilitated an Art Spa event. I was amazed when twenty-five people signed up—I actually had to add more spaces! Seeing that level of engagement gave me hope; it confirmed that creating a dedicated space for creativity isn't just an "extra"—it's critical.

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A book in blue with a heart-shaped cloud caught my eye. It was "Somehow: Thoughts of Love" by Anne Lamott.  Anne Lamott.  She is one of my favorite authors – funny and irreverent.  Two of my favorite books are: "Bird by Bird" and "Help, Thanks, Wow!"  I am amazed by the skill with which Anne strings her ideas together.  She talks about real-life tragedies and triumphs with such insight.  Her faith is unquestionable.

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I am encouraged and so thankful that Lois Lowry has written Tree. Table. Book.  The octogenarian author of Number the Stars and The Giver, Ms. Lowry is an expert storyteller and isn’t afraid to take on controversial subjects.  She is a master at presenting hard situations and ethical problems to a young audience.  This most recent book spans generations and shows how stories can connect rather than tear people apart.  With story and memory, we can build bonds and begin to understand each other.  This connection between the old and young is crucial; it is the sticky hope that will ensure “never forget” leads to the promise of “never again.”

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When I read "Broken" by X. Fang and thought about a memory of something broken, I immediately thought about a glass jar that held cigars tightly packed in concentric circles. This jar was not something that I broke. No. But I can see it vividly even though this memory is close to 60 years old.  I thought the glass container was so beautiful, encircled by a red satin ribbon, holding something my father enjoyed – cigars.  When I saw it in the store, I knew I had to buy it for him for Father’s Day.  I was so pleased with myself and knew he would be proud of me.