Saturday, April 11, 2015

Whew-Celebrating Ending The Week Back - Plus Poetry

Celebrating Each Saturday with Ruth Ayres at Discover Play Build, and a wonderful group who joins in too. Tweet at #CelebrateLu
created by Leigh Anne Eck
at A Day In The Life 
        April is a blessing, spring pops out all over and it's poetry month. My goal is to write haiku and haiku-related poetry this month. Focus on the out of doors and on word choice is both a challenge and fun.  I'm also celebrating that some of us also are supporting each other, sharing on twitter with the hashtag #DigiPoetry, created by Margaret Simon, of Reflections on The Teche. Find the many Poetry Month offerings rounded up by Jama Rattigan at Jama's Alphabet Soup. If you want to see some lovely poetry, go to Jama's post to see everyone's plans.


10)
springtime clouds,
rainy gift not opened -
pretend play

Linda Baie © All Rights Reserved

        The week back was a whirlwind, starting on Monday with a day trip downtown. Our long overnight trip to DC and the Chesapeake Bay area happens the first of May, so we first gave students a chance to go off in groups alone to meet a specific challenge, eat lunch together, and then return for our second part of the day. They did wonderfully, captured some good parts in their field journals, seemed to have a good time in groups and were all back in time. We give them lots of independent time on our trips, so this was a good practice.
         One of my former parents is the director of our ACLU here in Colorado, so we spent the afternoon discovering what the ACLU does in terms of supporting all people's rights, and particularly students under 18. It was a terrific experience.
         The rest of the week was a whirlwind, back into the swing of school, more poetry and prose groups, skill groups re-forming, and new book groups beginning. I celebrate that students jumped right in, probably wishing in the morning that they could sleep in a little longer, but excited that so much is going on in these final seven weeks of school. Yikes, seven weeks! Here we go!

         Fridays are always delightful with Ingrid coming home with me, books and pasta and games-nothing better!
         
          Yesterday was my mother's birthday; I thought about her all the day. I celebrate that I was lucky enough to have such a sweet and loving mother whom I miss still. 

19 comments:

  1. This post is wonderful. So many things to celebrate. That haiku is perfect! You're finding such power in this form. Your students' upcoming trip sounds amazing and to prep them with a trip to your own downtown is so smart-- developing their independence and their social conscious at the same time! And happy birthday to your mom. Moms are so much of us. We never let that go.

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    1. Thanks Julieanne, it was a full, but good week. I'm glad it's the weekend now!

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  2. I felt excited for the students just reading your post. So much to do.And I can't believe the school year will soon be ending for many of you!

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    1. It is a roller coaster now till the end, Earl, much fun, & long days of 'doing'. Thanks!

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  3. After reading Julieanne's post and now yours about the trips you two take, I am in awe! I can't imagine planning trips like these. I have missed days of your haiku, so I need to take some time and go back through. We had some clouds like your picture this week too. I really do not care for this time of year because of all the storms. Have a great weekend.

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    1. I realize there have been some heavy, & terrible, storms this week. But too often in our area the clouds roll in & it looks bad, but nothing happens. They just roll on by-no rain. We can use some rain here! Thanks, Leigh Anne. The trips are challenging with all the planning, but always awesome!

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  4. So wonderful to let the students have so much independence. Sounds like a great trip! Happy "birthday of" your Mom - a birthday is a wonderful day to think of our loved ones no longer with us.

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    1. I know, it's always a special day for me. Thanks, Carrie.

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  5. Whirlwind. Seven weeks. Even your haiku is promising storm. Wonderful that you find poetry and celebrations in all of this.

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    1. It is a whirlwind time, & I will be tired, but there are many good things that will happen. I'm happy for that. Thanks, Terje.

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  6. I loved "rainy gift not opened". Brought great visualizations to mind!
    Seven weeks doesn't seem like much when you think of everything we always want to accomplish!

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    1. Thank you, Michele. We do have much going on, but it'll be okay, just very, very busy.

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  7. Linda, I think your haiku journey has really allowed you to capture feelings in such few words. This one is such a present for the reader: rainy gift not opened...

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    1. Thank you Carol. Thus far, it's been a pleasure to find ways to write that seem to meet some of the haiku expectations.

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  8. Linda-all this traveling to celebrate! Enjoy the trip out east! I cannot wait to read about it! "Pretend Play" brought forth so many images for me from your poem. I've really enjoyed reading everyone's poetry this month. I'll be thinking about you, it was Grandma's birthday here in the Midwest too. Lots of Legacy on our minds this week. Take care.

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    1. Thank you, Kendra. This month until the end of the school year will be swirling with all kinds of legacies, in school & personally. Wonderful to hear about your Grandma's birthday.

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  9. I am enjoying your poetry and the picture to go with it. "Pretend play" was my favorite part. It sounds like a wonderful week.

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  10. A moving sentiment about your mom, Linda. You are so good at looking at life events with gratitude. I like "rainy gift not opened" -- very original take!

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