Saturday, June 17, 2017

Celebrating A Milestone

Celebrating with Ruth Ayres at Discover, Play, Build, and linking with others who share, too. I'm always grateful to Ruth for our weekly celebrations together.



            It's been a great week; granddaughters, bookstore work, indie bookstore shopping, library time, coffee with a former colleague, book group, car repairs that are good, car cleaning, gardening clean up of spent flowers, writing several poems, writing for another project -- all good. 
            This ending and amazing celebration is that this is post number 1500. Like my words yesterday on Poetry Friday, I have lived a good bit of my life writing this blog, met online and personally some wonderful people. I have both needed and been grateful for the company through the years filled with joy and sorrow. You've listened and laughed and supported and through your own posts, you've enriched my life. Thanks for the journey. 
Words of wisdom: WRITE ON!
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        If you are so inclined, you may read my first post. I haven't changed much except I'm no longer writing with students, but I am still using mentor texts for me, and I think I'll probably never stop thinking about the questioning of what "is" the important thing. (FYI-this year I had just moved from the classroom to be the school's literacy coach, working with all teachers.) You might notice if you actually go to the post that Ruth is one of my first commenters! Thanks to Ruth and others, I have carried on!

March 1, 2011 My school just returned from a week's break. Just as I was moving into a good rhythm of work and play at home-no out-of-town trip this time- I have jumped back into work, beginning new goals of teaching, & learning, with our students. I have been welcomed into many classrooms this year, & this time, one colleague & I are beginning a 3 week intensive to write personal essays with her class. As I begin with the group, students are so attentive, laughing when I think they might laugh, thinking about the topics under discussion, & answering some of my questions rather tentatively, but they do try to respond. These upper elementary students are just on the edge of adulthood, & now I am working hard to motivate them to consider choices, to decide some things they believe are important, & then to write to tell others what they think about them. It's easy to write down one's opinion, but crafting personal essays that then broaden one's outlook by doing some further research is the more difficult part. This is the goal, that students begin to gather the beliefs, but then strengthen them by finding out what others' think. The group again asks questions. One of the first of course is 'how long?', & another is 'how about this?'. These first hours together we are all a little nervous, but when I respond to the topics of important things, I am reminded of Margaret Wise Brown's The Important Book, when she starts with "The important thing about ____________ is _______________, & I remind students of these lines, empower them to tell what they believe is important, & why. I share a bit of my own writing; students seem ready to write, & the rest of the time until lunch, we do.

19 comments:

  1. Such fun to read that first post! And thanks for your words of wisdom to Write On! Sometimes I feel like the needle stuck on a record - my retirement days are filled with days, weeks, months that are much the same. But I do love leaving a trail of my thoughts through blogging. Love that list of things that made up your great week filled with family, friends, errands, and of course, books and writing.

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    1. Thanks for all your words to me, Ramona, & for the words you share. I love every part of life you share!

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  2. I love this look back to your first post. I've been following you for a while now and feel the love and support you so freely give to everyone in your life. Thanks for all you do for this community of writers. Write on!

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    1. It's been a while since we started sharing with each other, I know! Someday I hope we'll really meet! Thanks, Margaret!

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  3. I love seeing the threads that weave through your teaching and writing life. One being the mentor text and the other being the connections to so many in the blogging community. You and others in the community are my mentors and have kept me writing on. Thank you, Linda.

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    1. Thanks, Julieanne. Having this community means such support for each other. I feel very grateful!

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  4. Congratulations on 1500! My next post will be my 500th and it is hard to believe. You were one of my first supporters/commentors and I appreciate your continued support! I will miss seeing you this week at All Write! I am thankful that you have carried on!

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    1. It is wonderful to be at All Write, and to visit with all of you there. Unfortunately, I've kind of giving up on the teaching conferences. Thanks, Leigh Anne, I hope you have another fabulous time!

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  5. We started blogging about the same time, Linda - and I know that your words of encouragement were key to keeping me going. Congratulations on 1,500 - and all the lives you touch with each wise, lovely, and generous post!

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    1. Thank you Tara. We never would have spent our time together without our blogs, and your reaching out. What a time of learning it has been. Have a lovely weekend. I think you must just have one more week! Enjoy it too!

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  6. 1500?! Wow, wow, wow. That is something to celebrate Linda. And I love that you reminded us of The Important Book. It is one of my favorites.

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    1. Thank you, Lisa. I "still" love The Important Book. It is so helpful with writing.

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  7. 1500. Congratulations! This is a joyous celebration for you and your readers. Glad to be one of your readers. Write on!

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    1. Thanks, Terje, and I am glad to share my life with you, too.

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  8. Wow! 1500 posts! You are a dedicated blogger! Isn't it amazing the way blogging has introduced us to a new world of friends. So glad we have met and will meet again, one day.

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    1. It's been wonderful to make this journey with you and a handful of others, Elsie. I hope we do get to spend time together again. Whew, time goes so fast!

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  9. 1500 and going strong, Linda. Writing is a journey of life. We share our ups and downs, peaks and valleys and we remain strong. Your greatest gift to the community of writers is your support, openness, and diligence. Write on, my long distance friend.

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  10. WOW! You are so dedicated! So inspirational!

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