Wednesday-Lots Happening

          One of the poets doing something special this month is Laura Shovan, of AuthorAmok. She's putting on party clothes this month and inviting others to write and share poetry connected in some way to clothing, and today is my day to visit. Come on over to see what I'm writing about pockets! Thanks to Laura for inviting me!

           For this wonderful month of April, Poetry month, I've made the goal to write haiku and haiku-related poems. It's been rewarding to write something new every day.

          I'm also happy that some of us are sharing on twitter with the hashtag #DigiPoetry, created by Margaret Simon, of Reflections on The Teche.You're welcome to join us. Find the many Poetry Month offerings rounded up by Jama Rattigan at Jama's Alphabet Soup.  

Haiku 

14)

robin stage left

splashing bird bath, private spa-

morning scenes

Linda Baie © All Rights Reserved

Visiting Today's Little Ditty

                 With a challenge at Michelle Barnes' Today's Little Ditty, I wanted to try something, so go visit her wonderful poetry site to see my attempt at a slide/movie. I now know a few things, and wish I'd added some text. Next time! Thanks to Michelle, you can enjoy many of the tree photos I've taken through these past years, with a poem accompanying!
               I've been out of town the past few Sundays and missed the Digitech meme at Margaret Simon's Reflections on The Teche. It's worth visiting, too!

Reading Conversations - Visiting Kirby's Lane!

            I'm happy to be posting on Kirby Larson's blog today about reading. Please visit me at Kirby's Lane, A Place for Readers and Writers.  Kirby's books, historical fiction, are many, but my favorites are Hattie Big Sky and Hattie Ever After, and the picture book Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival.  Her most recent publication is Duke.

Traveling Over to Two Writing Teachers

       About this time last year I sent an e-mail to my colleagues to see if any were interested in joining me in a writers’ critique group.  I had one colleague that I had already discussed it with and she was “in” I knew.  I imagined that there would be three or four interested, and was surprised when more than that replied.  My story, and the rewards of this group, now starting our second year can be found at Two Writing Teachers today.  Please come visit to see how starting a group can reward you personally, but inform your teaching more than you ever imagined.  

       

         Thanks to Ruth and Stacey for inviting me to share this story, and to my colleagues who contributed their own ideas, too.

Visiting Another Blog - Sharing Our Notebooks!

            I've used writer's notebooks for most of my life.  Some call them diaries, some say daybooks, but whatever they are named, for a writer, they are important!  I'm honored to share a bit of how and why I use notebooks over at Amy Ludwig VanDerwater's blog, Sharing Our Notebooks! Amy, of Poem Farm fame, has many guests on this notebook blog, and I've enjoyed so many who have written about their love affair with writers' notebooks.  This time I get to share!  Please come visit!  

              And thanks to Amy for the opportunity!  

All Things Reading!

      

It’s been quite a month.  I am connecting in several places today as I say goodbye to April, poetry month. 

       You can find me over at the Nerdy Book Club talking about all the bookshelves I have in my house (somewhat embarrassing), which really only means I own a lot of books .

       I am connecting to Betsy’s blog, Teaching Young Writers in order to share the chalk poem that I wrote and chalked last week, of much interest to all the young skateboarders who practice at the end of my street, a cul de sac. Here is my poem:

       And I will link this post to It’s Monday, What Are You Reading, to Kellee and Jen’s blog, Teach Mentor Texts which I try to do every Monday. 

I'm Visiting Jama's Alphabet Soup!

       "Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity." --Voltaire

Might be some pots in Jama's kitchen!

           I was honored and excited about a month ago when Jama Rattigan asked me to write for her Poetry Potluck in April.  Half the month is now gone, filling her blog’s kitchen with beautiful stories, poems and food from exciting poets.  Now it is my turn to visit Jama, so please go over to her blog, Alphabet Soup to read my contribution to the eating fest!  And then find a recipe or three or four to add to your own eating pleasure!

And-Remember to check on the Poetry Tag Group shown at the right!  And find Jama Rattigan's blog post at Jama's Alphabet Soup  to discover so many Poetry sites in the kidlitosphere doing wonderful things!  Cathy, at Merely Day By Day, is joining Mary Lee, at A Year of Reading in a poem a day this month. Other daily poem writers include Amy at The Poem Farm, and Donna at Mainely Write.  Plus Greg Pincus of Gotta Book has just published his first E-book, The Late Bird.  Now he's celebrating by giving one away.  See the blog that tells all about it  here

photo credit: foodmuse via photopin cc

For SOLSC 16 and for Poetry Friday - I'm going to the Poem Farm

    The March Slice of Life Challenge is with Ruth and Stacey at the Two Writing Teachers blog 

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Greg at Gotta Book.

Amy Ludwig Vanderwater, a poet who creates the wonderful blog The Poem Farm, read one of my blog posts about teaching memoir a few weeks ago, and invited me to write about the process a bit more if some of the students wrote memoir poems.  Three of the students did do that, so you will find a post about me and my class at Amy’s blog today.  Enjoy the poems; they are special.
If you would like a beautiful poem by Amy to inspire your writing, here is a link to one of her poems.  

photo credit: Olivander via photopin cc

A Guest Post At Two Writing Teachers

       Maria Robinson said nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.  I believe teachers think about change all the time, and they make positive changes, often through much sacrifice of their time and their money.  Here's a picture of a classroom of long ago.  Consider what has happened since that teacher stood at the front and wrote on the blackboard.  

      You are invited to read my post today at the Two Writing Teachers blog.  The previous time I wrote a post for Ruth and Stacey, the topic was starting students as writers from the very first day of school.  This time, also at a time for fresh beginnings, I’m honored to write about meeting the needs of each student one teaches, especially the nice ones, and so grateful to Stacey and Ruth for giving me the chance.   
       I hope you enjoy it, and take away some ideas for this start to the new year, 2012.   Best wishes and  Happy New Year! 

     

      I will be excited to hear your ideas and opinions too!

         

Guest Blog Post

        This afternoon, come visit the marvelous Two Writing Teachers blog.  I’m honored to write a guest post for them about the first days of school and the importance of starting the writing process with students from the very beginning.   I hope you enjoy it, and take away some ideas for your own start to the school year.