Celebrating With Friends and Words

            Thanks to Ruth Ayres at DiscoverPlayBuild,  for beginning a new tradition, to reflect upon the week previous, and to celebrate something, or some things special to you personally.  It's a happy day reading what others have highlighted from their week.  Tweet at #celebratelu.

    

an old poem-seems to fit this piece

    It was a good week, busy and exciting.  I spent Tuesday evening with my grand-girls, Wednesday evening with my writing group, and like I imagine most of you, Thursday "doing" Halloween, in all its spooky, sugary goodness. Yesterday at school was certainly quieter, everyone low-key, seemed to be resting their ears from the noisiness of the holiday before.  I hosted Poetry Friday yesterday, what I called the 'after party', time to slow down and savor the words.  Like I said, a good week!

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.

A Poem From One Word

A most creative Robyn Hood Black is our host today for Poetry Friday. Check all the posts here for this first Friday of Poetry Month!

black rat snake

     I like writing from the Word of the Month at  David Harrison's blog.  I thought I'd share today what I wrote for March's word, snake. This particular word brought numerous poems and much conversation.  
             
                I've started a writer's support group with colleagues at school and they gave me feedback for the poem, too, but the word snake again brought up all kinds of responses from the group.  Interesting how one word can be so charged emotionally.  If you're interested, search the site to find the Word of the Month and you'll find the link.  The word for April is fragrance.  

                 Here is my poem for snake:

Learning

My mother shuddered when hearing “snake”. 

But I learned that it didn’t have to be bad,

in fact, the first one I met

face to face

(really,

face to face)

was a large black snake.