Inspired by Our President and 22 Fabulous 4th Graders

Happy Poetry Friday!  It's been a while, a long while since I have really joined in the party. I guess you might say I crash the party, reading and enjoying the poetry buffet. Hoping to find my way and add something to the party.  It's time to pass the poetry.

This week, I started to read Writing Toward Home by Georgia Heard. So far, her stories and lessons are giving me a nudge to grab my notebook and pen...
Put this with all the pleasure reading I have had the time to indulge in and I should be on my way.

The writing I share today is sort of a poem. My students and I loved the words in of Thee I Sing - A letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama. It became a mentor text for many of us. 

Have I told You

 Have I told you lately how special you are? How the sight of your smiling faces coming down the hall brings sunshine to the grayest of days? How the sound of your greetings makes me look forward to working together?

Have I told you that you are compassionate? That you look out for one another like Sistine and Rob? You offer a helping hand and encouraging words to a friend in need. You are gardeners sprinkling the seeds of kindness to make the world a beautiful place.

Have I told you that you are persistent? That your stick-with-it attitude will take you places?  Borrowing the words of Dr. Seuss, “Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!” It may be steep, but keep climbing.

Have I told you that you are insightful? That you listen with your head and your heart wide open? You consider the viewpoints of others. You imagine what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes.  You are understanding.

Have I told you that you are hardworking like the westward traveling pioneers? You wrote each day in March conquering the Slice of Life challenge. Your writing pieces are blossoming like a spring garden with beautiful words.

Have I told you that I loved being your teacher?

Have I told you that you were my teachers too? Thank you for a wonderfully memorable year. Your spirit, enthusiasm, and curiosity are inspiring. Keep wondering and digging deeper! You are ready to soar into fifth grade.

Be sure to enjoy your time away from school. Remember to take time to disappear in good books, record some thoughts in your notebook, and play lots of games too!

For my fourth grade Stars ~ June 19, 2012

                  With love, Mrs. Annello

Inspired by of Thee I Sing - A letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama

Poems in Pockets

         Poem in Your Pocket Day comes just once a year and this year it comes at just the right time in the midst of state testing. This Thursday our school will celebrate poetry’s big day. Some students are choosing from poetry resources in the classroom, others are selecting pieces from their stash, and others are writing new poems just for the celebration. This is the chance to step back from the bubble sheets, put the intensity on the back burner, and…

Catch a breath of fresh air.

Spread some poetry love!

Serve up a smorgasbord of similes

A buffet of beautiful

A mound of metaphors

A pinch of this

A smidge of that

Whatever tips your hat

Or floats your boat

Spread some poetry love

Catch a breath of fresh air.

         Be sure to visit Poets.org website to find out how this day got started in New York City and how people across the country rejoice the power of poetry. It’s not too late to gather some favorite poems, slip them in your pocket, and put some smiles on faces when you share your selection.

         We read, write, collect, and love poetry all year long, but in April we bring it on with an extra dash of passion. Here is a sampling from a few fourth grade poets:

Just the other day

I was going out to play

Now I see the snow-

Spring's eternal foe

Just the other day

I felt the sunshine from May

Now I'm turning into ice

The weather isn't being nice

Just the other day

By Chelsea

How To Be a Dog

You run around all day,

You play,

You play,

You play!

You lay around in the grass,

And bark

When people pass.

You sleep all the time,

Sometimes,

You make a crime.

And when it's time to go to bed,

You always want to get fed!

And that is how to be a dog!

By Jamie

In the universe there was a planet

                                                       In the planet there was a continent

                                                       On the continent was a country

                                                         On the country there was a state

                                                    On that state there was a town

                                                      On that town there was a school

                                                       In that school was a hall

                                                       In that hall was a classroom

                                                        Inside that classroom was a desk

                                                      On that desk there was a notebook

                                                      In that notebook was some words

                                                      In those words were some meaning

                                                     In that meaning was some dreaming

                                                     In that dreaming was a whole new world!

By Caleb

Knee Deep in a Good Book

Gonna put the the world away for a minute

Pretend I don't live in it

Sunshine gonna wash my blues away…

Wishing I was knee deep in the water somewhere

Got the blue sky breeze and it don't seem fair

Only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair

Sunrise there's a fire in the sky

Never been so happy

Never felt so high

And I think I might have found me my own kind of paradise

~ Zac Brown Band with Jimmy Buffett

      Since I am here in chili western New York, instead of knee deep in the water somewhere, I am perched like a lazy cat in a perfect little sunny spot in our family room.

I will pretend this is my beach chair.

Here's my reading stack,

a cup of steaming java,

and some stitching for in between books.

And Grace found her sunny spot!

      I can’t stop thinking about the book I finished yesterday. On the basis of several recent reviews, I could not wait to get my hands on Wonder by RJ Palacio.  A few pages in and I was hooked. I fell in love with August, an amazing ten-year-old boy who rises above the challenge and adversity he faces simply because he is judged by his appearance. August is in fifth grade and not only is he starting middle school, but he is also starting school for the first time ever.  I join the masses in saying as soon as you get the chance, read this wonderful first novel of RJ Palacio’s.  

A few of my favorite parts…

Mr. Browne, August’s English teacher starts the first class with a discussion of P-R-E-C-E-P-T-S. When no one can tell him what a precept is, he adds a definition to the board:

PRECEPTS = RULES ABOUT REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS!

“A precept is anything that helps guide us when making decisions about really important things.” 
     His monthly precepts will guide students and help them “Know Thyself”, a message on a plaque posted on his door. September’s precept is “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.”

         At the end of this first class, August thinks…I suddenly realized that I was going to like school. No matter what.

         August has bumps in the road as do most students, but his bumps are often mountainous. August keeps climbing with the love and support of a strong family and true friends that he makes along the way. We do get by with a little help from our friends!

         At the end of the school year, Mr. Browne asks each of his students to craft their own precepts and mail them to him over the summer. Of course the teacher in me loves this idea and I love August’s precept most of all: Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world. In my world this book and author RJ Palacio deserve a standing ovation. Thank you for a great story!  

Celebrating March

    Slices are totaled. Slices are ordered. Tomorrow I will dine with twelve month-long slicers. This group of fourth grader writers is quite proud of their accomplishments. I am not only impressed with their month-long dedication, but also their on-going enthusiasm for writing. They are eager to take risks and try new ideas. Slicers wrote about many different topics:

·      Small moments

·      A favorite memory

·      Spring’s arrival!!

·      Playing outside

·      Reflections on events of the day

·      Responses to books

·      Playing an instrument

·      Joining band

·      Going to dinner

·      Favorite foods

·      Special friends

·      Beloved pets

·      Family

·      Quotes

·      Vacation

·      Traveling

      Slicers wrote in a variety of genres:

·      Lists

·      Articles

·      Fiction

·      List poems

·      Things to do poems

·      Free verse poems

·      Acrostics

·      Letters

     Tomorrow we will celebrate and share our March accomplishments  

with a pizza party. We have marched into a new challenge for April: “Poem-a-Day.” The excitement is growing to share some extra poetry-love this month. I am hoping to write several poems each week. However, a handful of students are off and running with three poems under their belt! I promise to post some student poems throughout the month. Their voices and passions shine brightly and are sure to move your heart and put a smile on your face.

      

A Things to Do Poem

Things to Do if You Are a Writer

Jot down ideas

For ideas are everywhere.

Live with your eyes wide open.

Live with your ears wide open.

And most importantly live with an opened-wide heart.

Write often.

Try for a little bit everyday.

Read everything and read often!

Read like a writer.

Notice the small moments,

Taste them,

Smell them,

Feel them,

Hear them,

See them,

Savor moments big and small.

Write them down,

For you think you will always remember

And you will if you tuck them in your notebook.

Like a baby nestled in under a quilt

Your thoughts will be safe until morning.

Tonight I am posting a first draft poem inspired by Elaine Magliaro who blogs at Wild Rose Reader.  My students and I love reading and writing this type of poem. Watch for student poems coming soon. Happy Poetry Month!

March in Lines of Six

As I was thinking about possibilities for my final March SOLS, I was reminded of the SIX WORD MEMOIRS. My daughter introduced me to the six work mini memoirs last year. I recently purchased a collection of the one-liners that has been patiently waiting to be one of my mentor texts.  A blogger that I visited last night had a go with the lines of six. Tonight on the last night of March with the clock ticking, here are my six word reflections on SLICE of Life Month.  

Writer for the month of March.

A late night Slice of Lifer.

Looking for more writing time.

Learning more from other March writers.

Reading, savoring, commenting, here and there.

Trying to travel far and wide.

Inspired by this community of writers.

MANY THANKS TO RUTH AND STACEY.

You have touched so many lives!

Frustrated when potential ideas fizzle out.

Practice what you ask of students.

Move on and learn from mistakes.

It’s true practice fosters improvement.

Proud of write-everyday student slicers.
Proud of my thirty one accomplishments> 

Eyes, ears, and heart wide open.

Wondering what April has in store.

A poem a day for thirty.

Let’s give it a go!

Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold.

Zelda Fitzgerald

Love ~ SOLS 30

“Love. Fall in love and stay in love.

Write only what you love,

and love what you write.

The key word is love.

You have to get up in the morning

and write something you love,

something to live for.”

-      Ray Bradbury

“Love. Fall in love and stay in love.

Teach only what you love,

and love what you teach.

The key word is love

You have to get up in the morning

and teach something you love,

something to live for.”

While perusing this week’s Poetry Friday offerings, I read this quote on Irene Latham’s blog that reminded me how much I love what I do. In spite of the negativity and nervousness that suck the enthusiasm out of educators, I am trying my best to stay focused on my beliefs and reasons for becoming a teacher.  With changes in the way that principals and teachers will be evaluated and the way the results will be reported to the public, educators are nervous.

I try to practice what I preach and avoid worrying as much as I can, for worrying will not change the outcome. Yes, I am striving to be better informed and supportive of the voices that represent teachers. My energy is best channeled in positive directions, to the loves of my life.

I am blessed – I love what I do…teaching and learning, I love who I do teach and learn with…22 fabulous fourth graders and 60 or so inspiring co-workers and then there is the blog love, the poetry love, the reading love, the writing love that reaches out to an endless number of people.

I cannot imagine what it would be like to do something that I did not love.