the kids

the kids - I heart them very much.

my partner teacher - I heart her too.

even though I'm a long term substitute and my union and my district most likely are not looking out for me, once I'm in my classroom with the kids or in my slc with my colleagues (old ones and really interesting, personable new ones) - I'm more than happy to not have the time to think about them (my union and my district).

its late on a Friday night, I should be out but I feel very sleepy, reflective and inexplicably happy.

my students and I did a tremendous amount of work during this second week of school. when I see them in the morning around 8:30 - its like whoa dude, its early. and when a few stay behind to chill, to study or because they must (detention), and its around 4:30 - I'm like dude, this is crazy isn't it?

two old students from my first year of teaching, came to visit after school this week. they were more than a handful, they were everyday of my first year - they challenged me, to bits, it was an initiation. I was so happy though, to see them. middle school was not easy for them but they made it to high school in one piece. and the feeling right now is this - wow, we made it. through middle school.

tiles we made for a library garden service project

silence is a rare gift

years have been taken

by the sound

falling like glass to the floor

I've become the collector

of sharp edges,

the quiet search

for invisible pieces

Roads to Rome

Ancient Rome and the Roman Empire.

I spent several hours yesterday thinking and writing about Julius Caesar, the Pax Romana, Roman roads, Jesus, St. Paul, and Roman law and justice. Remember learning that in middle school? And only today, while skipping around the blogosphere and landing on a stranger's account of Rome did I really remember Italy.

Italia, the Vatican, prosciutto, Botticelli, gypsies, La Scala, Milan, train rides and Firenze. That was Summer 1999, translating and celebrating my Japanese host family's son's destination wedding. I dreamed about eventually learning Italian and living there. Summer 2009, I'm not there, I'm writing about it and about to teach about Italy's ancient history but right now, I'm definitely, there. I want to be there wining and dining and writing my way into a fantastical state of mind.

Blogging with Students

I love having a place to write within the blog world and I enjoy reading blogs. Currently, my list of links on the left don't show how many blogs I've been reading this summer. Initially, I just wanted another place to write, collect memories and photos. Its a public collection of personal things. Now, I'm beginning to think about how its a possible place for conversation and connection even though this isn't Facebook or Twitter. 

I've sent my blog address out there to friends and its open to the public. I never mention this to the students I teach. Its only when friends comment about a post when I see them, when people comment on posts online, or when my number of profile views increase, that I remember just how public, public can be. My feelings about this range from "You read that? Oh God." to "COOL! You read that!"

I spent most of my day yesterday on Edublogs. The possible ways a teacher can use blogs in the classroom are endless. And by that, I mean ENDLESS! But I'm determined to bring it into my classroom as a worthwhile, exciting way for them to write, read, think and connect. Something more involved than texting, more demanding than video games, more than just catching up with friends on MySpace, Facebook or Twitter - blogging will be in addition to and an extension of all those things. And they'll get to practice using technology regularly and thereby enhancing their technological literacy.

I hope. Big dreams friends.

Technological words and images are having a riot in my head today.  It's wierd to wake up thinking, "How will I use survey monkey with my kids next week?"  Or, "I love that fish widget on my blog!" Or, "What kind of wordle word cloud should I make tomorrow?"

I feel like I'm evolving. Into what? I don't know! But I have to get my head out of  my blog word cloud today and plan my history unit on Rome instead. And then go get a pedicure!