Morning Routes (SOLSC 9/31)

Follow me from the parking lot to my classroom for my morning route/routine! 

I park my car sometime between 7:05 am and 7:25 am and make sure my podcast pauses correctly -- I don't want to miss out on the thrilling moments of Critical Role or The Magnus Archives.  If I'm playing music, I may linger a bit longer and let the song finish -- getting me excited for the day ahead.

I step out, gathering my things to bring inside: my large tote bag that carries my keys, lunch, my notebook, pens, and a planner.  On a good day I remember to toss my phone into the bag.  On a bad day I leave my phone perched in its holder and waiting for me to come back in 10-15 minutes before students arrive. On a really good day I bring Starbucks for myself or donuts for my colleagues.

Sometimes I get to the door at the same time as Ms. Gray or Mr. Rice.  Other times it's just me and the sound of a nearby mourning dove crying hello. The leaves are still gone from the nearby tree and I pause before stepping inside. Can I spot her in the branches today?  

I should count how many steps from the door to my classroom.  I pass five doors on my left and three doors on my right before reaching my room.

I have a bright pink desk lamp on a shelf near the door that is turned on first.  I set my tote bag down behind my desk and then make a circuit of the room to turn on each and every lamp.  Overhead lights are the bane of my students' existence even with the blue sky light coverings I put over them.  I move from lamp to lamp, but pause when I reach the other classroom door.  This door faces my neighbor's room and makes for a quick exit.  

I open my door, step over to hers, and shout merrily as I step into her room, "Good Mor--."

She is not there and my shoulders immediately slump: disappointed.  My neighboring teacher friend is not there, but I did spy her truck in the parking lot, so at least I don't have to worry about her.  I return to my own room, closing the door behind me, and continue lighting the lamps.

Before students arrive at 7:50 am, I make sure to start my coffee, check my email, tweak the agenda for the day and make last minute copies because I won't get a chance to do any of that again until lunch.

What's your morning route to your classroom like?

Paper Wishes (SOLSC 8/31)

 

We had a few minutes before the bell and I noticed a student had several paper butterflies on her desk.

"Oh, those are nice."

"Thanks.  I was writing my "how to" blog post on origami and made them as practice.  You can keep them if you want."

Blogging has long been a practice in my classroom for a few years now.  I assign them different "types" of blogs to try throughout the year just to see which kinds of blogs they might like.  Many students for their "how to" blog of course used recipes, so I was excited about something different.  I accepted her offering and even tucked one of the paper butterflies near a 'Welcome' sign hanging next to the main door where she sits.

Now, I'm not sure if I just missed some or what, but ever since that first day I have slowly been finding more and more paper butterflies in my room.  Each of them around the same spot.  Each time I gather them and start affixing them to the welcome sign. I'm starting to think she's making them and leaving them behind for me to find.  But I never see her make them and I can't tell if it's just one I happened to miss the day before.

Either way it makes me happy.  I love the little reminders of their time with me.  It can be paper butterflies, sticky note doodles, notes on my white board, or even stickers I gave them placed in unexpected spaces. It's evidence that they were here -- if even for a brief moment.

What little treasures are being left in your classrooms?

(Update: I started writing this blog yesterday, so today I intentionally kept an eye on that side of the classroom.  Sure enough, I witnessed her gathering up a small selection of paper butterflies and even a crane! I knew it!)

                        Today's slice was brought to you by another Teach Write Daily Writing prompt.

Chance Encounters (SOLSC 7/31)

 

"I think I know her." I say, watching as the waitress hurries past us and out the door.  I didn't get a good look at her face, and I can't help but try and catch her eye as she leaves.  I know it will bug me if I don't say something.  I am shy, but I will break my habit of talking to strangers if it is a stranger I think I recognize.  I make a mental note to find her later.

Fortunately, I don't have to as when we are seated for lunch, the familiar face is the one to slide up to our table.  Here is my chance! I'm now 99% positive I recognize this young woman about to take our order. However, before I can say anything, my dad chimes in: "My daughter thinks she knows you."

The waitress's eyes light up as she finally sees me for the first time.  I smile and we both make the connection at the same time.  I recognize her as a former student at the same time she remembers me as her former teacher.

She squeals as she says my name, clearly delighted: "Ms. Johnson, right?"  

"Yes, and you're Amaya."  I'm usually terrible at student names, but despite not having taught her since 2016 I still remember her vividly.  I didn't quite match her enthusiasm, but only because I was still in a bit of shock.  I wonder if this is how celebrities feel when they are recognized in public?

It was surreal moment, especially in the middle of lunch on a random Sunday afternoon in an area far from my usual stomping grounds.  Then again, we were in the area of where I first started teaching, so it wasn't completely random.  

"What are you doing these days," she asks.

"Oh, still teaching.  I'm at Vilonia now though.  How are you?"

"I'm good!  I just started here.  I drive by the high school sometimes, just to see how it's grown.  It's so much better now."

I nod, I hadn't seen it for myself, but I could remember the years I worked there.  It wasn't a building so much as a collection of trailers in those days.  Although at least then I had windows.  "It's good to see you too."

I try not to dwell on the fact that I don't have nearly the enthusiasm to see her.  I wouldn't say I have bad memories of her, but I didn't think we were so close as to elicit that squeal of excitement. My real mistake comes when I share that with my parents after they ask me if she was a good student. 

"Not really," I say without thinking.  But, I amend later, "She was just a teenager with some attitude."  

I don't remember how it comes up, but as we are getting ready to leave she brings my parents the check and mentions that I was actually her favorite teacher!  

"Really?"  I'm flattered, touched, and a little embarrassed, because of what I had said earlier.

"Yes!  I loved how bubbly and positive you were.  You were the best teacher at charter."

I don't know if I'll be back at that restaurant, but it was a humbling experience to have a student be so thrilled to see me.  It just goes to show how wildly different experiences can occur despite being in the same room.

Green Thumb (SOLSC 6/31)

This was a piece I originally wrote in June of 2022 for a Garden Party themed writing challenge (though Teach Write as usual).  I have not posted it to my blog before and wanted to do so now.  Especially since today is my dad's birthday and this seemed like a great way to honor and celebrate him!  The style of writing is called a "haibun" which is a form of poetry that combines prose and haiku.

Happy 62nd Birthday Dad!

A Hoard of Hats (SOLSC 5/31)

 

While I may not have actively used this blog until this very Slice of Life challenge, I have still been actively blogging and writing.  My blogging has mainly been through a more professional capacity as I have taken ownership of the Teach Write, LLC.  As for my writing I would say the majority of it is dedicated to writing lesson plans or content for Teach Write.  So, again, professional.

I do find the time to pen the occasional poem and share it on platforms like Ethical ELA or Teach Write's monthly challenge padlet.  Not to mention the time I spend in my notebook and my sentence a day journal. But, even with that, more of my writing is professional, not personal, and I am hoping between this challenge and the coming poetry month to change that.

I write all of that to say: here is a poem. I wrote this poem last month for the Teach Write monthly challenge, but I am sharing it now on my public blog.  

It is also a slice since it tackles a moment last month when I was thinking of all of the hats I own -- though I couldn't tell you why.  It's not a huge collection or even all that special, not like my Pawpaw's hat collection.  He had a whole room full of just hats.  

I hadn't thought of that collection in over a decade.  It was one of those collections where he probably started with a small amount and then, over time, people just started buying him hats as souvenirs on their trips or as gifts for his birthday.  I remember that most of them either had funny sayings or destinations printed on the front.  I know at one point when we went to Disney World we brought him back a Goofy hat.  

By the time of his passing there were rows upon rows of hats hanging from the walls of that room.  I am not sure where most of them went -- to various family members I imagine.  This was the poem I wrote as I recalled those hats:

Falling Short (SOLSC 4/31)

 

The last day of the CrossFit Open was not the triumphant high I had hoped to end on.  I got stuck on the first section (wall walks) and that meant I could not move on to the other sections of the workout that I might have been better suited for.  

I struggled.  I got frustrated.  I cursed and cried.  I walked away.  I couldn't make it past the first round.

I can't decide if I am upset because I tried my best and still fell short or because in walking away a part of me feels like I gave up.

There are two things I am taking away from this experience:

1. I am grateful for my CrossFit friends, community, and coaches.  They were quick to congratulate me on my efforts and work that I have put in up until now.  They cheered me on, even when I wasn't feeling like I deserved those cheers.  I am so glad I have the gym that I do, because I think it would be so easy to give up if I didn't have that support system in place.

2. This is not the end of my journey, but a stepping stone.  I can start here, at two wall walks completed, and push myself to grow stronger and get better in time for next year's open or the open after that.  Heck, I may have an opportunity to try again as early as Monday with a better scaling option or at least more guidance on how to get my attempted reps to count!  

It's only quitting if you stop trying.  I have to keep showing up and do the work.

Today's slice was brought to you by another Teach Write Daily Writing prompt.

Open (SOLSC 3/31)

 On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I roll out of bed at 4:45 AM to attend a 5:00 AM CrossFit class three minutes from my apartment.  When I tell people this they are surprised -- how do you wake up that early?  

It's the only time I can make work for going to the gym.  A 6:00 AM class would not be practical to get me to school/work and attending in the evenings would likely result in me skipping more than attending.  At the end of the day I just want to go home.

Which leaves me with waking up for a 5:00 AM.  I like the 5:00 AM class -- they're energetic and now that I've attended for two years I know most of them pretty well. I also like the boost of energy it gives me most days.  I definitely feel better on the mornings I work out.

I enjoy deadlifts (I can lift 205 lbs) and back squats (195 lbs) the most.  I enjoy the bicycle and wall walks the least.

Today, I will step into the gym in the evening for one last round of our CrossFit Open.  It's a competition of sorts, but for me it's more about seeing my own personal progress in fitness and not necessarily scoring against other competitors.  

We've been having the Open for the past two weeks now and the first day of it the owners of the gym had a professional photographer come and take pictures.  They did this last year as well.  They are often finding little ways to make working out more fun.  The photographer saw me, remembering last year's Open and how he had taken a picture of me "flying" as I did a box step up.

I wonder what he'll say about the picture this year?