Tuesday SOL: Is it already past?

I am participating in the
Tuesday Slice of Life.
All participants are writing about one moment, one part of their day.

A big thank you to Two Writing Teachers for providing this unique opportunity

for teacher-writers to share and reflect.

A beautiful spring at the Franciscan Monastery.

My spring break was last week. For the first time in years, we stayed home. My husband is recuperating from minor surgery and therefore unable to walk long distances; it was not the time to be sightseeing and touring in some new locale.

We managed to have the most delightful week, all the same. Of course, I live in the Washington, D.C. area, so there were many things to see and do very close to home. I'll share a few photos. My brother Ralph and his family visited for a couple of days at Easter, and I slipped down to tour some of the monuments with them and to paddle boats on the Tidal Basin. I visited the Franciscan Monastery for the first time, enjoying its tranquil, meditative grounds. On one perfect, irresistible spring day, Tony was feeling well enough to visit our local park (Wheaton Regional Brookside Gardens), and I walked the grounds while he rested on a bench. Our special week at home together ended with a powerful, surprise hail storm followed by a double rainbow. I'm sure there is some meaning to this finale!

I realized, there's a surprising amount of relaxation and respite that comes with a "staycation." Simple walks around my neighborhood in the middle of the day seemed so peaceful and dear. Digging weeds out of my garden beds seemed both long overdue and low-pressured. Reading, journaling, and napping were three essential daily activities.

Gorgeous day at Wheaton Regional Park

How to describe the lazy pace of a week at home, without any school pressures? Things moved slowly, slowly, slowly...in the best possible sense! Example number one - I sorted through my clothes, moving winter things into the hope chest and freshly folding and hanging spring and summer clothes. (This is the seasonal reality of an old house with small closets.)

Another example - I cleaned my classroom betta fish's aquarium...a task I had put off for so very long. When would I have found this hour, without a lot of down time all around it?

Perhaps my most vivid example of the delightfully slow pace of a week at home - I often went on not one but two walks a day in my neighborhood.  I had so many noticings...the quiet all around, the bright colored azaleas, the beautiful dogwoods, the dappled light under trees, the unexpected breezes. Is it possible that I hadn't done this since my children were little? When I returned home, I reflected in my journal...which, of course, resulted in this blogpost.

Does it get any better than this, this delight of slow, found time?

Yes, it was a fabulous week - and leisure was the rule.

Here it is Tuesday, a mere 48 hours later. Is it already past?

Wheaton Regional Park...you'll have to look very closely to find Tony on a bench!

I loved the reflections of the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin.

Tony and I headed out to a movie in downtown Silver Spring, and caught a double rainbow!

This teacher couldn't resist the ABC's of Life at the Franciscan Monastery.

SOLSC #25 Where are you going?

During the month of March, I am participating in
the Slice of Life Story Challenge.
All participants are writing about one moment, one part of their day, every day for thirty-one days. My slices will be primarily about teaching preschoolers.

Check out the Two Writing Teachers website for many more reflections on teaching.

The children spoke over us at morning gathering, sharing about their spring break plans. We hadn't even sung hello when the room was filled with children sharing about "grammy," "super long car ride" and "blue airplanes." Realizing we were up against all odds, my Teaching Resident asked children to share about next week. 

First child exclaims, "I am going to Chicago with my Daddy. But Mommy is not going because they had a big fight this morning." We tread lightly. "Mommy and Daddy?" "Yes," she said, "and we are not going to Chicago. Only I am going. With Daddy." I said "It is sad when our family gets angry. I think probably everyone gets angry sometimes." In hopes of changing the conversation back to the original topic, I added "I hope you have fun on spring break." However, there was a chorus of voices, "My mommy gets angry, too! My Daddy gets angry!" The little girl concluded, "It's okay that they get angry. Mommy and Daddy said it's okay." It amazes me how much empathy children have for one another, and how much they share when they feel safe and loved. These children do - both at home and at school. I'm sure this little girl was witness to a fervent discussion this morning at her house. I am happy she felt that she could share this and I am delighted that all the children supported her. 

I moved on, "John, do you want to share about spring break?" "Yes! In spring break, I am going to sleep with my Mommy." Only in the three year old classroom are such words greeted with nods and understanding. 

Another sweetie shared, "On spring break, I am going on vacation. I am going to take a right, and I am going home." Thought this was really funny - she has been working a lot on maps in recent weeks, and she was definitely thinking this through in regard to her family trip.

In this way, we went around the circle with children sharing what they knew about the week ahead. We will hear many more details when we return. Children share best when they have had the experience!

Happy spring break!

Tuesday SOL When will we be back together?

This is a Tuesday Slice of Life for Two Writing Teachers. 

Check out their website for many more reflections on teaching.

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Today is our first day back at school after a beautiful spring break...I had a fabulous time, hiking in the Georgia mountains with my husband. We stayed in a cabin at Vogel State Park, near Blairsville, Georgia, and did day hikes in the Appalachian mountains that surround this park. 

Yesterday - Monday - staff returned to school for a professional day, to plan our final weeks of the school year. Anyone who is a teacher knows how delightful this "cushion day" was - allowing a time of transition from spring break to classroom teaching. I thoroughly enjoyed this bonus day before returning to my teaching role.

It was really sweet to see a few of my preschoolers at the on-site daycare program, allowing me a sneak peek at the children I have - quite honestly - been missing a great deal. I was working on lesson plans in our classroom when I saw a few of the children walk by in the hallway with an instructor. They saw me, I saw them, and I saw nothing but confusion on their faces. Why was I in the classroom but they were not? What was going on? 

James, in fact, quickly put up his hand as a blinder, as if he did not want to see me or me to see him.

I called out,

"Hey there! You can't walk by without giving me a hug! Come here, buddies! Group hug time!" and I spread my arms wide to embrace them, to invite them towards me.

Immediately, Simona, Ellis, James, Naima, Wesley, and Malcolm raced into the classroom and dove in for a group hug. Evan stood back, uncertain. 

Many questions poured forth -

Why are you here?

Is this a school day?

Did you know I saw my grammy?

Did you know I was at camp?

I saw my cousins!
Did you miss me?

Did you know it was spring break?

James, with conviction, concluded - "Ms. Ingram, tomorrow is not a camp day anymore, right?"

"No, James, tomorrow we are back together - we are going to have a great time, the Big Cats together again, here in the classroom!"

With this news, he gave me another big hug, and everyone else joined in, again. Except Evan, still uncertain, but a slow grin coming over his face.

Here's to today - and our great time, together again!

But before I go, let me share a few pictures from my week of hiking...