sol17-10 What is today's surprise?

I am participating in the
Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOLSC).
All participants are writing about one moment, one part of their day, every day of March 2017. 

A big thank you to Two Writing Teachers for providing this unique opportunity
for teacher-writers to share and reflect.

The day did not bode well. 

A five a.m. text from my Teaching Resident that she was home sick with the flu. 

I left my house later than I should have and I just missed a metro train.

The morning air was much cooler than expected and I felt chilly throughout my commute.

Darkening skies, I knew the rain wasn't going to hold off for outdoor recess.

The day did not bode well.

Look! 

A surprise at my classroom door!

A treehouse! 

Yes, for real.

A colleague's children and home had outgrown this treasure and she knew my preschoolers would welcome it. Just looking at it made me break into a smile. It was adorable.

I set it up on the center of our welcome carpet and just let it speak for itself. 

The children's delight was as instantaneous as mine. They brought dolls, animals, toy furniture, shells, dominoes, all their favorite treasures to visit the new treehouse. They opened its doors, looked through the floors, walked dolls up the stairs, touch, feel, open, shut, turn, spin, wonder.

For the first few minutes of their play, I was able to sit and listen and take notes. I love to eavesdrop on children! What are they thinking about? Here's what I overheard - 

"I saw something missing."

"Where is the Mommy?"

"We don't have a baby."

"We can have many Mommies.

"It's a treehouse."

"Mommy, I have to go to bed."

"You are not going outside, come back inside."

"There's no room."

"Open the door!" 

"Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me."

"Hey, what's the problem?"

"Close the door." 

"There's a moment."

"I wanted to check the door."

"It's a surprise."

Children consumed with thoughts of family and home. Beautiful. Loving. Magical. 

We were only a few minutes into our day together and I felt that I had set a huge "reset" button from my earlier moments. One never knows what surprises a day holds!

sol17-6 What is blossoming?

I am participating in the
Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOLSC).
All participants are writing about one moment, one part of their day, every day of March 2017. 

A big thank you to Two Writing Teachers for providing this unique opportunity
for teacher-writers to share and reflect.

I don't know why I find them so adorable. For the third day, I've taken a picture of the little yellow miniature narcissus flowers that are blooming alongside my driveway. I don't remember planting these. I know they were not there last year. My husband, Tony, who retired last June, has spent a lot of time working in the yard. We think all his hard work included moving something in a new, unplanned, and oh so right way that we received the blessing of new blooms. They make me smile. They catch my eye every time I return home from work. They remind me how happy my husband is to be retired. Their very surprise delights me. It is a little bit of magic in our yard, a tiny gift.

What are the parallels in my classroom? Were there any miniature narcissus today? 

Oh, yes, Cindy. She decided to write a book about the alphabet - she persisted until she had written every letter! Then she helped Mary write her name. Their collaboration was adorable. When did they fall in love with letters? When did they start noticing? When did they decide they could write?

Then there was Michael. He followed every routine. He didn't cry. He listened to our book. He sat for lunch. He ate his sandwich! He settled on his cot without needing one of us teachers alongside, rubbing his back. What happened? Why today? What was so right, finally?

It is March. Things are blossoming.