Tuesday SOL: What's the plan today?

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.

Last Wednesday was my first day back at school after our winter break. My sleep, the night before, was broken - as expected. I always have 'jitters' before returning to school after long breaks, feeling excited, unsettled, unknowing. Although it no longer surprises me, I continue to wonder why it happens. I mean, I know these children, my teaching team, the building, the day...why so unsettled? Ah, well.

We had a great first day back, everyone excited to be back together...and woke up to a snow day on our supposed second day back! What?! This was a gift of a day, not unlike being presented with delicious chocolates after having just devoured a homemade brownie. It's wonderful, delightful, amazing - and yet, seriously, did we really need it? (Of course, snow days aren't given to those who need a day off, but to areas that are having winter weather.)

So then we had school on Friday, which ended up feeling like a second "first day back." Somehow, Friday felt even more festive and exciting than Wednesday...everyone was in great moods and the day flew by. Then it was the weekend! Wouldn't this be a fun pattern for teaching - one day on, next day off? 

This week has started off in a similarly wonky pattern, with school being dismissed promptly at end of day yesterday, with no after school activities or even our regular Monday staff meeting, due to wintry weather. I furtively searched for a two hour delay this morning...but not to be. I slogged into work, after working on my car for fifteen minutes as I scraped ice off the windshield. Everyone on the road was driving so very slowly, wary of black ice, (in retrospect, this was a good thing) and I arrived just in time to make my breakfast duty. The rest of the day was fast-paced and full, taking me in so many different directions...perhaps I'll share more another day.

Up, down, back, forth, yes, no, on, off, hurry, wait, stop, go, do, don't, this is the start of 2018.

sol17-14 How is change good?

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.

My morning alarm went off as usual, and I immediately checked my phone for a message. Just like I feared - the promised big snow fizzled into an icy slush, bringing a confusion of school closings and delays. My Maryland neighborhood schools were closed. However, the Washington, D.C. school where I teach had a two-hour delay. Ugh. Gotta get ready for the slog of a commute. Note to self: find ways to make it better, to be grateful, to see the wonder. I reset the alarm for a little later and went back to sleep.

This small delight didn't last terribly long. I couldn't stop thinking about all the extra things that needed doing. My husband is out of town for a few days...I would need to shovel the driveway, I would need to scrape off the car. I got out of bed, made myself a cup of hot tea, and surveyed the scene outside.

I shoveled the snow right away, before breakfast, before reading the newspaper. Two inches of heavy back-breaking icy slush. It looked like nothing but weighed a ton. Note to self: focus on the beauty of the snowy trees and shrubs, how quiet everything is outside, how beautiful. I found a thick coat of ice on my car. Sorry, this is not beautiful. Ugh. I decided that it was wiser to take the bus this morning. Note to self: see, you have options! How lucky! I packed my backpack with spare slip-ons and a yummy lunch, I bundled up in my warm "ski" hat, gloves, and snow boots. Out the door! Here goes!

There was no one on the roads. No one. Ugh! They were all sleeping in!!! Even the Federal Government received a three-hour delayed start. I was all alone. I was the only one awake. I was the only one who was miserable. Ugh: the roads are unplowed. I had to trudge through this icy, wet stuff. Note to self: hey, isn't this fun? You are walking the center of streets to the bus stop - how often do you get to do that?

Walking. Walking. Walking. Bus stop. My husband sends me a love message from warm, sunny Arizona.  Ice pellets rain down on me. I wait for the bus. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Are the busses running? How do I know if the busses are running? What was my backup plan? Did I need a backup plan? I waited. From behind me, I heard laughter - a boy of about 8 or 10 years of age was rolling around in the snow in his front yard, which made me smile. Ahh, that is how this day should have begun. Wistful. Sad. Lonely. Note to self, note to self, note to self? What to feel grateful for? What can I think of?

Unbelievably, a lone car pulls out of a neighboring road and then it stopped in front of me. The driver rolled down the window and called out - "Are you headed to the metro? Would you like a ride? I'm not sure the busses are running." Yes! A woman picked me up at my bus stop. An angel named Ingrid. She didn't know me and I didn't know her. I am truly grateful. 

Truly, from this moment on, the day became lighter. I was challenged from the get go, but I worked on focusing on the positive and letting in the joy. Now, looking back on the day, I am realizing it can be good if not invigorating when our normal 'rules' and routines get bent or downright broken. It makes you look at the world with new eyes.

Just today,

• I accepted a ride from a stranger, and met a neighbor, learning quickly that we had people and things in common. 
• When I got off the metro, I found my path to school thick with the same icy sludge that I shoveled back home...I walked with my feet pointing out, I walked with my feet pointing in, just like Peter in The Snowy Day. 
• Only half my students attended school today and I felt as though I engaged and connected with every one of them; also, missing many of their classmates, I watched the children play together in new ways.
• I brought snow in from outside for the children to explore and they kept their mittens on to make snowballs and snow muffins. 
• We slowed our schedule down, had a leisurely lunch with lots of good conversation, put the children down for their nap a little later, and all was well. 

Turn around, the day was over.

Change: challenging, provocative, daring, trusting, silly, looser, happier.

sol17-13 Will there be snow?

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 did my part.

Painting snow pictures with shaving cream and glue.

Reading The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.

Doing a snow dance together.

Singing songs about snowflakes.

Reminding everyone to wear their pajamas inside out and backwards.

Will there be snow?

Typically, my preschoolers are my best clue.

I know a storm is coming because their emotions are up and down and their bodies are in overdrive.

Honestly, I didn't see any of that today. 

We had a lovely day together, with lots of calm play and exploration.

Will there be snow?

Oh sure, the East Coast will see snow. 

Oh sure, there will be blizzard conditions.

I'm just not sure that this storm is going to hit the Washington, D.C. area. 

I think our area might very well be a bust.

The latest models show only 1" to 3" right in the heart of the city.

My fear is that our 'snow' will simply make tomorrow's commute annoying, frustrating, ugly, depressing, long.

Will there be snow?

Does anyone want snow more than teachers and students?

Will there be snow?

It's getting dark now. There are a few flakes falling. Hmmm.

Will there be snow?

Tuesday SOL What about snow?

This is a Tuesday "Slice of Life" for Two Writing Teachers. Check out their website for lots more reflections on teaching.

*******
Happy New Year!
Today was our second day back at school and, much to my surprise when I woke up this morning, it was snowing! I had heard that we might get a dusting, but unfortunately this 'dusting' came during the morning commute…I struggled to get in to my classroom, my typical 30 minute commute tripling in length.

Yes, I was late to school.
I don't think I have ever been late to school.

That slog of a commute gave me so much time to watch the falling snow and plan a snowy extension to today's learning. I always find nature so engaging for children - and isn't it particularly magical when nature is a fresh snow?

After gathering, I took a small group of children outside when it was still snowing, to collect fresh snow for our classroom. We had so much fun!

Back in the classroom, one large tub of snow was dumped onto the sand in the sensory table - snow on a beach! The children were surprised and elated by this combination…making snowballs, trying to build a snow man, watching the sand and snow mix together, surprised by how cold the sand became.

Snow in sand. It was so cold, it started melting... you can make an outside snowball

 (Evan)

There were still three more large containers of snow…and these I added to the art table. The art table had been readied for a process art activity with found objects and paint. What if we used the paint and the found objects with snow? Why not? What might happen? Let's see!



I added a few extra tools - tongs, eyedroppers, tweezers, stirring sticks, spoons. I watered down the paint so that it might be useful with a dropper. Then I stepped back and watched the children explore...

immediately seeing






Excited preschoolers,

touching and squeezing the snow

filling eye droppers with paint, squeezing paint onto the snow

making dots, speckles on the snow

adding spoonfuls of snow into the paint

picking up snow with tongs

I love pink

I love purple

I love blue

Curious preschoolers,

dropping found objects in the snow

retrieving them with tongs

stirring them into the snow

dropping found objects into the paint

adding in more snow, to the paint

I'm making soup

I'm making spaghetti

Look! I got it all gone!

Focused preschoolers,

picking up tongs full of snow,

plopping the snow into the paint,

watching, watching, watching

as the paint moved up the snow ball,

the snow slowly filling with paint color

not melting but growing in color,

Stirring, stirring, stirring

meticulously removing every bit of snow from the containers

We are making snow!

It's turning to dark red

My snow is all pink

This is cold

Feverish preschoolers,

rapid questions, incessant demands

I need tongs!

What about tweezers?

I need another tray!

I need more water!

I need a clean squeeze thing! 

I want pink, too! 

What are those? 

I need something to mix!

Where did you get that?

I need a spoon!

Alert, excited, restless, engaged.

Me,
I was the guide on the side,
moving quickly to support them,
all things at once,

taking pictures,

making notes,

asking questions,

pointing them towards supplies,

encouraging them to resolve problems themselves

Where are they kept?

Has anyone seen where those are kept?

Where did we put them?

What just happened when you did that?! Wow!

What if you ask a friend where she got hers?

How might you get the paint out of the eyedropper?

What happens to the snow when you do that?

Did you ask her if you can have some?

Where might we get water?

Will that fit in there?

What happens to the paint when you put snow in it?

What do you think will happen?

I, too, was alert, excited, restless, engaged.

This is my favorite kind of centers work!

And it sure helped me to forget about that horrid commute.

SOLSC #25 A Snowy School Day

I am posting every day during March as part of the annual "Slice of Life" Challenge for Two Writing Teachers.  Check out their website for lots more reflections on teaching.

*******

It snowed all day, today, at school,
from the moment I left the metro station until
the moment I returned home.

The snow fell softly,
dusting my coat and hat, as I arrived at school,
and I thought -

I am so thankful that we have school today!

No cancellations.
No delays.
No disruption to our routines.

I am a little tired of all the snow we have had this year.

For the children, however, it continues to be delightful.

We watched the snow fall as we played in the classroom.
We played Snail's Pace Race,
we painted more of the light tunnel,
we built with blocks and Legos,
we mushed play dough,
we explored at the light table,
we wrote cards and letters at the writing table,
we enjoyed pretend tea and pizza,
and all the while it snowed.

We read The Snowy Day, for the umpteenth time this school year!

We went out for a walk in the snow - oh, how lovely!
[A much nicer walk than yesterday's!]

The shady sidewalk had a slight covering of snow, maybe an inch.

Look, if you open your mouth, you can catch snow and eat! 
Look, we can make footsteps just like Peter in The Snowy Day! 
Look, we can make a snowball! Can I throw a snowball? I can throw it on the ground. 
Look, there is a lot of snow coming from the sky! 
Look, there is a lot of snow on the cars! On the construction! On the backhoe!
Look, there is snow falling on my face!
Look, there is snow on my mittens!
Look, I am slipping in my boots! Ha!
Snow! Snow! Snow!

We peeked at the snow falling as we settled in for our nap.
It's still snowing!

We watched the snow as we ate snack and had our closing.
Snow! Snow! Snow!

Throughout all this snow,
the sidewalks and streets remained mostly snow-free,
though an inch or two rests on shady spots, on bushes, on grass, on cars.

It's not much of a snow.
But it was the very best of snows.
Just what we needed!

No cancellations.
No delays.
No disruption to our routines.
We spent a very nice, normal day together,
while it snowed.

It appears that we may have our first five day school week in who knows how long.

I am so thankful that we had school today!