Saturday, May 31, 2014

Safety, Student Conversations, Endings, and New Beginnings

                                 So excited to join Saturday Celebrations with Ruth Ayres! 
                        It is fun to live my week thinking about what I will celebrate on Saturday.

Discover. Play. Build.
A week filled with moments to celebrate and remember!

1.  Everyone is home safe and sound.  Last weekend B & S were in Tokyo, 
and S & W were in Boston.  Instagram pictures allow me to enjoy their travels with them
I'm always thrilled to get the text messages that all are safely home.  

2.  A student shared his excitement about a current project.  Students selected their own topic for a mini-research project in two ancient civilizations.  I provided carts of books in the classroom, but this particular student requested several books from the public library.  He told me that instead of just using them for research, he ended up reading the entire books (all because it's a topic that's personally interesting to him).  I celebrate student choice.  I celebrate every time a student is excited about learning.  I celebrate that he shared his passion with me.  I wish I could clone him! 

3.  I had my last evaluation conference this week (after my administrator allowed me to reschedule twice).  I opened my celebratory Dove Chocolate to find the words - Exhale!  I'm surprised that the final weeks of my career are bittersweet and filled with conflicting emotions (just like the end of every school year).  I celebrate my search for new ways to share my passion, my upcoming stint with the Poetry Box in October,  and my first NCTE conference in November! 

4.  B will arrive home for a quick visit this week before he embarks on his career.  
Interesting that I'm disembarking just as he is beginning.  

6 comments:

  1. So much to celebrate here, Ramona. Glad you finished the year with a wonderful student memory, and your own kids safely home. I don't plan to go to NCTE this year, guess we'll miss each other both conferences. We'll share though, right? Have a wonderful weekend!

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    1. Linda, since I have kids in DC and I'm not teaching next year, NCTE is a perfect match. Keep me posted on any other conferences you might be attending, and maybe we can arrange to meet. There's always All Write 2015! I can't wait to read the posts and see the pics from this year's All Write.

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  2. I'll be at NCTE too. Your post reminded me that I need to make my hotel reservations.... LOVE NCTE!

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  3. I look forward to the adventures you will have in your retirement. It's always a relief when kids are back to their homes.

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  4. Your celebration #2 is so important! I wish all teachers could see that choice matters! Congrats on your retirement although it sounds like you are still going to be very busy! I am hoping to go to NCTE when it is in St. Louis - my neck of the woods! Enjoy your weekend Ramona!

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  5. Ramona, what a wonderful ending to your year. Glad you are celebrating.

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