Reading Teacher Writes

Sharing a love of literacy with fellow readers and writers

Tag Archives: family


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Day 26: SOLSC Slice of Life Story Challenge

Inspiration Poem: Trying It Again

Thanks to my fellow Slicers and Ralph Fletcher for reminding me to use a mentor text and recreate it with my own words. Here’s my attempt:

The Good Old Days

Sometimes I remember

the good old days.

We traveled to Florida

to catch spring break’s rays.

The most fun I ever had

was sitting on the beach with Mom,

walking to the pier with Dad.

Sea shells collected, sand castles erected.

Needing that sunscreen and hat

so sun poisoning wouldn’t make you lay flat

on the bed; can’t go out, Oh drat!

Playing with sis in the pool after dark,

Going to Disney, can’t find anywhere to park!

Returned to the balcony, tired, just sat.

I still can’t imagine

anything better than that!


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Day 23: SOLSC Slice of Life Story Challenge

A Winning Weekend

We studied multiple-meaning words all year, and one word defined my weekend: winning.  I was thinking about posting this slice after 1:00 a.m., to be early for once, but now I’m glad I waited. My weekend revealed many definitions of “winning” and I plan to share my revelations in class this week. Winning, by definition, can be used as an adjective, a noun, or a verb, all generally meaning “gain or acquire.”

“Winning” as an adjective means (according to dictionary.com/thesaurus.com) “gaining, resulting in, or relating to victory in a contest or competition.”  Another version of winning states that it means “attractive.” I use both variations at once here — I couldn’t believe I was winning the game of Clue against the best board game players I know; I showed my winning smile proudly after beating Courtney!

I thought about my winnings and I decided that I share them with my family and friends. My many spoils Saturday and Sunday included time to watch movies,  play games, and relax after chores were done. I even reserved a brunch for the family at Tippecanoe Place, a famous historical mansion restored as a fancy meeting place. I felt like a winner, sharing good food and conversation in a unique atmosphere. Although my winnings did not include money, (I am still a poor teacher! LOL) I felt tonight that my loot came to me in the form of my little granddaughter who visited us before going home to bed.

I won! The verb. It means “to be successful or victorious.” I won this weekend because I was productive and happy AND now I have another authentic word study lesson to share with my students. “Winning” certainly does feel fantastic!


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Day 16: SOLSC Slice of Life Story Challenge

Madilyn

Miss Madilyn is my granddaughter. Eighteen months old going on 16, using her own language with a few “Nos” and “Yes’s” thrown in there to help you to remember she’s a human baby.

(I think she speaks “minion” — learned it from watching the yellow overall-ed creatures from Despicable Me, which are her favorite things.)

What a gal! Funny? No. Hilarious? Most of the time. Cutie pie love bug? Every day!

Example of the day: “Maddy, clean up your toys.”

“K. (Singing) Pick up, pick up, pick up. There.” Immediately throws everything back out on the floor again. Walking around, playing with each toy, talking to each doll.

“Maddy, clean up your toys.”

“No. (Pointing at the floor, then at me, then around the room) Be bacca, babas, me nos a GG, Grandma!”

I don’t know what she said, exactly, but I’m pretty sure it meant that she was not done playing and that I should not bother her with cleaning chores. Ha!

Maddy031614 Maddytoysdolls031614


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Day 14: SOLSC Slice of Life Story Challenge

Happy Birthday!

My sister’s birthday is today. Since I won’t see her tonight, I’ll send her virtual blog greetings!

As the older sister (and wiser, LOL!), I should be the person to take care of family situations, but I’m not good at that. She is the one who always comes through to help everyone, to cook for everyone, and to throw the best parties in the family! I guess she’ll throw her own birthday party, and I will attend. Sis came through for everyone when my grandmother passed away, and just a few weeks ago again when my dad passed. She was there at the hospital, she was there to make the phone calls, and she was there to be a strong presence even in a time of sorrow. My sister is amazing!

I’m not much of a cook. Sure, I can stir ingredients and pop chicken into the crock pot, but my sister is one of those special made-with-love cooks. Her chicken and noodles are delicious! And her chocolate nachos with strawberries on top are to die for! Whenever there is a family function, she is the one to cook up a storm. My mom even complains that she prepares way too much — on Christmas Eve we eat her cheese-and-olive trays and sneak petite cookies — no one is ever hungry for the ham.

Speaking of eating too much, any party my sister throws is a blast. She invites everyone, and there is always an activity paired with loads of food. Summer days are for pool parties, with grilled hamburgers, chips, and homemade cheese dip, along with vegetables, fruit bowls, and chocolate chip cookies. Winter holidays include turkey or ham, mashed potatoes, peas, corn casserole, and other yummy treats to munch on while watching sports or movies.

My sister is the best in the world! Yes, I’m biased, but it IS her birthday. Happy Birthday!


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Day 11: SOLSC Slice of Life Story Challenge

Excited or Exhausted?

I’d like to jump right in and say, “Exhausted!” But when I read other posts from other exhausted people working on this challenge, I experience a second-wind feeling, and I am “excited” to get back to writing. I feel a renewed sense of dedication to my writing, my job, and my life’s journey tonight — Yes, I am excited!

My writing has been on the back burner of my priorities stove top for years. I have so many ideas, and so many times I start a text, only to find some other higher priority (like running to the grocery store or reading the latest entertainment gossip) and run off to complete that first. My goal is to publish, so creating http://www.readingteacherwrites.com is a good start. I must keep it up. I must keep the ideas flowing, and the pen doodling, and the computer typing. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can….break my goal up into “slice of life” sections. One section, “Slice of Life,” cut out for my personal narratives, poems, and pictures. Thank you to all of you at the “SOLSC” for helping me to meet this part of my goal!

My job has been a different type of challenge this year. Much illness, snow, and even my father’s passing recently, kept me from working to my potential. In February, I got my results from a standardized predictive assessment, and my students did well, even though I felt like the school year was slipping away from me. I was excited then, watching their success. I am even more excited today; I watched that group of students take the real standardized test (day one) and I saw that they were confident and ready to show what they know! Some students even replied, “It was easy,” when I asked them how it went. Yes!

My life’s journey — a constant car ride from my school to home, to high school pick up, to the local pizza joint, to my daughter’s new townhouse, to the grocery store — has never been boring. I am an extrovert and I love the daily grind. I never SAY I love it, but I do. My family is wonderful. I never SAY my family is wonderful…well, I just did, didn’t I? Yes, it’s true. I wouldn’t trade them in for anything, except maybe a quiet condo on the lake. LOL! I am a dedicated mom, daughter, wife, teacher, and grandma, although I still definitely want to move to a condo! That’s another goal. A different story.

Exhausted?  Yes. I am exhausted. Excited? Yes, most definitely, I am excited to be here, sharing my stories with you!


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Day 9: SOLSC Slice of Life Story Challenge

Red Striped Shirts

One of my dad’s favorite shirts was a red-and-white striped T-shirt that he wore for any casual occasion: weekend wear, golf practice, or going to a ball game. It was one of those “go to” shirts that was washed and worn at least 3-4 times a month, never getting old, never going out of style.  That X-Large shirt found a tiny, size 4T twin one year. My mom bought a similar tee and gave it to my daughter, who was Grandpa’s girl.

Those two pals, the smiley child and the serious man, arranged to wear their shirts when they saw each other. My daughter took walks with Grandpa, accompanied him to baseball events, and just sat in his chair, donning the coveted shirt and smiling from ear to ear — “Grandpa, we match!”

We found out that those 2 shirts were not in the house anymore, most likely being sold at a garage sale after Little One grew out of the 4T, but we don’t mind. We still have the twins in pictures, and in our minds, forever in red and white — taking a walk down memory lane.

Red Striped Shirts Ash and Gramps