Wednesday, February 29, 2012

"In like a lamb, out like a lion", or "In like a lion, out like a lamb", only the weatherman knows for sure

February 29th, Leap Day. It's funny how a number can make people go a little crazy. I've been listening to radio personalities complain that they are working an extra day, how everyone in the world should have the day off. Celebrations for weddings and birthdays that only happen every four years are all around us. But why and what is the purpose of Leap Year? It surly isn't just for the chance of females asking males to get married. To find out more just Google and you will have more information than you'll ever need.

So what should I write about on this extra day of the year? My mind is racing to all the things I could be doing and not wanting to do any of them. An extra day should give me a chance to finish up all those little projects that just never get done or even a chance to start something new.

But my focus seems to keep coming back to a two day meeting I have with co workers from across the state tomorrow and Friday. We are a mixed bunch of dedicated people with various personalities. We all get along and are of common mind and spirit, most of the time. I really do look forward to meeting with all of them. The problem is we have lost some of our excitement. We have fallen into that depressed state that many of our teachers have found themselves. We are downtrodden, broken almost. Our moral is shot.

And here's me, the person who thinks she has to fix everything. I have been taxing my brain for something fun, exciting to do that would just lift our spirits a bit while we tackle the work at hand. I've thought of lambs, you know, March in like a lamb, out like a lion. White, fluffy, soft lambs. Just don't know where to get 25 of them and I don't think the Marriott would allow them in anyway. So here's my thought, food, there has to be something that we could eat that would take us to a soft, cozy, happy place. And chocolate, has to have some element of chocolate.

The only idea I have so far is to find the cute little lamb I bought after Easter last year. Take Easter grass, put the lamb in the middle and place a bowl of chocolate candies directly behind him. Gross or funny? I don't know. I chuckled. Maybe just a little bit of foolishness is all we need to make the day go smoother.

That takes me to years gone by with my ELLs. When they started to "get the joke" I knew we were on our way to understanding English. Getting the hidden humor in a language takes skill and knowledge.

I guess this extra day has made me extra windy myself. Long blog without much power, unlike the windy day we are experiencing today. Hope your extra day gives you power to get things going. An extra day to enjoy the humor around you.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Happines=Positive Outcomes, Positive Outcomes=Happiness, Chicken or the Egg?

I just finished watching a TED Talk with Shawn Achor, "the happy secret to better work". So entertaining yet so thought provoking. 

Dr Achor gives us 6 things we can do to change our outlook.
 
  • Spend two minutes a day to write down three new things you are grateful for - for 21 days in a row.
  • Journal about one positive experience you’ve had every 24 hours.
  • Exercise.
  • Meditate to allow your brain to focus on one thing at a time.
  • Perform random acts of kindness.
  • Write one positive email to someone you know every time you open up your inbox.

I recommend taking 12:21 mins of your day to listen to this TED Talk,

http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work.html

It could change how you approach your students. It could change how they learn.

Friday, February 10, 2012

The Write Topic

A month has past and have I blogged? Yes, but did I post any of them? No. Sometimes I just write to get frustration or crazy thoughts out of my head. I've never been a writer,  never in my wildest dreams have I thought myself a writer. I know that I miss punctuation in vital places and the grammar police should have arrested me years ago. But I plunge on, expressing myself for all or no one else but me to read. Sometimes I re-read my posts and think, ugh, what were you thinking? Or I find tons of mistakes. And I grew up speaking and writing in English!

The act of writing in English for an English  Learner, EL for short, is a daunting task. Not because they have nothing to say, but because putting thoughts into words that feel like gravel in your mouth is hard, very hard. It is important to think of writing as an extension of reading, speaking, listening and comprehending. It isn't a product all by itself, it's a way of reflecting on what is read, what is said, what is heard and what is known and felt and putting it all together in written form. Writing is part of learning content, it should be a daily part of every lesson or activity.

Two books that are helpful when thinking of writing in this way were suggested by one of the many teachers who work so diligently in our state to meet all the needs of our ELs. Thank you, Lindsey.

Check out:
Making Sense, Small-Group comprehension Lessons for English Language Learners, K-8, by Juli Kendall and Outey Khuon, Stenhouse Publishers, Portland, Maine, 2005.


101 Activities for English Language Learning, Content-based Ideas with Easy Internet RE-sources, by Charles F. Hirsch and Deborah Lazarus, Grades 1-4, Rigby, 2002.

So thank you to all of you who struggle through my blogs just to get the resource nugget at the end. Maybe if I keep practicing I'll finally get a post without errors and one that is easy to read.