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Showing posts from November, 2014

Condition

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Teaching provides many opportunities to collect artifacts.  Here's one I've been meaning to share.  I consider it an art form of popular culture.  Sadly, it's now probably extinct because of the way textbooks are distributed.  But...there was a time, when a teacher was responsible for collecting and distributing books.  Lots of record-keeping here.  Some may still do this, but my experience recently says all students go to the textbook room and check out their own books with computerized ID cards. Anyhow, one of the rituals back in the day was to determine the condition of the book, record it on the little form stamped inside the front cover, and then add date and teacher's name. Students, being the clever beings that they are, would often embellish the choice of descriptors.  For years one of the most common forms of written classroom folklore was found inside books that had been checked out. In deconstructing my classroom of 25 years, one of the last things I did w

Elliptical Voyage

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If every piece of writing has a thousand faces, then a poem must have a few hundred, at least.  So many incarnations possible. Here's one: Elliptical voyage   Music Inside my head  Lends Creedence to the rainfall  With eyes closed I'm running Back in time  Back to brown leather and red flannel  Back hair and blues music  Echoing Moving past Neil Young, Dylan's acoustic set,  Harmonicas soothe the Glare of neon idols Is this nowhere?  Does anybody know where The darkest night  Has a few bright stars... Baby,  Let me Follow you down.

Gifted

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A friend of mine just won the "Teacher of the Year" award for the state of Oregon.  Most deserving he is too.  I first met Michael about six years ago when a student teacher I was supervising was placed in his classroom.  We bonded instantly.  He now gets to meet the President, the Secretary of Education and banks a $5,000 check as well.  Sometimes they get it right. Got me thinking, however about the time when I won a similar, local award.  Not quite as prestigious, but certainly very gratifying for someone like me that doesn't handle accolades well.  Nevertheless to be singled out as one of my district's candidates for what was called the annual "Teaching Excellence" award was very humbling.  I'd been nominated by a colleague (and former winner of the award) so it was even more gratifying.  I received a wooden plaque with engraved lettering in gold, and a check for $500. I wish there hadn't been a competition for the award.  I'm not sure how