On three different occasions during this past week, I came across this poem by Eve Merriam. I decided that was a sign and that I needed to share it with all of you and reflect on its meaning.
A Lazy Thought
There go the grown upsTo the office,To the store.Subway rush,Traffic crush;Hurry, scurry,Worry, flurry.
No wonderGrownupsDon't grow upAny more.
It takes a lotOf slowTo grow.
This is one of those poems where I read it and I think, I wish I could have written this! I wish I could have used so few words to say so much. I also think...drat, I'm one of those grown ups. When did that happen? I look at my schedule for the week. There is definitely a ton of "hurry, scurry" and there is also a bunch of "worry, flurry" that happens. And often all that hurry doesn't just happen during the weekdays. We grown ups are busy, busy people.
We finished September, the first month of school. It seems like that went by so quickly. Probably because we were on that back to school high. We flew through those first few days. We got acquainted with our new classrooms. We thought Columbus Day weekend is so many page turns away in our planners. Now, it's next week. How did that happen? We may have rushed through our days, our weeks without realizing it. We may also be thinking, we have been in school a whole month...our students should be doing X, Y, and Z already. Let's all remember..."It takes a lot of slow to grow."
While we are two hours or two days ahead in our heads, our students are slowly, steadily growing in front of our eyes. We grown ups sometimes need a reminder to turn off the fast forward button that we all push for ourselves. Make sure you are not always thinking about what is happening next. Make sure you are realizing what is happening now.
One place where I came across this poem was in the book I am reading about leadership and the teaching of writing. It was placed in the book to remind us that writing can help give our students a voice. We need to slow down and listen to the stories that our students are telling. I need to slow down and listen to the stories our students are telling us.
Let's help each other out. I will remind you, if you will also remind me.
Don't forget...
"It takes a lot of slow to grow."
Currently reading:
I can't wait to donate Andrea Beaty's books to the library. I read one of them to 2nd grade classes this past week. The other two are also great picture books:
I am also reading one of the I Survive books. This one is on the MCBA book list this year:
Events this week:
Monday - Drill around 10:20
Tuesday - Liz at Ed Eval Working Group Meeting at Prescott in the afternoon
Wednesday - Picture Day!, 3rd grade StarLab Enrichment Program, Dr. Rodriguez visits FR in the am, Staff meeting 3:30-5:00
Thursday - SPARK Assembly with Kavanagh and Spiczka @ 10:40
Great things I noticed last week:
- Dianna hosted a training for our parents who will be helping with recess. They even had a chance to play some games!
- Students and staff had fun shopping at the book fair! I had lots of fun announcing names and taking students shopping for books!
- I popped into Mr. Crowley and Ms. Green's class and listened in on the mini lesson during reader's workshop.
- When I was in Mrs. Clark's class, I was impressed with the details and planning that students were doing as they did realistic fiction writing.
Check it out:
Check out this post about these new teacher plan books. I am connected with the teacher who designed them and she sent me a few to look at and try out. If you think you might want one of these, let me know! https://twowritingteachers.org/2016/09/26/intentional-educator/
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