Where I Am From

 Principal ponderings...

We did a lot of talking about identity and who we are at our last staff meeting.  Some of you have already done some form of the writing activity about "I'm From" poems with your students.  Some of you will be doing them at a later date.  I love the thought that came out of my recent book club discussion...when we honor identity we continue to develop connections.  We need to honor our own identities, each other's identities, and our students' identities.

 If you haven't worked on your own "I'm From" poem yet, I recommend you start with your own identity first.  Here's one of my attempts at writing about who I am...

Where I Am From

I'm from a 100-year-old yellow farmhouse with a bright red barn,

a chicken coop with no chickens,

and a garden of tomatoes, potatoes, and popcorn.

I'm from dinners with mom's homemade spaghetti sauce and 

lots of laughter around the crowded table,

from directing and acting out our own sibling plays

under the big oak tree or on the garage stage.

I'm from playing connect the dots on the back of church pamphlets

to connecting the dots of life and youth and days and years moving too fast.

I'm from a conjugating verbs mom and 

a calculating every penny dad,

from a swearing like a truck driver grandma and 

a mango tree growing grandma.

I'm from big family love.

I'm from the Ohio River to the Atlantic Ocean,

from chlorine soaked into my pores to wet towels always on the bathroom floor,

from more hours in a pool than on dry land,

from staring at the black line on the bottom to tuning out the world out of the water,

to Power Bars and bananas and 4am practices and swim meet weekends,

to shoulder surgery, tears, recovery, and finding my way back

to the water again.

I'm from a lifetime of yesterdays that today I will hold onto tightly

so that I can pull them out of memory's pocket tomorrow 

and tomorrow.

--Liz Garden

 Now the question is...where are you from?

Currently reading:

I finished listening to Can We Talk About Race and started listening to The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth.  I joined a new group of principals from across the country who are in a Mastermind group on Monday nights.  Looking forward to discussing this book with that group. 

I also started reading the sequel to Pax, a book called Pax Journey Home.  I enjoyed the first book, and I am sure I will also enjoy the story in this one.  

Events this week:

Monday - Snack Drive Collection all week

Tuesday - Student Council Meeting @ 8:00am, CST Meeting @ 8 and 8:30, STEM Club and Chess Club after school

Wednesday - School Council Meeting @ 3:45

Thursday - Liz G in Curriculum Meeting from 8-10

Friday - Mayo Spirit Day!

Great things I noticed last week:

• Kindergarteners in Mrs. McSweeney's room working on soundboards
  
• 4th graders in 4B using the floor tiles for an area and perimeter lesson 
  

Check it out:

Here's a great opinion piece that I fully support, talking about how principals should be required to teach in some capacity.  I agree!  Who wants me to teach in their classroom or co-teach?? 

Another important read for me about teacher care.