Haiku-A-Day December #14: Frustrated Friday

I am joining Elisabeth from The Dirigible Plum in writing a Haiku-A-Day during the month of December. 

Haiku-A-Day December #14: Frustrated Friday 

Picture high school students off task - cell phones out, checking their latest Snapchat notifications, viewing You Tube videos. Students talking over me, lots of giggles and raised, excited voices. If you could have peeked into my classroom this morning, this is what you would have seen. 

My students are not usually allowed to check Snapchat or watch You Tube unless it is a part of that day's learning activity. Students were supposed to be finishing up a written reflection about learning from recent guest speakers. My students were engaged, but not with anything academic from my class. I used the proximity move - hoping that physically standing by students off task would remedy the problem. That didn't work. I gently (and privately) asked students to put away their technology. That didn't work. I used turn-and-talk followed by a full group share out, calling on random students. That didn't work either. 

To my surprise, there is no full moon on the horizon. No upcoming storm. It's just Friday and the week before Winter Break. There is a lot of energy that I could not harness, and most of my students didn't show up wanting to learn today. 

In reflection, my lesson plans were okay. I was prepared with teaching provisions. I shared my learning targets with students. I tried to get students moving and talking. I held students accountable for conversation. I did my best to be responsive for my students' needs.  

Yet today was a day that I felt like nothing worked to nudge my students back to work. I got so frustrated. If I am honest, I don't feel like many professional teaching books or blog posts share enough about difficult teaching days like today. For me (and most teachers I know), these frustrating, difficult days happen.  

I already know that I will spend a lot of time carefully planning next week's instruction this weekend. 

In reflection, here are today's thoughts in a triple haiku:  

Is there a full moon?

Has a pressure change occurred? 

Extra energy

makes me wonder if 

external factors create

classroom chaos here. 

How can I create
conditions for meaningful
and worthy learning?  

Haiku-A-Day December #13: Waiting

I am joining Elisabeth from The Dirigible Plum in writing a Haiku-A-Day during the month of December. 

Haiku-A-Day December #13: Waiting

If you are anything like me, you spend a lot of time waiting. Waiting in line at the grocery store. Waiting for an appointment. Waiting for dinner to be ready. Waiting for my kids to be ready to leave for school. Waiting for that website to load. Waiting in line at the school copier. Waiting for winter break. 

How do you deal with waiting? Do you have a horrible habit like I do - you immediately check your phone as soon as you realize you need to wait?

As I recently waited for a doctor's appointment, I thought how I wait. I wrote this Haiku in response:

Why do I feel so

impatient waiting? I check

my cell phone, fidget. 

Why can't I just be?

Observe surroundings? Welcome

calm? Focus on breath? 

Haiku-A-Day December #12: Christmas Lights

I am joining Elisabeth from The Dirigible Plum in writing a Haiku-A-Day during the month of December. 

Haiku-A-Day December #12: Christmas Lights

Several few evenings ago, following a violin lesson, my daughter and I took an unplanned detour. We ended up exploring a nearby neighborhood decked out in lights. As December is the darkest month of the year - full of early sunsets - I am grateful for the joy that a simple string of Christmas tree lights brings to me and my tween daughter. 

We crave the extra light during December. 

In response, I wrote this Haiku:  

Long December nights,

diminished sunlight, but joy

strings through beams of light. 

Tuesday Slice of Life & Haiku-A-Day December Challenge #11 Mash Up: Break the Fake

Looking to connect with a positive, supportive online community?  Consider sharing a slice of your life with Two Writing Teachers. All writers are welcome! 

I am joining Elisabeth from The Dirigible Plum in writing a Haiku-A-Day during the month of December. 

Haiku-A-Day December Challenge #11: Break the Fake 

Each of my high school classes begins with at least ten minutes of daily independent reading. Many of my sophomores are currently reading To Kill A Mockingbird as a requirement for their English Language Arts class. Although I encourage students to read a book that they like and want to read, I allow students to read books assigned from another class. 

Yesterday, in between conferring with students in one of my literacy support class hours, I observed one of my students pretending to read To Kill a Mockingbird. 

Yup, fake reading. 

It is December and even after all of the book talks, conferring, and sincere conversations about the purpose of reading, fake reading still happens. This used to bother me a lot, but it just reminds me to not give up on my students. 

Read about fake reading in my double Haiku below: 

She giggles. Page turn

in To Kill A Mockingbird.

Book tilt. Pretend read.

Phone concealed inside

novel. Body shifts when I 

walk by...break the fake. 

Haiku-A-Day December #10: Stories

I am joining Elisabeth from The Dirigible Plum in writing a Haiku-A-Day during the month of December.

Haiku-A-Day #10: Stories

Most nights, just before I retire to bed, you can typically find me either writing or deeply engrossed in a book. I am especially drawn to memoirs. For me, I appreciate when a writer is vulnerable and shares his or her experience of pain or overcoming some sort of obstacle. I certainly don't celebrate that so many others go through pain, but somehow it brings me great comfort knowing that I am not the only one who has gone through something hard - a subtle reminder that life is often messy and can be painful.

Recently, I came across this quote by James Baldwin:

 "You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read." 

This quote is taped inside the cover of my writer's notebook. I have found myself compelled to reread it several times in the past few days.

Today's double Haiku was inspired by my experiences in reading and from James Baldwin's wise quote:

Stories remind me

so many humans struggle - 

pain is not unique.

Where would I be if

no writers chose to show up

brave, vulnerably? 

Haiku-A-Day December #9: Christmas Nostalgia

I am joining Elisabeth from The Dirigible Plum in writing a Haiku-A-Day during the month of December.

Haiku-A-Day December #9: Christmas Nostalgia

Our Christmas tree is not anything to brag about. It would never be highlighted in Better Homes and Gardens or Real Simple. It is a small, artificial tree, bought several years ago on clearance a few weeks following that holiday season. It is, however, the perfect size for our tiny living room. 

Some of our friends or extend family members decorate their trees by theme, creating fancy, elaborate holiday displays. Our Christmas tree is anything but lavish; instead, our tree includes a mashup of ornaments my grandma made for me each year when I was a kid, a few Hallmark ornaments from my husband's childhood, and a bounty of handmade ornaments courtesy of my children. This year our Christmas tree skirt is one my grandma hand-stitched decades ago, comprised of felt, sequins, and embroidery.

Growing up, my family's Christmas tree was similar - donned in mostly handmade or meaningful ornaments. I love remembering this

As I was thinking about passing on this tradition to my children, I penned this Haiku:

Handcrafted Christmas

brings nostalgia - rooted

joyful traditions.  

Haiku-A-Day December Challenge #8: Sanctuary

I am joining Elisabeth from The Dirigible Plum in writing a Haiku-A-Day during the month of December. Please let me know if you are posting a Haiku-A-Day too! I would love to read your work.

Haiku-A-Day December Challenge #8: Sanctuary

Earlier this week I wrote about how my topics, word choices, and audience has been so different in my Haiku-A-Day challenge this year. (You can read that post here.) In a greatly appreciated comment from my friend Elisabeth, I was reminded how my writer's notebook is where I can retreat. My writer's notebook is where I craft poetry, ask myself the most painful and complex questions, explore my thoughts and feelings without fear of judgement. 

As I continue to try to make sense of some really tough, painful things in my life, writing continues to provide an outlet and healing. I am thankful for notebook writing:

Pen, paper, pages-

my sanctuary housing

most intimate thoughts.