Wow, Slice #25!  Where did March go? See lots of slices today at Two Writing Teachers

So last night I had a strange dream.  Al Hunt, who just happened to be a guest on Charlie Rose last night, appeared in my dream as my educational colleague. Ah the power of suggestion.

Something really embarrassing had happened to me and Al was just giving me a ride home to clean up.  That’s all I can say about that. But the heart of the dream really centered on a project that I was working on. Hmm, I am just about ready to begin a new collaboration with Kevin Hodgson this weekend. I wonder if there’s a connection. Kevin doesn’t look anything like Al Hunt.

I love remembering my dreams because it feels like I’m working out life when I’m in a state of rest but most of time I don’t remember anything.

When I was in grad school at SUNY Albany, I worked with a professor in the area of psychoanalytical history.  We spent a lot of time with Freud and I immersed myself in his Interpretation of Dreams.  Since then dreams for me have never been the same.   I can’t dig as deeply as Freud could, but I appreciate their power differently. Of course, you have to remember them.

Anyway, I am excited about my coming collaboration with Kevin and our site teams.  I am excited about my work at Dover MS, continuing next week. I am excited about the NWP conference in DC next week and I am excited about our coming Summer Institute 09.

I wonder what I will find lurking in my dream state tonight.

What’s your relationship with your dreams?

Bonnie

Good morning everyone, nice to be back to a more normal routine. Yesterday, worried about not being ready early enough, I hardly slept and finally at around 4:30 gave up and starting slicing in the darkness.  I was driving Tuvia to Hackensack Hospital for surgery.  Now the surgery was always minor, a cataract operation on his left eye first because reading was getting very hard for him. But it was surgery and we were on our way at 5:45 to a hospital.

It was a familiar ride, one we take often when the main roads are heavy with traffic and we want to make time getting somewhere.  The hospital was modern and beautiful as we entered the lobby. More like a hotel lobby.  It was deserted but the receptionist at the desk was warm and friendly at 6AM. We were directed to the 3rd floor and met again with friendly staff, ushering us to a waiting room, again, luxurious.

I’m not a big fan of hospitals, (who is?) but this seemed very nice. Tuvia was not at all uneasy about his operation. He’s a doctor. But I was.  I had my computer and staked out a spot near an outlet.  I was determined to keep busy.

When the hospital official arrived to take Tuvia to sign papers I was invited to come along.  I grabbed my things and joined him.  He filled out papers and then again, I was invited to join him as he was taken to prepare for the operation.  We sat together in a small waiting area on the floor surrounded by other waiting patients and their families.

Our small area had the usual machinery, small chairs, a recliner for the patient and a tiny TV. Nurses, orderlies  and doctors raced around us.  We were offered coffee and bagels and Tuvia prepared for his operation.

Impressive operation and customer service, like I never imagined. Nurses stopped by to offer updates. Of course, they could never get there fast enough for Tuvia, but soon the anesthesiologist and doctor arrived to talk with us.  It was assumed I would remain in this space during Tuvia’s operation.  All around me family members were also remaining close by.

What a change in approach!  I almost enjoyed my waiting.  I had my computer, a great cup of coffee, a small TV for the Today Show,  a wireless connection and lots of friendly smilies from the passing staff.

This was not was I expected.  It was almost a pleasure.  Almost…No matter what they do to improve the hospital experience, it’s still a hospital where people come when they have no choice.  Like a visit to the dentist no one wants to be a patient and it was clear that Tuvia’s visit was not one for any anxiety.  My supportive role was a walk in the park, but a hospital is a hospital and surgery is surgery.

But it was nice to be treated well in this most frightening place.

Tuvia is up and rested and ready to see his doctor and get his left eye back for reading. He shouldn’t be reading with one eye, but the New York Times has arrived and he can’t stay away. So shhh, he has his magnifying glass out and he’s moving slowly, word-by-word through the front page. Oh well..

Bonnie

See more slices at Two Writing Teachers

Slice of Life Challenge is going strong at Two Writing Teachers

Yesterday, thanks to our Web 2.0, I was able to catch up on Charlie Rose’s interview with Arne Duncan at my viewing leisure.  I took notes, I paused the session to think a bit, and I’m able to suggest that you click over to Charlie’s site and watch Arne on your own time.  If you do, I hope you will find your way back here and leave a comment here.

I am still glad Barack is our president and I believe that he has a vision for the future we have not seen since JFK, but I hope that Arne Duncan  has some help in the education area. As usual, I am blown away with Charlie Rose, my head throb. Very patiently Charlie tried to get Arne to be specific as he spent the hour sharing his vision for overhauling our educational system.

Sad to say, no matter how hard Charlie tried, it was impossible for Arne to articulate measures of evaluation beyond “the test“. In fact, what he was clear about was creating ONE federal test to replace the inconsistent tests created by our 50 individual states.  Charlie asked about the debate surrounding the implications of testing to determine learning and rewards for schools and teachers.  Arne kept it all very general.  He wasn’t  interested in the debate.  Was he saying that he wasn’t interested in what educators who disagree with him think?

Charlie asked about Arne’s background.  He was not pointing a finger, just asking.  Arne spoke about his teacher mom who brought him into the school environment for her tutoring program.  Great. But why not answer the question about how his experiences outside of education helped him as a superintendent of Chicago schools.

And then there’s the issue of Charter schools.  Okay, some could be innovative.  But I didn’t hear anything about our public schools.  Are they all without merit?  Again, Charlie pushed Arne and didn’t get enough in return.

Now don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t totally turned off.  I don’t like Joel Klein of NYC.  He is arrogant and I think disrespectful to teachers.  I am not ready to put Arne in Joel’s camp, in fact, I like Arne’s vision for early education.  Schools should offer the community a center where kids can be educated during the day and stay for enrichment beyond the classroom. In addition, if they need a meal they can get that.  If they need medical care, they will find that there as well.  Bravo.

I hope the Arne is not a slam dunk player.  I hope Charlie’s questions find answers.  They are mine as well.

What do you think?

Bonnie

PS. I do like his attitude about NCLB- he is ready to leave it behind for something fuller, better.  Let’s see what the reality will look like.  He has lots of plans.

Slice of Life Callange Day 11, brought to us by Two Writing Teachers

I was back in front of kids today.  That’s 5 periods of very active 6th graders.  Now it was not really a full day because they began their school day with the NYS Math exam, so I had a liesurly breakfast at the B and B and didn’t have to leave until 8:45.  Now I didn’t sleep well and I spent lots of time creating a fancy Mac Keynote (power point), that I didn’t really end up needing, but it’s always good to be overly prepared.

It was a great day. Mike Horn is a great teacher, well liked and respected by his students and that made my entrance into this classroom very smooth.  Sure, I had to offer something but the kids already were feeling positive about me and  excited about digital storytelling, something different.

I showed them a piece created by a former student, Will English.  I haven’t used his piece in a long time, but I remembered how powerful it was and when I showed it to the group yesterday they all thoought it would work well with the kids.  We did agree to two but with more time to think about filling 30 minutes, I landed on thought that one shown twice would be more powerful.

Will and his 3-footed dog Cleo.

I copied out the text and planned to show it first, looking at the digital media elements and then working the text for story elements and then back to the piece for an analysis of the whole-story and media.

Of course, the first class was the the least satisfying.  We had tech to deal with a time issues right after the test but the kids were patient and very interested- good fueling for me.

The second group, third, a long break, a small class after lunch and one last biggie and the day as a whole was a great success.  Mike felt good, Lorraine felt good, Ed felt good and Bonnie felt really good back with kids even if they were the smallest I’ve ever taught. It was fun to watch them hang and cling to Mike at the lunch breaks.

IT WAS FUN and we moved them to get ready for their own pieces.  They are pumped and I can’t wait to get back with them and the team next week, working on their pieces!

I hope it doesn’t snow next week even though there are some early forecasts.  Just great.  Why did I get cold feet on Sunday night?  It’s probably good.  I was up for it and on my game.

TEACHING,

YES!    BOTH THUMBS WAY, WAY UP!

A bit of reflecting:

I’m dying now to hear back from Mike about how I did with them, what they took away from our session.

What I found most important was actually moving to the text and watching them break down the piece.  They could see what 250 words looked like and how 250 words could tell a powerful story. A number of them noticed the power of just one image seen at different vantage points- just the dog.

A number of students picked up on Will’s use of pacing his words to allow the audience to digest his words.

And breaking down the piece, part by part was all in their hands.  They didn’t need me to identify and use the language.  They had that.

I think another exercise like this one with another student piece and a focus on text would be good, giving them time then to look at their own and write more would be a good step.

Mike, Lorraine, Ed, what do you  think?

I think Mike and I know Will’s piece very well at this point.  I showed it 10 times in class, watched the day before with the team and then that night as I grabbed down the text another 5 times.  But you know, it holds its own.

On Facebook, I wrote to Will, letting him know I used it.  He let me know that he felt the “vibe”. He was thinking about it just like that.  What a wonderful connection to have with him still.  He created it in 2004 as he was itching to be done with high school life.

Bonnie

It’s day 9/31 of the Slice of Life Challenge at Two Writing Teachers and it’s going strong. See more there.

I was excited that I was getting the chance to see a new French movie, recently nominated for an Oscar, awarded a 96% by reviewers at the Rotten Tomatoes movie site.  It was playing at the Jacob Burns Cinema yesterday and even though Tuvia wasn’t burning with excitement he was willing to be supportive of  the teacher in me.

Le Class is a year in the life of  4th year French teacher, Mr Marin.based on an autobiographical novel by Franois Bégaudeau, who is credited with the script and who essentially plays himself onscreen. The school atmosphere feels real. The classes are large and diverse and the teachers, many at the start of their careers seem overworked and underappreciated. So far, it feels right.

We live in Mr. Marin’s room, focused on one class with very spirited kids who walk that thin line of respect. Okay, feels authentic and there’s that cross-section of kids and motivation, most seem to come to school regularly but need lots of motivation from the teacher.  Still feels real.

Now here’s my problem, it’s with the teacher.  His approach to teaching makes me uncomfortable. His teaching strategies seem very conventional.  I don’t see any books, I don’t see him engaging his students.  I think he needs to check out some great teaching websites we have come to know and love:Kevin’s Meandering Mind, Two Writing Teachers   etc.

I think he does care, but I don’t think he’s up to the role.  Lots of reviewers love this film because it feels real to them, maybe because he is not successful.  I think they give him way too much credit.

The attitudes of most teachers and adminstrators seem negative and very much in charge, but strangely they allow a bit of democracy.  Two students from Marin’s class are allowed to sit in as student representatives, when Marin’s students are evaluated by a group of their teachers and the principal. The girls talk to each other, snack, giggle and disrupt the session.  No adult says a word.  What are they doing there?

The next day, back in class. the details of the meeting have already been shared with their classmates and surprise, suprise, the climatic conflict begins.  Marin, on the hot seat,  hits back, calling the girls, Skanks.  Call me Crazy, but  is there something wrong with this picture?

I hope I haven’t said too much.  Did anyone else see this film yet?  Please do and let me know.

My teacher of year award does not go to Franois Bégaudeau.  I wonder if he’s still teaching?

Bonnie

Good morning Slicers on Day 5 of our Challenge offered by Stacey and Ruth at Two Writing Teachers.

I rode up to New Paltz today with a nugget to mull over as I enjoyed the sunshine and grooved to the tunes of Bonnie Raitt and Bob Dylan and once out of my car I got to write with the Hudson Valley Writing Project’s writing community and here’s what I began:

I knew  on the  night I watched Barack Obama and his family take the national stage for the first time in Grant park, as the first family of the United States,  that our  lives would change and since that night in early November, I have embraced Obama’s amazingly cool and confident leadership as he leads his team of heavy weights and begins to initiate a progressive program in the face of  the world’s economic crises. I am just now waking up after 8 long years of Bush led by  VP Chaney and Carl Rove.

Even though I wasn’t as fortunate as my blogging buddy, Stacie, to get a spot on the Mall, I loved every moment of the DC experience, just one big Obama fest.

A few weeks ago I was back in the DC area as a visiting consultant, invited to share my passion for digital media at a conference sponsored by  the Maryland National Writing Project at the  University of Maryland

At the reception hosted by the Dean of Education, I met Savanah, a warm, jazzed woman from DC who shared her inauguration memories with me over a smooth merlo and homemade  cheese puffs.

” So where were you when Barack made it official?” I was sure she was going to relate a blow-by-blow eye witness account from a spot close to the capital steps.

“Well I live very close to DC but, I opted for my warm living room,  in my pjs and wide screen TV.”

Really??

Yes, because  on Monday, for  Martin Luther King Day, I was working in a soup kitchen, serving with the Obamas.”

“ Barack and Michelle OBAMA????”

“Imhmmm… I got just what I needed.  Michelle was down home and Barack was..  I was tongue-tied. (pause) I just never thought I’d be hangin’ with the President of the United States.”

“Fantastic!”

I remembered when I moved from Hillary to Barack.  March 2008, watching Obama share his race speech.  Tuvia and I watched together on You Tube on our vacation in Israel.

I was proud to be an American standing with Savanah, looking her right in the eyes!

It’s so good to have race out in the open and on the table right along with health care, energy, education, stem cell research-everything I care about.

Am I saying this right?  I’m not sure.

Bonnie

Slice of Life Challenge 4/31 , Brain Child of Ruth and Stacey at Two Writing Teachers

I don’t know about you, but I am holding on tightly to my memories.  It’s getting  harder to remember  the names of my  favorite actors and authors and the titles of  books, movies and even old friends, but with patience and a bit of time, they return to me.

But that’s small potatoes. My real concern is deeper: memories of family events, critical moments in my history and shared history with people around me and people of the world.

And where did this all come from?

At the moment I am racing to complete a digital piece, a wedding I was hired to recreate as a digital story.  Ugh, from September.  I do feel guilty that it’s not done, but now I’m on the last sections.  Just minutes ago I got through the ceremony and now I’m outside the church heading to the reception and then on to the honeymoon.

It’s been a great opportunity to really get to know complicated software, to use a great online tutorial site and work one-on-one with my Mac mentor at the Apple store.  I hope that this piece won’t be BORING! So far, I like it. There’s actually only one person who has to like it, and that’s the bride, who requested me in the first place. She knew what I had to offer and seems to be patient, waiting for me to get through my process, knowing that I am not by training or interest a wedding photographer.

Okay, enough said about the wedding.  As I site here moving along on a sunny, cold March morning, I am watching the clock and getting ready to leave for another one-on-one with my fresh progress.

I am pushing myself to finish because I have two new pieces to work on.

I have digitally documented the last two weekends: the Maryland Writing Project at the University of Maryland, and then last weekend, I did the same thing for our 2nd annual meeting of the Empire State Writing Project Network, held at SUNY New Paltz.

I have lots of photos and video for both events but why am I racing to get to them?

I am feeling the moments fade quickly.  First they are with you, on your finger tips and rapidly they receed.

I think as I move to the end of this slice, that I will conclude that BRAVO for digital media because  freezing the present is getting easier.  I know that my childhood is frozen on fading photos, some scanned and recreated digitally and the same with the speedy 8mm film taken by my parents.

But is that enough?

I don’t have an answer.

Yesterday, as I was on line at Shoprite to check out, an older woman, just ahead of  me was having trouble remembering how to use her credit card to pay her bill.  First, she couldn’t remember if her card was  a credit card or debit card.   The checker was a young woman, fairly new to the job and even though she was akward, she was kind.  Soon a more experienced employee stepped in on her side and I reached out to steady the woman’s hand on my side as she moved through the process.

The woman thanked as of us as her bags were packed by young Shoprite packer.

Of course I’ve reached out a helping hand before, in that moment, I pledged to be more aware of the elderly, because this year I’m turning 60 and even though I feel young, who knows, I might one day I might be checking out at Shoprite and wonder if my card was for credit or debit.  I hope someone reaches out a gentle hand to me.

Okay, it’s back to recreating Karen’s wedding…

Does anyone else think about this?

Bonnie

Welcome to Day 1 of the  Slice of Life Challenge running for the entire month of f March and  sponsored by the Two Writing Teachers once again. It’s March 1st  and I am home waiting for the huge snow storm that’s supposed to arrive tonight around 8.

Will we be done with snow after this one? Let’s hope so.

I don’t know about you but I for one, am DONE with winter and just to help things along, I booked a trip to Israel for the end of April, probably the perfect time to be there.  Warm here, summer there.

Last year at this time I was getting ready for a March trip to Israel and that made the second half of the challenge easier, filled with exotic posts to write and share.  This year no such luck.  I’m here, just home.

Slice of Life #1. Actually since last March, I have been slicing almost every Tuesday and if that weren’t enough, Stacey and Ruth added Memoirs on Mondays and if  that weren’t  enough I found more writing challenges during this year and if that weren’t enough I joined photo/writing challenges…

Opps, can’t forget Day in a Sentence each week, or my baby, Photo Fridays.  All these challenges.  What has that done to the quality of my writing? Anything? I’m not sure. One thing’s for certain, I’ve been writing more and enjoying it more and looking forward to a great month of  writing daily Slices and sharing them with the Two Teachers community, reading posts and leaving comments and getting read in return.  How perfect!

Today, Sunday,I’m getting adjusted to home, preparing for the week:  for a guitar lesson, for Hebrew online,  for fitness at the gym and for some Hudson Valley Writing Project work back on the road to New Paltz.

But first there’s a chance that snow will slow life down, force me to cancel tomorrow. It looks and smells like snow is coming… exciting!

The New Paltz Ridge taken at the Minnewaska Lodge at 8 AM  this morning

and

Over the Hudson at 5 PM.

Does it look like snow is on the way?

Bonnie