Friday, November 29, 2013

what I am learning

What I am learning....

1. I am learning how to play the piano.   I have never taken any kind of music lessons before.  So far it doesn't seem hard and I am learning to read music.  It is also a good reminder to me how children might find learning certain things more challenging than I realize.


2.  Thankfulness is good for you.  Being thankful doesn't come easy for me.  Each day I have been writing down something to be thankful for, and some days it is a stretch.  It is getting easier, and it seems to keep me in a better frame of mind.  I may continue this project beyond the month of November.

3.  Living in the same small community for a number of years really is a good thing.  Twice in the last week I have had people check up on me because they wanted to make sure I was okay.  One friend had not been able to get a hold of me by phone and the other had not seen me at work.  It is nice to know there are people looking out for me.

What are you learning?

Monday, November 18, 2013

Little Red Writing

Little Red Writing written by Joan Holub and illustrated by Melissa Sweet is a new picture book that I look forward to sharing with my students.  Little Red's teacher, Ms. 2, gives her class of pencils a set of words and the assignment to write a story.  Little Red sets out uncertain what to write about.  She soon encounters a strange noise and discovers it is coming from Wolf, the pencil sharpener.  If you and your children like new versions of well known fairy tales, this would be a book to look for at your library.  If you teach children writing, you might also find it helpful as a springboard for a lesson on writing a good story.