Celebrate! Space to Create!

Friends, You can celebrate too!  Link up at www.ruthayres.com.  I thank Ruth for sharing her space with us. 



This is one of my professional reads right now.  I've been to several dynamic, awesome conferences this fall, and I have Makerspace on the brain.

Let's be honest, I have a lot on my brain right now.  

All Good Things.  

Most of that creative work, as we know, takes place at home.  

At least it does for me.

Mine was taking place in the kitchen, in the living room, in the piano room...

Not a dedicated space for thinking and creating.  

(Read-Stuff was everywhere on our first floor.  That drives me crazy too.  Even though it's all mine!)

And my 12 year old?  

He loves puzzles.  

And we love to be together.  

So we were in each other's space.  

All the time.  

A good problem to have.

So after a conversation with the hubs, we did a little rearranging.  

And we have our own "Makerspace" here in what most people call a dining room.  

It's not that fancy.

I didn't need it to be.

I needed it to be a place dedicated for my work.  (And Mr.'s work too-he's been teaching ESL on the side...and he's a Nerdy reader too.)

I liked being in the space that we tend to land in here in our house.  We have lots of space in this house.  But when I'm working, reading, writing...I do like to be next to My People.  My kids are growing up fast.  I want to be accessible to them.  Not held up in an office upstairs away from the space where we really live.  

Interested in a tour?  

I thought you would be.  :)

What most people see as a dining room table, is now my study area.  :)  That space to the left?  We were experimenting with bringing a desk into the space too, and realized a full sized desk would be too big.  But there is a space for puzzles now.  And other things a 12 year old Maker needs.  

So we aren't really dining room folk.  We do our eating, even with friends, in the kitchen.  This is perfect for us.  

Room for reading, writing, and studying.

What Make Space has taught me is to look at things with a more creative eye, and not to rush that.  This morning, the actual work took about 30 minutes.  We spent more time talking and mapping out what this space would be used for.  

The implications for school of course are swirling in my head.  I have some spaces to work in, but is there something else I could do in my classroom?  Stay tuned...

Let's celebrate space to create!

Joy!
Kendra

Celebrate: An Open Letter to My Mustangs...

Friends, You can celebrate too!  Link up at www.ruthayres.com.  I thank Ruth for sharing her space with us. 

All You Mustangs (And Friends),

On November 2nd, we woke up to one of the worst things that has ever happened in our city.  I'll just link that story here if you need to read it.  

Obviously school was cancelled that day.  I sat a lot and just stared at the news as it continued to develop.  That's not the healthiest way to spend a day after a tragedy, but I just couldn't believe that This was invading our neighborhood.  Our space.  

It's one thing to see these tragedies on the news and be moved.  It's another thing to have it happen in your 5 mile radius.  I'll never react to these news stories the same again.  

What was I going to say to you as a teacher?
What were we going to Do to make an impact?

Thursday came.  

Through my choked up voice, I told you that this was our time to share Jesus.

And you know what?

Those words didn't even sound futile as I feared they would.

What else were we going to do?

What can kids do, you ask?

Beautiful cards for Police Officers.

I'm not sure I'm ever taking off the thin blue line you placed on the back of my car.

I wear the t-shirts that were designed with pride.

And then the offerings started to come in.

In just about 3 weeks, you collected offerings.  Oh my, did you collect offerings.  

$1,165.75. 

To our "Big Kids", you lead the charge on this.  It just blew me away.

I cried every time I saw an update on the offerings.

Maybe you don't know. 

The officers coming, were a bit of a surprise. 

The best kind of surprise. 

The kind of surprise you see mentioned in passing on the news.

Get in the car, we have to buy cookies surprise.

The officers did come.  

They were so humbled.  

I wish we could have stayed and chatted all day.

You can't imagine the amount of love they felt.  

(See a link for our chapel with Police Officers.)  

Seeds of Friendship were planted this week.

I can't wait to see how you continue to serve our Police Officers.

I celebrate your servant hearts in the midst of a tragedy.  

I celebrate the healing you provided.

I celebrate the opportunity for new friendships.  

Joy!
Kendra

A Slice of Life: Heart Maps

Link up at www.twowritingteachers.wordpress.com.  We are so grateful for this community. 

Friends.  It will be so good to catch up with you.  It's my 12 year old that is currently inspiring me to write.  (We are at the table again!)

So, a few weeks ago, I participated in an amazing chat on Twitter.  I'm sure you've heard of #g2great.  The moderators are so gracious and encouraging.  I'm really enjoying this one.

Georgia Heard was the guest, and my "lucky" self won a copy of Heart Maps:  Helping Students Create and Craft Authentic Writing.




Well, I dug right in and made a few!  And I learned a bit about myself:

• We are going to rearrange a few things in our house so I have a dedicated writing space.  :)
• Writing for me is like running, I have to do it.  Things feel in balance when I do.  
• There are more topics I want to explore and stretch myself with.  
• I also need to keep making time for reading.  

A few shots of how I'm doing my Heart Maps:

Heart Maps really kept me writing this fall in my notebooks when I felt like I couldn't make time to process with the blog.  

What about teaching with Heart Maps?

I cannot wait!  

This year, I'm making plans to incorporate Heart Mapping with our Poetry writing.  I also couldn't help but notice the art component that goes along with Heart Mapping.  There is joy in considering the time to be creative and linger with a Heart Map.  

But I see the power in creating Heart Maps when:

• we are writing small moments.
• we are reflecting on books being read.
• we are reflecting on service and ministry projects that we are working on.
• we are free writing.
• we are learning about what projects/nonfiction topics we want to explore further.  

Are you using Heart Maps?  What reflections do you have for me?

Joy!
Kendra

Celebrate! Food and Family and Finally Blogging.

Friends, You can celebrate too!  Link up at www.ruthayres.com.  I thank Ruth for sharing her space with us. 


It was August 6th the last time I typed a Celebrate post!  Wowza!  I'm learning how to write in notebooks, and lately, I've been exploring Heart Maps.  Stay tuned for a post on that one.  But I have been writing.  I swear.  I'm excited to catch up with you.

It was my 12 year old who asked me if I wanted to sit and write with him tonight.  He sits across from me and works on a #nanowrimo project that his tremendous teacher assigned him.  We just talked about doing a writing challenge in December to keep the writing going.  I'm growing a writer!!!  Be still my heart, I'm not sure how that is happening...but he always has a notebook, and now a laptop.  (Update:  He just asked for Adele on my YouTube Channel.  I might explode over here...I love this kid.)

Let's celebrate food for a minute.  So, now that we are full on the holiday season, the Hubs and I are committing to Sunday Dinner.  Tonight we had:  Chicken Parmesan, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Baked Bread, and Apple Slices.  (I did not take pictures!  Next week...)  If you are a serious foodie, maybe skip over these next steps:

• Get some chicken that is already breaded.  You can do it yourself, but I did not feel like I had time for that.  Spray a cooking pan.  Put the chicken in the pan and cover it with red sauce and mozzerella cheese.  Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.  
• With the bag of brussels sprouts, chop these friends up.  Cover them with oil and garlic.  I like to use the Roasted Garlic Dipping Oil from Wildtree.  I used 1/3 of a cup of oil for about a pound of sprouts.  Roast these at 425 for 40 minutes.  Sprinkle with garlic powder when done.  
• Use the bread dough from the freezer section of your grocery store.  Let that rise all afternoon.  Bake it at 325 for 20 minutes.  

It was an intentional time that we really enjoyed after a long weekend.  It was purposeful cooking, but it didn't take the whole day.  

Let's talk about school a minute shall we?  I am really thinking and reading tons about Maker Spaces.  It's a goal of mine to build one and incorporate it with the philosophy of Purposeful Play (Mraz, Tyler, Porcelli) leading the way.  This is a project that I celebrate every time I get a chance to reflect on it, read about it, talk to people about it, etc.  What are you celebrating about your work these days?  

I can't wait to catch up with you!  

Joy!
Kendra

My One Thing...So Far... #GafeSummit

  (Glances around furtively to see who is watching...)

I wasn't excited about jumping in the car.
Don't get me wrong.  I love learning.
We just returned from Grand Rapids after attending the Lutheran Education Association Convocation.
We squeezed in a birthday celebration for my 12 year old.  (Bless it.  My 8 year old is still waiting.)
Conferences are coming.  A Fall Concert with my Rusty Piano Playing is coming.
And now I'm going to leave town again for the weekend for some more PD?
(Are you sensing the weight yet?)
I pack the bag and jump in the minivan with a super colleague.


Saturday

A day of completely amazing learning!  All those thoughts before?  Go ahead and forget I had them.

I'm still processing Maker Space.  (A blog post is brewing...)  It was excited to have play time and try some tools out.

I loved spending time looking at Matific's resources and what they had to offer in the area of math.

I spent some time listening and watching and learning about extensions that support primary readers and writers.

The One Thing

But you guys.  Here is The One Thing that rocked my world.  You may be already fluent at this.  Go ahead and skip out if you have mastered this already.

I've been struggling with Blogging in First Grade.  You guys.   I just felt like it was taking up so much time.  I wanted to give my students an authentic voice.  But I also wanted them in the writing process, not the "Hunting and Pecking" process as they pecked out a tiny blog post.  I felt like writing was suffering because they simply weren't ready to type!

Here's the One Thing:

1  Open up a Google Doc.
2. Use the Voice Typing tool under the Tools section of the document.
3.  Allow the students to record the story they wish to tell.  (A response, an answer to a question, a story they need to share.)
4.  Install Read&Write for Google Chrome in your extensions.
5.  The students can have their writing read back to them to make sure it is correct.
6.  Publish and connect with the world!

A huge thank you to Stacy Behmer for showing us extensions that can impact our classroom instruction.  The time to use and experiment with this extension was my One Thing that is coming back with me.

What are you learning at #GAFESummit?

Joy!
Kendra

Loyalty and Faithfulness.

Link up at www.twowritingteachers.wordpress.com.  We are so grateful for this community. 

What’s funny is I’m reminded of annoyances as I start to write this.  

“We’ll come see you when he’s out of town…”  (Please don’t do that…)

“The soccer game is cancelled.”  (But I was going to have the house to myself...)

I’m reading about Ruth right now.  A lot of you know passages from Ruth.  They are usually read at weddings.  

For where you go, I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge.  Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.  (1:16-17).

You know what?  Ruth is talking to her mother-in-law.  Who has lost her husband.  And two sons.  

Ruth is declaring loyalty and faithfulness when she could have turned and ran.  

What struck me here is how this declaration happened in the middle of a mess.  Ruth isn’t dancing through a bed of roses when she’s making this declaration. There are tears, there have to be.  Orpah did take the blessing to leave, so a family member has taken off.  She’s declaring her loyalty and faithfulness at some of the hardest times they have experienced together.  (I won’t even get started on the judges and the famine….)

So what’s up?  Where’s the connection?

When my family shows up unannounced (which always makes me nervous), I can declare loyalty and faithfulness.  

When my “me time” is interrupted by a not empty house, I can declare my loyalty and faithfulness.  

Maybe it needs to be to my spouse.  Maybe to my parents.  Maybe to my in-laws.  Maybe it is simply to coworkers and friends.  

I love the conviction that loyalty and faithfulness are resounding themes with Ruth.  We can be loyal and faithful to each other in the mess of life.  

Who do you look at today with loyalty and faithfulness?  

Joy!
Kendra

A Few Thoughts on Status Quo and Spiritual Journeys from Kendra. :)

Before I begin, I realize this is a chance for me to tell my story.  

It might not be your story.

Our collective story is what makes us better.

My story swirls around me, especially in these past two years.  

I often wonder how that story can encourage and inspire others to journey.  

So I'm going to give it a full shot.

The story began to come out with a tweet:  

Look at the tweet from Mary Ann Reilly:  “Status quo is often a resting place.  Before I interfered, I’d want to honor resting.”  (Also, follow her if you don’t.  She is quietly brilliant and unassuming. Sometimes I think social media is a weird place to be.  But I always feel Something when I read and look at her work.)  It was this tweet that stopped me in my tracks and caused me to pause and reflect on everything I’ve been considering over the past 2-3 years.  

Where in education are we?  Are we constantly looking to stay a step ahead and be considered innovative, that we’ve lost sight of rest and reflection?  

In a culture of compliance and the trend to be innovative, I fear we are losing our best educators.   

Test more.  Organize your data.  Be brilliant with the spreadsheet.  Innovate and create amazing lessons that make kids want to come to school.  Really, who can be all these things all the time?  And do them well.  

The culture reminds me of a roller coaster we went on this summer as a family.  You would be riding along peacefully, and then you would be jerked to the left or right.  You’d get to the top of the hill and then fly to the bottom, only to start the climb again.  My youngest and I, not being crazy about roller coasters, left that ride feeling a little tired, bewildered and ready for a good cold drink.  I think this analogy fits for how I felt at the end of my tenure as a public educator.  

At my worst, I would sit at our kitchen table and cry.  I wasn’t good enough, I wasn’t writing enough lessons, my newsletter wasn’t like the kindergarten teacher's (words said to me), I wasn’t teaching what I knew what was best practice.  And then I’d pick myself up (or my husband would push me up) and I’d get back at it.  But I only held that frantic pace for about 3 years.  

And by the end I was burnt out.  And wounded.  All I could do was look at the pacing guide and go through the requirements.  Status quo.  But even in those moments I was rebuilding my spirit as an educator.   I just didn’t know it yet.   

Colleague support?  Yes!  But they were (and still are) working at the same frantic pace.  With meetings, and requirements, and the push to continue to innovate.  And I worry about them.  How long can they continue to push at this pace?

What I can only describe as a spiritual journey, I crashed-landed at a Lutheran Day School.  I went searching for this position almost out of spite based on what I had experienced.  (Because I love these people, I want to tell you it is definitely ministry based, not private minded.)  

And it was here that I began to rebuild a spirit inside me that I didn’t even know was there anymore.  I use music daily.  I dance in the classroom.  Today we laughed because I prayed for my 7 year old Birthday Girl to be an old, old, Granny someday.  :)  Kids were eager to show me their writing, they are tackling books, and they love science.  I have time to consider books written by experts and what they mean for my students and my teaching.

When I consider the journey I’m on, yet, I reflect on Mark 6:31.  And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.”  Even Jesus, you know, Jesus, instructed his people to rest.  

So, back to status quo and rest.  I’ve learned to observe.  Step back.  Learn the story.  Everyone has one.  Everyone.  

I’m reminded that God wants his people to rest.  He’s equipped Teachers to be who they are.  He tells them to rest.  

I’m not left with many answers.  I know that Public educators are not really being invited to do that at this time.  How do we honor the resting that takes place in some status quo, or in good frameworks in teaching?  

I’m learning Lutheran educators are better, but still not great at rest.  The ministry has to be done people.  Giddy up.  Let’s go!  Where is the rest?  It is almost a badge of honor to not to.  How do we change this mindset as Christians, who have been commanded by, you know, Jesus, to rest?  I don’t know.  

Meanwhile, if you see a teacher who seems to be caught in status quo, I would now encourage you to be gentle with them first.  Step back and see them.  See their story.  Find the rest that they need, and honor it.  Be careful about pushing them too quickly.  

Let them rest awhile.    

Joy! (And Rest!)

Kendra