Friday, May 25, 2007

A New Day

As I sit here ready to take on another day of teaching I am excited. Today will be different. Today I get to gather with my All Write friends and work on the Summer Institute that we will all be a part in June. Mindy says we have LOTS of work to still do and we will be super busy. That's okay with me. Stuffing envelopes, filling folders, oh, yes, and talking. We will do lots of that.
This is where so much of my learing has taken place. Here among the most talented educators in northern Indiana. These people are risktakers. They are the ones who are still working on things at home late at night. They are willing to leave safe classrooms to excite other students and teachers.
Who wouldn't be excited to spend a day with this type of teacher? My bag is packed with new books to share with them. Tidbits from other teachers who want me to deliver things to their mentor teachers they've met in workshops. It all reminds me that we are ONE big family of educators working for the same goal: KIDS.
I want to close with a poem from one of the fourth grade students I work with:
Dangerous
Outside can be dangerous
Screaming, crying, hollering
Outside can be dangerous
Dealers, robbers, junkies
Outside can be dangerous
Guns, drugs, stealing
Outside can be dangerous
But I'm going to live.
This is why I teach.

5 comments:

Jen Barney said...

Have fun Kathy.. I can't wait!

Sarah Amick said...

I can't believe I get to go!!!!!!

Kathy Douglas said...

The day was everything I hoped it would be. I got to share with Ruth on the excitement at Haley Elementary. She would love to come see your classes. She even gave me a mini-blog lesson. We packed folders, put name tags in order, and even had time for a discussion on an educational article. I felt like I was in a class for accountable talk. I am so excited about Summer Institute. What fun!!!

Jen Barney said...

I can't wait...

Jim said...

Kathy,
Wow!! I wasn't sure that was you the other day when I read one of Sarah's blogs. This is fun and addicting. I hope my students will react the same way. Even though it is the end of the year I am still trying to have them write. I know some of them have shut down a little but I feel this is a new medium for them to write in. I have shared Sarah's and Jen's blogs and now I have Kirsten's and yours. We also blogged a chaplain in Iraq. We will spend next week writing to Kirsten's third grade class and explaining what to expect in fourth grade. I will also have a few students publish their stories to you. Some are writing plays and some have continued with their young authors stories. Anyway, I am excited that writing has taken on a whole new meaning to me. I know that I can help my students better by modeling and writing blogs globally. That in itself is another wonderful feature. I love your picture of you and Murphy. I hope I can do the same thing with Gracie. Blog to you soon.

Jim