The Building

I joined a big group of teachers today to tour our new school. Stairs were put in recently so we got to walk up to classrooms. I have a little office on the 3rd floor. It doesn't have a window, but I instantly felt comfortable in that space. Even though it has no walls as yet, I know it's going to be a cozy inviting spot for literacy adventures.

The teachers were getting pretty intense about choosing classrooms and there was some talk of physical violence about room selection. I was glad to be a literacy partner with no choice whatsoever.

The Transfer

Little peep has a dad in jail and she wrote him a letter during writer's workshop. She even grabbed an envelope from her teacher and wrote Dad's name on the front. On the back she wrote, "Be free at last!"

They're working on a webpage for the local MLK Jr web page contest. I loved how she transferred her learning to a new situation.

Heartbreaking, yet awesome. Well done, little peep!

The Podcast

Thanks to good friend JW, the third grade peeps have a new podcast. It's about Where the Wild Things Are in a small way. Mostly it's about banning books and choosing books. We would like some comments of course. Let's set the bar low: Ten Comments!!!! Click here and listen to this great podcast. And thanks, JW, for going above and beyond!
Update: I can't figure out how to comment on the google site. SO ANGRY! WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
Another update: I'm trying to put a comment box, using sophisticated html code, onto my new school google site. Until that happens, you can listen (and perhaps comment) on this old edublog site right here.

The Road Trip

Today we had a long road trip to Cincinnati to take Teendaughter to the airport. On the way there we chatted happily. The way back was a bit glum, with the pouring rain and the dilapidated homes on either side of State Road 50 and the missing of Teendaughter. On the good side, I saw a number of hawks. And two deer. And we nailed the NYT crossword. And Teendaughter's coming back in 16 days, after she finishes some papers and some finals. Maybe these 16 days will zip by as quickly as our lovely Thanksgiving weekend did. I certainly have enough to do to keep me busy.

The Songs

Last night at the canopy of lights, we sang some holiday songs but we also had to sing Do a Deer from Sound of Music because it's being performed in town soon and the soprano from the show came by to pimp the musical. I wasn't too crazy about that, but I did know every word and I did sing with gusto.

Today with Harvey Phillips and the awesome Tuba Santas, we sang Chestnuts Roasting, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, O Little Town, and the classic Santa Wants a Tuba for Christmas. Bring the songs on, I say.

The Hand Turkeys

The Pie

The Thanksgiving dinner was ridiculously good. The college kids are home. Teendaughter's taking pie orders. We're finishing up the hand turkeys. This year's theme was "The Turkeys' Black and White Ball." The turkeys are suited up and looking fine as can be. Mine is kind of a Lindsay Lohan turkey.

We're watching a crazy movie called Brothers Bloom.

We're feeling thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving, Peeps.