Ms. B’s Thoughts

Last night I spent an amazing evening with my seven year old.  Thanks to their adoring grandparents, my sons were off for a sleep over so it was just a “girl’s night” for McKenna and I.  We just hung out at home, her on a laptop checking in with her Webkinz, typing her spelling list on Google docs, (and highlighting each word in alternating colors), and visiting Panwapa to see where in the world she could travel.  I checked email, read a few feeds, saw that our Google Teacher Academy site was back up and running and read some twitter chatter.  After about an hour, we had some dinner.  The spelling list had spurred me on to check out online sites that she could visit to practice her spelling words…of course there are many out there, but I wanted one that you could enter your own words…and I found a few, nothing earth shattering, but fun enough. I thought of creating her own del.icio.us account, but my friends are worried enough about my techno craziness and figured that there was a better way to help her organize her web-world.

I had a brainstorm.

A wiki.

So with my daughter snuggled next to me on the couch,  I created a wiki: The VanAbel Kid’s LOVE TO LEARN! I uploaded pictures, images, linked to their elementary school, changed the “look and feel” of the wiki and made each of them their own page.  She was mesmerized.  Let me try! So I slid the laptop over to her.  She typed her own information in and included a comment about a future career in art.  We linked to her favorite pages and her blog and gmail account.  I know some of my friends would just chuckle and roll their eyes, but seriously…she is like a sponge and just loves to do this stuff!

It was getting late, so to wrap it all up we went over to Youtube and found a few videos…VanGogh, Picasso and a PBS video on the creation of the Solar System.  Each were just 2-3 minutes in length, but we watched the VanGogh and Picasso ones twice…her comments were priceless…it was a mother moment I’m not likely to forget.  That one is in the hallway at school. (Starry Night)  She had comments for many others.  I saw that one in Little Einsteins!  Look at the swirly, silvery clouds!  That one is silly!  Picasso is kind of different, Mom!  All from a very short glimpse of art.  Sure…we could have done the same thing with a book.  And I probably will get her one…(my home does not LACK books as they are stashed in every corner, bin and basket!), but the engagement and attention grabbing that initially caught her attention, was the musical video of the artwork…the presentation!

We put the computer away and got into our jammies.  We snuggled and read a few chapters of The Talented Clementine” by Sara Pennypacker.  A delightfully funny read.  I tucked her in and sang her her lullaby as she snuggled with Peanut, her blue elephant.

Even though I had pulled a total of 8 worksheets from backpacks afterschool, I am becoming more comfortable with the fact that the learning environment in our home is going to fill in the gaps missing in their formal education.

I am one lucky lady.

As I was wiping chocolate off of the face of my soon to be four year old, I made the comment…It’s a good thing you are washable!.  He piped back at me, finger proudly in the air…Yep–It’s a good thing I’m not permanent!

I have to write this story…but to remind me…picture my five year old, clinging to my legs, as a police officer approaches the garage sale we are at…he looks up at me, eyes wide–Remember the suckers, Mom?

I had a really long day today…good, solid, filled with a bit of everything I love.  My kids are amazing and despite the hand they have been playing the last two years–are remarkably well adjusted.  They are strong, smart, witty, fairly confident youngsters.  What more can a mom ask for?

June 18, 2008-A day with Mark, Amy and Heather

Dead River Coffee House

Back together with good friends.  Our trip begins to a new location for an old local favorite.

Can we use this chair?  I say to the gentlemen sitting in the chair.  Certainly.  He looks up from his work and under his baseball cap I see familiar eyes and a smile from my childhood.  Hello!  I exclaim.  The smile broadens as he recognizes me too.  Not just high school classmates, but Skandia school alumni.  A tight knit group, bound by years of Little League, late night basketball games, motorbikes and skinny dipping. We exchange the usual pleasantries, and then ask more meaningful questions.  Marriage?  Not any more.  Kids—still good.  Who do you keep in touch with?  20 years ago who would have thought—we chat about Facebook and MySpace, emails, and upcoming reunions.  I am reminded that I am not the only one with changes—and not the only one who feels good about them.

Gallery-by Presque Isle

…I tell my stories.

How do you tell your stories?
Cozy blankets, snuggled deep.
Eyes bright.  Attention captured.
There was a little blue-eyed boy…a brown haired girl
living in Negaunee.
•    On Rock Street, Mom!
They had a little brother named Shane.
•    Shane—That’s you! The two point at one.
Grand adventures; exciting escapades.
•    What’s an escapade, Mom?
They liked to ride bikes, hike in the woods, catch tadpoles.
•    Did you feed the tadpoles, Mom?
•    Lettuce, they like lettuce, Beau.
Puzzles, books, drawings and playdough.
Dress-up, puppets, tic tac toe
Rain or shine they always had something to do.
•    Can we bring our umbrella to the store, Mom?
•    It thundered loud last night, Mama!
Never bored, the trio played, laughed and danced the days away.
•    Dance Party!  Let’s do a dance party, Mom!
Soaking in the tub, splashing the ceiling and walls
Dry them off, pull on the pj’s,
a few moments to jump on the bed
•    I can do tricks-really high jumps, Mom!
Then stories, always stories, before bed.
•    Don’t forget the lullabye, Mom!
Yes, stories, then lullabye’s before bed.
Tres amigos.  Siblings for certain, friends for sure.

I pause.  The end.

How do you tell your stories?

Tell it again.  Tell me another.

Not a book Mom—those other kind.
When you were a little girl-was I like you?
Did you like to jump rope?  Will my hair be curly like yours?
One time Uncle Sam took his bike apart-
Uncle Matt got stung by a bee,
You are a lefty like Uncle Roo.
Grandpa John cut his knee in the river.
Grandma was afraid to walk to school.

When I grow-up, when I get big, when I am older…

Family ties.

How do you tell your stories?

Friday.  Thank goodness.  After a long, long week of administering our state standardized tests to my students who have learning disabilities, I am sooooo incredibly glad it is over.  Mind numbing.  Tiresome.  I have no enthusiasm for giving these tests.  It is all I can do to get through the directions without pouring out a rant laced with cynical undertone.  It is difficult to watch students who struggle with the traditional academic skills be run through a series  of tests that test, once again, their ability (or lack of ability) to perform.  But…this is not what this post is about…it is about a glorious hidden opportunity for learning that occurred…

We had to borrow the mobile MacBook lab from our elementary school to utilize the audio DVD’s the state provided for the accommodated test.  As the students finished portions of their test, they were, of course, curious about the new machines.  The internet was disabled (of course, FEAR of finding answers) and so after some fiddling a few boys started playing around with GarageBand.  WOW.  All I can say is that in a little over two hours all of the kids in the room were hooked.  They were composing, sharing, talking, rearranging and ALL ON THEIR OWN…figuring out a fairly complex program.  I couldn’t help but feel it was the universe telling me…see…not all is lost…the state does not control you, your teaching or the learning that takes place.  By the end of day two, at the lunch break…I had to tell the kids to leave…TEENAGE BOYS…refusing to go to lunch because they were too deeply engaged in learning.  HA!

The unfortunate part is that the machines have to be returned to the elementary school next week.  We have a few machines in the building that will run GarageBand and other iLife 08 programs, but the access is limited.  We copied all of their compositions to a flash drive and I told them in the very least they could use my PowerBook or my iMac to play around some more.

The music they created was beautiful.  Each had a personal style and signature.  They were encouraging to each other, running around the room listening, commenting, and showing each other different things they learned about the program.  It was a real life picture of the type of engagement I have been dreaming about…It was amazing to see students who struggle with reading, writing and math, figure out and problem solve a program to create a work of art.

Our superintendent has all but promised mobile carts for the HS and MS next year…let’s hope he hold true…for there are hidden opportunities all around us, I am sure.