Just what are you doing at home?
Just what are you doing under the sky on a late winter day?
Just what are you doing with your time, each day, right now?
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| A carrot in our classroom, from seed |
I pretend that I know that I am mortal.
I pretend that I am not wasting my time.
I pretend that my time even matters.
I do not feign happiness, though--I got real lucky, real early. I pray my students are even half as lucky.
I spent a chunk of the afternoon cutting back the grape vine. Last time I did this, too long ago, was in anger that my sister had been taken away by a Christian missionary with a limited worldview and even more limited driving skills.
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| The gargoyle in our backyard, grumping about the cold |
Today I cut the vine back joyfully.
The light is returning.
We are of stardust, and the light is returning.
Not sure what else I can do in the classroom except show that joy is possible.
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6 comments:
I've been talking about birds a lot in the classroom. The inspiration was the tree phenology project in which they had to tell me an avian biotic factor in their tree's habitat during the eco unit. I show them a picture of a bird about once a week...play the bird's call. "That's what that sound is?"
The Tufted Titmouse has a great name they seem to think (I agree).
I'd rather show them the bird in the flesh but these are the birds of their neighborhood so if they watch/look/listen, they might actually see these lovely creatures. First you know the name, then you know the bird's behavior/personality, then you realize birds mark the rhythm of the seasons. Then maybe you fall in love a little.
(Maybe this is a little random but posting on your blog is a nice diversion from what I'm doing with my time right now--grading--to answer your last question.)
Dear Susan,
A wonderful idea, and one I will steal starting this week--might even do one daily during this odd HSPA week coming up.
Oh Susan...I wish I had had a teacher who played
bird calls when I was young. I thought I was the only one listening back then...and sometimes I think I am the only one listening now, but happily in love a little, marking the seasons.
Michael, right now I am burning a limb that held a nest that was a home to a squirrel who's ancestor buried the acorn that grew into the oak that shed the limb that threatened to take off the porch of a neighbor and I'm thankful. This after spending some time with my elderly mom on Staten Island, arranging for another round of snow removal for her house after looking in her garden for the bulbs I know are just below waiting for this Spring to be sprung. S.A.D. I needs me some sunshine !!!
Dear Barbara,
Wonderful connections!
As far as SAD goes, the returning light has me bubbling up through the ice despite the cold. I do't mnd cold, and I love snow--it's the darkness that shuts me down.
Hi Barbara!
My favorite bird call is that of the Wood Thrush. When I first started birding as an adult, a very knowledgeable Scottish birder showed me this secretive bird and I recognized that call from playing in the woods when I was young. A sound from my childhood landscape! And now I knew the name. ("That's what that sound is?") It's kind of eerie I think.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wood_Thrush/sounds
A great idea - Students will love this!
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