2026 Learning to Write Again

 In February, I was doing the normal perusal of emails when Cindy's (@ MsChiubookawrites ) email popped into my inbox. There was the usual department information from district, but also, an invitation to join this "Slice of Life" writing challenge. I thought to myself, writing for a month? I could probably do that. A thus began my journey as a first-year Slicer. Upon the second day, I griped to Cindy about not knowing what to write for a second post. Looking back, I have learned so many strategies from so many of you: Cento poems, writing about specific objects, looking out the window, writing about specific places, having a plan, not having a plan, and so on. I write from my work computer, as my brain classifies this challenge as "work-related". I have over 50 tabs open in a "To Be Read" sort of browser list of slices I didn't get to read that I wanted to. I have a section in my Notes App for how to use ideas from some of the slices I have read in...

There was recently a post on Threads about Velcro dogs. You know, the ones who need  to be in your skin? Well, one of those does not live here, but he is always watching. When we adopted Gibbs, I was sure  he was going to love me. After all, the folklore and wives' tales say that boy dogs love women. Ha. Gibbs chose his human pretty early on: Josh, whose only moment of "weakness" cemented our dog's undying love and loyalty. You see, when we went to bed after Gibbs' first event-filled night home (a drunk driver crashed into our building, cops, and so much more!), Josh decided we were going to stand firm and Gibbs was going to learn to sleep in his crate, day 1. Me? I'm a softie, but I had read dogs learning they had their own space was good for them, so I could do it. After what felt like hours, but I'm sure was probably only one, Josh folds. Gives in, lays on the floor, and puts his hand inside the crate, so Gibbs could feel soothed. I will never forgive h...

 *I missed yesterday's Slice! That sun and good vibes got me, again :) For as long as I can remember, I've thought people were different than me. I used to think my parents were robots, when I was far too old to make such imaginative ideas feel real. At a different time, I distinctly remember following them through the mall and thinking how their brains fire their nerves to constrict and relax their muscles as they move and it was like I could watch their skeletons move under their skin. I must have just learned about the nervous system, but I was terrified that they were something other than human. Most children, when they're young, are scared of "normal" things in the closet or shadows of night: witches, monsters, ghosts. Me? I was 100% positive there was a mass murderer (we think this carried over from my grandparents' watching Dateline at full blast), drug trafficker, or Baphomet (specifically that demon) waiting to get me when everyone else had fallen asl...

 It is incredibly tempting to do a six-word memoir because I have all "six" words playing in my head "Spring Break. Spring Break! Spring! Break!". However, I have more to say (lucky you!) 😂 In a change from yesterday's marvelous to grumpy timeline, today has been quite consistently fantastic. The same lesson plan was used: Introduction to Sojourner Truth, quick SOL prep, and then Book Club discussions and a group assignment. There were also more than a few "new" challenges today: the building was obnoxiously hot and humid everywhere , the amount of students who were absent to start Spring Break early, more students had not read and/or had not completed the pre-work, more students were confused on the difference between an internal and external conflict, and new "guests" joined my classroom which changed the vibe of the class. However, students were participatory and meaningfully engaged! Peaks and valleys, peaks and valleys (oh! Another ...

 Perhaps I am the "grumpy gills" I often assume I am. Perhaps others do not get overstimulated or have their nerves grated by the same, or similar things, as I do. Perhaps. Although, perhaps not. Today was a marvelous  day. The printer upstairs was fixed and worked the entire day. The sun is out. Students worked in their book clubs, most completed the assignment necessary and thus, were able to have really productive conversations. I actively chose to focus on the positives. I could have easily focused on the group of boys, the two girls, or the entire class plus a guest who were not prepared, left their groups, and were overall rain clouds on an otherwise perfectly sunny day. Instead, I leaned in to the group discussions, entered into their ideas of conflict, prodded individual minds to dive a little deeper than a two word quote with no context. On top of that, I even left work on time *gasp*! Today was a marvelous  day. Upon my arrival home, there was a spot open to cha...

Where I teach runs on what I call a block-skinny schedule: 1, 3, 7 are A days, 2, 4, 6 are B days, and 5 happens every day, but is a shorter period (skinny). Today was a fairly simple agenda as we wanted to give students time to "finish" (start) their reading and assignment for their first Book Club meeting this week. On the "to do" list: Introduce them to Hedy Lamarr and her co-created invention to stop Nazis from jamming Allied torpedoes during WWII . Yes, the actress and the inventor are one and the same! (Women's Heritage Month, plus, it's cool as heck!). Warm up: Poetry Terms Vocabulary. This was a review of terms they have heard and worked with before, or at least it was supposed to be. Book Club work time: read or work on the assignment, those are the options. Pretty easy, yea? Except my brain sees opportunity where most of learned to keep mum.  We have finished the poetry terms and I have them waiting for a few seconds. They are ever so eager to put ...