Slice of Life 2022: 11 of 31- The Efficiency and Productivity Antidote

    It's March, and March means the Slice of Life Story Challenge. All are welcome to join the challenge of noticing and writing about the moments of daily life that are stories.

"You're a little crabby," my supervisor said as we worked together on the communication documents and timelines for a district initiative. "I kind of like it." 

I paused, thought, then laughed. My day had, in fact, begun with a challenge and had continued to rock me with schedule changes and opportunities for flexibility. Not long ago, my daughter showed me how to silence notifications on my phone (which is a game-changer!) so fortunately the text that really changed my day didn't wake me up. Instead, I woke up to the text... a subtle but important distinction, and one that I appreciated. Nevertheless, it's hard to regain a positive trajectory when right out of the gate, the day's not going to go nearly as planned. 

Fast forward a couple of hours to a much-longer-than-usual stay in a potentially raucous kindergarten class-- the kind of class where if you look down to pick a hangnail chaos could ensue-- followed by a repeated message that my email was not registered for a Zoom meeting I was supposed to attend followed by a last minute (and somewhat urgent) request to discuss progress reports, and yeah, my day continued its way along an okay-I'll-adjust-and-readjust pathway. (I bet that if you're reading this post, you know this kind of day.)

Recognizing that I was a little crabby, we got to work, and as a great antidote to my crabbiness, we were pretty efficient and productive. Efficiency and productivity always make me feel better! 

Slice of Life 2022: 10 of 31- The Difference of a Word

   It's March, and March means the Slice of Life Story Challenge. All are welcome to join the challenge of noticing and writing about the moments of daily life that are stories.

As I walked through the hallways this morning, I glanced into one of the fourth-grade classrooms. In a flash, I'd read the first sentence of her morning message that would greet students as they walked into the room. The first line? 

It's already Wednesday. 

Wow. 

Words matter. 

"That message is one that could only be started by a teacher who has come out of retirement and is entering her second week of teaching in the 2021-2022 school year," I laughed. 

Jane was sitting at her desk, and she understood my meaning right away. The original teacher had moved to South Carolina and Jane had agreed to come out of retirement to teach the class. What a fortunate series of events for these students! 

As I continued my hallway stroll, I chuckled to myself because those three words are not the combination I'd create during a five day school week. Maybe I'd say them during a vacation week, but these days you are more likely to hear me say: 

It's only Wednesday. 

Words matter. 

As I sit and reflect about this slice and Jane's wording, I am thinking more about the message within that one word, and what mood it set for the class as the very first thing those students read. I think about words a lot. My one little word to live by for 2022 is just. I chose that word as one I'm working to eliminate since it downplays and minimizes many things I do. I've thought about the difference between saying I have to do something as opposed to I get to do something. And now I am thinking about the difference between already and only. You can bet that I'll be working on my alreadys in the near future! 

Slice of Life 2022: 9 of 31- I've Never Been So Happy My Teaching Was Ignored

  It's March, and March means the Slice of Life Story Challenge. All are welcome to join the challenge of noticing and writing about the moments of daily life that are stories.

We’ve been short subs so I wasn’t surprised when a replacement didn’t show up when my third-grade writing workshop was ending. 

What are we going to do now? Sebastian asked. 

Honestly, not sure, I answered. 

I let the kids go outside for a short mask break and to run around. With only a half hour or so left until buses begin to be called, I was still not sure what to do. I was hungry, I had to go to the bathroom, and I was not sure if a replacement was on the way. I didn’t want to be a nudge and call the office, figuring that if there was someone to tagteam a patchworked day of subbing, they’d be here. But still, I wasn’t sure what to do with the twenty expectant students in front of me. 

A readaloud. I’d do a readaoud. I looked for a picture book, but I was in a first-year teacher’s classroom and the selection was sparse. How do we not have more books in this classroom? –a question for another day. Epic. I’ll log in to Epic. 

I pulled up the website and began trying out various passwords. Saved passwords are magic when you’re on your own computer, but they’re an issue when you’re a guest on someone else’s!

Finally, I got into my Epic collection, and Black History recommendations came up. (Disclaimer: This slice of life happened last month, but it’s too good not to share!) Mae Jemison– I’d read one of the picture books about her! 

We read about her yesterday, several informants piped up. 

Of course they had. 

The book right underneath was about someone I hadn’t heard of before, but it looked good, and he was a scientist. Perfect. I’d read that, sharing the words and pictures on the Smartboard. As I got going with Ernest Everett Just, I reminded the third-graders to be active readers and ask questions about what wasn’t clear. I cued them to interrupt me if there was a word they didn’t know. I invited them to let me know if there was language they thought was beautiful. No one did. Those kids were silent. If I pointed words and language out, they appreciated it. If I asked questions, they answered… but no one was taking that initiative. In fact, several were reading their own books under their desks. I chose not to call them out for that. It was the end of the day, and I was tired. I was hungry, too… remember? 

And then I turned the page to where Ernest discovered sperm fertilizing eggs in sand dollars. Right up there on the Smartboard. 

Yep, “a wave of movement when a sperm contacted the egg. As slight as a shiver, it signaled an amazing discovery.” 

I read those pages fast, without looking up, and hoping like anything that no one would interrupt or call out any questions as I’d been nudging them to do during ALL the preceding pages. 

No one did. 

I have never been so happy that my lesson was uninspiring. And yes, there are plenty of reasons to preview a book! 

Slice of Life 2022: 8 of 21- A Close Second

     It's March, and March means the Slice of Life Story Challenge. All are welcome to join the challenge of noticing and writing about the moments of daily life that are stories.

Can I get a puppy? Clare’s text had read almost two years ago when the world was shutting down. 

No, I replied. You can get yourself a plane ticket and get home. 

She was in South America when life was shutting down in Connecticut, and at that moment in time, it seemed as if Guatemala was not impacted by Covid. (It would be!)

Clare arrived home, and she continued to argue for a puppy, a companion to our older lab. It didn’t take long for me to relent, and once I relented, it took seconds for my husband to give the nod. 

Clare is now working in New York and living in an apartment that is not particularly conducive to a dog’s life, especially a dog who has grown up with a backyard and a canine playmate, so I get Winnie. And get is the keyword. Wherever I am, Winnie snuggles against me, keeping me warm and keeping me company. Clare’s her favorite person, but I’d like to believe that I’m a close second.

Slice of Life 2022: 7 of 31- What if I were stronger or braver?

    It's March, and March means the Slice of Life Story Challenge. All are welcome to join the challenge of noticing and writing about the moments of daily life that are stories.

When a doctor first suggested a Peloton to me two years ago, I balked. I was a walker and a yogi with a distaste for bikes. I'd gone over the handle bars of one on my 40th birthday-- a post for another time-- and biking held negative appeal. However, as the threat of a knee replacement loomed on the horizon, I caved. A friend suggested that insurance should cover a medically necessary Peloton, and lo and behold, my HSA funds were put to bike-buying use. 

Fast forward to present day... I love that thing. I ride almost every day, and I feel personally connected to many of the two dimensional instructors, an admittedly absurd side effect of this eternal pandemic. Today I had a one-sided bonding moment with Robin Arzón when I read her picture book at Barnes and Noble. (Potentially another post...)

So here's the slice of it. Yesterday, as I rode in one of Robin's classes, she posed this question: What would you do if you were braver and stronger? 

I've heard several lines from Peloton instructors that I try to remember such as:

• You've survived 100% of your hard days. (I guess that's true!)
• Are you ready? Yes or yes? (There are times when I'm really not ready at all.)
• You can do anything for fifteen seconds. (Not everything, no...)

I've even quoted some of them. 

But I spent free brain space moments today thinking about what I'd do if I were braver or stronger. I wrestled through my own personal exercise of it, and the truth is, there are a lot of things I've done in the last few years that have pushed me far from my comfort zone. I've been brave. I've wondered about leaving my current job and plunging into the realm of independent consulting, but there's a difference between brave and foolish, and right now, my family needs me to stay put. And stronger? Again, stronger in what sense? 

As I reflected throughout the day-- and through this post as well-- it's not the obvious nuances of braver and stronger that I'm striving for. It's more about the bravery and strength that's required to be vulnerable and kind. Sometimes I have to be really brave and strong to share what needs to be shared emotionally and to be kind when it's not my reflexive response. 

Who knew that a single question on my morning ride would set off my reflections for the day, but it did, and now, maybe it's done the same for you! What would you do if you were braver and stronger? 

Slice of Life 2022: 6 of 31- Another Trip to Trader Joe's

   It's March, and March means the Slice of Life Story Challenge. All are welcome to join the challenge of noticing and writing about the moments of daily life that are stories.

I was planning to go to Trader Joe's yesterday morning even without having read Larkin's post about Marula Facial Oil, and her positive prized poodle experience there the day before. (She's much funnier than I am as a writer, and I got that prized poodle line from her!)

"You're going to Trader Joe's?" My husband asked when I announced my plan in the morning. "Didn't you just go there?"

I had gone the previous weekend, and yes, it's a 25 minute ride. Like Larkin, I have a few items that I especially love from TJ's. Last weekend when I was there for the organic salted peanut butter (and a few other things), I noticed the hellebores and other potted plants that were occupying a center table. I thought they'd fit into my rotating flower basket and I was having a dinner party in the near future, but I wasn't sure enough to buy them right then and there.

So yesterday morning, I brought the basket with me, hoping that there would be some hellebores and that they would fit in my basket the way I was envisioning. There were and they did! And it was a perfect centerpiece for last night's dinner!

It turns out that the combination of hellebore and lavender (also available at TJ's) works especially well since one is for show and the other is for smell. Hopefully, I'll keep them healthy and strong until I can plant them in pots on the patio.

Slice of Life 2022: 5 of 31- A Voluntold Situation is Unfolding

  It's March, and March means the Slice of Life Story Challenge. All are welcome to join the challenge of noticing and writing about the moments of daily life that are stories.

Friday afternoon seemed like a good time to look ahead and figure out the conflicts and schedules for the next couple of weeks. I know that Equity Week is coming up, but I can't remember if it's next week or the following week. I look through past emails about it, and I can't find the answer. I email the person in charge, and I'm a little surprised at her response. 

It's the week of March 14, and we have you on the schedule to present every day. 

Wait... reread...every day?!?

EVERY DAY?!?!?

I hold off on responding, and I try to remember the conversation that led to my agreeing to present to high school students about Black people's contributions to sports, as well as important figures of the Harlem Renaissance. I'd said no at first. (Repeat: I'd said NO! That should be a separate slice, since saying no is NOT one of my greatest skills!)

One day, the arm twisting happened...

There will be a teacher to support you with tech and students. (That could ease my anxiety.)

We have these new resources that you helped develop, and we should present them as a session. (That is true.)

Your presentation last year was so good, and they'd like to hear more from you. (I don't remember hearing then that people liked it.)

This morning, 24 hours later as I revise this post,  I'm now trying to figure out how ONE day became FOUR days with no name listed under the support person column. I'm also trying to figure out where the description of the session came from since I didn't write it, and it doesn't describe the aforementioned presentations. 

And I'm also trying to talk myself into the realization that this is a good thing... that I GET to present... that my to-do list will still be there if I miss a couple of hours a day next week... that the classrooms I'm working in will do fine without me... whether I say no to all four days and suggest one or two...how I can get the description of the session changed to be more accurate...

How (and why) this is NOT a unique occurrence!.!.!.