| | Students are often called upon to read "chorally". That is, they read together simultaneously as a group. Repeating this practice assists young readers with reading fluency - the speed, accuracy, and inflection of oral reading. Why not, since it's called "choral" reading anyway, actually read the chorus of a song? |
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For the last three years, I have presented breakout sessions at the state convention for the Missouri State Teachers Association in November. Last week, the window for proposals was opened. The deadline for those proposals isn't until May (with presenters notified by July 31), but our snow days gave me a chance to make my proposals early. Here are the two presentations I would like to make for 2020:
Here was a nice surprise that arrived in my emailbox yesterday: word from Virginia about my acceptance to the summer teacher institute at Colonial Williamsburg. Huzzah, indeed!
Be more aware of ways you can help other people. Take a moment to watch this video: Now for some questions:
I've had this volume on my wish list for a couple of years now, and I finally ordered it with a gift card from Christmas. The title at the top of the front cover is both descriptive and misleading, though. This book, constructed by President Thomas Jefferson, a painstaking endeavor to fulfill a promise to an old friend, was an effort to understand the Bible more clearly. In doing so, Jefferson left a document that tells us more about his thoughts and opinions of the Christian religion.
I may not share Jefferson's opinion of miracles, angels, and resurrection, but I must appreciate the lengths to which this man went to study the words. Few people I know have spent the hours Jefferson did in discerning the Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth...
Now, I am left to wonder at his opinions of the rest of the New Testament (and the Old Testament for that matter).
I attended last night's performance of Frozen Jr. at North Middle School, and I was excited to see Hoggatteers (now sixth through eighth graders) in the cast. ARIANA and SOPHIE kicked off the show, playing the parts of Elsa and Anna. ELLA and TARYN played the grown up roles, while JOSIAH, MACIE, KAIDA and SIDNEY (Sadly, I didn't get pictures of the last two.) played supporting roles.
To have had 8 of the 19 named roles played by former students was quite an accomplishment. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to watch them perform, and even more flattered to see them and their families after the show. I hope to have a chance to see some of them in future shows, both at the middle school and at the high school.
Frozen Jr. will be performed again, Monday evening.
A hearty thanks is due to everyone who has offered prayers, words of comfort, and support in other ways to my family during this difficult time. Our family has definitely been challenged and stretched during my daughter's recent spells of dizziness, low heart-rate, and inability to walk on her own. She is now back in school and attempting to find normal again, but for a while I saw fear in her eyes. As strong as we think we are, it is the hardest thing in the world to look our children in the eyes when they are scared - especially when we are scared, too. At one point, she looked at me, with rare tears in her eyes, and she asked me to pray. I didn't think I could do it, my own tears choking me, and I told her that God could hear our hearts, even in silence. Then I prayed anyway.
She has beaten every challenge she has ever faced - academically, socially, emotionally, on stage, giving speeches, singing solos, swimming, playing the flute, directing the band, leading her academic team, becoming a state officer, and much, much more. This new challenge - to beat the stress that landed a solid blow on her - shouldn't be anything new for her: it is just another challenge to be beaten.
I have let her know that she has an opportunity to become inspiration for others - that she can lead the way for others to face their own challenges/monsters/demons and overcome them. If anyone can do it, my daughter can. The comments and hugs from some of my students have boosted my morale. I don't want to ever take them for granted of underestimate their ability to understand and be able to say the right things to comfort.  KARLIE and LANDON competed in the qualifying math contest at Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School across town on Saturday. They, and the rest of our team, make us proud with their behavior and effort. The experience was a valuable one for these fourth grade students, and we hope they saw some value in it.
Our sole winner for the day was YASHVI from Mr. Culbertson's class. YASHVI earned four awards while wonderfully representing Cecil Floyd Elementary:
YASHVI will represent our school again at the regional contest in Bolivar, Missouri, in a few weeks. She will be joined by AVERY who also qualified to move on in fourth grade competition. Additionally, BRADY will represent us as a fifth grader. A hearty welcome is extended
to the newest member of the Hoggatteer family: JOSH. JOSH comes to us from a school in a nearby town. JOSH, our wish is for you to feel at home in our classroom, to feel at ease with making mistakes, and to desire to constantly improve on your abilities. Our fourth grade classroom is happier with you in it.
I asked my daughter to listen to this speech and apply it to her current state of stress-induced health issues. The same might also be applied to your challenges in life. In your lowest moment, you, too, may find your "finest hour".
Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Hear Ye! In Joplin, Missouri, on this magnificent Groundhog(gatt) Day, February 2nd, 2020, when "the seer of seers, the prognosticator of all prognosticators" is summoned from his borrow in the old oak stump, will he see his shadow and proclaim six more weeks of winter, or will he declare spring just around the corner? For more Groundhog(gatt) Day fun, check out some Groundhog(gatt) Day activities and information.
After a week of absence, I plan to be back in class on Monday. We busted out of the hospital with our Little Lady (Actually, we were appropriately discharged.), and we are now at home. She is sitting upright more and using a walker around the house (though infrequently). She was able to shower (We all feel better with a shower.). Our hope is to make a plan for her to return to normalcy as soon as she can, but we know she will have to take things at her own pace. She is less dizzy now, but gets dizzier with movement and activity, occasionally zoning out altogether and tipping over with little warning. We were certainly happy to see her heart rate increase overnight and hold steady around 57 beats per minute (much better than 41), and the doctors we very pleased, as well. We will follow up with specialists in other areas, but the doctors are pretty confident that all of this is related to stress - that it is her body telling her to slow down. She seems ready to do some of that moving forward. Some medicine changes will likely be made now that we have specialists on board. They will work together to make sure the right medicine(s) are chosen for her personal needs.  We have always been proud of our girl, and she has never failed to amaze us. She is not like most. We have never had to push her to do her best. We have never had to tell her to be involved. She drives herself, pressures herself, and challenges herself. How many 16-year-olds, when confronted with a trip to a Kansas City emergency department, will insist upon stopping at their school lockers on the way to collect books and notebooks so they can work on their homework just in case they are admitted to a hospital stay? That's going to be a hard habit for her to break as she discovers her road to recovery.
Our continued prayer is for her strength and balance, but also that the correct diagnosis has been determined and that we all do what it takes to stay on the correct path back to normal. As always, we cherish the support and constant prayers from our dear friends and family. We are certainly not at the finish line, so please do not stop holding us up. |
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