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thinking, writing, learning

Search Results for: begin again

Begin Again

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I take pictures of sunrises and sunsets. Often. I never tire of the oranges, pinks, and blues as they blend into one another.
When I’ve had a rough week (or day), I find one of the photos and stare at it, remembering how I felt when the colors surrounded me and my breathing changed. This morning I searched for this one– a day at the beach, a slight wind in the air. As I process troublesome thoughts, I know this morning is also a moment in time, and it will pass. There will be other gorgeous sunrises, signaling a new day, another chance.

Begin again.

An Ending and a Beginning

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When I browse the archives of my posts, I discover the words “starting over” many times. Now, here I am at the end of something again. My project with friend and photographer Donna Hopkins has come to a natural conclusion, a year of photo/poetry collaboration and much more. Her explanation shares all you need to know about our project, so please visit her site to see more photos and the focus of the year-long partnership.

Donna’s photos provided me with much inspiration to write– about aging, parents, failure, friendship, and life. Her photography perspectives gave me an opportunity to consider different perspectives in my writing. I was finally writing for myself. Our book holds truth, pain, joy, and vulnerability of who we are, of what these moments at this point in our lives reveal.

This bittersweet conclusion won’t end our friendship, though. In fact, I am hoping we will leap into another creative adventure before long. We share much in common, and working with Donna is a joy. She brings out the best in me.

So now, another beginning. Creativity connects me to myself, provides a window into who I am.

Let the next project begin!

Time to Think

Houses line my daily walk,
small, some old, a mansion
on the hill, the dog park.
I never veer, so my mind
tucks into itself, stepping
one thought after another.
Bright sun spoofs me
with winter’s bitter breath.
I am the stranger
walking by your house,
waiting for spring flowers,
a revelation, a peek of yellow 
or perhaps radiant rose.

Peppers in my kitchen grow
under lights, lush leafy green,
higher each day. A sign
of what has been planted
and what is to come.

Beginning summer “work”

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Summer has started, but my mind is still on last Friday.Reflection1


Our Upper School faculty spent the last day of school beginning to talk about our entire curriculum–how we plan, teach, organize, and assess–and what it all means. We discovered we are more alike than different, but we also found significant variations in our philosophies and approaches.
Nevertheless, the conversations were good, and I hope for more during the summer and again next fall.
I am so excited to be organizing the Virginia cohort of the PLP for Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach and Will Richardson. This Powerful Learning Practice will guide us in this:

Knowledge:
An understanding of the transformative potential of Web 2.0 tools in a
global perspective and context and how those potentials can be realized
in schools

Pedagogy:
An understanding of the shifting learning literacies that the 21st
Century demands and how those literacies inform teacher practice.

Connections:
The development of sustained professional learning networks for team
members to begin experimenting and sharing with other team members and online colleagues from around the world.

Sustainability: The creation of long term plans to move the vision forward in participating districts at the end of the program.

Capacity: An increase in the abilities and resources of individuals, teams and the community to manage change.

I also look to colleagues and friends to help me continue to put into place the foundation that makes teaching successful at FA. For example, Patrick Woessner has been writing much about the process his own school is going through as they begin a tablet program. In this post, he talks about the "search and research process" so necessary to teach our students. Perfect timing for me, as we are having the same discussions.

After a short trip to Quebec next weekend (a combination anniversary/birthday present), I'm looking forward to digging into these ideas, fleshing them out, and seeing how we can clarify our own procedures.

Ah, it's going to be a summer of possibilities.

mage: 'Real Joy'
www.flickr.com/photos/99911874@N00/562918256

Zemanta Pixie

How Many Times Have I Written This?

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Beginning again.

If I look back at this blog, I’ll bet I would find that phrase a hundred times.

Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating, but it’s got to be a lot. I seem to “begin again” often, which is not a bad thing. In fact, I love beginnings. When I taught, my favorite month was September, a chance for all of us- students, teachers, and staff– to do everything better. January always gives me a time to pause and reflect, which is where I am right now.

So, what’s new? Well, I am making a physical move of sorts. I’m moving one of my small presses into a space at LibertyTown Arts again. I’ve missed the connections wit friends and customers. Also, I’m adding a foiling machine to my collection. This will enable me to foil cards and other items, something I’ve wanted to try for a while. And finally, I can’t wait to try one of my Christmas presents– a 3D printer! I know I can letterpress print with a 3D print, and I’ve wanted to try it myself.

This week is a reflecting, cleaning, and organizing time for me. But come January, I’ll be playing, printing, and sharing again.
Photo on Best Running

Keeping Faith

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Sometimes I am so hard on myself. One class doesn’t work as planned, and I berate myself for being a poor teacher. Another rejection comes from a literary magazine, and I refuse to take joy in the acceptances and publications I’ve already received.

You know what I’m talking about. The exasperating voice in our heads, the one that says: LOSER. You can almost feel the finger pointing right between your eyes.

I’m lucky, though. I tend to be a glass half-full kind of person. Once I can feel the weight piling up on my shoulders, I start tossing those layers of negativity aside. Soon, I dive back into the project at hand.

I begin again, remembering this from Annie Dillard:

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing.