I was going to write about this in my book blog, but I haven't actually read it, so I decided to blog about it here.
In school, Peirce started reading Hannah's Suitcase, a holocaust story. He has talked about it endlessly. He was really taken by the whole story. He didn't get to finish the story in school because of the floods. He had actually borrowed a video from the public library for his class to watch. They only watched the first few minutes if it, so today he and I watched the video together. Wow. I can see why he was so taken by it. It is an amazing story.
The story was uncovered by a Japanese woman who worked in a museum. They wanted to teach Japanese children about the holocaust and so they asked some holocaust museums if they could have some artifacts they sent a suitcase that had belonged to young girl who was killed in the gas chambers in Auschwitz. Through a series of events this woman was able to uncover the story of Hana, the owner of the suitcase. This story made me feel very emotional. I'm continually amazed and saddened by what humans will do to each other. We can be so good, and so terrible. We really must never forget.
Monday, 8 July 2013
Strange Idea of a Good Time?
I just had the most amazing week. I went to Edmonton to mark provincial exams. It was a great PD experience!
The first day was training and I lucked into being in a group with a great woman named Joan. I remembered her from the IRA meeting I went to in June. Turns out she has just retired from teaching and loves books and reading and children's writing. She was a real inspiration. She really took the time to talk through the process and we marked a number of stories together. It was a great experience. Just working with her set me up with an air of respect and love for what these children had written.
It wasn't all roses and birds singing. It was actually a real exercise in self-discipline. I've never done such focused marking for such a long period of time in my life. By the end I was getting a little stir crazy - but I made it. The people at my table were a lot of fun though. I was glad to get to know them.. We had a lot of good laughs.
The story this year had a picture prompt with two children going into a castle. There were some rats running around and some guards in amour along the hallway. We read lots of stories about Jack and Annie, Jack and Lilly (must have been the Asian version) or Jack and Shreya (the Indian version?). It was pretty comical to see how often Jack was the character in the story. Also, lots of portals. Kids were often on a field trip, often would get separated from their group or would go into a portal. Minecraft be damned!!!
Jill also had provincials during this week. Every morning, bright and early, we'd park at the pool and I'd walk to where the marking was happening. It was a great walk. Luckily on the way there, it was uphill. I'd rather do that in the morning than at the end of the day. I got to cross this amazing bridge every day. Loved the walk!
This is the road I walked up. It was only about 5 blocks - but almost all of it was uphill! The way up was a great hamstring workout - and the way down was an equally good quad workout.
And here is the bridge. There is something about water and walking that brings great serenity to my life.
ahhhhhhhh
The first day was training and I lucked into being in a group with a great woman named Joan. I remembered her from the IRA meeting I went to in June. Turns out she has just retired from teaching and loves books and reading and children's writing. She was a real inspiration. She really took the time to talk through the process and we marked a number of stories together. It was a great experience. Just working with her set me up with an air of respect and love for what these children had written.
It wasn't all roses and birds singing. It was actually a real exercise in self-discipline. I've never done such focused marking for such a long period of time in my life. By the end I was getting a little stir crazy - but I made it. The people at my table were a lot of fun though. I was glad to get to know them.. We had a lot of good laughs.
The story this year had a picture prompt with two children going into a castle. There were some rats running around and some guards in amour along the hallway. We read lots of stories about Jack and Annie, Jack and Lilly (must have been the Asian version) or Jack and Shreya (the Indian version?). It was pretty comical to see how often Jack was the character in the story. Also, lots of portals. Kids were often on a field trip, often would get separated from their group or would go into a portal. Minecraft be damned!!!
Jill also had provincials during this week. Every morning, bright and early, we'd park at the pool and I'd walk to where the marking was happening. It was a great walk. Luckily on the way there, it was uphill. I'd rather do that in the morning than at the end of the day. I got to cross this amazing bridge every day. Loved the walk!
This is the road I walked up. It was only about 5 blocks - but almost all of it was uphill! The way up was a great hamstring workout - and the way down was an equally good quad workout.
And here is the bridge. There is something about water and walking that brings great serenity to my life.
ahhhhhhhh
Thursday, 4 July 2013
Butterflies
Today was Jill's first day of Age Group Champs. She has not been to A's many times, so she was a little nervous. I should have realized she was nervous sooner. She kept grumping at me for weird things. Finally, when we were in the parking lot gathering up food, making sure she had everything, and then saying our good byes, she had a little cry. That is when I finally clued in. Broke my heart! There wasn't much time. I had to send her off while I went off to mark PATs. I wanted so badly to stay with her and help her brought the nerves!! Instead I told her she was awesome, told her to shake it off, and spanked her bumb and sent her off.
Then I had my own little cry.
....and a prayer.
And who do I run into not five minutes later? Fergie, one of the coaches. He is a great guy (....a Timmermans recipient just like Jill!) I asked him to go be nice to Jill and help her chill. I had to wait all morning, but finally Jill texted me. Good ol' Fergie had done just what I asked him to.
I am so grateful for our great coaches!
Her own coach, Alex, is great too. She told him she was feeling nervous. He doesn't waste too many words. He told her to stop it. Nervous doesn't help anyone. And added: now go talk to Elaina about boys or something to take your mind off of everything.
Perfect advice!
Best of all: she made it to the B finals for 200 fly! Yea Jill!
Then I had my own little cry.
....and a prayer.
And who do I run into not five minutes later? Fergie, one of the coaches. He is a great guy (....a Timmermans recipient just like Jill!) I asked him to go be nice to Jill and help her chill. I had to wait all morning, but finally Jill texted me. Good ol' Fergie had done just what I asked him to.
I am so grateful for our great coaches!
Her own coach, Alex, is great too. She told him she was feeling nervous. He doesn't waste too many words. He told her to stop it. Nervous doesn't help anyone. And added: now go talk to Elaina about boys or something to take your mind off of everything.
Perfect advice!
Best of all: she made it to the B finals for 200 fly! Yea Jill!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)