Category: Uncategorized
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We can do Better–Students and Test Scores and Teachers
From a few years ago: This week was tough–the students are edgy, chatty (to the nth degree), and I have found my normally limitless patience–limited. Hmmm… the older I get, the less I know. Students seem to be falling apart this time of year. Stress is upon us as standardized testing looms. And all the…
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Little Red Car and Grief
From a few years ago: And we sold the Big Guy’s car… not a big deal since it needed much more work than it was worth. The dealer bought it and knew, said they could fix much cheaper than we could…and it’s gone; no more worries it will burst into flames. Yes, we told the…
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Chorus Frogs in Marsh 4-5-22
Chorus Frogs in Marsh 4-5-22. Hope you can hear this! Enjoy. It’s always brings such a smile to my face. Such a sign of spring. Laura
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Day Before April, Tribute to a Great Teacher
Many years ago, my 4th grade teacher read a poem to us. It was on March 31st, and the title of the poem was “The Day Before April.” It was a terribly sentimental poem (and as a poet myself, I now shudder to think of the poem itself), but our teacher’s message was profound: Wherever…
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Orphans, a sort of Poem
Written years ago. Need to work on this. It’s sort of an orphaned poem. I have a lot of them. Seems to be on the theme of grief and trauma, lifelong themes for me. Orphans Caller ID makes my orphans tale harder to maintain: strays, I should have said or urchins or waifs or things.…
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Heading to Woods
Thinking of my late sister today on her birthday. RIP. Heading to the woods to investigate what’s in bloom. She so loved spring! And she was fun loving and feisty. That’s me hiding behind her in the top right photo when we worked together back in the early 70s. Thanks for reading and have a…
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Of Crackers, Bitter Cold, and Grace While Teaching
(Found this writing from 8 years ago, teaching on the coldest day of my life. A new semester.) “I felt a great pride and joy in teaching today, in super crazy conditions of cold, with kids so happy to see each other again after tense finals, with kids who thanked me for simple CRACKERS for…
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Sadsweetness
Sadsweetness (from several years ago) The birds return, cardinals calling male to female to male. Morning doves cooing. The ratcheting call of red-winged blackbirds. For so long, I lived by a busy train station and the “Ring! Ring! Ring! Rattle! Rattle! Rattle!” was the call I heard. That and the blaring of train horns as…
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White Rose
White Rose (Written Six Days before my Mother Died) When my mother turned fifty, she told me that after she died she’d send me one white rose to let me know she was okay and asked me to do the same if I died before she did. I was appalled, yelled at her that I…
Laura Lee 