Celebration: In the room

Posted on November 28, 2014 by carriegelson

It is report card writing season. This weekend is the big push. I am going to be spending a lot of time on the page. It’s all about my students supposedly, but it doesn’t really feel that way. I need to assign grades. Sigh. I have big allergies to this. It feels like labels. I don’t do labels. It feels stuck. A measure of achievement. Yet, learning in our room is all about movement. Traveling along a continuum. Big leaps. Tiny steps. Looping back and then surging forward. A. B. C+ These letters have little to do with that.

I need to use language that is supposed to be specific but actually confuses everyone including me. It’s hard to be specific and remove the jargon. It’s hard to be specific and capture each child. Oh, my, my. I am going to be spending way too much time in these next few days on the page writing about my students. How can I capture the wonder of the daily in the room magic in a document like this? Report card writing season. How I despise it.

What do I celebrate this week? All of the time doing what we do everyday. The shared experiences are what the learning is all about. It is where one can watch what these learners really do. So before I have to leap into the deep end of the report card writing situation I know I can’t avoid, I am going to hold up and savour some in the room moments.

Every day, I celebrate being in the room and bearing witness.

This week, I particularly treasured:

Reading poems aloud more than once. Oh, Joyce Sidman, you are every kind of brilliant. Having the children clamour to share their favourite lines or phrases. That they ask if we can do this everyday.
Listening to the sincerity expressed during gratitude circle. “I am grateful for the clothing give away. Some kids got to get some new things they needed. And they were happy.”
Having a child (once described as a struggling reader) ask me if we could have some quiet time one afternoon. He wanted to read more. His book was too good to be away from.
Math on Thursday morning. After 35 minutes of exploring problems and various ways to represent and solve them, I correctly pointed out that I hadn’t taught a thing but simply held up fantastic solutions and led a discussion. When the learning happens from each other, well . . .
The giggles, the singing, the smiles that is buddy reading with our Kindergarten buddies. The quiet pride that lingers in the room when the little ones line up to leave.
When one girl, new to our school this year, told me that this school feels like home. Her smile when she said this – everything.

I will write report cards.

I will try to showcase the growth, the personalities, the strengths.

But, I look forward to Monday when I can once again be

in the moment,

with the children,

in the room.

Thank you to Ruth Ayres, for the inspiration and her Celebration Link up that she hosts each week. I love how being a part of this #celebratelu community reminds us weekly to look for the positive and take some time for gratitude.

Celebration: Friday favourites

Posted on November 21, 2014 by carriegelson

Some mornings we just have no idea. I left for work Friday in the pouring rain. In the dark. Feeling tired. Not looking forward to a weekend of report card writing. It seemed to be a Friday to finish. To get on the other side of. Instead, it was a Friday of wow moments. My smiling started before the first bell had even rung and it just got brighter. This was a beautiful teaching day. A day of funny. A day of focus. A day of inspired moments.

Sharing five favourites.

#1 Why is it so important to have a classroom library full of fantastic books? Because of moments like this. A student who brings her little sister in early to read to her.

“Should I read you this book? Okay, sit down. Let’s start.”

My classroom is a room for readers. Present, future and past. Nothing is better than that.

#2 Reading Workshop is in full swing and full of conversations that make me know it is all coming together. I had the pleasure of listening to this reader read aloud to me today. We talked about fluency. It went something like this (I took notes!).

Me: “Your reading is becoming so much smoother. You are changing your speed, your tone, your volume. It is so enjoyable to listen to you read. What do you think has helped you improve so much? What has worked?”

S: “It’s not just me. It’s you. Because you talk about all of those things and you show me when you read aloud. You teach me when you show me. And Reading Workshop really helps me. I get to read so many books and all of the words in so many books.”

Me: “So you like all of the time we have to read everyday? It makes a difference for you?”

S: “Yes. There’s a lot of books in here. Kids need lots of books.”

#3 We finished reading The Tree Lady by H. Joseph Hopkins and illustrated by Jill McElmurry today. Our discussion was so thoughtful and mature. It stretched into a conversation about nonfiction picture book biographies and reading preferences. I was so inspired, I think it will become a blog post. I love learning from my students.

Update: It did. Nonfiction conversations: Talking nonfiction picture book biographies with kids

#4 Math was wonderfully focussed today. We worked on representing and solving multiplication equations with multiplies of 100. Students recognized that 300 x 3 (300 groups of 3) can be switched to 3 x 300 (3 groups of 300) and more easily solved. “I’m doing the switch thing,” they kept announcing. So, wonderful. A productive math class. And then part way through lunch, 5 girls showed up. “We’ll be quiet. Can we do more math?” How do you say no to that?

#5 Every year my Mom makes hats for every child in my room. And all of the Ks and all of the 1s at my school. She also knits hats for my sister’s K classroom and the K classroom across the hall from her. Yes. Really! My students got their hats today and wore them all afternoon. We wrote poems about our new hats. We kept them on through Choices time at the end of the day. These girls are writing songs. With their hats on. I think it improved the creative process!

At the end of the day, I asked for some group pictures. Just smiling is never enough for my class. We have to pose doing various emotions. I call them out, they eagerly comply. “Show me silly.” “Show me excited.” “Now do tired.” “Big smiles.” The photo below is “shocked”

Can’t get much cuter.

This week I celebrate fantastic days that come out of nowhere. Days that make me so happy I do what I do. Days where I get knocked over by the awe and joy I feel for my students.

Celebration: “I have 5 things to share.”

Posted on November 15, 2014 by carriegelson

When we do our weekly gratitude circle I have a few girls who often announce, “I’ve got 3 (or 4 or 5) things to share.” And then they happily rattle off all of the things they are thankful for. It is quite delightful. I admire their focus. And their big hearts. So . . . today I celebrate that I have 5 things to share 🙂

I am grateful that one Mom takes numerous photos at my son’s soccer games (great photos always!) and sends them out to all of the parents. As I am taking my daughter to her musical theatre classes, I don’t often get to the soccer games. These photos give me a peek! My son has the hot pink cleats.

I am grateful for strong coffee on Saturday mornings and a good book that I can fall into before most of the house wakes up. Currently, this is the novel I can’t put down. I am grateful for connections with authors. This week we got a letter back from Elise Gravel, author of The Disgusting Critters series. I read it aloud in gratitude circle. Can you say happy listeners? I am grateful for buddy reading with the kindergarten class. My class steps up and makes the entire experience magical. The Ks will see me in the hall and say things like, “Oh, it isn’t Wednesday. We don’t get to come to buddy reading today.” Or – “We’re coming to your class today! Your kids are going to read to us!” This is guaranteed happy time! I am grateful for the wisdom my students share during Reading Workshop. It is my pleasure to record and post them! Reading Workshop this week has been full of focussed reading, great conferences and student chatter about books they are enjoying. Thank you also to Ruth Ayres, for the inspiration and her Celebration Link up that she hosts each week. I love how being a part of this #celebratelu community reminds us weekly to look for the positive and take some time for gratitude.

Celebration: Eleven Halloween Phews

Posted on November 1, 2014 by carriegelson

As an Elementary teacher and a Mom, I am always hoping for extra doses of calm on October 31st as much can go sideways with Halloween celebrations. Lots of candy, excitement, costume drama and big expectations often lead to meltdowns, minor catastrophes and just a general sense of, to borrow from the brilliant Kate Dicamillo, “holy unanticipated occurrences.” However, on the morning of November 1st, I can truly say Halloween 2014 was smooth. Smooth and full of “Phew” moments. At least eleven worth celebrating.

1. Everyone is my household was up without nagging to ensure that face painting with the talented Dad/Artist could happen. No fussing. No complaining. Out the door early in fact. Phew.

2. My students came in the door (some with fluttering wings) smiling and went out the door smiling. Phew.

3. No costume drama. All costumes stayed together. No pieces were lost. Everyone agreed to keep fangs and false teeth in little (labelled) plastic cups during learning time. Phew.

4. My own early in the week costume change decision worked out wonderfully thanks again to my husband’s face painting brilliance. (I am the witch on the right not the beautiful princesses) Phew

5. My students happily settled into an academic morning designed to keep routine and lots of calm. Phew.

6. When we attended special events like potion making in the library with our little Kindergarten buddies, everyone listened. Nobody fussed if they didn’t get to drop in wonderfully icky ingredients like white rats, tarantulas and slithery snakes. Phew.

7. Afternoon yoga led by our resident yoga expert and for the day, pixie, Miriam was focussed and fun and paved the way for more calm for the rest of the day. Phew

8. Choices time was full of creativity and cooperation, not grumpy, over excited moods. It looked a lot like this. Phew.

9. When checking in with other staff throughout the day, calm and happy seemed to be the general theme. An all around successful day. Phew.

10. The rain that seemed torrential and endless all day ended in the afternoon. Trick or treating was warm, dry and not too muddy. Phew.

11. My own children, now in Grade 7, went trick or treating on their own with friends for the first time. I handed out candy at home, fretting. But both returned on time rosy cheeked under all of the makeup. Big smiles. Rules followed. Maturity and responsibility demonstrated. Biggest phew.

All of these things I celebrate. It was wonderful to be pleasantly surprised at the calm and the ease of a festive Halloween!

Thank you also to Ruth Ayres, for the inspiration and her Celebration Link up that she hosts each week. I love how being a part of this #celebratelu community reminds us weekly to look for the positive and take some time for gratitude.

Celebration: Books, books, books and reader whispers

Posted on October 25, 2014 by carriegelson

This week, one of my expressive students exclaimed, “You’re one crazy book lady!” I can’t remember what exactly inspired this comment but I think I was searching intently for a book in one of many piles in my teacher resource area. Piles have grown. Some looked more like towers. Towers at risk of toppling. A recent donation meant some book shopping for early chapters and graphics (see photo below) and my children had let go of some series they were ready to pass on to my classroom. There were still unlabelled and unorganized books that I should have been able to deal with in the summer but the teacher strike meant limited time for classroom setup. Books, books, books. 🙂

Friday was a professional development day in my district and I decided to use it to 1) dive into these book piles 2) pull out titles from book bins that my now Grade 3 and 4 readers are ready for and 3) to talk books and strategies with some of my colleagues. This week, I celebrate, this much needed and very useful time.

Armed with stickers, notebooks, tape and bins, and of course, caffeinated reinforcements, I began. Before I book talk books, I like them to have stickers on the back (sealed with tape to ensure they stay there) so that students can return them to their correct bin.

I was able to get an entire bin of books ready to be book talked. Many titles landed in my specific themed baskets for future read alouds or writing mentor texts.

I made lists of new labels to make for bins being switched to accommodate new titles. Some series went into storage and some came out to be part of the classroom library.

But the best part? As I worked in the room and interacted with the books, ideas kept coming. Ideas for mini lessons in Reading Workshop, ideas for record keeping, ideas for new titles to add to our collection (of course!) and ideas about books to suggest to specific readers. Usually, I do all of this classroom library organization in the summer when students won’t be in the room for weeks and weeks. Yesterday, it was like my current class was right there with me and nudging me to think about things specifically for their particular reading needs. It was like I had little voices reminding me. Whispers of interests, ideas and needs:

“We need more chapter book fantasy stories because I am getting into that genre.”

“You should tell me about Iris and Walter stories and Mercy Watson titles because I am ready for early chapter books.”

“Find a place to hold and display some of the big fact books we can share for buddy reading.”

“Are there books in our classroom library that fit for me as I am transitioning to more challenging titles? I really like Fly Guy books!”

“I read lots of series last year but I think I am ready for some stand alone chapter books. But, where do I start?”

“We need a recording sheet to reflect how we are reading widely and exploring book boxes but make it simple and fun.”

“Display our Reader’s Statements in a new spot so we can refer to them as we browse books.”

“We forgot to add more ideas to our What kind of mood are we in? sheet last week. Let’s do more of this.”

This week, I celebrate time to be in my room, organizing and thinking about ways to make it more responsive for the readers that inhabit the space Monday to Friday. Yes, I do this daily with all of the students there with me. But, with the gift of a full day, time to reflect and just wisps of reader energies surrounding me, I accomplished so much. I can’t wait for another week of growing passionate and devoted readers in my room.

Celebration: Disgusting Critters, Favourite Authors, Pass it on

Posted on October 18, 2014 by carriegelson

Oh, how I love my class! I love the talk, the writing, the words, the questions . . . All of it.

I celebrate this long and winding conversation with my students:

Me: “I’m so excited I’m going to see an author/illustrator this weekend!”

A student: “Do we know who it is?”

Me: Gives various clues

Eventually . . . .

Various students: “Marie-Louise Gay!”

Me: “Yes. I hope to get her new book signed at the author breakfast I am going to.”

A student: “Signed to us right?”

Me: “Of course.”

A student: “Do you know Elise Gravel or are we just writing to her?

Me: “We are getting to know her. She’ll know you better after we send our letters and fan art.”

A student: “Did you send them already?”

Me: “Well, we are still working on everything. I will send it this weekend when we finish.”

A student: “Why don’t you just tweet it all?”

Me: “I have sent her some photos. But, I think she will like getting the package in the mail.”

A student: “Do you know Katherine Applegate?

Me: “We know her work but no, I haven’t met her.”

A student: “Go meet her. You should. And tell her about how we love her books.”

Me: “I shared some of our letters in a blog post and tweeted it to her. So she knows we love them.”

A student: “But you are going to meet Kate DiCamillo right?

Another student: “Can we come?”

Me: “I am going to a conference in the spring and she will be speaking. I will get our copy of Flora & Ulysses signed.”

A student: “You forgot The Illuminated Adventures part”

A student: “And you just met Raina Telgemeier right?”

Me: “Yes, and she signed books to our class. People are reading them right now.”

Many students: “I am.” “And then me.” “I’m next!” “Me!”

A student: “So, who are you going to meet next? Someone we like right?”

🙂

I also celebrate this – – > The lovely Miriam who works with me created these sheets and plastered the room and the school. In our room, we were gifting these words to each other with messages. I received “wisdom” with a comment from one child, “You are always really smart to us.”

One of our little learners was inspired and made her own. We found it outside our room at the end of the day – taped up in the hallway.

Pass it on.

Conversations about authors and illustrators. Book love. Words with weight. These things I celebrate.

Celebration: Snippets of Wisdom

Posted on October 11, 2014 by carriegelson

This week we hosted four student teachers from Simon Fraser University – two on Tuesday and Wednesday and two more on Thursday and Friday. These visits were a part of a week of observations in a variety of classroom settings. I celebrate that my students were so open and welcoming and that we were all able to do some learning and reflecting together.

Always our room is a busy, full speed ahead place but at the end of the week, what was “learned”? I think we managed to pass on a few snippets of wisdom. I love that my students can be teachers. Miriam and I learn from them everyday. This week, I think they gave these SFU students lots to think about.

A few highlights:

Busy, active, exciting – these things need to happen everyday. But, so does calm. Things we do: quiet time, mindful breathing, gratitude circles, an afternoon walk and quiet, reflective play. It can be simple. Buttons, cardboard, markers = 10 minutes of magic.

Have a classroom full of books and lots of time to read them. Every day. Reading is quiet and solitary and social and joyous. Make time for all of it.

Great practice time for anything might involve “equipment” beyond a pencil. The handing out and collection of “stuff” needs to be well organized and logical. Let all of that process be smooth, and practice time can look like this.

Let students collaborate and communicate while they learn. Talk, support, ask questions. And then, celebrate!

Don’t be afraid to tackle subjects and things that are emotional. We shared a sad video connected to a picture book that we read this week: Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla written by Katherine Applegate and illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Yes, we had a few tears but we also had some great conversations. The resulting writing was powerful:

Invite others in to share their expertise. Our Let’s Talk Science volunteers visited Friday morning for their first visit of the year. We learned about the three states of matter and that when a solid becomes a gas, it is called sublimation. How? Well, there were lots of bubbles, coloured water and . . . dry ice! Fun and fully hands on.

The big tip here? Let the “experts” do their thing and the kids have fun and learn lots. The classroom teacher’s role? Support, management, enthusiasm. Help it all go smoothly so everyone wants to do it again!

And of course, always be prepared. Have everything you need. Be safe. Look like you mean it.

There were some other tidbits I passed on – things about paper (and aversions to it), creative interpretations of the IRPs and the power of clicky shoes. But it was the students doing what they do best that allowed the most powerful “teaching” to happen. And this is what I celebrate this week!

Celebration: Two Weeks in

Posted on October 4, 2014 by carriegelson

It’s a strange feeling to be writing October on the board but yet, after a prolonged strike, we only have two full weeks of school under our belts.

Usually two weeks into a school year means routines are still being practiced and set, schedules are not fully organized, new staff are building relationships with the students and “school stamina” is steadily increasing.

While this is all happening in my classroom, it also feels like we are all a little ahead of the game. Is it a typical beginning of October? Not quite. But for a variety of reasons, we have hit the ground running and I couldn’t be prouder. Maybe, it is my excitement to be back and fully immersed in all of the learning. Maybe it is the exact same thing for the students. A lot has to do with the fact that I have again looped a class of students from a 2/3/4 into a 3/4 so that 17 children were in the room last year. Whatever it is, we are back in a big way and this is what I celebrate: our enthusiasm, our passion and our commitment to learning.

I thought at first that I was going to highlight all of the academics we have so quickly embraced, but as I was selecting pictures, I realized that our strength and our growth is always such a balance of learning, community and joy.

As I often do, I will let these photographs tell our stories.

Our week began with an all day field trip up Grouse Mountain into the rain and the clouds. Despite the weather, the kids were troopers.

On the mountain, our experiences included time in art galleries and a session in the Feast House with an artist. Students were respectful, curious and engaged.

Our first classroom art activity was a Picasso inspired cubist self-portrait project. I love the playfulness it brought out in the children.

Finished portraits are bright and beautiful. These two portraits are not only stunning, they are also of two new friends in our classroom 🙂

One of the best parts of our week is our gratitude circle where everyone shares small and large things that we feel grateful for. Always, it is a lovely exercise in sharing and listening.

I have been taking individual photos of everyone in our class for a photo project we are working on. Of course, with a camera we can capture all of the energy that is who we are as a class community. Some of my many girls reveal their personalities. Oh yes, girl power.

We have leapt fully into the land of 3 and 4 digit numbers – building, comparing, ordering, representing. Math is busy and messy with students and materials everywhere – just how we learn best!

Within the first few minutes of Reading Workshop, these boys have staked out prime reading real estate. They are doing all of the things we have been talking about when we ask what independent reading looks like: find a comfortable spot, have a collection of interesting things to read, build stamina, etc.

We welcomed a lovely guest to our room Friday morning and some of us wanted to share some favourite picture books. The image is a little blurry because it is an action shot. These girls didn’t just read the books, they acted them out! Love the spontaneous enthusiasm.

A new year and a new grade means new writer’s notebooks and the introduction of felt tipped pens. Using the pens was a recommendation from Colleen Cruz in a session some of my staff and I attended last fall here in Vancouver. As you can see, they sure allow the ideas to flow across the page!

Some more busy little writers sharing ideas and the excitement of our new pens!

Two weeks in and wow, we have much to celebrate!

Thank you also to Ruth Ayres, for the inspiration and her Celebration Link up that she hosts each week. I treasure this #celebratelu community.

Celebration: Everything that happened (almost)

Posted on September 27, 2014 by carriegelson

All week! I taught all week! Finally, finally in BC, we are back in our classrooms! When news that we had ratified the contract that took many months to get (more than 5 weeks of it on a picket line) I issued this warning:

Twitter followers I am warning you now, I am sharing everything that happens in my room next week #SoHappyToDoWhatILove #bced

— Carrie Gelson (@CarrieGelson) September 19, 2014

So this week, my celebration post is all about all of it! All of the moments, all of the mumbles, all of the whispers and all of the shouts. The learning, the hugs, the love and the routines.

Please bear with me. I took a lot of photos. I scribbled little things on papers. I collected moments of magic. I even smiled through the testing of limits, the pushing of boundaries and the natural frustration that came with being back in school all day after not being there for 13 weeks. All of it was part of what we do. And I am just so ecstatic to be doing it. Good, bad, trying, joyous . . . I will take it all.

I loved these first “step back into the classroom” smiles.

I loved reading aloud to a group of students again. All of the predictions and questions and oohs and ahhs.

How about this? One student had a first day gift for the class – of course, a book 🙂 Part of a beloved series that we didn’t have yet.

The books that I couldn’t wait to share, were oh so happy to be shared.

And of course, old favourites were instantly grabbed from the shelves. What would we do without Elephant and Piggie?

Math everyday has been all about engaged and proud and busy. Everyone supporting each other. The students I had last year have retained concepts and most importantly, confidence!

I still get to work with the amazing Miriam which is celebration enough. That she shares the gift of yoga with us everyday means daily doses of wonderful.

We had lots of special visits this week. One from a boy who had been in our room for almost two years and had moved suddenly last March. His visit allowed us all to say both hello again and then goodbye.

We also had a visit from a Mobile Dairy unit that included a four year old female cow and a 2 week old baby. Little Tulip (pictured below) was a wonder for many children who have never seen a farm animal. How I love watching the children experience things for the first time!

Of course a cow and a calf on the school grounds is a sight to see. One neighbour riding by with his toddler popped in to check things out. They had visited us many times on the picket line. It was a special feeling to share a learning experience on the school grounds together. All of us doing what we should be and school being the center of community. We found these guests seats in the middle of our “outdoor” school experience.

So much to celebrate. Much that amused and delighted and a few things that brought me to tears. Often I just stopped by the classroom window to take in the view. How I have missed this perspective on the world.

A few of the words shared:

“I would like to stay in this classroom until I am maybe 95.”

“_______’s Mom says you are a great teacher. You are right?”

“I know what’s different in the room! I especially noticed J’s haircut. Maybe my Dad should get his hair like that.”

“I am so grateful school is really back again.”

With all of the excitement I also have to acknowledge the bittersweet. Four of my students moved on to new classes and after teaching all of them for two years, there is a lot of missing mixed up with the pride I feel in seeing them settle into a new classroom. One child in particular has needed a little extra support with the transition. As much for the adults as for him – it has been about gently helping to settle everyone and allowing acceptance and a developing understanding of how to best support him in a new setting. He and I shared one very important moment this week. It captured how our relationship has grown to a place of respect and trust. Sometimes a few words say everything. In the lunchroom one day I told him that I knew it was a lot to get used to in a new room and that I really missed him.

“I know that Ms. Gelson. I know it for sure.”

I know I have so much ahead with all of my students this year. But those few words have already been the biggest gift.

I celebrate such a beautiful week.

Thank you also to Ruth Ayres, for the inspiration and her Celebration Link up that she hosts each week. I treasure this #celebratelu community.

Celebration: I am a teacher

Posted on September 20, 2014 by carriegelson

I am sitting down to write this celebration post exactly 24 hours after the announcement came that the teachers in British Columbia voted to ratify the tentative deal struck in the wee hours of the morning on Tuesday. This means that after 5 full weeks on the picket line (2 weeks in June + 3 weeks this fall), 3 rotating strike days before this and 3 weeks of a partial lock out by the government (with a 10% per day reduction in pay), that this nightmare has come to an end.

I am now fully a teacher again.

On Monday, students will be back at school. I don’t quite know how to express my joy. Two weeks ago I promised fireworks and a marching band. But I haven’t quite figured out how to install those things into a blogpost. You are free to close your eyes and imagine them. Very explosive, very loud! But, if that isn’t working, you will have to settle for me. Tap dancing. I was on CBC news on Tuesday evening after spending a very excited day over the announcement of a tentative deal. Before the on camera interview, I shared how I had been leaping and dancing all day. While the camera men didn’t film it, one of the producers captured it on her phone. If you can’t be silly . . .

This is how one teacher reacted when she heard she gets to go back to work soon @carriegelson #cbc https://t.co/4eFEsZv6bQ

— Tina Lovgreen (@tinalovgreen) September 16, 2014

I honestly did feel that this post would be one long joyful rant as did a few others I think. That was certainly the plan . . .

Can’t wait to read Saturday celebration blog from @CarrieGelson this week!

— Elisabeth Ellington (@elisabethelling) September 19, 2014

I hope it doesn’t disappoint. But I realized yesterday that I kept feeling an emotion that I hadn’t felt since all of this started. It was subtle, but strong. It was pure happiness without any restrictions. It was freedom from worry. It was stepping back into the world instead of standing on the sidelines (or sidewalk – but that’s a place I am not going today. . . )

All of us have many parts and our career is just one piece. I know this. I am a mother. A wife. A daughter. A sister. A friend. A neighbour. Beyond this, of course, I am other things. A reader. A walker. A gardener. A coffee enthusiast.

But I AM A TEACHER. It is not the biggest thing or the best. But I love it. I didn’t choose to walk away from it. I was stopped from doing it. Being a teacher compliments everything I do. It is where I feel passion. Where I learn. Where I find joy and challenge and strength. My classroom, when children are in it, is a place of laughter. A place where little moments of magic are discovered, sometimes, completely by surprise. It is also a place of deep, sometimes painful emotion. What I have experienced in our classroom community are experiences that have shaped me and pushed me and shocked me. All of it, I loved. Every bit.

And of course a strike is stressful. No pay cheques x 2 (my husband is a teacher) so very scary. The politics and issues of the entire provincial education system were everywhere. Inescapable for months and months. I am by no means a head in the sand type. But everyone needs some breaks from the intensity. Those “moments away” were sometimes very hard to achieve. Forest walks saved me, many a time.

On Monday, moments like these become mine again.

I know that the smiles and antics of my students in our first few moments together are what will be the final release. Then, this whole mess will really be over and I will take my first full steps back into the place I love to be. Teaching and learning. Wrapped up in a whirlwind year. The huge potential and the tiny small moments. I cannot wait.

Thank you to everyone near and far for all of your support. I would love to share all of the beautiful tweets sent my way but I might crash this blog. I thought about sharing just my favourites. But they are all my favourites. I have such gratitude. So if you are reading this post, please accept my huge and sincere THANK YOU!!

Thank you also to Ruth Ayres, for the inspiration and her Celebration Link up that she hosts each week. I treasure this #celebratelu community. In all honesty, participating in this community every week, through all of this, was part of what got me through.