I Am More than the Test

Thank you to Stacey, Betsy, Dana, Tara, Beth, & Anna for this amazing platform to write and share writing! What a wonderful community you've created! I'm honored to be part of it. Join us at Two Writing Teachers. 

Yesterday I gave my students the test that will be used for my teacher evaluation. I walked around the room as they tested and sent them my best wishes! Watching their faces focus and work so hard to do their best makes me so proud. I don't care what the numbers are! They are more than numbers.

We talked about that a couple of weeks ago...one of my students declared, "Testing is like that quote by Albert Einstein. A fish is smart, but not if it's riding a bicycle, then it can't and everyone thinks it's dumb...or something like that!" She made me smile when she said that. She was grasping for this quote, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” These words have been attributed to Albert Einstein, but I've recently discovered that there is no evidence that Einstein ever said these words. Regardless, she has internalized that feeling and I REJOICE that she gets it!

One of my classes had already finished this particular test, so I got a chance to write poetry with them. We have been playing around with format and rule breaking and word choice and emotions in poetry. Today the challenge was to write a list poem that began with the line, "I am more than the test."* We discussed what that meant. Students worked collaboratively to plan their poems and then were given the choice to compose as a group or individually.

The buzz around the room inspired me! I checked in with groups and asked them what emotion would their poem convey? The answers varied. Sadness. Anger. Rebellion. Strength.

After they composed a first draft, we took a break and read silently. When we returned, we made some last minute adjustments and shared with the class.

Here are some of the first drafts of the poems in the class...

 

Can't you FEEL the power?!?!

Students shared their poems with the class! As audience members, students had to jot a GOLDEN LINE from each poem in their notebook and finally pick one GOLDEN LINE they loved best from all of the poems and write it on a yellow sticky note.

Students posted their stickies in the classroom. We made our own collaborative poem. With no changes or revisions here is class poem...

Here is my revised version...

I Am More than the Test

I don't wake up everyday

to impress you

Time ticking

Brain cracking

I am quick-witted

I'm a girl not a model

I am a pencil, not an eraser

I am the future not the history

I am the president of my own life

I am not perfect

I am normal

So just back off

I am human and that is all I am

perfect within my imperfections

I am  important, not worthless

I don't wake up to impress you

You don't define me.

I matter!

I'm going to repeat this lesson today with the rest of my classes! I can't wait to hear their poems. I AM NOT THE TEST! I MATTER! * I discovered this line from a Facebook page I follow called Read & Write with Rebecca. This is where I first heard about #Iwishmyteacherknew. She has inspiring posts and terrific ideas!

Celebrating the Little Things

Thank you to Ruth for this amazing community to share our celebrations!

April is poetry month. This month I will be crafting and sharing original poems. Often, these poems will be messy and early drafts. Many of us are sharing our poems on twitter using the hashtag, #digipoetry. We hope you join us!

Today I celebrate 

the little things

that bring me joy

the little things

that exist everywhere

if we take the time to 

stop and notice them

My week was 

filled with 

tiny miracles

flying around

Unexpected invitations

and surprises!

Friendships that

remind me how blessed I am

Words filled with

love and support

Books that carry me

to a dream world

Ducks with a sense of humor

Ducks on a car while I was walking Bella!

Toilet paper that makes me

feel special

Everyday our custodian folds the ends of the toilet paper rolls. It makes me SMILE!

Cookies & milk for dessert

All of these little things combined 

to make this a week filled 

with miracles flying around

Just grab one!

Vocabulary Poems

April is poetry month. This month I will be crafting and sharing original poems. Often, these poems will be messy and early drafts. Many of us are sharing our poems on twitter using the hashtag, #digipoetry. We hope you join us!

Before spring break, we finished The Crossover as our read aloud. First of all, I love, love, love this book. The students did too! Back to school, we are analyzing some of the poems in the book. The vocabulary, or definition, poems were some of our favorites! We now use the word pulchritudinous as part of our daily vocabulary. We reread those poems as a reader and figured out the parts. Today we will finish writing our own poems. Here is my first attempt at a vocabulary poem...

Introvert

in-tro-vert

noun

a person who lives inside their head,

someone who thinks

A LOT

before speaking;

a person who

gains energy from

being

alone

As in: After a long day at

school, the introvert

needs time alone in her room

to quiet her mind.

As in: I am loud and talkative,

so I was surprised to

discover that I am truly an

introvert.

As in: Josh never shared

his feelings and

struggles about

JB and Miss Sweet Tea

because he is an

introvert.

Written by Michelle Haseltine

Inspired by Kwame Alexander’s book The Crossover

Fifty Days

Thank you to Stacey, Betsy, Dana, Tara, Beth, & Anna for this amazing platform to write and share writing! What a wonderful community you've created! I'm honored to be part of it. Join us at Two Writing Teachers. 

April is poetry month. This month I will be crafting and sharing original poems. Often, these poems will be messy and early drafts. Many of us are sharing our poems on twitter using the hashtag, #digipoetry. We hope you join us!

Looking at the planning calendar yesterday, I discovered that there are only FIFTY days left in my school year. Sigh...this year has slipped away so quickly! That's what inspired this poem made of three haikus. Enjoy! 

Fifty days are left to read, to write, to connect only fifty days. Fifty days to learn except the days we don't learn and must test instead. Our time together is short, so we must make the 

most of it and FLY!

A Poem with Numbers

April is poetry month. This month I will be crafting and sharing original poems. Often, these poems will be messy and early drafts. Many of us are sharing our poems on twitter using the hashtag, #digipoetry. We hope you join us!

20 years teaching

6505 steps walked yesterday

Drank 10 glasses of water

Alarm wakes me at 5:16am

Picture taken everyday at 5:22 pm

11 comments on that blog post

12 likes on my instagram photo

50 days left in the school year

Our lives are 

measured by 

numbers.

I resist numbers.

Turn away.

Ignore them.

Discredit numbers 

by declaring, 

"Numbers are stupid."

But...

I am wrong. 

Numbers are 

NOT stupid.

They don't 

tell the

whole story.

We need the 

whole story

not just the 

numbers...

This is my 

300th 

blog post!

Days and days of 

writing and

risking to

tell my 

story...

Time and time 

again, 

300 times over!

Ending Spring Break and Celebrating!

Thank you to Ruth for this amazing community to share our celebrations!

April is poetry month. This month I will be crafting and sharing original poems. Often, these poems will be messy and early drafts. Many of us are sharing our poems on twitter using the hashtag, #digipoetry. We hope you join us!

I love spring break. I loved this spring break. Staying home was the perfect choice for me. Lots got accomplished. There was lots of reflection. Reflecting on where I am, where I've been and where I'd like to go. Here are some revelations...in no particular order... I like discovering new places on my own. Moving more feels better every day I do it. 

FitBit report for the week. 

Forgive myself. Always be kind (forgive myself when I fail here). I'm an introvert in that I need time to myself to think and process and reflect. Spending time with people I love makes me joy-filled and grateful. Helping others feels good.  When fear threatens to settle in, I work to change my perspective...LOOK for the good. Going to new places opens up my world.  Independent bookstores make my heart smile.

Curious Iguana, Frederick, MD

Engage, really engage, in the world. Look people in the eye. Say hello. Ask questions. Have faith. That kind of faith that keeps me warm when days are long and lonely.  Know that what I do matters...

Email I received this week!

Today I celebrate being true to myself...not comparing...finally being grateful for my life. Exactly as it is. There's such freedom in that. Here's a haiku, inspired by that old cartoon character, Popeye...

I am who I am

And that is all that I am

I am who I am

~a haiku inspired by Popeye

What Inspires Me?

April is poetry month. This month I will be crafting and sharing original poems. Often, these poems will be messy and early drafts. Many of use are sharing our poems on twitter using the hashtag, #digipoetry. We hope you join us!

What inspires you?

A question that

stopped

me.

The smell of peppermint

ocean waves that never stop

the giggles of a child

vulnerable honesty

stickers

unexpected kindness

being surrounded with

my notebooks and pens

words, specifically

the words of...

Anne Lamott

Patti Digh

Jen Hatmaker

Elizabeth Gilbert

Bob Goff

Fr. Greg Boyle

Taylor Mali

Sarah Kay

...and music

specifically the melodies

sung by...

Sara Bareilles

Francesca Battistelli

JJ Heller

Pink

Brad Paisley

...and hugs

gratitude

optimism

kindness

compassion...

What inspires YOU? ©Michelle Haseltine, 2015 All rights reserved.