Stories with Sophie

Want to celebrate with us? Click the icon above and head on over to Ruth's blog! This week, I'm celebrating the lake. My happy place. I seldom leave school as quickly as I did Friday. My husband couldn't believe it when I pulled in the driveway....and I already had half the car packed since I loaded a few things before school. That of course, got Chloe all worked up. She knew something was going on. We arrived about 7 and had plenty of time to turn on the water and check for leaks before I went down to the beach to catch my first sunset of the season. Sunset is almost a sacred time at Sandbar. Most of us stop whatever we are doing and just breathe it in. Then, it was enough with the chores that could be done later (or even tomorrow), we headed out to find the friends we have missed all winter. We spent a couple of weekends with them since we closed last fall, but it's not the same as just sitting and enjoying each other, even if we don&

Head on over to Ruth Ayres Write and celebrate with us! This week I'm celebrating FAILURE, of a sort... I didn't finish the March blogging challenge I didn't write a celebration last week I didn't clean my house until yesterday I didn't walk every day I didn't do a lot of things I probably should have But really. I'm celebrating balance, which of course is my OLW for 2015 .  I'm celebrating the student I wrote about yesterday. The balance between technology and "old school" is a delicate one. You have to meet students where they are. Once I got him off his computer and just got him to think about his writing, he soared.  I'm celebrating myself. Learning the difference between the "I really have to have this done tomorrow" and "This isn't a priority and I can do it later".  I'm celebrating myself making time for family and friends and not using school work as an exc

... A Story of BALANCE Combine Creative Writing with "Slacker" Students--- It's easy to sit back and say, "I'll work on it tomorrow", and then sit back and watch videos on your computer. But you don't do it tomorrow either. Prom--- The millionth email from the principal about passing classes by Tuesday or you can't attend. and Digital Storytelling--- "Mrs. Day, I don't even know how to start"  "What do you mean we need an outline?" "How do I write an outline?" When these three things converge, you have some panic setting in. Never mind that I have set up a day by day calendar for my class, so they all know what they should be working on. Never mind that we talk every day at the beginning of class what they should be working on. Never mind that I offer to sit and work with anyone having troubles every day.  Never mind. Until the last day before a four day weekend.  "Why can'