Crowdsourced Poem_National Poetry Month

From the quiet corners of three separate shelter-in-place areas, a thought grew into a well-conceived #NYEDChat Twitter chat. With the topic, "Poetry Soothes Souls during Trying Times", in place, questions were created by my guest moderators/poet-authors, Georgia Heard and Rebecca Kai Dotlich, and me to encourage tweeters from across the world to discuss the comfort and joy that poetry can bring. 

On Monday night, April 20, 2020, #NYEDChat aired for a half-hour on Twitter. People poured in from across the states and as far away as Canada and Brazil. They chatted, reflected, responded, and inspired by each others' comments. After 524 tweets, I created a transcript of the chat using Wakelet. In addition, I created a crowdsourced poem from some Question 1 responders.

Question 1: So many people seem to be turning to poetry during these trying times.  

Why do you think that is? 

I thank my guest moderators, Georgia and Rebecca,  for their time and willingness to inspire others. Appreciations are also sent out to all those who joined the chat and provided a wealth of resources and thoughts.

It's time to join Two Writing Teachers for Slice of Life Tuesday. I plan on adding the above poem embossed on a digitized scene outside my window #NatureNurtures Gallery. 

From Estonia to NY, Nature Nurtures

When my Estonian writing friend Terje Akke shared the following beautiful photo from her homeland, I sighed

blue-purple bloom,
effortlessly beguiling,
springs forth from earth
burgeoning budding-day calls
bringing hope to the hopeless
©CV, 2020

🌸

and followed with a handmade, paper collage card with pressed dried petals.



If I could go to the Post Office, I would have tucked inside the card a poem
but instead, I send a virtual card with wishes
to stay safe during quarantine life.

It's time to join Two Writing Teachers for Slice of Life Tuesday and 
add my National Poetry Month poems of hope with a special announcement.

Define Your Why Crowdsourced Poem_SOLSC 24

Surrender to the now.

Everyone is facing uncertainty.

When you know your why

you know your way. 

Our experiences inform

how we contribute.

We need each other.

The "we" supersedes the "me".

Understand the need

to move forward.

Daily reflection is important

for cleansing and growth.

Define your why.

Stay positive.

Share hope-

The only way out is through.

Call to action.

Take a deep breath.

Stop; find gratitude.

Every day is a winding road.

Be relentless.

Teach from the heart.

Designed by ©CVarsalona, 2020

☵

After pouring over 300 tweets from the 3/23/20 #NYEDChat that I moderated with Barbara Bray, I creatively designed a crowdsourced poem-a poem created entirely from words submitted by the public on a particular topic or theme. This is done through social networks like Twitter and Facebook, and by email according to Dan Simpson. While this was a new endeavor for me, I enjoyed the challenge of linking lines together to make meaning. I thank the following tweeters for their thoughts: @RealSeanatello, Barbara Bray, Darren Ellwein, Robert Frost via Rita Wirtz, Don Gately, Michael Hyatt, Nicolette James, Shilpi Mahajan, Faige Meller, Roman Nowak, Karl O'Leary, Craig Shapiro, and yes, I added a line, too.  

☵

Each year since March 2015, I have engaged in Two Writing Teacher's Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge. Slicing allows me to ponder life, literacy, and learning, capturing small moments poetically through writing, photography, and digital art. Welcome to Day 24 of 31 days of writing with Two Writing Teachers. 

Week 2 of Crisis_SOLSC 23

Questions! Thoughts! Anxieties! Week 2 of "Quarantine Life" continues. Gray skies open to a flood of silent raindrop tears. No one is outside. Rain pours incessantly. A raw chill exists in the air while only a few birds scurry in and out of trees. Edginess is indoors. 

I turn to writing as a cathartic measure to express my thoughts. Gustave Flaubert's statement comes to mind reminding me to uncover what is inside. "The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe."

When I invited Barbara Bray to be my guest moderator at #NYEDChat leading a conversation on the Why of Our Journey, I did not know that countries around the globe would be infected by the coronavirus. I did not know that we would be facing concepts like social distancing and mantras like "Shelter in Place". While we are treading in uncertain waters distancing ourselves from other humans, we need to connect.

Writing communities like Two Writing Teachers join together to reflect, write, and respond to one another on a daily basis. This is a positive move that has had beneficial effects. The community shares a culture of trust. Everyone freely exchanges thoughts. Lives touch lives in a virtual world. "We-ness" exists here. 

Tonight, I am hoping to bring people together around the globe to connect, to discover what we believe as we Define the Why of Our Journey. Perhaps now it is more important to gather online to raise our voice. As Barbara Bray says, "All of us have a backstory. Our lives are so much more than this moment with Covid-19 and school closures. How do you think your backstory impacted you so you became who are today? What qualities standout that are helping during this crisis?" This is just one question that we will explore tonight. If you are interested, please join me at 8:00 p.m. EST on Twitter for a half-hour conversation. You will find a flyer about this chat on social media  If you are unable to join in, you can leave me a response, if interested.

May we all find answers to the questions that baffle us during Quarantine Life and share our inner thoughts.

Each year since March 2015, I have engaged in Two Writing Teacher's Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge. Slicing allows me to ponder life, literacy, and learning, capturing small moments poetically through writing, photography, and digital art. Welcome to Day 22 of 31 days of writing with Two Writing Teachers. 

Mission-Critical

For years, we have discussed the importance of reading for children. Respected experts in literacy have provided guidance and tips for families, schools, and communities to encourage learners to become lifelong reading and writers. Historical figures, such as Frederick Douglass, have also voiced their opinion: "Once you learn to read, you will be forever free." While Douglass' comment is particular to the time period, it has merit in today's society. Reading opens doors of knowledge, builds vocabulary, increases language and critical thinking skills, and sparks imagination and inquiry for all children. Through books and other reading materials, learners freely explore the wonders of the world.

We have heard and read other outstanding quotes about the importance of reading but I have never been so impressed than listening to the following amazing speech by a brilliant four-year-old. This youngster places emphasis on what reading can do and with an appealing style encourages others to discover the wonders of reading. 

Tonight, #NYEDChat will enlist educators, parents, students, and colleagues from all walks of life to join their voices with my fabulous creative guest moderators, Peter H. Reynolds, Paul Reynolds, and Susan Verde. We will discuss 2020, the Year of Reading. In a 21st Century world, "Literacy is mission-critical"-Paul Reynolds. We must problem solve the issues before us. Reading will bring clarity and resources to pressing topics.

Questions for Discussion

Q1 In a world where the global family must communicate and collaborate to solve the planet’s most challenging problems, Literacy is increasingly mission-critical. What do you think are the most essential things we can do to promote a culture of joyful reading?  #NYEDChat

Q2 Have you seen NYSED’s Lifelong Practices of Readers & Writers? http://www.nysed.gov/common/nysed/files/programs/curriculum-instruction/lifelong-practices-readers-writers-11-30-17-conference.pdf Which of these 16 lifelong practices resonate most strongly with you? #NYEDChat

Q3 It is said that “Children are made readers on the lap of their parents.” Emilie Buchwald but sometimes home is not the or the only place where reading happens and it is teachers and mentors who also help “make” a reader. Recall a personal example of this statement. #NYEDChat

Call to action! What can we as parents, educators, or administrators do to make 2020 the Year of the Reader? What creative strategies will spark and accelerate this movement? (#Reflaction) #NYEDChat

William Faulkner's terse statement, "Read, read, read," is what lifelong readers do, but how about those who do not know the pleasures of reading a good book? We need to find strategies to encourage all students to read from toddler years on. 

Please consider joining our chat or scheduling answers to the above questions so that people across the world can engage in a positive call to action in 2020 as "the Year of Reading".

Featuring "On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring"

Yesterday was a slip-sloppy, snow-melting day with bright sunshine on Long Island. 

Little children donned their boots to romp in snow-sloshing puddles while I choose to review a delightful new children's book. 

On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring, written by Buffy Silverman nature poet, photographer, and author of 90 nonfiction books for children, is a delightful book on nature preparing for spring's arrival. It debuts on February 4, 2020. 

Every page of the book is filled with bright, vivid nature photographs on a snow-melting, awaiting-spring day. Strong verbs and descriptive adjectives take on a playful nature as engaging rhyming brings to life a nature walk. Children eager to find out more about what they see on each page have access to back matter and a glossary at the end of the book. This coupled with a poetic, rhythmic flow of thoughts makes this book a power=packed opportunity to broaden content knowledge and vocabulary. 

While On a Snow-Melting Day is geared for children ages 3-8, I believe that my 2 1/2-year-old granddaughter will enjoy finger-pointing her way through the snow-melting day adventure. I can't wait to introduce her to this beautifully-designed story that has the feel of a poetic photo-journal for children. Whether you live in climates that share the wonders of late winter snow or not, this book encourages children to use their imagination to uncover the delights of nature and turnover of seasons. As Buffy says, "The world comes to life...on a snow-melting day."

Author's Thoughts:  

On a Snow-Melting Day started as an idea for StoryStorm 2018, in response to a blog post that encouraged writers to pay attention to what’s around them. Here’s what I wrote in my notebook:
                             It was a drip droppy  
                                   slip sloppy
                                          snow melting day 
Then, I wrote a couple more lines about mist rising, boots sinking in slush, puddles growing on the lake. My notes continued: Is there a story here or just a poem? Initially, I thought the image in my head was more of a poem than ta story idea, but I later decided to explore the idea more fully, I researched what different animals might be doing on a snow-melting day and tried to paint a picture of the landscape getting closer and closer to spring.             

Knowing that Buffy is a fabulous nature photographer, I was interested if she took all of the photos in the book. She replied:

Most of the photographs are stock photographs from professional photographers. But I did offer some of my own and was thrilled that they chose to include three of them.

Librarians, teachers, parents, enhance your personal or public library with this bright and vibrant story of a snow-melting day. You may also want to take your class outside with their notebooks to observe their natural surroundings with an option to write their thoughts on a winter-watching day. You can access the book on NetGallery and read reviews on Goodreads. 

Do you know that February 5th is World Read Aloud Day?

I  am looking forward to reading aloud On a Snow-Melting Day to my granddaughters. I hope you will join World Read Aloud Day, too, because Reading Matters! 

I also invite you to join me at #NYEDChat on January 27, 2020 from 8-8:30 pm EST for a Twitter chat on "the Year of Reading". My guest moderators, Peter H. Reynolds, Paul Reynolds, and Susan Verde, children book authors, are eager to chat with all interested. I plan on extending an invitation to librarians, educators, parents, students, and colleagues to celebrate the love of reading.

In Gratitude

Silence after a successful Twitter chat settles a racing mind and an energized spirit. When the November 4th's #NYEDChat with my talented guest moderator and friend, Rita Wirtz, officially finished, I was immersed in the quietude of a silent room. I reflected on the art and craft of teaching and what was accomplished as connected educators voiced their responses to beautifully crafted questions. What did it mean to me to walk the walk with learners who daily experience and understand the productive struggle? How do I encourage all teachers to passionately continue to hone their craft when faced with learners who are troubled by the unproductive, disquieted moments of classroom work? Being a reflective educator is an essential component of teaching and learning. I am thankful for walking the walk as a teacher and being blessed to have the opportunity to work with so many dedicated and passionate educators.

With this in mind, I collaborated with Rita Wirtz on a post-NYEDChat project to put our thoughts on the art and craft of teaching to paper. We diligently worked for days to research quotes and texts on celebrating the art and craft of teaching and were surprised by the scarcity of articles found. Taking a deep dive into writing from two different sides of the United States, we collaborated via Google Docs, FaceTime, and texting. Collaboration became a true interactive exchange of ideas. You can access our published post, Celebrating Art and Craft of Teaching, Thoughts to Inspire You! at Rita Wirtz's Bam Radio! blog site.

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Because my mind often thinks in terms of poetic thoughts, you will find two modified forms of a golden shovel poem based simply on an inspirational quote and mantra on teaching, Below you will see the lines I chose to be inspired by, how I took each word and wove it as the ending line of a poem.

Inspirational Quote:

“Teaching is a work of heart, love, and passion!" (Rita Wirtz)

Educators celebrate artful teaching,
journeying along a path that is
filled with a myriad of practices, a
collection of collaborative work,
resources, and reflective tools of
quality. They fill their heart-
inspired teaching pathway with love,
joyfully deliberating, collaborating, and
following their innermost passion.
©CV, 2019

Inspirational Mantra:

"Time for Change"

Talking and walking the walk in real-time

breathes hope into a life plan for

renewal and a call to change.

©CV, 2019

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Energized teachers unleash their creativity when designing joyful havens of learning. Each day, they interact with learners as the guides on the journey toward lifelong learning. In gratitude for what teachers do, I ask those who have chosen to follow this esteemed profession to keep on celebrating the art and craft of teaching with heart, love, and passion!

Creative Expression via Digital Storytelling

Halloween is such a fun occasion to share a spooky story with little ones. Imagine a darkened room with background music filtering through. Creaky sounds and crackling noises set the stage as children sit in anticipation. The reader dressed in costume invites children to listen and imagine as the read aloud opens. Stories come alive as little eyes pop with excitement. 

Now, switch this scene from my 1990's schoolwide, Harvest House elementary reading room to a 21st-century, technology-infused classroom. Children sit watching the words of an engrossing story projected on a Smartboard, laptops, or iPads. Some are enjoying independent reading time. Others are listening to an audio version or rereading a story to their partner. Those who have already engaged in reading are now trying to write their own version of the story using background scenes from the Buncee platform demonstrated below or other digital platforms. The teacher is the guide on this reading and writing journey where digital storytelling and creativity come alive in many classrooms around the globe. 

For interested teachers, each month, ditty writing challenges can be found at Michelle H. Barnes' website. This month's ditty challenge, Monster Fears, by poet friends Michelle Barnes and Rebecca Herzog, is right up my writing alley. The prompt is: "Most everyone is afraid of monsters, but what are most monsters afraid of?" I started my writing yesterday on NCTE's National Day on Writing, along with decorating the house for Halloween. 

Today, as I prepare for #NYEDChat's convo on improving student learning through creative expression, I am letting my creative juices flow. Are you ready for a ditty treat?  Click on background sounds here. Then, sit back to view my tale for children, Monster Fear, created on the Buncee platform. (I am still in editing mode, but you can take a look.)

Thanks Rebecca Herzog for the inspiration.

Thanks Michelle H. Barnes for the following fun advertisement

about my little ditty storytelling poem.

🀨

Just for fun, I am adding in these songs. 

🀨

I hope to greet many educators, parents, and students tonight at #NYEDChat for a collective conversation on creative expression.

 Have a happy day filled with creativity.

Trusting Yourself as a Learner

In the late evening hours long after the last tweet came across the screen, I sat perplexed. #NYEDChat's return to Twitter was a successful #StartStrong chat. Many new educators came on board ready to listen to the wisdom of the dynamic duo of Kassandra Minor and Cornelius Minor. The topic, Bringing "All Students Can Learn" To Life Through Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and Anti-Racist Teaching, was timely and important for a back-to-school conversation.

While everything with the #NYEDChat went well, I clumsily stumbled my way through the steps for making a transcript of the conversation. No matter how many attempts I tried, I kept getting stuck.

Then, I thought of students who also sit perplexed in our classrooms. Without support, they flounder. Luckily for me, I happened to have a Tweet pass by from Brian R. Smith, Sr., "Keep smiling. Let me know if I can help." I did need help and Brian quickly responded with a video on how to easily create an accurate transcript with all the tweets posted. Brian's words gave me the boost I needed.

Knowing that I was out of my comfort zone led to many frustrating moments and a feeling of inadequacy but I plugged along.  It did take me many tries to accomplish what I set out to do but when I finished creating the transcript, I felt pleased with myself. I persevered , took a deep breath, and then continued to ponder on what I needed during the process:

• A guide to help me navigate my way through the struggle ( that is what a teacher does)

• A model to work from (being a visual learner the video provided the steps I needed  to accomplish my goal)

• Time and perseverance to muddle through the mess toward finding a solution

Recently, I listened to Julie James' interview with actress Sabine Fontana on Broadway Names. The idea of trusting yourself came up. I kept the thought, "You got to trust yourself," close to me during the days before the chat.  

With the #StartStrong mantra and that Fontana's quote in mind, I created a wish for all classrooms-offer each student the opportunity to notice, wonder, and be engaged in the productive struggle. A passionate teacher is needed as the guide in a culture of trust where all abilities are honored, all voices nurtured, and student agency fostered. NOW is the time to build the foundation for successful learning for ALL.

Tuesday's Slice of Life

Connecting and Collaborating

Connecting and collaborating is a practice that I have enjoyed this week, whether it was face-to-face, online, or in Twitter virtual conversations. How do these chance and scheduled meet-ups impact my life? Do they enhance my awareness of my 2019 "one word," embrace? I ponder these questions tonight. 

When I connect and collaborate with colleagues, I reap rewards. Virtually moving beyond my home on Long Island allows me to discover diverse perspectives in online corners of thought (Twitter chats, like #NYEDChat with @EmpaticoOrg last night). I network with positive people across the globe. I learn, share ideas, and find new inquiry paths. I embrace small steps through reflection and reflaction (reflection with action) that open channels for change. Most of all, I discard any small thoughts about inadequacy. Opening the mind to new pathways, allows creativity to be harnessed and writing sparked. 

I encourage everyone to: 

When I connect and collaborate,
I am inspired to create and let voice fly. 

Above you will find a new offering for my #SpringSplendorGallery.
Perhaps, you are interested in joining my creative challenge.
The invitation can be accessed here. 

Thank you to Fran Haley, one of my Tuesday Slice of Life friends, who connected with me about digital design this past weekend. Back and forth we chatted via messaging on topics related to digital design: types of digital tools I use, ideas for enhancing digital, credits. Here is one of Fran's digital creations that will be showcased at my Spring Splendor Gallery. This nature photo that Fran captured is so beautiful that it deserves a place of recognition in a gallery of artistic expression.

Now, I am off to connect and collaborate with some online friends tonight at

Two Writing Teachers.

#ThinkPoetry

After an inspiring night of sweet as honey conversation with my poet friends and #NYEDChat colleagues, I sit still to relax. One half-hour of quick conversation has my head spinning and my heart racing. My thoughts swirl as I continue to #ThinkPoetry. With energy still high, I recall tweet after tweet, question, comment, response, fingers pounding keys at such a fast pace that I could not keep up. Is this not the process of moderating, keeping an even keel, making sure positivity floats through the conversation, and then, amidst guided talk, draw the chat to a sweet ending?

Through one direct message, I was able to bring together this amazing group of poetry friends to share the power of poetry at #NYEDChat. Many thanks to each and every one of them for helping me send out #poetrylove.

Now in the quiet of a house asleep, I compose my thoughts around nine paint chip colors to use as I #PlayWithPoetryNPM. Imagine lovely colors of spring in front of me, pushing me to include their vivid color swatches in my thoughts. Yellow shouts out "Sweet as Honey, Delicate Lace, and Raffia Ribbon." Orange chimes in with "Seed Pearl, Paper Heart, and Peachy Confection." White adds the luster with Honied White, Polished Pearl, and Varnished Ivory. All these colors mix together to create a bouquet of ideas that I would like to blend into a poem for the close of #NationalPoetryMonth.

Created with Buncee

My mind fills with
unpolished pearl thoughts,
as delicate as wisps of 
honied white breath
stretching, ribboning
like raffia, gracefully
waiting to release
onto lacey landings
of glossy white paper.
In silence, I listen for
the muse of night
to polish my words
into confectioned wonder
and let them soar.
©CVarsalona, 2019
*********

Thank you to my friend, Dr. Mary Howard for helping me understand how to archive #NYEDChat with the Wakelet app. Click here or use the QR code below to view the transcript.

Let my words soar right over to Two Writing Teachers for the Tuesday Slice of Life.