Trying Something New: Seesaw

No comment on the fact that I have not posted for two years.  (Seriously, what can I say?  I was busy?  I had nothing to say?  I kept forgetting?  Nothing sounds too good, so let's let it go and move on!)

I like to begin each school year by writing goals for myself.  Some goals I meet and others I don't. (Sounds just like New Year's goals, right?)

Well one of my goals is always to try something new.  Not the something new that is a new district requirement.  (Actually, there seem to be more and more of those, right?)  No, this something new is something that I pick out myself.  Something that makes me curious and excited.

For this year, my something new is Seesaw.  No, not the Scholastic Book order form.  (That was very confusing for me at first, too.)  Nope, this Seesaw is a "Student-Driven Digital Portfolio".  It is a website and an app. But what does it do?  OMG!  It allows students to create online portfolios.  For FREE!!!  Students can easily add to their portfolios and parents are given a notification for each addition.  Of course, all of the additions must be teacher approved (which seems easy to do).  But there's more!  Students can add comments to each item either in written form or (BE STILL MY HEART!) via a recording.  That's right folks .. my kindergarteners will be able to add items to their portfolios and then record their voices talking about the item.  OMG!  So, so, so excited!  I have been watching videos on the Seesaw site and got so excited that I couldn't wait to try it out.  So I created a fake class with fake students who completed fake assignments that fake parents looked at.  So far, so good! But I, of course, have to hold judgement until I have real students completing real assignments that their real parents look at.  Once that happens, I will let you know how it goes.

In the meantime, if you want to learn more about Seesaw, here is a video to watch.
Seesaw: The Learning Journal

So what new things are you trying this year?

Love to all,
Camille

iTalk Doodle Buddy

Today I am linking up with The Brown-Bag Teacher to discuss iPads.

I will begin by telling a story.

I was sitting on a panel in front of a group of teachers.  We were asked to name one "go to" app.  I decided to name Doodle Buddy since I used it with my kinders all the time.  But before I could answer, I heard a fifth grade teacher answer, "Doodle Buddy".  What?!?  I thought of Doddle Buddy as an app for primary students.  Fifth grade?!?

Doodle Buddy

Yep.  Doodle Buddy is a versatile app that can be used with any grade level.  Doodle Buddy allows students to paint, draw or even stamp pictures.  

Unfortunately, I can only share how I use this app with kindergartners.  But I am hopeful, my ideas will spur you brilliant upper grade teachers to come up with even better ideas of your own.  

Here are some ways I use Doodle Buddy with kindergartners:

1)  Patterning

• Students use two (or three) colors to create a pattern.  Another student has to tell what comes next.
• I make a pattern with our manipulative bears (example: blue, red, red ... abb) and students have to make that same pattern using two different colors on their iPads.
• Students use two (or three) shape stamps to make a pattern. 
• I make a pattern using attribute shapes (example: circle, square, triangle ... abc).  Students have to stamp that same pattern on their iPads, using different shapes.
• I make a pattern (example: aab) and students make that same pattern on their iPads, but they get to decide if they will make that pattern with shapes or colors or size.

What I am loving about all of this is that my students can quickly make multiple patterns this way.  They can take a screen shot of their patterns and then add it to the photo roll on their iPad.  Pretty cool! Sounds like the beginning of a portfolio to me!

2) Addition / Subtraction

• Students create a drawing to match an addition or subtraction problem I give them.  They can draw circles / triangles / squares or they can use the stamps.
• A student creates a drawing and a partner writes an equation to match the drawing.  (Both the drawing and the equation can be created using Doodle Buddy.)

3) Decomposing

• I gave students a number (example: 5) and students decompose the number.  I had them begin by drawing two squares and then drawing dots in each square.  Then students shared the various ways they had decomposed.  For example, one student drew 3 dots in one square and 2 dots in another.  A different student drew 5 dots in one square and 0 dots in the other square.  Then students erase their responses and come up with a second way to decompose the number.

4) Geometry

• Students draw and label various shapes.  They can even take photos of a variety of items in the room, open the photos in Doodle Buddy and then label the shapes.

Yep, I L.O.V.E. Doodle Buddy!!!!  What app do you love?  Please link to The Brown-Bag Teacher and let us know.

Love to all,

Camille

Just Claimin' My Poor, Neglected Blog

Sure hope this works!

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Inauguration Fun

Hi all!

My class had lots of fun with the inauguration so I thought I would share some ideas for you.  Although there won't be another inauguration for 4 years, President's Day is only a few weeks away.

Since the inauguration was on a holiday, we celebrated on Tuesday.  I invited my students to wear red, white and blue that day.  (However, I had so many ideas that some of these ideas were used on Wednesday.)

Biography of President Obama

I began by reading a biography of Barack Obama.

Then we created pictures of President Obama.  This art project is from TLC.  It was a bit complex, but my kiddos did a great job!  If you haven't created TLC projects with your children, I highly recommend you check them out.  Kaye Espinosa is the brains behind TLC.  These lessons were created to teach children the kindergarten curriculum using art.  All of the TLC projects begin with rectangles.  Students then cut and paste to create amazing artwork and along the way, they learn a lot about math.  The Barack Obama lesson is in the America book, but it is currently available as a free download at the TLC website.

Then students had to pick which color in the American flag was their favorite.  We made a tally chart and then graphed our results on a simple worksheet I created.  Later, I kicked myself for not doing an art project about the flag.  Hmmm ... please remind me about that four years from now.  Pretty please!  

                                              Then it was time for another read aloud:

If I Were President

After reading this book, we brainstormed what we would do if we were president.  Then the children wrote about it.  I gave my kinders paper that already said, "If I were president".  My firsties used regular lined paper.  I LOVE what my kiddos wrote!!

Here is a kinder sample:

If I were president, I would take a nap and eat whatever I want.

This is a first grade sample:

I love this one because it is so balanced.  Maybe this is how I should lead my life: play with kids, work real hard, take care of the whole world, play with my DSI, and take care of the family.  Love, love, love!

Then we did another art project.  I created a guided drawing lesson about the White House.  My sample is first and then student samples follow.  I LOVE doing guided drawing with my students!  Each piece of art turns out unique and wonderful. I tell them step by step what to draw.  Example: "Draw a large rectangle in the middle of your paper."  (More math incorporated into art.  LOVE IT!)

Whew!  The children had so much fun and hopefully learned a lot!

Love to all,

Camille

The LONG Weekend

Hi all!  How are you spending this amazing three day weekend?  The first two days of my weekend really were AMAZING!

Up here in Northern California the annual Kindergarten Conference takes places during this weekend.  This is my second year to attend.  It is about 30 minutes from my home so very convenient.  It is one of those conferences that has you sign up for sessions months ahead and then you completely forget what you signed up for and hope, hope, hope that you chose wisely.  Well, for the most part I chose very wisely.

My sessions consisted of guided drawing, insects, motor skills, curriculum mapping, singing, and buddy classrooms. I will talk more about some of these sessions in later posts. 

But the best part of the conference was being surrounded by so many wonderful teachers.  The teachers that attend are true learners.  They want to improve their skills.  They want to meet the needs of their students.  They are passionate about teaching.  Just being in their midst was inspiring.  One of the amazing teachers I met up with was our very own Fran.  Just in case you are new to the blogging world, Fran has a wonderful blog called Kindergarten Crayons.  If you only have time to read one kindergarten blog, this is the one.  Trust me on this!!!!  I love spending time with Fran because she is so wise.  One of my favorite qualities!!!  I always learn a lot from her.  Sadly, I have no picture to post of the two of us together because we forgot to take a picture.  Next year!  Right, Fran?  (Or maybe in Las Vegas?  I am considering going.)

Anyway,  now I am off to the classroom to get caught up AND to incorporate a few of the new ideas I gleaned at the conference.  (I want to start using EVERY new idea, but my head is spinning so I will limit myself to just a few.)

Love to all,
Camille

My Favorite Snowflakes!

Hi all!  Just wanted to share one of the projects I have prepped for next week.  I shared it last year, but love it so much that I am sharing it yet again.  I love, love, love these snowflakes!  (Maybe I love them so much because these are the only snowflakes we will see in my neck of the woods!)

Pattern Block Snowflakes

Here is a closeup from a year I used light blue construction paper for the background.  (I like the dark blue even more!)

This idea came from my teaching partner Marlene.  (THANKS Marlene!!!) To prep,  I use a pattern block template and copy all of the different pattern blocks onto white copy paper.  Then I get a helper (usually a middle school or high school student) to cut out the various pattern blocks.  For each child,  I cut a blue (either dark or light) 12" X 12" square (or circle which I LOVE) and glue a white hexagon in the middle. Each student is to create a symmetrical snowflake using the white pattern blocks.  The hexagon in the middle gives them a base to build from.  These snowflakes always turn out beautiful (although a few are always .. well, interesting) and they make a great bulletin board display.  Plus this is really a math project!  I expect students to use the correct names of the shapes as they work.  Plus we have lots of discussions about symmetry.  Here is a link to the templates for the pattern blocks.

One project prepped ... many to go!!!

Love to all,

Camille

My Goals

After a million years of trying to keep New Year's Resolutions, I know better than to write resolutions that I won't keep.  So instead, I am writing goals for myself.  Long range goals that will help me stay focused on what is most important.

PROFESSIONAL GOALS:
1) Put my students at the forefront of my teaching.  Not the mandates or even the curriculum, but the students should come first.  Enough said.

2) Read two entire books that will help me grow as a professional.  The key word here is "entire".  I have a HUGE library of professional books.  I have read a few chapters (or sometimes just a few pages - sigh) of each of these books.  But I get sidetracked and put the book to the side.  I have this mistaken notion that professional books are magical and all I have to do is open the book and I will become a better teacher.  But then I start to read the books and realize there is no magic, double sigh.  So my goal is to completely read COVER TO COVER two professional books in the near future.  I already know which two and have started reading them.

Look Me in the Eye

Book Number One:  Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison

This is not your typical PD book.  It is the autobiography of a man diagnosed with Aspergers at age 40.  It is the story of his struggles growing up and finding his way.  I am reading it because more and more Aspergian children are in our classrooms.  I want to become better at loving and nurturing them.  This book will help me do that.  In some ways it is a tough book to read because parts are heartbreaking.  But it is also humorous and sweet. I have read quite a few chapters already and know that I will want to finish this book!

Book Number Two: Teach Like a Pirate: Increase Student Engagement, Boost Your Creativity, and Transform Your Life as an Educator by Dave Burgess

Check out that sub-title; how could I not want to read this book?!?  Plus I put it on my Kindle so double love!  I have actually already read the first two chapters and am loving it.  Highly creative, engaging just like the title says!  Maybe, just maybe, even transforming.  Time will tell.  I am actually thinking of doing a series of blog posts on this book both to inform AND to hold me accountable.





PERSONAL GOALS:
1)  Keep my little family (my dad and sisters) at the center of my personal life, especially my dad as he deals with so many health issues.  I know our time on Earth is limited and I want to sit at my dad's feet and learn from his wisdom as much as possible.

2) Pray.  Not just quick one sentence prayers, but spend time in conversation with God.

3) Exercise.  I so hate it.  I mean really, really, really H.A.T.E. it!  My favorite physical activity is turning the pages of a book (or pressing the page turning button on my Kindle).  So my hope is to find a class that I can at least not hate and then commit to it.  (Oh, commitment is also hard for me.  Remember my issue with not finishing professional books?  It is true in many other places as well.  Once I make the commitment, I am very loyal, but actually making the commitment is soooooo hard.)

4) Eat healthy.  When I get stressed (which is a lot), I turn to food.  Chocolate especially.  Yum, yum, and yum.  The stress is still there, but chocolate makes me forget about it.  Hmmm ... I guess chocolate is like a mind altering drug for me... scary!!!!  My goal is to turn to fruits and vegetables instead.  (I think I am in trouble because I couldn't even type that with a straight face ... I started laughing hysterically.  But I will try!!)

5) Have some fun.  I tend to be very serious and gravitate toward work related activities.  I want to have a fun activity at least once a month this year.  (Which would be a HUGE change from last year!!! Oh, don't worry too much about me ... I do have fun in my classroom.  Teaching is my outlet for my humor and creativity and everything else!)

6) Blog at least once a week.  In some ways this is a professional goal, but it is also a personal goal because you all are my friends.

Whew!  Too many goals I think, but they are all doable (except the fruit and vegetable one).

Love to all,

Camille

Organizing ...

Hi all!

I like to think of myself as being organized, but the truth is that I am not organized when it comes to paperwork.  I am a logical, sequential thinker, but I tend to put papers into piles.  When one pile gets high, I start another.  Sad, very sad .. and definitely not organized.

But there are some areas of my classroom that are very organized:

1)  My student drawers ... 

I do not have cubbies, so I use these drawers from Costco.  The drawers are numbered from 1-30.  (In the past I only had 20 students, but now I have gone up to 26.)  My students are numbered from 1 to 26.  After I correct their work, it is placed in the correct drawer.  Then homework folders are easy to stuff once a week with their finished and corrected work.  (I am so blessed to have an amazing volunteer aide from the middle school next door; she spends about four hours a week helping me with this type of clerical work.  I love her dearly and will be sad at the end of the semester when I lose her!!!)

2)  Our classroom library ...

I have about 2,000 books in the classroom library.  (The longer you teach, the more books you accumulate!!!  In other words, I have been teaching a long time.)  With that many books, I needed to create a system that would allow students to both find and put away books.  I sorted books by topics and then put each topic into a different tub (example: weather).  I have about 50 tubs.  This photo shows just one section of tubs.  Each tub was given a number and each book in that tub labeled with that number.  My previous post has more information on this system.  I also have a "book hospital" for books that need repair.  My students place books there when they notice a rip (even if the rip is invisible to the naked eye).


Okay, now on to my goals for organizing ... 

I will create an organization system for my paperwork.  This will consist of:
1)  A tub for papers I want to copy.
2)  A tub for papers that need to be corrected.
3)  A tub for papers that need to be sorted.  NO MORE PILES!

I also want to create a better system for my stations that are supervised by parent volunteers.  I plan to have five tubs (one per station) that I can label and prep ahead of time.  No more scrambling around in the hours before dawn (not really, but you know what I mean).

Whew!  If I keep these goals it will be a HUGE positive change for me!!  Wish me luck!

For more tips on organizing, head on over to Second Grade Shenanigans.  Here is the link!

Love to all,

Camille

Silence for Sandy Hook

Silence to Honor and Remember

A parent came up to me after school and threw her arms around me.  With tears in her eyes, she said, "I just felt like hugging you today."  Then she told me the news.

My heart is broken for all of the children, teachers and parents of Sandy Hook.  We will hold our little ones a little closer to our hearts as we remember you.
Love to all,
Camille

In Honor of 12-12-12

Tomorrow is 12-12-12!  I got to thinking about it and realized that there won't be another 12-12-12 for one hundred years.  That means this is the only one any of us get in our lifetime.  That is pretty monumental!  So .. I came up with 12-12-12 challenge for my firsties.  I found other ideas online, but I needed to simplify things for my kiddos.  We will be using this form tomorrow.  Here is the link in case you are interested:

12-12-12 Challenge

Love to all,
Camille

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving my dear bloggy friends!  No special graphics, no brilliant ideas, just a wish for you.  We all have so much to be thankful for ... my wish for you is that you are able to spend time savoring the special moments on this holiday!
Love to all,
Camille

Make a Turkey ... One Feather at a Time

I am swamped!  Assessments, report cards, special projects, just plain old survival in this crazy world and so what do I do?  BLOG!!!

Okay, this is a simple, fun family project from 2011.  (You could also do this project in class.)

Here is the finished bulletin board:

Here is a close-up:

(The hands were from a previous bulletin board that I loved and just couldn't bear to take completely down so for the rest of the year, those hands were a backdrop for everything that went up on this board.)

Family Feather Project:

I sent home a white feather cut from cardstock.  I asked each family to work together to design a feather to add to our very bare turkey.  The directions said they could use any materials they wanted to decorate the feather.  (One child used his sight word cards from our HM reading series to decorate the feather. Made.me.laugh.so.hard.  It is the feather with the red rectangles.)  We talked about how we needed all of our feathers to create the turkey.  Just one feather would not be enough.


Note: A thousand apologies for not knowing where I got the adorable turkey from.  It was a TPT purchase and students were supposed to measure the turkey, but I made an extra copy for this bulletin board.  But after searching through all of my purchases, I cannot find the original.  (Note to self: If you must purchase so many items from TPT, please keep your purchases organized!)  If you are the creator of this cute, cute turkey, just let me know and I will tell the world how wonderful you are!

Love to all,
Camille

Guess Who?

I haven't posted in a month so I think it is super ironic that this post is entitled "Guess Who?"  But the title has nothing to do with my lack of blogging.  (Although I am hoping you all remember me!)

Here is the true meaning of the title:

My students are working on their questioning skills so I pulled out one of my favorite activities to help with this:

Guess Who?

I bought this game at a garage sale for 50 cents a few years ago.  I hadn't played the game before, but I figured it would be worth at least 50 cents in my classroom.  Well, it has been worth quite a bit more than that!!  The price of the game is $18 at Target.  I am not sure I would pay that much, but many of you may have this game tucked away in a closet at home.

We play this game during our station rotation.  Here are the rules we use:

Guess Who?  A Game of Logic

1) Adult secretly picks a yellow card.

2) Children take turns asking yes/no questions to determine who the mystery person is.  Example: Is it a woman?  Does she have red hair?)

3) The adult answers each question and the child asking the question gets to “slide” down all of the people who cannot be the mystery person.  (example:  If “Is it a woman?” gets a no answer, then you must slide down all of the cards that have the picture of a woman.)

4) Continue asking and answering questions in turn.  When only one card is left, that must be the mystery person!  Compare the final card to the selected yellow card and see if they match.  Of course, they do!

5)  Prep the cards for a new round.  Once the children get the hang of it, they can pick the mystery person and answer the yes/no questions.

Challenge the children to ask questions that will eliminate as many people as possible.  Example: “Does the person have a hat?” eliminates more people than “Does the person have a green hat with a feather?”

After playing this game, the children have a much better understanding of what it means to ask a question.  Hurrah!

Love to all,

Camille  

iTalk iPads: Story Creator

I am going to try to focus on one new iPad app a week.  That will insure that I keep trying new apps, plus will help me reflect on our use of iPads.

I have a new favorite iPad app: Story Creator.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!  What about my firsties?  They LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it, too!

Here is what makes this app so special:

• It is free.  (How awful that I list this first, but you all know why!!)
• It is easy to use.
• Children can create their own books.
• Drawings, photos and text are all easy to add to the books.
• Audio can be added, as in, children type in their text and then record themselves reading the text.  Then when you scroll through the story, you hear the child's voice reading each page to you.  Oh, be still my heart.  I SO love this feature!
• The tech support is phenomenal!  I sent an email to the developers asking a few questions and I received a reply.  A real reply.  But it gets better.  I got the reply within hours.  The reply contained answers to my questions.  Like I said: phenomenal support!

Here is what I don't like:

• The only way to share the created books is via Facebook.  That means we are NOT sharing our books.  But this is one of the improvements on their list for the December upgrade.  (Which I know because I received an email telling me this. : )  This same thing tends to be a glitch in quite a few apps, especially the ones that are free.  So the books will stay on each iPad and have to be shared via buddy reading or author's chair.

Here is how I unrolled this app for my first graders:

• Ahead of time I created a three page book using Story Creator.  The first page had a drawing and text, the second page had a photo and text and the third page had a photo, text, AND audio.  
• I used my document camera to unveil my three page book.  (I just placed the iPad directly on the document camera so my kiddos could see.)
• I showed my students how to access the app, how to start a book and explained each icon at the bottom.  All in all, my presentation was five minutes max.  I really try to not overdo my instructions with apps.  I want my students to have lots of freedom because then they will be much more creative.
• I let my students loose to use the app.  Some of them began to draw pictures for their books.  Other started by taking photos.  A few students began adding audio as soon as they had typed in text.  Some students discovered the spelling correction feature.  (Which can be both a help and a hindrance with beginning readers!!!)
• I buzzed around the room listening, reading and mainly learning from my amazing digital natives!
• As a few students finished books, I sent them to the office to share their stories.  They came back with HUGE smiles.
• We ran out of time or we would have had a sharing time at the end.  As it was, my students were VERY upset with me when I had them cleanup because it was time to go home.  ("What school is over?  "Can't we stay longer?  PLEASE!!!!")

That's it for now!

Love to all,

Camille

iTalk iPads in September!

Sigh ... I really meant to post a lot more iPad ideas, but using iPads in kinder and first in the Fall is so very different than using them in the Spring that I am once again a beginner.

(Background: A class set of iPads was delivered to my room in April 2012.  My kiddos already had our routines down and had so many skills that we were able to immediately start using the iPads.  Starting off the year with iPads is completely different so I still figuring this out!!  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the iPads.  It is just that I am at ground zero in the learning curve once again!!)

My kinders are learning about patterns so we have been using the iPads to aide our learning.  The kiddos have been using the app Doodle Buddy (free) to create patterns.  Doodle Buddy allows them to paint, draw or even stamp pictures.  We have been working on color and shape patterns.  So here are some of the activities we have done:

• Students use two (or three) colors to create a pattern.  Another student has to tell what comes next.
• I make a pattern with our manipulative bears (example: blue, red, red ... abb) and students have to make that same pattern using two different colors on their iPads.
• Students use two (or three) shape stamps to make a pattern. 
• I make a pattern using attribute shapes (example: circle, square, triangle ... abc).  Students have to stamp that same pattern on their iPads, using different shapes.
• I make a pattern (example: aab) and students make that same pattern on their iPads, but they get to decide if they will make that pattern with shapes or colors or size.

What I am loving about all of this is that my students can quickly make multiple patterns this way.  They can take a screen shot of their patterns and then add it to the photo roll on their iPad.  Pretty cool! Sounds like the beginning of a portfolio to me!

Now I am off to plan for next week!

Love to all,

Camille

An Apology

Sigh ... I am one of those people that rarely listens to their instincts.  The other day I blogged about a product that I had not used, but had seen a sample of and it looked promising.  Anyone who blogged about it, got the product free.  I LOVE free!  So instead of listening to my instincts that said, "Slow down!  This is too good to be true!" I blogged about it and received it and ... it is not something I can recommend for teachers.  So I removed that blog post and emailed the company, but I still feel icky.  Like a liar.  Like one of those celebrities that advertises a product that they would never use just for the money.  (Well, except I am not a celebrity and I never got any money, just a not-so-good product.)  So I apologize to anyone who read that post and if I ever mention a product again, it will be one that I have used and LOVE!!!  I promise!

Love to all,
Camille

A Wreath for My Door

One of my goals this year is to have my students take more ownership of the room.  One way to do that is to make sure THEIR work is featured, instead of mine.  So when I saw Greg Smedley's wreath idea, I decided to have my students help me make a wreath for our classroom door.

Here is the result:

I laminated the final result so it is shiny and a bit hard to photograph.  Sorry!

Here is a closeup ...

My kinders are the green hands and my first graders are the blue hands.  I wanted to color code it to show how we complement each other.  I used the large ink pads from Lakeshore because the ink is washable and so much easier to use than paint.  BUT I love the bright colors that are in Greg's wreath.  So ... next year I may brave the paint.  Not sure yet.  Since this was my first time creating a wreath like this, I was a bit controlling (sigh ... I am trying not to be, really I am!).

These were my steps:

1) Have each student make a handprint on white contruction paper.  (I did this on the first day when they were also making handprints for their Kissing Hand puzzle.  Very time efficient to make two handprints at once!)  I lightly wrote their name in pencil on the papers ahead of time so that I could make sure each child made a handprint.  (You know how confusing that first day is!)

2)  I cut out each hand and wrote each name with a Sharpie.

3)  I arranged and rearranged the hands on a large sheet of blue posterboard.

4)  I glued the hands down and then cut out the posterboard in an appealing shape.  (Maybe only appealing to me!!!)

5) I laminated and then recut the wreath.

Yep ... lots of teacher steps!  I WILL GIVE UP CONTROL!  I WILL GIVE UP CONTROL!  I WILL GIVE UP CONTROL! (But I have to check my schedule and decide when that will be!)

Love to all,

Camille

A Personal Tribute

Today I am using my blog to pay tribute to a man who died far too young.  His name was Larry and he was my best friend and husband for 21 years.  Two years ago today Larry died in an accident doing what he loved best: biking.  He had just completed his favorite (and very strenuous) bike ride and was on his way home.  It was an accident with no one to blame.  It just happened.

So here is a photo tribute to my very favorite guy.

As a child ...  (early 1960's)

As a newly engaged man, with guess who?  Look at that smile! I used to tease him that if he kept smiling those ear to ear smiles, he might crack his face in two. (1988)

Just married ... and again that smile! (1989)

The honeymoon ... we went biking, of course!  (Tahoe 1989)

He had both a serious side (on rare occasions)...

and a goofy side.  The goofy side was MUCH bigger so he always kept me laughing.  

                               

As the best man in his dad's wedding in 2010.  I love this picture because he is smiling at the photographer (ME!!!!!).

Our last trip to Lake Tahoe just a month before his death.  I am so glad that we took the time to go!

His favorite activity!  He loved to wear a yellow shirt when biking because that is the color won by the biking champions in the Tour de France.  

So, for those of you still with me, thank you for reading this and taking a moment to learn about my Larry.  He was an amazing man!  Sweet, fun, compassionate, courageous.  I could not have asked for a better husband.  Larry loved helping others and never let anything interfere with that.  Larry struggled with diabetes for over 40 years, but he never let that define who he was.  After his death, Larry's favorite nurse told me that he had every possible diabetic complication possible and that his pain must have been incredible.  I knew this and yet hearing it defined that way was stunning.  You see,  my sweet husband got up each day, put a smile on his face and provided cheer for the rest of us.  After his death, I was amazed at how many people came forward to tell me that Larry was one of their favorite people:  grocery clerks, pharmacists, many people that I did not know.  Once they found out who I was, they told me beautiful stories about Larry and how he had helped them in some way.  Most of the stories I did not know because for Larry being kind to others just came naturally.  It was his normal way of life.  So often I reflect on our time together and always come to the same conclusion:  Given a choice of being married to Larry for only 21 years or not at all, I would always take the 21 years.  It was not long enough, but it was wonderful.  I know that my sweet guy no longer feels pain and is busy biking and gardening in Heaven.  When I think about joining him there, I just know that he will be waiting for me with a tandem bike in hand so we can go biking together.  I can hardly wait!

Thanks for indulging me, my dear bloggy friends!  My advice to all of you is to savor each moment with your loved ones!

Love to all,

Camille

Worst First Day EVER!

Okay, so it really wasn't THAT bad.  In fact, most of the day went really well.  Really, really well.  Until 1:50 and since we dismiss at 2:15, how bad could the last 25 minutes have been?  A.W.F.U.L.!!!  It wasn't my kiddos, they were great.  It wasn't me, I was trying my best to be engaging, which was easy because it was love at first sight with my class.

So what went wrong?  Well, at 1:50 our principal came on over the loudspeaker and announced, "Teachers, please lock your doors.  Dismissal will be delayed."  What????  Keep in mind that I teach in California where the classrooms are not in one building.  Instead, our doors all lead to the outside world.  That means once I locked the door, I was on my own.  The only adult.  No bathroom.  With a class of kiddos asking, "Why did she say to lock the door?"  My response, "I think she wants me to practice locking the door."  Huh?  I was not at my best since I was clueless as to what was going on.  But then my awesome principal (I really do love her), organized the office staff to call each classroom and let us know what was going on.  What was going on you wonder?  It turns out there was an armed robbery at a nearby bank.  One thief got away so the police alerted all of the nearby schools to go into lockdown.  A real, true lockdown.  Although over the years, we've had lockdown drills, this was my first real lockdown.  As soon as the police called, the gates around the school were all closed and locked.  All our classroom doors were locked.  We were completely safe the whole time.  But it was scary!  I was so glad that I teach first graders because they were completely clueless as to any problem going on.  They were also clueless about dismissal time.  We ended up being dismissed at about 2:45 and my kiddos didn't even know they were in school an extra 30 minutes.  I was also grateful that I was a veteran teacher and could reach into my bag of tricks and come up with an instant lesson.  What did we do?  Clay!  I had it all prepped for the next day, so I pulled it out and the children were enamored and oh, so sad when I got the "all clear" call and we got to evacuate.

I told you this was the worst first day ever, but it was also the best.  The most amazing thing happened as we evacuated.  The entire community pitched in to help.  Classes were called to the front gate one at a time.  There were escorts all along the way ... support staff, district office personnel, parents. All making sure we knew what to do and that all was well.   It was so moving to see the support we were being given.  I actually started crying (and then had to quickly suck it up so my kiddos wouldn't get worried.)  As my class got close to the front gate, a parent announced, "Mrs. Johnson's class".  The waiting parents who had children in my class stepped forward and all of the other parents stepped back.  I still get teary-eyed thinking about it.  And bear in mind that this was the FIRST day of school.  Somehow our amazing school community came together and created a safe, nurturing environment in the midst of a lockdown.  So on the first day two messages came out loud and clear:  Children are loved and protected at this school! AND We are a community that works together!

So that is my first day story.  After that, the rest of the week was lowkey.  ... and yes, the other thief was caught miles and miles from my school.

Love to all,
Camille