Uncommon Beauty in Writing

An extraordinary day with our two little nieces presented us with a few stories. First of all while driving in the SUV, Uncle Darryl piped up and said, we are driving to our house to shovel some snow and the oldest niece who is eight quickly responded, “that’s the opposite of what was planned.” Many laughs were shared while driving to the McNally bookstore. As soon as we reached the top stair of the children’s book section all eyes were on the stuffed animals especially the monkeys. Little voices repeating, “Auntie, these ones are for us but we don’t have enough money.” Time was spent browsing for books and Amelia discovered the graphic novel series. Page after page was turned and they both discovered the titles Sisters and Smile.

With $2.50 in Norah’s coat pocket, she quickly asked if she could buy a present for her mom. The girls noticed the red and green Christmas firecrackers and echoed, that’s the gift for mom. This was a moment of teaching kindness. They were proud of themselves and so was I.

Lunch was on us at Prairie Ink. The girls shared a mini cheese pizza with a bowl of fresh fruit. Eyes were on the dessert showcase and they finally decided eggnog and hazelnut filled macaroons would be decadent. However, the server came by and sold the girls on vanilla ice cream sprinkled with Christmas colours. In the meantime, Amelia read several pages from her new book while Norah and I played a few games of X and O. While heading out of the store both girls reminded me that a gift for dad hadn’t been purchased. The dilemma occurred that Norah needed an extra $1.30 to buy the red firecracker. Auntie couldn’t resist the lesson of kindness.

Our last outing was a drive to Fort Whyte Alive Nature Gift Shop to explore the Christmas gifts. Both girls discovered several tree ornaments. Amelia was most interested in a white Christmas ball and Norah was very determined to have the orange frog. Norah reminded everyone that we were to keep a secret from her mom and dad…the firecrackers have to be wrapped. Secretly, she took the bag to her room and begun the wrapping process.

What a wonderful afternoon of sharing and learning with our nieces.

 

 

Recently, I connected with my best friend who teaches kindergarten. We both value reading children’s books in our classrooms to teach life lessons. Walking into Kim’s classroom brought moments of joy to my life. The little ones come from diverse backgrounds and to experience their curiosity was breathtaking. They were engaged in many play and learn centres.

I connected with the children and had conversations with them. They were so eager to involve me in their world of authentic language. To experience their sense of wonder about who they are as children was marvellous. One girl took me by the hand and led me through an afternoon of what playing and learning looked like for her and the class. Some children in the classroom have December birthdays and their progression of language development improved immensely since early September.

One boy found a small replica of a little boy at the play centre and discovered that its foot was missing. Kim integrated this idea that we must look after one another. Kindness was observed in this class and to find a friend definitely resonated with me. We listened intently to a beautiful story Under the Same Sky. Regardless of how we look, we want the same thing. The little ones had a natural desire to learn and Kim used methods that inspired rather than curb their enthusiasm. In this class there are many objects, stuff to learn with…book characters and puppets to enhance literacy.

Many learning styles were observed during play and learn. All students were engaged in every activity presented to them. Pacing was important…demonstrating a couple of steps at a time and reading time was no longer than ten minutes. Kim focused on putting the students first and her approach to teaching took on an edge of optimism.

Building connections at an early age about who we are as individuals is pertinent. The learning experience for me was most enjoyable because no one ever stops learning.

The part of the year that I look forward to is the startup of the year. It is both refreshing and challenging. Everything must be ready to go and it’s thrilling seeing colleagues and students interacting and sharing their summer highlights. It’s rewarding when you know that students are looking forward to another year of learning. Some have specific post graduate plans where as others are content to attend class and obtain the credit.

Each year we put a lot of time and effort into working with students and it’s rewarding to see them move onto the next grade level and eventually graduate. I value the relationships with  my colleagues. The day to day interacting and sharing our stories with one another keeps us young. I still love teaching and my enthusiasm about reading and writing with my students will always remain special.

There are many challenges in education today. Specific goals are established at the onset of the year and we try our best to achieve these goals. It’s crucial that staff work collaboratively together. Administration manage the building and staff however, teachers work with the students and I value this the most.

Throughout my teaching career, education has changed. We have to do much more than teach our curriculum. For some, we spend a lot of time with and a challenge for me is to find the right balance in meeting the needs of all my students. It’s not just teaching our curriculum anymore; it’s teaching the whole child and everything that comes with them. Teachers have to become experts in many skill sets to be able to move learning forward for all the students. My goal is to make it work!

 

Today, I read an article titled Owning your success. It definitely got me thinking about how women define success. We all want to sparkle or shine at some point in our lives. For me, success is happiness. Being given responsibility in our jobs is crucial. We want to know that we are valued and once that has been discovered then we take on more responsibility and own our learning. This is a key phrase that I teach my high school students…own your learning. Taking ownership makes you stronger and eventually you develop inspiration in furtherance of becoming better at your job.

Owning success is not straightforward. Dedication is critical however, leading a balanced lifestyle is my definition of success. I enjoy accomplishing things and sharing my ideas with others. Also, as we age and mature we don’t focus on what others think about us we proceed with our ideas and try not to be perfect. Accepting our flaws and being oneself is the finest way of owning our learning.

Summer holidays have arrived and sitting on the deck reading novels with the sun shining ever so profusely is a congenial style of relaxation. The author Lisa Jewell provides the reader with a family whose home was built of coziness and happiness and Easter became their yearly celebration with Easter egg hunts and the traditional roast of lamb. Then one day tragedy happened. As we know, every family has a story to tell and when a family loses a loved one, they wrestle with the closing of the family home and the disposing of the hoards and hoards of memories that once was collected and reserved as STUFF.  Undoubtedly, there will be the squabbles between siblings as to who yields what from the cozy family home.

Is it imperative to hang onto every little piece of art that children create throughout their childhood? Why do we allow our homes to become a bit of a cluttered mess and that we are unable to throw away STUFF that gathers in our childhood homes and continues to take over our lives when we evolve into adults?

I recommend this novel because we all have to return to face the memories of the past. Often, families discover ways to restore peace and unlock those secrets hidden within the nooks and crannies of their childhood homes.

 

Now into the last month of school, it was time to enjoy one of my personal leave days and I did just that on Friday, June 8, 2108. Five ways to relax and become invigorated for the next two weeks included sleeping in an extra half hour, walking to Fools & Horses and sipping on a coffee while reading the local newspaper was divine.

A walking trip downtown to the Exchange District to meet my husband for a tasty bbq chicken burger at a hip lunch bar provided more relaxation time away from work. we relished each other’s company and took a detour into some of the quaint shops in the area. Walking past many outdoor patios and looking at the latest fashion styles reminded me to set foot into some fashion stores in Osborne Village prior to my beauty appointment in the late afternoon.

Walking into the beauty bar with purple high bar stools and sky blue walls provided a fresh scent of calmness. The beauty expert knew I required some pampering and indeed it was soothing.

If you require tips on how to relax try walking, sipping your favourite morning wake up beverage, reading, treating yourself to a lunch, shopping at the local fashion boutiques, and indulging yourself with a beauty treatment.

Everyone must experience this kind of day!

Sleeping in until the sun shines through the blinds is very peaceful and it’s a new beginning to a Sunday morning after our Winnipeg Jets outscored the Nashville Predators the night before.

It’s our choice not to overplan our weekends because it’s a time where Darryl and I love to read and relax. Sometimes we visit Fools & Horses Cafe and relish our down time while we sip coffee and  on a favourite vanilla scone.

Today, the temperature climbed to 24 and sitting outside was so delightful. The smiles on people’s faces were brilliant and the summer wardrobe was out in full bloom.

We walked several kilometres and thoroughly appreciated the calmness. Kids in strollers, others cycling and many keeners running past us with their music loud enough that we could overhear their choice of music set the pace for the afternoon. The ice cream truck circling the neighbourhood is a sure sign that an early summer has found its way to Winnipeg.

However, the perfect day for us was simply loving the quiet moments of life.

Friday’s concluding first round of hockey playoffs was wildly entertaining whether you were inside the Bell MTS Place, outside street party with 15,000 loud chanting fans or at a local bar watching game 5. Winnipeg Jets made history. We defeated Minnesota Wild and secured the best of seven playoff series 4-1 on April 20,2018.

We won the franchise’s first playoff series and this team’s strong motivation was experienced at every game. Each player’s level of confidence was present and as fans we soaked up this victory in True North White fashion. Our city was buzzing with excitement and the energy level from all age groups could be seen and heard from afar. For most of our players, this was their first playoff series. What an incredible accomplishment for them and most importantly, their team.

What’s next? Our Jets require rest and a chance to recover from their injuries. It’s imperative that we move forward and meet the next challenging team with grit and courageous leadership. The Winnipeg fan base is truly a collaborative jubilant collection of people…jammed everywhere for a shared purpose…to witness Jets history unfold together!

Our Winnipeg Jets hockey team successfully made it to the first round of playoffs. It was a team effort and most of all, Connor Hellebuyck, the number one goalie contributed to the team’s deep success. A trainer who believes in a player and coaches that person in a summer program is imperative and as a result, Connor improved his game immensely.

What about Coach Maurice? He is effective and demonstrated the ability to work the talents of both novice and veteran players. Each player on the team succeeded in their own way. Some players scored several goals and some, not so many. There is an abundance of talent in each of the lines and Maurice tweaked those lines several times. The depth and skill on this team will provide us with excitement heading into the playoffs. Overall, the players respect each other, consistently focus on team spirit and becoming better players in each game.

What a remarkable season and that our team finished in second place with 114 points.

Meeting friends at one of our favourite restaurants named Brazen Hall was a fabulous way to launch into spring break. We exchanged several hearty laughs over stories from J & L’s recent trip to Palm Springs. The  piping hot Mac & Cheese dish topped with strips of chicken is definitely a crowd favourite and it’s so delicious!

Mundane Monday turned into an endless flurry of excitement for our seven year old niece. Bowling lanes will never be the same and neither will the trip to a familiar chocolate shop where she was introduced to the best Belgian chocolate in the city. Her little Easter basket was filled with eggs however, two little Easter bunnies were quickly wrapped for her little sister and herself. Next, a jaunt to the neighborhood library for a Lego party and an afternoon of reading and drawing mellowed all three of us.

Other days were filled with leisurely time spent reading, walking to a few speciality cafes, casually connecting with friends and taking in an evening of Cannes Best Commercials show. Oh, a couple of evenings we excitedly cheered on our True North Winnipeg Jets Hockey Team to the playoffs.

One of our best evenings was spent at a spa where we literally read for 75 minutes without any iPhones. Mindfulness was absorbed and thoroughly appreciated.

Restful and rejuvenating best describe spring break 2018.