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Classroom Catharsis
I stood in front of the first class of the day, a student’s journal in hand. Since I began teaching 6th grade, I’ve had the students write for ten minutes on any subject they want. Some write stories, others write about what’s happening in their life. Some enjoy getting up in front of class and reading and others ask me to read for them. Sharing is completely optional. I read the first line of her journal out loud. I stopped. I read the rest silently making sure it was appropriate to share with the class. It was…but how was I going to get through it? Exhaustion had caught up to me, knocking down…
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All is well
“All is well.” Esther Hicks My grandmother used to say it all the time. She told me that when she was little someone would walk down the street ringing a bell calling out, “It’s 12:00-0- clock and all is well!” I miss her. Virginia Keen–my grandmother–my rock. She taught me to think positive and follow my heart. Thank you, grandmom. All is well. MYSTIC For those that have read MYSTIC now you know where Keen came from. Queen Fredonia (the grandmother) lives in Keen. A bit of MYSTIC trivia. All is well in my world. Arielle is on her way home for spring break. I just had a four hour breakfast…
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Growing Avocado Trees
I didn’t recognize the symbolism of growing an avocado tree at the same time I was beginning my journey of becoming an author. I simply loved avocados. Four years later as I set a new seed on my windowsill at the same time I was stressing over how to market Mystic I realized my avocado trees represented change and growth from within myself. They were my reminder that even though I could envision the giant tree that would fill my yard it wasn’t going to grow overnight. I needed to care for it every day while enjoying each day and know that eventually my seed would be a majestic tree. Here’s how to grow an avocado tree. This picture was…
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Love Your Characters
I love three real characters very much! Eric, who continuously teases me and keeps me laughing or squinting and uttering “grrrrr!” Kai, who takes after his father but then plays beautiful music for me so all is forgiven. Arielle, who remembers to keep in touch from college because she knows how much I miss her. Happy Valentine’s Day to my family and Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone. Today, I’m writing about fictional characters. The ones I create. They are with me daily and I strive to understand them as much as I would any family member or friend. In MYSTIC a character named Sri (a wizard) has fallen in love with a man from another world. In order for me…
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Easy Halloween Treat for a Classroom
I found the best Halloween activity for a classroom. It’s inexpensive, easy, tasty and for those teachers who love to teach writing like me, can be used for a creative writing lesson. Click here for a picture of what the treat could look like if you had your own magazine and TV show. Now I’ll show you my version. This is all you’ll need. 1. Bag of oranges 2. Pencil 3. Tooth-picks 4. Orange sherbet First – and this will be the most time-consuming for teachers since I don’t recommend giving your students knives. Cut off the top of the orange. Next, scoop out the inside and draw a face or…
