Mrs. Moore's Musings

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL…Last DAY of SCHOOL…Last Day of School…last day of school…last day of… Okay, I know if you are a teacher or a student or a parent or have ever been one of these things you get it!  You understand the joy that accompanies the last day of school-at least for a little bit.  I am extra excited this year because my summer is chock full o’ goodness.  My daughter will be starting at my high school, and she and I are celebrating this gigantic life change with a European girl vacation-seriously blessed for this gift of time and learning!  I’m still pinching myself.  I am also going to be going to a few professional development major things which I am giddy about.  At my school, the last day for teachers is not the last day for students-they had their final hoorah yesterday.  There is a reason we spend the last day together, without kids, and today I want to write about why teaching rocks and it isn’t because of the students or parents or l...

Like almost everything that gets a lot of media attention, nearly everything you’ve heard about teaching is somewhat true.  Kids are tested into oblivion, and these results are all that matter to administration and the government when determining teacher success. Teachers are being stripped of their autonomy and ability to create their own lessons and assessments.  Teacher dissatisfaction is at an all-time high. Retention rates for teachers is deplorable. There are many failing students in poverty. Teach for America and similar programs inform us that anyone who has a good intention can be a teacher.  No one wants any children left behind, and all of us wish to “Race for the Top.”  The devil is in the details-as always. I teach kids of all sorts: poor, rich, white, brown, black, and green (not really-but that would be fine with me).  I teach kids whose parents love and support them and kids whose home lives have brought me to tears. Despite all of these things...

This week is teacher appreciation week.   I am a teacher (if you have read this blog AT ALL, you know that).   Teachers have had a huge impact on my life, as a student, as a teacher, as a mother, as a human being.   I can’t imagine what I would be like without the amazing professionals who have shaped me.   So, before I write anything else-THANK YOU TEACHER PEEPS-you have made a difference for me. Over Spring Break, I received an e-mail from the National Council of Teachers of English, informing me that I was the recipient of the “Reclaiming the Joy of Teaching” award for 2015. I was overwhelmed.   I didn’t even know I was nominated, and I wasn’t even sure what the award was about.   Upon investigation, I learned the following, “The Reclaiming the Joy of Teaching Award is presented to a teacher at any level that inspires authentic progressive literacy learning.”   Again, I was humbled.   Some of my family members do not even know about this...

We are entering the last two weeks of my journey with my seniors.  This is the most joyous, trying, exciting, frustrating, exhausting, exhilarating time of the year.  Each year, I force my seniors to do some large, ridiculous-use the last of my power to torture them- project.  I have a real reason for this beyond torture.  High school, no matter how much you want to forget about it, is, for all who endure it, painful.  It does not matter where you live or who you are.  This is because growing up is painful.  It hurts.  But, I know a secret-it is also wonderful.  It is silly and joyful and triumphant and defining.  The memories that we keep will be the ones we chose to keep.  Some people chose the painful ones, and I totally get that.  Some people will look back and be filled with hate and animosity, and that is a fair way to recollect the time spent at school.  But, if you chose to-you can chose-even if it’s the tiniest...

It's another snow day today.  I am not sure how I feel about it because it seems as if winter is demanding one last hoorah after letting us off the hook for much of this winter.  I am trying to embrace it and waiting for my daughter to come down the stairs so we can go do something silly.  One of my favorite things to do on a snow day is to go through the numbers on my phone, and send texts to people who I haven't talked to in a while, just simple little notes to let them know why they are so important to me.  I figure it takes about a minute to do and maybe someone might need a little reminder of why they matter to someone. If you have never done this, you really should!  It is actually as much for me as for the person I am texting.  As I was sending a few messages yesterday, I realized that my first batch of junior students are preparing to graduate college this year.  I still am in touch with many of these students.  They were my first victims....

Embrace [em-breys]  verb (used with object), embraced, embracing. 1. to take or clasp in the arms; press to the bosom; hug. 2. to take or receive gladly or eagerly; accept willingly: to embrace an idea. 3. to avail oneself of: to embrace an opportunity. 4. to adopt (a profession, a religion, etc.): to embrace Buddhism. 5. to take in with the eye or the mind. 6. to encircle; surround; enclose. 7. to include or contain 2015 is going to be an awesome year! I know because my word for the year is “EMBRACE.”  I thought a lot about why I needed to choose this word.  It seems almost anti-climactic coming out of 2014, a year that held so much growth, hurt, triumph, joy and celebration.  Although I am always ready to ring in a new year, 2014 was so paradoxical in that I couldn’t wait to be rid of it and I wanted to cling to it.  Clinging to it might mean I could cling to my young-adult son who lived at home and needed me every day and discovering the jo...

CHERISH: [ cher -ish] verb (used with object) 1. to hold or treat as dear; feel love for: to cherish one's native land. 2. to care for tenderly; nurture: to cherish a child. 3. to cling fondly or inveterately to: to cherish a memory   Last Christmas break, I was up early, watching the Today show-like I love to do over breaks, and I saw a man talking about New Year's resolutions.  I love New Year's resolutions.  I am a frequent maker, breaker, and reflector of resolutions.  However, this man had a different idea, and one that I found intriguing. Instead of choosing a resolution or 20, how about focusing on one word?  Choose one word and focus on that word over the course of one year.  I loved this idea!  I decided I would try it for myself and share it with my students.  I agonized over my word choice.  I chose the word "Cherish."  I dedicated myself to focusing on this word, inclu...