Yesterday, at Starbucks, I tried to connect with it. Nothing doing. I wrote the word. I wrote its definition. I wrote synonyms in a list. I wrote words to rhyme with it. I just started writing whatever I was thinking. I was getting angry with it. My writing, usually done on the computer, was being scrawled in large, messy ink in a notepad - fast, furious, and of no help whatsoever.
I had just spent the past couple of days getting ready for the yearly Dr. Seuss Community Read Aloud. Readers must have been harder to find this year, or because there was a new coordinator, she was late handing out assignments and some readers must have dropped out... at any rate, two days before the event I learned of my assignment - a fourth grade group. By late afternoon, I was asked if I might do the first grade at that same school. And then yesterday they asked if I'd mind reading to a group of 3 year olds and a second preschool group of 4 year olds. Being me, I accepted all the groups. So yesterday, I made one more trip to the public library to find more books, and last night, I was sorting through my pile to see what would really work and give me extra in case 30 minutes turned into 45, or books read faster than I thought they would!
I connected with a website I'd used before and made little books for the preschoolers and first graders to take home. I fretted about some excerpts to read to fourth graders... I made a connection to a book I'd read years ago to my third graders and one I'd read last year to a group of 5th graders. Perfect! Wait. One more. I decided I'd also connect the fourth graders to a picture book.
I packed my bags. It would be an all-day event. Water. I'd need water, a snack and gum.
Then it dawned on me. I'd spent all yesterday (give or take a few hours) connecting with four classes that I hadn't even met yet. I'd spent time emailing their teachers to get an idea of the numbers and to let them know I'd be there. I tried to get to know them as much as I could beforehand. I tried to think of things I would say to them, so they could connect with me, a stranger coming into their room to "take charge" and read to them.
I realized that I'd spent the days prior to this event making connections with kids, schools, teachers and books...all in connection with Dr. Seuss' birthday. This day was going to be full of connections - grand, healthy, happy connections where I connected my love of reading to my need for reading, my love for teaching with my need for teaching, my love for helping with, I guess, my need for helping! This was going to be a day chock full of connections!
Connection - an acrostic
Carefully, calculated
Orchestrated
Navigated
Nicely aligned
Elongated
Concentrated
Triangulated
Infatuated
Oscillated
Neatly entwined.
How are your connections today?
I'm excited to read other connections to Connection today for Spiritual Thursday at Dori Reads. Won't you join me there where we are connecting today?
Wonderful, Donna! You certainly are connected! I hope your day of connecting goes really well, as you become the agent of connection between kids and the incredible Dr. Seuss! Love your acrostic too (especially the word "Infatuated").
ReplyDeleteOh, Donna, I'm jealous that your community has a Dr. Seuss read aloud. I used to take my sixth graders to the nearby elementary school to read on Dr. Seuss Day. And I miss that connection. When I stayed home for a few years, I always volunteered in my children's classrooms to read aloud. And I went every week. I still remember some of those titles. I love your acrostic. I thought about doing one, but connection is a long word. I love your last line, neatly entwined. Definitely descriptive of our many connections. I love the time and effort you spent for students you had yet to meet. I'll be looking forward to your report of the day.
ReplyDeleteDonna, you have had full days of making meaningful connections for young children. I am impressed by your diligence to find the right book that fits each class and to leave the children with a gift of reading. Your poem sums up your wonderful spirit of connecting. Elongated was a great word to have in the middle and the ending was a beautiful close. The poem actually fits with your service learning project of reading to children.
ReplyDeleteDonna, I love that you finally were able to see you were living the word even as you were frustrated about not knowing what to write. :) What lucky kids. xo
ReplyDeleteI love how you pointed out your most important connection! It is SO true! Starting with day with connecting to God is the most valuable way to begin making the other connections. I'm going to guess that you made some amazing connections the rest of the day also.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that greatest connection! No one needs "a leaky hose connection." I know you will have a great day today - and so will the many children you connect with through reading. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you connected, finally. I'm sure the coffee connection was vital! ;) I read at one of our local school libraries regularly for a while, though it's been a few years ago. It is fun connecting with different age groups and figuring out what they respond to in read alouds. I like your acrostic.
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