Tag Archives: postaday

Looking for Signs…

Six weeks into the school year with unseasonably warm temperatures…I find myself looking for signs of fall. Southern California is not known for spectacular fall colors: the changing leaves, colorful gourds, and orange pumpkins decorating doorsteps. Instead, I notice things like the orange and red kelp washed up by hurricane Simon off the coast of Mexico,

the orange beach umbrella near the lifeguard tower,

and the golden sun highlighting the surfer atop the bigger than usual waves.

And I’m starting to see some even more exciting signs of fall…and of the writing community growing in my classroom. Some signs are subtle, like students settling into writing without any urging from us and sticking with the writing for longer and longer periods of time. There’s a willingness to share writing with one another and with the class as a whole…even from our shyer students. And then there’s the risk-taking…trying out new strategies for revision and composition with independence and confidence.

This third grader uses her reflection notebook to write about a tool we use in class to help with revision. It’s clear that she sees the value of revision for improving her writing…knowing writers, even good writers, have to work at improving their craft.

It’s also fun to see students bring their voice to informal, reflective writing. They are writers whenever they put words to a page…like this student describing something learned from reading a Scholastic News magazine,

and the student who began her reflection on a writing and art project with, “It all started when Ms Boyesen read us a book called Flashlight.”

Like the more obvious brilliant crimson leaves, sweet apple cider, and crisp autumn evenings that signal fall, these subtle signs in the classroom represent our growth as a community of learners and writers. We are ready to dig in, to stretch ourselves as learners, and to learn from and with each other throughout the school year.

I have to look carefully for signs of fall in my place…they aren’t easily recognized by those looking for the gorgeous iconic images we see represented in the media. The same is true in my classroom, looking carefully uncovers signs that might be overlooked otherwise. The signs are there and I’m looking forward to the journey with these young writers.

What signs of a developing learning community are you seeing in your place?

Fall’s Nighttime Beach

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As the season shifts from summer to fall

nighttime begins to stretch, lengthening shadows

and shortening the day

Light plays hide and seek with the sun and clouds

painting with colors only nature knows

The photographer frames the bride in the glow

of the setting sun

and she turns, and smiles washed in the soft warmth of the sinking sun

and the dog frolics, running the gauntlet of kelp

through the rivulets of salty water as the low tide starts to rise again

At the edge of nighttime, light creates silhouettes

shadowy outlines framed by light

a bicyclist

a seagull

As I head for home, the lights come on

darkness is near

Those who play at the beach into the night

build their bonfires

and settle in

to enjoy

fall’s nighttime beach

Developing Endurance

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There’s nothing easy about the beginning of school. As exciting as new beginnings are, they are also filled with uncertainty and maybe even a bit of fear of the unknown…on the part of the teacher, but also on the part of students and their parents. Even in a class like mine where two-thirds of our students return each year, it takes some time to get back into the rhythms of learning together as a community.

And then there is the need to shift from the habits of summer…staying up late, sleeping in late, playing and vacationing, visiting with family and friends…back to the routines of the school year. Further complicating the transition, it still feels like summer when school starts here. It has been unseasonably warm (downright miserably hot in our non-air conditioned school), the kind of weather where the beach and the pool sound so much better than the classroom, for both teachers and students!

(This portable air conditioning unit was delivered Tuesday afternoon…the day of the peak highs! It helps, but its range and capacity do not match the size of the classroom! Luckily, we should be near the end of unbearably hot weather.)

There’s also endurance that has to be developed; the ability to sustain focus for the work of school and learning that emerges alongside fluency, confidence, and stamina. As a teacher I see this endurance grow as the school year progresses, especially in the area of writing.

Our writers are already surprising us this year, only weeks into the school year, with their endurance, creativity, and willingness to take risks.

With our returning writers, we see evidence of the layers of mentor texts and writing lessons they experienced last year, and for the third graders, the year before, along with the richness of stories they have read and listened to in their lives. The first graders seem inspired by their older classmates, and are willing to put their emerging writing skills to use as they work through the challenges of transforming their thoughts and ideas into words on a page.

We’ve been writing in all areas of the curriculum…to learn, to think, to remember, to express. We write indoors and outdoors…

and we are working on revising to improve our writing too. (You can take a peek at a collaborative piece of writing we did in honor of International Dot Day on our class blog. (Our students always welcome comments!)

We often think about endurance when it comes to physical tasks…and there are those that definitely require endurance. I’m still working on improving my hiking endurance–increasing my mileage and speed and capacity to hike up steep inclines and setting a pace that allows me to continue to improve over time.

I’ve definitely learned over the years that endurance comes with repeated opportunities to do something that you actually want to do. It takes time and we don’t all progress at the same rate. It helps to notice your strengths and focus attention on areas where you want to grow and improve…and it always seem to help to learn in a community of supportive others who are also learning too. The writers and learners in my class are developing endurance…there’s nothing easy about the beginning of school, but then again, things worth doing are seldom easy!

Beach Humanity

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There is something magical about the beach. Ears filled with the roar of waves, the backbeat of rocks rattling as they tumble against each other in the surf, the distinctive whistles of the sandpipers, and the urgent calls of the seagulls as they oversee the beach. Blues, greens, turquoise, and greys fill my eyes as they mix with the bright white of the foamy waves crashing. And there is the pervasive energy of play…beachside games of catch, pickup jumprope with kelp as the rope, surfers and boogie boarders, swimmers and waders, sand castle builders, mud throwers, walkers, runners, bike riders–I could go on forever!

Summer on the southern California coast teems with humanity. Every square inch of sand seems to be claimed by an umbrella, beach chair, towel or shovel. But I’m reminded that as September arrived, the mornings and nights belong to the locals.

Last night we made an impromptu trip to the beach, arriving in the afterglow of the sunset. The tide was low, bonfires already glowing, exercisers still working up a sweat in the cooler (but not yet chilly) evening temperatures. A light mist had rolled in along the shore, a relief to the record-setting highs we have been experiencing.

I was playing with angles with my camera last night. And noticed this child dragging kelp…I love the way that the beach provides its own toy chest.

You can see the emptiness…and the beauty of the evening beach in this shot of my hubby walking on the slant and reflected in the wet sand.

As we walked back up toward the parking lot, this little girl was attracting a crowd as she lifted bubbles from her bucket. In spite of the darkness, you can still see the colors in the bubble…and the littler children mesmerized as they watched the giant bubble float.

This morning, with forecasted hot weather–even on the coast–and a busy schedule for the day, we headed back to the beach early…arriving shortly after 7am. While the crowds hadn’t arrived yet, there were plenty of people enjoying the beach.

I noticed this man playing with his dog in the surf. The dog joyfully chased the disk and returned it to the man each time he threw it, asking for one more time.

I was even able to catch the dog in action as he ran in my direction, seeming to show me the great catch he had just made!

I noticed this mom playing with her baby in the surf. The baby would kick his feet each time the mom lifted him up and then tipped his toes into the water.

As I walked on I noticed this little boy with two surfboards. As I looked out into the waves I noticed a man (his dad) heading in to collect his board so they could head back out into the waves. The beach is definitely a place for families.

Towards the end of my walk I saw this guy fishing. The water was warm this morning (more than 70 degrees) so the fisherman was comfortable in trunks as he cast his line.

There were others I wasn’t able to document with my lens, but noticed as I walked. Couples walking with their coffee, the cute older couple with matching sun hats, exercise walkers with earbuds, runners staying above the waterline to keep their shoes dry, a father and daughter stretching before heading out with their boards, the older woman in her bikini, tennis shoes, and sun hat out for a walk, someone meditating with crossed legs and fingers touching…

One of my favorites things about the beach and the humanity that inhabits it, is that each person finds his or her own way of interacting with it. You can wear a bathing suit, a wetsuit, shorts, jeans…or even a wedding dress. Shoes are optional and are often seen in pockets, hanging over shoulders, or held in the hand. You can sit, stand, lay, run, walk, jump, dance, catch, throw, search, dig, build, chase…the options are endless.

I have quite a collection of images of #beachpeople this summer as I’ve noticed and studied the humanity I find on the beach. And what I know for sure is that most of them seem to come to the beach for fun, for pleasure, to escape the heat, the stresses of work…it is a place filled with play and playfulness. Adults playing with children, adults playing with other adults…enjoying the water and sand with the joy many often leave behind with childhood.

The beach is a magical place.

Food Truck Adventure

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I’m not much of a foodie…and that certainly won’t surprise anyone who knows me. But tonight we decided to have an adventure of sorts…and chase down a food truck. My husband has been following the Pierogi Truck on Twitter, desperately wanting to relive a childhood taste memory of eating pierogis–a Polish dish that his mom made when he was a kid. These dumpling-like creations are not easy to find…and honestly, I haven’t expressed much interest in eating them.

So tonight, with the Pierogi Truck not too far from our neighborhood, we decided to take this taste adventure. Parked in a business park near a brewery, the purple truck was waiting. We walked up and were greeted by the two women who worked the truck and Geoff immediately engaged in a conversation about the Polish foods of his childhood.

So I had my first taste of pierogis tonight, a potato and cheese dumpling served with a sour cream or yogurt sauce on the side. They were pretty tasty…with a beer from from Iron Fist brewery on the side.

Geoff went for the sampler plate with an assortment of Polish delicacies…pierogis and Polish sausage and more.

The food was good and the adventure was better. It was fun to go out and do something out of the ordinary, to wander into a warehouse and sip a cold beer, watch some arm wrestling, pet some dogs, and do a bit of people watching.

And even though pierogis will not likely ever be my favorite food, it was fun to taste them, and to watch my husband savor the flavors he’d been remembering and imagining for so long. It was quite an adventure to head out on a Friday evening in search of a food truck. We’re already talking about other food truck possibilities… Who knows where our next adventure will take us!

In Flight and On the Ground: A Photo Dialogue

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I’ve been thinking a lot about reading images and the stories held and told…both with and without words. This week at the Daily Post, the weekly photo challenge is titled Dialogue–with an invitation to post two pictures that open up new meaning when they are in dialogue with each other.

I love this idea of photographs in dialogue and thinking about how the images might speak to each other and the viewer in ways that create new understandings and opportunities for meaning making. I spent time yesterday evening on the beach…the perfect way to cool off and relax after a wonderful and exhausting first week with my students.

I often walk on the beach either in the morning or afternoon when the sun is higher and often more harsh. The evening sun was soft, bringing out reflections and colors that I don’t often photograph. As the day cooled and tide receded, the birds were active–running after tidbits of food, poking long beaks deep into the soft sand. I snapped many shots of sandpipers in action, playing with the light and shadows.

I love the way this sandpiper seems to be walking between the clouds as they reflect on the shoreline, an echo of the sky overhead.

And then as I thought about what other image to pair with the one above I was drawn to this image that I took of a hang glider in the setting sun.

Taken within minutes of each other, each photo tells its own story. Together, what do they say to you? I’d love to know what you hear in the dialogue between the photos.

Zigzagging Through Yellowstone

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A trip to Montana for some work inspired a side trip to Yellowstone National Park–a place neither my husband nor I have ever visited. And after a long day of hiking and exploring and photographing…zigzagging through Montana and Wyoming, on boardwalks, winding roads, and dirt trails, it’s nice to take a little time to reflect (and to put my feet up!).

What trip to Yellowstone would be complete without a trip to Old Faithful? This world renown geyser is iconic. It erupts pretty reliably about every 90 minutes…and draws a large crowd that gathers, jockeying for front row seats. I’ve been interested in taking photos of people lately…and this crowd gave me ample opportunity!

And somehow, we managed to arrive at Old Faithful moments before it erupted. I was able to walk right up and move into a great place for experiencing the eruption. It starts slow, burping steam and spewing water, gathering momentum and height as each burp shoots water and steam higher and higher into the air. At its height, I could feel the warm drops on my body, like a gentle sprinkle.

One of my favorite times of the day was the quiet time we found out on a trail away from most of the thermal action. We hiked through a forest, over a river, up and down trails, enjoying the quiet magic and natural beauty. We heard the loud clicks of insects and watched a chipmunk nibble the leaves of a plant growing up near a fallen tree. I loved watching these butterflies light on the plant in front of me.

As we continued back toward the trail head, we caught a glimpse of Old Faithful…from the back, through trees, far from the crowds gathered.

Later in the day we continued our explorations as we headed back in the direction of our hotel. We almost missed this amazing display of color…thinking we had already seen geysers. And this unedited photo only captures a fraction of what you see in person!

As we headed further down the road to catch a glimpse of some paint pots, the light was beginning to change as clouds gathered and the sun dipped behind them. I love the way the light and shadow plays with these bare trees with the clouds as a dramatic backdrop.

The sky continued to darken as we came around the corner to find this geyser spewing. It seemed to be in continuous action, with water and steam shooting high into the air.

It probably won’t surprise you to learn that we soon found ourselves in a huge downpour. Luckily, we had made it to the car before the sky unleashed. And after a pretty good soaking, the skies began to clear and sun emerged again. As we got closer to the North entrance of the park, the sky was bright and the clouds once again white and puffy.

And the sun was in a great position to take a perfect picture of the historic arch, marking Yellowstone as our first National Park. What a beautiful place! I can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds as we set off on another zigzagging Yellowstone adventure!

**A side note…I decided on zigzagging for this photo essay because of the zigzagging boardwalks and walkways in the park. Here’s one example:

Summer Lovin’: Hiking

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Sweat, dust, steep trails, panoramic vistas, photo ops, heart pounding, more sweat, more dust…

Hiking has become my new favorite activity this summer, summer lovin’ for the Daily Post weekly photo challenge. And in spite of feeling like I am going to die at some points, I’m enjoying the exertion, exploring the county with my hubby, and the amazing opportunities for photography.

Today was a tough one. We headed off bright and early to avoid the heat…but not early enough. An 8am start meant we ended our nearly 8 mile hike at noon, and it was hot! The early morning light was beautiful as we headed out and we noticed a group of children fishing from the pier.

The trail definitely got more trying as we climbed and climbed. We could see views of hikes we had done in previous weeks–and could also see that this one was longer and more strenuous. At one point, I thought I might have to stop and turn back. But a rest at this tree almost two miles from the summit convinced me that I could muster the strength to go on.

Maybe it was the shade, maybe it was the views…whatever it was, I continued to climb. Dust clung to my sweat covered arms and legs, my hat provided some much needed shade, and regular stops for sips of water kept me going. The trail was rocky, switchbacks zigzagging toward the summit. We went through this boulder path as we neared the top.

I was surprised as we crested the summit to find a line of people waiting for a photo opportunity on “the chip,” an interesting rock formation near the top of Mt Woodson. When the person got their “turn,” they would head out toward the end of the chip and pose while a hiking companion took their picture. We didn’t wait in line, but I did get a few shots of the comedy of watching others.

But the chip isn’t quite the top of the mountain. We continued up a fairly steep asphalt path to the pinnacle where all the communication towers jutted high above the peak.

There were also beautiful pine trees and amazing views of the valleys below. And it was the perfect place to stop and rest a bit before heading back. Here is picture of my husband with the breathtaking views behind him.

I thought it would easier heading down…and I was right for a good portion of the trip. The rest at the top was energizing, and there were cool breezes up at the heights. But it got a lot hotter and a lot harder as the lake came into view.

At nearly 7 miles into the hike, our reserves of energy had run low and the noon-time heat was brutal. The one more uphill near the end of the hike was excruciating!

And in spite of the challenges, I’m loving hiking this summer. I love the time my husband and I spend out in the countryside exploring and testing our physical limits (he’s a much more experienced hiker than I am!). I love testing the limits of my body…even when I am hating it! There is a wonderful camaraderie on the trail…and unexpected diversity of age, ethnicity, language, physical ability…with people cheering each other on. And there are amazing numbers of people out hiking on weekends, at times these trails resemble our local freeways (without the road rage!). I love the hours on the trail looking for interesting photos, noticing the wildlife (we watched a bird of prey float on the wind currents at the summit today…it seemed almost within arm’s reach) and the resilience of the drought resistant plant life. We observed areas previously ravaged by fire returning to their natural beauty and places where nature is reclaiming what men tried to tame. My next hike will be in Montana…I can’t wait!

What are you lovin’ this summer?

Contained by Containers?

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I’m thinking about containers…at least in part because of the weekly photo challenge over at the Daily Post. But I don’t want to limit myself to boxes and jars, those typical containers that we find around our homes and in our workplaces. Instead I want to think about other uses for containers. What capacities do they have?

Maybe like this skyride traveling high over the San Diego Zoo, containers can propel. In this shot, my mom–with a tremendous fear of heights–decided to board the ride to quickly descend from one side of the zoo to the other. She didn’t end up seeing any sights, her eyes were tightly closed throughout the whole scenic ride, but she did get to her destination!

And then there is my coffee cup from a trip to Starbucks the other day. I took this photo because this is the first time anyone has ever managed to spell my first name wrong! (Kim is not easily misspelled!) But then again…it is also a reminder that there is always a first time to be surprised, to be misread, to be redefined. And in defense of the barista, he has a family member who spells her name with the “y.”

In this photo, my container is the rear view mirror. Stopped at a stop sign, in a line of traffic, I couldn’t help noticing the beauty of the ocean reflected in the mirror. Instead of containing the reflection, it magnified and refracted the blues of the sky and the sea reaching into my heart and mind allowing me to relax in spite of the traffic, taking me away from the hustle and bustle of commuting into the wonder and majesty of the natural beauty around me.

And so I find myself reminded about a conversation going on at the CLMOOC today about the containments/limitations/shallowness about many of the containers we use on the web. How likes and plusses and hearts and favorites push us like a tide, more flow than ebb if we aren’t paying attention. Stopping to consider our containers and the forces that move (or don’t move) them can change the quality of our experiences. Maybe it is in our attention and in our interactions that we can reconsider and reinvent the containers.

What do you think?

A Learning Walk: Relics

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Inspired by an upcoming trip to Montana and an opportunity to explore Yellowstone National Park, I have taken up hiking. It’s a pastime my husband has enjoyed–without me– for quite some time. And yet, inspired by play and my photography, we make an effort to include some kind of adventure–with an opportunity to explore through my lens–on our days off from work. So for the past three weeks we have hiked, exploring the local backcountry with our feet.

What I like best about hiking is being outdoors, enjoying the sun, the natural terrain, noticing the native flora and fauna, and finding views and interesting photo subjects that aren’t available without hiking in at some distance. It gets hot in the backcountry around here, so we headed out pretty early this morning to hike before the mid-day heat. After climbing some distance, I looked out to see this view of the mountains in the distance veiled by the clouds that were just beginning to yield to the sun.

And there are relics of days gone by in these wide open spaces. Evidence of the native peoples who lived here before the white settlers, knowing that the native plants served as a food source and pharmacy…that this arid place sustained life long before our modern conveniences.

Tucked up in the hills of the Daley Ranch, on an offshoot of the Sage Trail, we found this rusted old water tower.

After a much longer hike than we had anticipated (at about our 7 mile mark), we came across the old ranch buildings from the days when this land was a working ranch. It’s interesting to me to think about how much smaller buildings tended to be in days gone by. Compared to some of the surrounding homes, these buildings are barely the size of a single room of modern buildings.

But it was this relic that made me take a second look. More than a mile from the trail head, near these old buildings, sat a more modern relic, something that is seldom used these days…a pay phone!

We ended up hiking more than 8 miles today! Much longer than we planned, but also entirely enjoyable. The weather was warm, but not hot. The trails were varied and interesting, but not incredibly steep. It was a perfect learning walk and photographic adventure…with some exercise and fresh air thrown in as well. And who can resist a shadow selfie…this one is a hiking shadow selfie!

I wonder what relics future generations will find as they hike and look at evidence left from our lives. How will our remains help them understand a life they haven’t experienced? What will amuse and confuse them?