An Ode to Birthdays

This is the cake, and these are the candles.
This is the child, and this is her joy.

Her happiness was all I hoped for.

This is a photo of her last year,
And this is how she grew.

This is a chair with a table,
This is the cake on the table.

This is a year gone by
And a whole new year ahead.

This is our party.
This is my friend's backyard.
This is my sister lying on the grass,
With her hair in a braid.

Her lips turned bright pink,
Her hair all done in curls,
Her dress made of lavender silk.

She blew out the candles,
her eyes squinting,
her fingers crossed.
Don't you see? She has cake in her mouth.

The Ending Of Life ...

     I walk in the door to see my cousin crying. In a small voice, she says, "He is in there." I hurriedly push off my white and black snow boots onto a coat hanger.
     I run down the narrow hall to my Pap's room. When I walk in, everyone is in tears, including my dad. In all the expressions my dad has made, he never made this one. It was, to me, a mixture of feelings. He was mad, worried, sad, and afraid. In this situation, it was the right expression to make.
     I move closer to the queen-sized bed and look over. There, lying on the tan sheets, unable to move, speak, or even blink, was my dear, old Pap-Pap.
     I remember sitting next to my Sitar and giving her a big hug. She looks at me with, eyes red, dreary, and full of tears. Her heart full of pain and sadness. I refuse to leave her side. I sit next to my Pap-Pap, all warm and frozen in one position.
     I listen to his slow breaths, in and out, in and out. His lips moving up and down, up and down, but unable to speak, only breathe. I held his hand in my palm and keep saying, "Come on, you can do it. You can fight it. You'll be all right, just keep breathing."
     His eyes were bold. They looked as if they were sparrow eyes trying to find its family, but still lost in the maze. My cousin and sister finally say their final words with my Pap. I scoot up to my Pap with his Valentine's Day Card from me in my hand. I read it aloud for everyone to hear it. I could tell he loved it by his eyes, sparkling in the dark.
     Then all of a sudden, his mouth stopped moving, his eyes were closed, and his mouth was gaped open like a child screaming for a toy.

     And that was the last time I ever saw my Pap-Pap again. It was THE ENDING OF LIFE ...


- CASSANDRA SKWERES
        "Grandchild"

a song for papap

I love you
I don't know who
Could soothE
The heart of me as great
Now
We can touch the ground
And cherish our time together
Forever and Ever
Our love
Is stronger then roses out of a brand new patch
I remember.....
Pumpkins in a patch
A snow castle made of snow
Trees patched together with flowers I don't know
And last but not least
A summer full of love <3
We will cherish our time together
Forever and Ever
Trough sad and happiness with all 10 years
Wonderful time together
I remember.....
Pumpkins in a patch
A snow castle made of snow
Trees patched together with flowers I don't know
And last but not least
A summer full of love <3
We will cherish our time together
Forever and Ever
FOREVER AND EVER!

Time on Task by Roz Goodman

Although we teachers face many challenges in the classroom, time on task has many challenges within itself.  Every single day, I look for ways to better classroom time spent engaging students in learning. 

One thing is for certain, student and teacher preparation play a huge role.  At the beginning of the year, I did give out pencils to students.  I never did the trade thing because it took too much time.  I found however that some students would wait until 10 minutes into the period and stop the flow of learning by asking for a pencil.  Now, I do not give pencils.  I give points for showing up to class prepared.  They must take responsiblity and ask a fellow classmate for a pencil.  It seems trivial but saves 5-7 minutes a period.

I have found for my preparation, it depends on the class.  I sometimes place the warm-ups and other materials needed for the lesson on the table for them to pick up on their way to their seats.  I do find that most of the students know that whatever is on the table, they need. (protractor, ruler, worksheets, colored pencils and so on)  I will normally stand at the door with the warm-up and give directions for the other materials.  This avoids some students getting up and stalling instructional time to get materials. 

I use a timer daily.  The students know how much time becuase I use a timer up on the smartboard.

The Beach - Cassandra Skweres

i swim in the open air,
the wet substence refreshes my skin.
i see my parents yelling at my sister,
the anger firing in their souls...

the frozen light blinds my sight of everyone,
yet i see a human flying past me.
i yell to know his name,
but he does not answer...

the sky shines above me,
giving me sight of every creature on the island.
there is only one problem though,
everyone is gone...

the island is calling...
it's calling for you...

the heat makes me pass-out,
taking me into a slumber.
i am frozen,
time is frozen,
everyone is frozen.
make me awake, i say,
make me awake...

the island is calling...
it's calling for you...

 i dream of a girl,
a girl who screams all day and night.
i feel she is calling for someone,
but doesn't know who...

she yells in a lullaby,
singing as an angel, but yelling as a boy.
i want to tell her she is safe,
but she knows she is not...

the island is calling...
it's calling for you...

i wake up with my parents at my side,
making me feel very safe.
the adults help me to the automobile,
and i wish i finished that dream...

the island is calling...
it's calling for you...



the end... well, just for now.......................................................