Teacher, teacher. . .

NBC has been touting"Education Nation" this past week,broadcasting news about the current state of our nation's schools and talking a great deal about the importance of good teachers. Although my school days, and that of my daughter and even my grandson, are long since over, my granddaughter-inlaw, Amy, is a third grade teacher in Jacksonville,FL, so I found myself paying close attention to what they were saying. Over and over again they talked about the difference a good teacher can make.

I know one thing for sure. The kids in Amy's class are lucky kids. Her school apparently realizes it as well because she was recently a finalist in the Teacher Of The Year awards. I am well aware that Amy often reaches into her own pocket to buy colored markers and various items for the science, math and social studies projects she plans for the kids in her class. Apparently, most caring teachers find themself long on ideas and short on funds these days.

I know what the kids are doing because Amy writes a blog called "31 Thrilling Thinkers" (there are 31 students and two teachers in this class)that goes via the internet to the parents of all her kids. I'm grandmothered in. By the end of the term I feel like I know each of the children in the class via the still photos and videos that she films, captions and posts. Imagine how fabulous this must be for the parents. . some of whom are in the service overseas. . to be able to actually see their sons and daughters working on the incredibly creative projects that Amy finds/thinks up, to illustrate a subject they are studying at the time.

If they study American Indians in Social Studies they make sand paintings and create Navaho-style arrowheads. The kids get really involved in the science projects, currently they are growing stuff and carrying out all sorts of complex experiments. I never cease to be amazed at the creativity that these kids show.

Not all the projects are so serious. Recently the kids were told to draw a picture of their two teachers. . just one catch. . they had to use their non-writing hand. The photo on the left is "Mrs. Anker by Emily". The one on the right is just in case you don't know what Amy really looks like. Bet you never had a teacher that pretty when you were in school.

Flash forward. . .think back

I signed up to attend a workshop on "Writing Flash Fiction" at Books & Books in Coral Gables on Saturday afternoon.For my non-Miami blog readers, Books & Books is a throwback to when book stores weren't called Borders and Barnes & Noble, but were warm, welcoming places where the owners knew your name.

There was a mixed bag of about 30 people in the workshop that was run by a successful young author named Michelle Richmond. Most were fairly mature although a young man who looked like a college student sat directly in front of me. In all truth, I had never heard of "Flash Fiction" which is described as an ultra-short story, under 750 words, containing A,B,C,D & E. . Action, Background, Conflict, Development and End. After reading and discussing several examples, Michelle put us to work writing.

First she told us she was going to call out a "thought" and we were to write our own take on that "thought" in the space of 30 to 60 seconds. First thought: "Think of something beautiful. . .then "Think of a sound". . . "Think of the future". . ."Think of a lie". . ."Think of a body part". . . "Think of a color". . . ."Think of the best food you ever ate". . ."Think of a promise you broke". . . "Think of a kitchen from your childhood". . ."Describe snow in 3 words".

What a fascinating exercise! I'm sitting here reading over my scribbles and it's amazing what jumps into your mind when you only have a minute to write and no idea what's coming next.

Another exercise that yielded really strange results started with instructions that "you have one minute to write down the names of everybody you have ever known!" The results were mystifying. . some people found themselves writing the names of grade school teachers. .others came up with childhood friends. . . I ended with a list of relatives that I haven't thought of in 60 or 70 years although I managed to throw in the names of two ex-husbands and my oldest friend Judy, her present husband and her ex. Don't ask me why. What really struck me as odd was that I started with my Mother and Father and didn't get to my daughter Andrea and my grandson Adam and his wife, Amy, until very near the end of the 60 seconds. Basically, in one minute I had journeyed back to my childhood and my 20's. Weird!

We didn't have time to think about it before we had to start writing, but I challenge each of you to grab pen and paper now and start writing names . . just be sure to stop at 60 seconds. I'd love to hear what each of you comes up with. . .bet you'll be as surprised as I was.
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Reaching for the stars .. .

I just returned from spending the morning trying to make myself useful at the Wednesday morning session for vision impaired children, really babies, from 2 to 4 years old, at the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind. I am humbled by the courage of the Mothers that accompany these children, many with profoundly damaging birth defects, and awed by the loving care provided by the professionals who run the program and also visit the children in their homes.

Each session has a theme and today it was Stars. (Last week we did bubbles.) We begin by sitting on the floor in a circle on a colorful rug and sing "Good Morning" to each of the children and the adults and clap hands. I probably have the worst singing voice in the world, but I sing along and introduce my self when my turn comes. Today we also sang Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, and passed around a velvety soft stuffed star that the kids can hold and smell. Touching, smelling and tasting supply stimulation when there is no vision, and are a big part of our morning program. Some of the children have very low vision so bright colors and moving lights provide visual stimulation, and the room is full of toys and items especially selected for their ability to create a response.

While Isabella and Krizia are the truly inspiring professionals who really run the program, I learned today that Yaneth, whom I thought was also a pro because of the wonderful way she has with the children, is actually a senior at the University of Miami and the president of her sorority, Delta Gamma. She has made the Miami Lighthouse her sorority's personal project and the members raise money and volunteer on a regular basis. I'm impressed, guys.

As for me, I am getting to know the children. . .beautiful little Crystal Marie who was never supposed to survive infancy. . .sweet Allisio. .we all applaud and murmer "Good job" when he responds with a tiny hint of a smile and a widening of his eyes to a moving light. . . .active little Dino with his brand new eye glasses, the ones with the neon yellow rims, firmly affixed to his head. . .first time visitor, Alexa, who loved sprinkling colored sugar on bread stars. Isabella explained that they are working to get her ready to enter regular school even though she is legally blind.

The Miami Lighthouse today, under the direction of my friend and neighbor, Virginia Jacko, is the most amazing place. I am fascinated with the technology that abounds in every room of this bright and airy building. . .braille typewriters, computers that speak back to the user, a professionally equipped recording studio and a marvelous crafts workshop. In the summer, they run a kids camp that this year went kayaking for the first time.

If you can use a little inspiration, I recommend Wednesday morning at the Miami Lighthouse. You can join me in singing "Good morning to you". We could use some good voices, not to mention helping hands. # # #

Caption: Yaneth & Kristin help Alexa decorate her stars with colored sugar.