Babylon Reader
  • Babylon Reader Blog

You do know that bees die

4/5/2011

 
The minute I read the title out loud, I realized my mistake. I had chosen a book about a grizzly bear who is stung by a bee. What was I thinking? I waited for the onslaught.

My group is an all-boy group. Despite the fact they are in elementary school, I call them my old men. Our conversations and our connections are easily derailed by medical complaints: sore legs, head aches, old bruises that still “kill”, microscopic cuts that sting “so bad” nothing can get done. One complaint is enough to wipe everyone out. On cue and en masse, they start pulling up their pant legs and sleeves and examine anything that can be considered a mark worthy of a story.

All hands shot up to relay their war stories about bees. One student jumped up and down as he relayed his very detailed encounter at camp with two bees. “And you do know, Ms. G that bees die after they sting you. They just die. I saw them fall to the ground”.  He nodded his head vigorously at me. 

I considered myself lucky. I was able to contain the conversations and get back to the book and reading. A few minutes later, I heard the same student call my name. “Ms. G. I was never stung by a bee. I made it up.” 

I knew the book selection was a bad idea.

O Me! O Life! (Poetry Friday)

4/1/2011

 
Poetry Friday

O Me! O Life!
By Walt Whitman
O Me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring;
Of the endless trains of the faithless—of cities fill’d with the foolish;
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who  more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light—of the objects mean—of the struggle ever renew’d;
 Of the poor results of all—of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me;
Of the empty and useless years of the rest—with the rest me intertwined; 
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?

Answer. That you are here—that life exists, and identity; That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.

New Learning

4/1/2011

 
New Learning 
Taking risks pushes you to be better.
Your harshest critic is yourself.
Reading other slices is invaluable for both ideas and craft.
Writing comments can be intimidating.
Receiving comments is validating.
Having a purpose to write propels you forward.
Feeling part of a community carries you.
It was wonderful to meet such a great community.
Realizing you do not have to produce a masterpiece every time.  
Even when you know you have nothing, write down something.
You become better at judging your own writing.
Writing can be very challenging.
Writing can become an obsession.
You actually do learn things about yourself when you write.
It will be strange not posting on a daily basis.
Age hasn’t made me write any faster. Still turtle slow.

Thank you to TwoWriting Teachers.  Thank you to all the Slicers for sharing their writing and comments.

    About

    An Elementary Literacy Specialist, Reader, Quiet Follower of Teacher/ Education Blogs.

    Picture

    2018 Reading Challenge

    2018 Reading Challenge
    Nora has read 90 books toward her goal of 156 books.
    hide
    90 of 156 (57%)
    view books

    2017 Reading Challenge

    2017 Reading Challenge
    Nora has read 75 books toward her goal of 150 books.
    hide
    75 of 150 (50%)
    view books

    2016 Reading Challenge

    2016 Reading Challenge
    Nora has read 20 books toward her goal of 150 books.
    hide
    20 of 150 (13%)
    view books

    2014 Reading Challenge

    2014 Reading Challenge
    Nora has read 4 books toward her goal of 175 books.
    hide
    4 of 175 (2%)
    view books
    Picture
    Member of the Nerdy Book Club

    Nora’s quotes


    Goodreads Quotes

    Archives

    July 2017
    June 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    July 2014
    April 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    November 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.