Glamis Says, You've Been Every-Weir, But Home Lately. She Wonders If I Will Stay Put for Once

It didn't take long for Glamis the Wonder-Dog to convince me it's better to let her lounge on the furniture than fight her every other minute in our mornings and evenings together. This morning, however, I was comforted by the fact that Ranger Kristin gave me a Weir-Farm coffee mug to thank me for the year-3 collaboration. It's the perfect size and, like my LWP mug from 2001, one that I cherish. Somehow coffee tastes much better when it's poured into a memory, an artifact, and a special time/place from one's past.

I believe Glamis was also relieved that I came home at a decent hour and took her for a walk. She's been at the Pam-sitters because of my travel to Philly, and had me away at Weir Farm, so when I settled in last night to plan for today, I saw a calm come over her.

I'm transitioning to a day of coursework with my graduate students and spent time reading ol' friends, the Kellys: Kelly Chandler-Olcott and Kelly Gallagher, and of course Graham, MacArthur and Hebert's Best Practices in Writing Instruction (3rd ed). Two of the texts are new for me this year, and as an educator, it is always fun to see/learn/create the ways the individual books talk to each other to create a two-hour graduate course.

So much of Kelly Chandler-Olcott's book adds a deeper, richer dimension to the ways I've been teaching writing for years. First, I was lucky to be with her during year one of her four year study at Robinson High School. Second, as always, Kelly is thorough with her detail and examples from the research, and third, the knowledge complements everything I've been teaching from Gallagher and the Best Practices series. Tonight, I will be able to lead a workshop that ties all of the readings together, including examples from year 1 and then a follow-up with what the teachers and young people who participated in Reading Landscapes: Writing Nature in the 21st Century accomplished during this year's National Write Out and National Day on Writing Activities.

Also beautiful is the fact that this week's Best Practices chapter was on "Writing to Learn" and I photographed a page for Karen Romano Young, who graced us with her expertise at Weir Farm. As the CT Award-Winning Non-Fiction for Young Readers winner, her artistry in doodles, scientific writing, and inquiry make for a brilliant pairing. She loved the passages I sent her, validating why I know her work is so important for educators and students.

It's not supposed to rain today, I'm scheduled for a haircut and walk with Glamis, then it's off to teach (and write - there's always writing).

Happy Hump Day. I can't keep track of the blurring ideas any more. Blink of an eye.