The Year of the Pandemic March 2020

Posted on May 29, 2020 by pdonnelly

August 2019

October 2019

November 2019

12-20-19

January 2020

February 2020

3-16-2020

Last day on the middle school campus

Every year I walk to our classroom and this is one of the things I notice. It reminds me of what we go through each school year. We arrive full of summer experiences with a little green. We gain color and wisdom with each day feeling fuller and more vibrant. As we learn and grow, we shed what we don’t need providing more room for new experiences and perspectives. At times we feel cold, drenched, and even vulnerable yet new life appears. We didn’t get to see how our adopted trees changed since March but they did change and that is a given. With that change begins a new cycle come August. We do not know what our days will look or feel like yet but honestly nobody does, ever.

Each day we wake up and ‘get to’ not ‘have to’ throughout our day. While at school we took some things for granted. While at home, we reminisce about what we long for when we were at school. As we return to campus, hopefully, next school year, those same thoughts will pop up. What we need to understand is that we can like one thing and dislike another thing at the same time. It does not have to be all one way or another. To further feel grounded and in a place where we own our own learning, we need to understand what works best for us, how we can leverage our strengths, and how we can strive for improving upon things that are more challenging for us. All the while, we do this in a community, our DA family. We are a part of a larger entity striving for excellence and including everyone who wants to show up on that journey. Yes, we have to show up. We have to decide what we are willing to give, do, and act upon. Each day since March 16th has felt like a mix of a fantasy world with harsh reality. I want to share some moments with you.

We had no idea when we left for spring break we would be learning at a distance

As we approached the end of spring break, we got the news on March 15th that school will be different.

On Monday, March 16th, I was on the middle school campus for the last time. Teachers met, sitting 6 feet apart, to learn how we would continue learning together.

3-16-20

We were introduced to Microsoft Teams and set up our classes. On Tuesday, March 17th, there were virtual meetings firming up details. I was helping Señor Glass and Madame Moore with a new program at the Bruegger’s near our campus when we got word that the dining area would be closing to the public until further notice. This was getting real.

3-17-20

For a while, I held out hope we would be back together again. At the same time, I looked forward to hearing your voices and seeing your faces when we met online for advisory, classes, and scheduled meetings.

There were many times when I say, “How fascinating!” as I ask you to do when things are not going as planned. Seven days a week, I have checked my laptop before 7am, throughout the day, and again around 9pm to check assignments, give feedback, plan for the upcoming week, and answer questions. Nothing replaces being together, face to face, responding spontaneously but we are fortunate to be together as a learning community during a time when many cannot.

March 2020

One of my favorite authors, Brené Brown, says “Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It’s about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.” We had choices every single day during this stay at home, remote learning, pandemic. We chose to show up. All of you know my favorite wisdom tale we read this year has the moral, your own eyes are watching. Ultimately, nobody can make us do something. It has to come from our heart. We learned how compound effect, our daily actions, not only create habits but give back exponential goodness. We experienced this with the plank challenge which was followed up by choosing something to do every single day from drinking water, to push ups, or writing in the planner.

On our classroom door

Plank Challenge November 2019

Think about how many books and pages we read on our own this 6th grade year. We discovered new authors, genres, and new worlds. Our writing improved because we read through a writer’s eyes. Visiting authors shared their wisdom and visiting author, Frances Dowell, wrote stories with you! Artist Peg Gignoux helped us create our own handmade hero books which we will share when we are together again.

Frances Dowell

Handmade Hero Books with artist Peg Gignoux

Think about our I Am statements and our one word this year. We posted our index card with our I Am statements at home and were going to say them to ourselves every morning and every night. How we talk to ourselves as well as others, is powerful.

My one word was Thriving but I am adding self-discipline. In order to achieve my goals, I have to take daily action. I have to choose to take that action and I do it because my own eyes are watching. Ultimately it is up to me to get where I want to go even if I’m not totally sure where I’ll end up. I always learn from others, ask for information, and have an accountability partner to share ideas with. I own my decisions as they guide me going forward. I hope you keep your Life List and refer to it now and then. Add to it, check things off, and remember that anything is possible. It begins with curiosity.

One Word

Camp Cheerio is a rare moment for many reasons but most of all, we get to see what we are capable of while making new friends. After our visit to the Forestry Center, I wonder how our adopted tree on campus is doing now without all of us around? Nasher Museum, Stagville, and the Sound Wall project all bring smiles.

Camp Cheerio August 2019

Nasher Museum, Durham

Forestry Center

Getting materials from the Scrap Exchange to make sound walls for local preschools

Keep reflecting, creating, and sharing on the blog. I was struck by what Cana wrote at the end of her 6th grade year review. She shared, “As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, I learned that I don’t like watching problems pass by, but like solving them instead. I am coming up with new ideas to try to help in any way that I can, and consider being an informed citizen very important. I also learned the importance of things I took for granted, like hand sanitizer, the healthcare system, and the true value of friendship, which I used to think was not very important. I have learned many lessons this year, from good and bad experiences alike, had a lot of fun, learned a lot, and made new memories.”

Everyone experienced some kind of loss and some kind of gratitude. This year our oldest daughter got married and a month later, I lost my father.

Jordan, Nicole, and Brynn

October 5, 2019

My dad taught me how to tell stories through my lens, my window and my mirror

Jordan is working in the MICU in Charlotte, NC where all of her patients are Covid positive. She makes sure every patient and their family feels heard and cared for.

Jordan

Brynn’s four year experience as an exercise science major at UNCW included two hurricanes and having to leave campus before her senior year ended due to the stay at home order. She’s loved playing soccer her entire life and even gave basketball a try with Coach Harris when he taught at Phillip’s Middle School. She is excited about beginning PT school at Elon in January.

We have to go about our daily lives differently now with physical distancing and smaller gatherings.

Mrs. D and Madame Moore at Harris Teeter

No toilet paper in sight

We may have to show we are healthy in new ways before coming on campus each day. My husband has to do this for work each day too.

Nick Donnelly

There are many times when we wanted to escape our reality as Maggie is jumping and barking to get outside. Think of all of the things you discovered, created, did more of, or let go of because of this experience.

We now have a vegetable garden

And have had time during the light of the day to get outside and move.

A friend shared this and I think it rings true now and for always.

We are about 6 feet apart here having fun. We can do this!

May 28, 2020

Stay safe, call a friend, write a letter, read a book, be curious and kind…

It’s been fascinating!

Planksgiving

Posted on January 23, 2019 by pdonnelly

Click below to see the 6-minute success!

6 minutes Plank dec 2018 IMG_0280-1o3jmg0

November 5, 2018, our 6th grade Language Arts class began the plank challenge. We thought it was a good idea to begin planking for one minute and then add fifteen seconds on each school day. In retrospect, we probably should have started at 30 seconds and added 10 seconds each day as the path we chose got exponentially difficulty before we realized the consequences of our ambition decision.

During the first week, everyone gave it a go and we did not think about any rules or guidelines. After we surpassed two minutes, we realized we need to have options and we needed to define what a plank actually is or is not. There are many variations to choose from as seen here 20 ways to plank. The basic forearm plank was the most valued and highly respected. Straight-arm plank was next. That is what I usually moved to after around two minutes. Personally, I have an injury so I did that mostly to protect myself but also because forearm plank is extremely difficult.

After the first week or so, I asked the two classes to guess how long they think I could last. Times were recorded on Post-it notes and displayed as a constant reminder that I had a long way to go. The morning class bet five minutes, forty-five seconds and the afternoon class bet five minutes 30 seconds. Honestly, I had no idea how long I could last. I think three minutes was the longest I have counted in my Orange Theory class, unofficially that is.

The first weekend was a welcome respite. What I knew in my head but did not realize is how important daily, consistent action really is to maintain strength. Monday the 12th with a 2-minute plank was a rude awakening. It felt like I was starting all over again. At this point, most of the class was still going for it and others took the option to read, do a wall sit, or some variation of something as long as they did it each day with us.

The third week was Thanksgiving. We had two days of planking and then we were on our own to keep going independently or not. Once again, I left for the holiday thinking I would at least attempt to plank a minute each day but realistically I planked twice on five days off.

We talked about how this was more about mental strength than anything. After the first minute, sometimes the first thirty seconds, my mind was telling me to quit. I wanted to be done. Why was I even doing this? What got me through was the collective goal, the challenge, and the belief that I could do anything I put my mind to. Questions arose, such as, “How long is it humanly possible to plank?” Looking at the world record, we were not quite so ambitious after all Guinness World Record Plank.

Week four was just painful. It felt like I was so close but yet so far away. Muscles, straining, temperature rising, all I wanted was to be done, to fall to the ground, to have it over with. Monday the 3rd of December, was the beginning of the end. Determined to crush my goal of 6 minutes, I knew I could get there with the collective energy of our class. Each day, the additional 15 seconds felt like minutes, perhaps hours. I tried everything I could to distract myself from breathing in slowly, counting by 10s, to counting specks for light blue on the carpet.

It took 5 weeks, until December 7th, to reach 6 minutes. I was proud of myself and also relieved that it was over. Could I do more? Perhaps. I did have underlying guilt of what felt like giving up. Some students went on to do 15 minutes and in the afternoon class, several got 30 minutes plus! Almost everyone was eager to take on another physical challenge after winter break. Action, compounded daily, brings exponential goodness.

What will you challenge yourself to do daily? Let us know!

What Are You Reading and Why?

Posted on April 3, 2018 by pdonnelly

I shared with you in class today that I am reading all of these books at once right now. As one of you exclaimed, “Why don’t you just read one and finish it?”

I began with The Hate U Give about two months ago. It’s an intense story. Things got busy in our room with Hero books and other projects, so my own reading time with you diminished. I finished The Mermaid Chair at home and am now reading Small Great Things. I enjoy Jodi Picoult’s books. A few years ago, I got to hear her speak in Raleigh and learned how meticulous she is about researching her topics. I often read before I fall asleep which happens between three and five pages thus resulting in slow progress.

So many of you were excited about Refugee, I had to grab a copy from our library. I read the first chapter and then set it aside. Now it’s been a couple of weeks and I need to start over. Plus, I’m feeling a little pressure as I know others want to check the book out too. A kind soul gave me a gift card so I went to the store to buy a journal and look at books. I walked away with several including Shoe Dog and The Motivation Manifesto. Shoe Dog is fascinating and since it’s the young readers edition, I’ll finish it soon even though I’m a slow reader. The Motivation Manifesto is one I can pick up and read sections at a time without having to remember what came before. I also use that one to journal.

As I shared from the first week of school, I’ve yet to read Little Women. When I was in 4th grade, my mom offered to pay me $5 to read it knowing I never sat still long enough to read a chapter, much less a book. I am almost 50 years old, and despite trying to read it a few times since 4th grade, I can never finish. This will be my year. A friend bet I wouldn’t do it and I am competitive, so I think this will become a reality after all. Not sure if my mom will honor her $5 reward or not.

In our 6th-grade language arts class, some of you have read between 1,000 and 20,000 pages already this year! Please comment below the book you are currently reading along with the author. Please tell us why you chose the book and why you are enjoying the journey. No spoilers, please! Of course, if you’d like to add a few more titles to your list, please do!

Creativity

Posted on March 23, 2018 by pdonnelly

It’s so much more than 6th grade. It’s so much more than Language Arts. One can consume all the knowledge in the universe but what good is that if one cannot create? Read more about what we value at Durham Academy Middle School ~

https://www.thedagraduate.org/blog/2018/3/20/creativity-by-patti-donnelly

What I Notice

Posted on September 20, 2015 by pdonnelly

Camp Cheerio Last Day

I’m not sure the first day it started but hearts appear in many forms in my path. Mom and I were going through trunks of family photos this weekend and we found several handmade items from my youth. All of them had hearts drawn on them. I don’t go looking for hearts. That’s the best part. The serendipitous moment when my eyes come across what looks like a heart makes me pause, even for a millisecond, smile, and know in my heart that I am on the right path. I particularly like seeing hearts when I am out running. If nothing else, it’s a bit of a distraction from my the many miles of pounding pavement.

My rule is I cannot change anything. I take a picture of what I see as it is in that moment.

The heart at the top was revealed as we were loading the bus on our last day of Camp Cheerio with sixth graders. I found out about a close relative’s passing while on this school trip. Was it Rock’s message to me? Was it Cheerio saying that we’d had an incredible trip this year? Was it random? It does not matter. It made me smile. Another cool ripple effect is that friends and family from around the world share hearts with me. A simple gesture that says so much about how we are all connected. Yes, connected with technology, but more importantly, by a human connection. We recognize and validate what other people value, what other people are passionate about, and by kind gestures that warm other people’s hearts.

So as you go about your day, what do you notice? What makes you curious? What gives you pause?

Do you see it in the distance?

Are you curious?

Will you see beyond what you think you see?

To find the heart of the matter?

Like a four leaf clover, sometimes you find two!

Our Heroes

Posted on March 28, 2015 by pdonnelly

Photos by Patti Donnelly

Each year we begin a journey of connection, reflection, and heartfelt moments. What I love most about teaching Language Arts to 6th graders is learning with them. A close second is how we can experience reading, writing, speaking, technology, and creativity every single day. Our Hero project is all of that and more.

We return from winter break and begin thinking about a hero. It has to be someone we know and value in our life. As we are brainstorming heroic traits and interview questions, the handmade book making process begins with local artist, Peg Gignoux. The first session is a collaborative effort to paint and pattern as much paper as possible.

Folding a big, white piece of paper is harder than it seems. There are several steps involving some technical spatial skills.

Piece by piece, we trust that the from layering random colors, a work of art will emerge. There is no prototype to copy or pencils to sketch. There are scissors, glue, and our memory of a meaningful moment with our hero.

Now we have to decide how to cut the portal to our heroic scene.

Peg giving her sage advice

The last step is attaching the front and back cover and gluing in the story.

Once the books were dry and pressed, Peg displayed them at FRANK Gallery in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. As if the experience wasn’t exciting enough at this point, last Wednesday we came together as a community to share our stories at the gallery. Many heroes walked in not knowing they were the one being honored. Emotions were high and smiles broad.

Sister honoring brother

Daughter honoring mother

Son honoring dad

Friends sharing a forever moment

Moments of pure joy!

Thank you Peg! You are our hero!

Miniature Painting from Jaipur, India to Durham, NC

Posted on February 21, 2015 by pdonnelly

Materials used during our visit and hati (elephant) painted by Elizabeth on our tour

While in Jaipur, we had the opportunity to see the ancient art of miniature painting in action. The brushes have chipmunk hair and are sometimes dipped in paint infused with gold. The artists can only work for limited hours a day as the experience is delicate, tedious, and intense. To learn more about this intriguing art form click here: Rajasthani miniature paintings (not the artist we visited). I brought home a miniature painting of Ganesh, god of wisdom and learning and the remover of obstacles.

I shared the hati (elephant), drawn by the artists we visited in Jaipur, with my 6th graders in Durham, North Carolina. Although my students did not use gold for paint, their final creations were spectacular. I believe the artists in Jaipur would be honored to work beside these 6th grade artists!

Come to room 212 to see the rest!

If Spines Could Speak…

Posted on February 5, 2015 by pdonnelly

Wonder

The long grass whispers

A blue so dark

A world of nonsense

A tangle of knots

Speak

Now grab some books off of your shelf, stack them up, and see what poem emerges for you! Please share yours with us.

Animals of India

Posted on December 28, 2014 by pdonnelly

Animals are always fun to see. In India there are animals all around you as you are walking the streets or riding down the road. Some are animals you expect to see and some are unexpected. Snake charmers can be found everywhere. This one was at the Pushkar Camel Fair.

And this is what it sounds like:

Snake charmer Pushkar Camel Fair October 2014 from Patti Donnelly on Vimeo.

Cows are sacred and wander the streets freely. Early in the morning, cows walk around the village getting the first bread of the day from each family. They are harmless, but watch out for the horns when you pass them in a crowded street!

There are many species of birds to enjoy.

Monkeys are probably my favorite. They have such personality. My mom had two monkeys as pets.

I love the cows and the monkeys always make me smile, but monkeys and cows together are the best! Sometimes they share and sometimes they do NOT!

Drinking together

The cow would like some naan. The monkey is not interested in sharing.

Camels, camels everywhere at the Pushkar Camel Fair.

Of course there were horses too.

The camel symbolizes love. I love my family for sharing the world with me. There is still so much to discover and learn from other people and other places.

Don’t Stop December

Posted on December 20, 2014 by pdonnelly

December, the time for final tests, holiday assemblies, and difficulty concentrating with the anticipation of vacation! I am so proud of all of my students as they worked hard until the very last day of school. Learning happens in many ways as depicted below. I want to give you just a glimpse of some highlights from our last few weeks together in 2014.

Open note tests can be harder than memorizing facts. We used books, iPads, Mindmeister, My Maps (Google), hand written notes, and each other to help prepare for the Wisdom Tales test.

Instead of our monthly Book Talk in the library, Mrs. Longee did Speed Booking with us. We got to preview many more books and then take time to read as we do every day both in and out of the classroom.

On Tuesday, December 9th, we participated in an Hour of Code. We explored www.tynker.com and www.code.org to learn the basics of coding. We have the Hopscotch app on our iPads and some students who are already proficient with coding continued projects in higher level programs.

As we are starting to think about what we want to research for our TED-Ed Club talks later in the year, we learned about Power Pose from Amy Cuddy’s TED talk Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are. We are learning about what we see in other people’s body language as well as what we communicate with our own, but did you know you can change your body’s chemistry just by the way you sit or stand? See Amy’s talk to learn more.

The Egyptian Harvest Festival was a chance to share the pyramids students built and taste Egyptian food. Thank you Ms. Johnson and Ms. Saffo!

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be eleven years old? Our 5th and 6th graders had the opportunity to view the documentary I Am Eleven by Genevieve Bailey. In addition, we got to Skype with Ms. Bailey. It was three o’clock in the morning in Australia for her!

Field Day in December? The 5th and 6th graders came out with warm cheer in chilly weather.

We ended our final week with some games. One is called Human Slide Show. Students in this generation still know what a slide projector is if you can believe it! We acted out scenes from our Wisdom Tales unit. There could be no movement, no props, and no sound. The body language says it all! This took collaboration and creative thinking all planned in 15 minutes.

Another game we enjoy is the card game Blink. In less than five minutes, students are enhancing their active working memory and automaticity. They also learn about their own learning style. This is a fabulous way to take a brain break too. Try it! You will find it hard to stop.

Finally, I must say again that I am so proud of the efforts, the risks, and the enthusiasm these students bring each and every day. In addition to all of this, I posted over 152 new blog posts that were written by these 6th graders about the experiences illustrated in this post. If you want to find out more about the Egyptian Harvest Festival, Hour of Code, what they have read so far this year for independent reading, or real life examples of morals, use my blog post link www.pdroom212.edublogs.org and click on the student blogs listed to the right. I encourage you to view blogs you haven’t read yet and comments are welcome! It’s almost like getting a real letter in the mailbox. Please remember we value the process of writing and the progress, not perfection. Reflection is important for learning too. You will see just that if you look at one of the first blog posts compared to more recent ones. If you haven’t read about my travels to India, now is your chance.

~Namaskar~

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