Feelings

The important things about a feeling
is it needs to be expressed.
Holding it in is no good, 
it's bound to hurt your chest.
Feelings can be happy, sad,
or angry too.
Feelings are important
and occur in me and you.
Feeling make us human,
without them we'd be lost.
Some people choose to hold them in,
in hopes they turn to frost.
Feelings need to be dealt with,
not shoved inside or oppressed.
So the important thing about a feeling is
it needs to be expressed.

Recess All Day ( A song for my 5th graders)

Tick tock, tick tock
I sit and stare at the big round clock.
Why does math feel like it will never end?

Tick tock, tick tock
Time isn't moving fast enough
I can't wait to get outside and be with my friends.

I understand the whole point of school
I just with the kid majority would be able to rule
If the kids in this world had their way
We would make our recess last all day.

Recess is the best part of school.
If you disagree you're just not cool
Recess should really last all day
Kids need a change to get outside and play!

Tick tock, tick tock
The afternoon is dragging on forever
I don't even know what we are learning right now.

Tick tock, tick tock
Why did they put it at the end of the day?
If it were up to me I would make it longer somehow.

I understand the whole point of school
I just with the kid majority would be able to rule
If the kids in this world had their way
We would make our recess last all day.

Recess is the best part of school.
If you disagree you're just not cool
Recess should really last all day
Kids need a change to get outside and play!

Dead Pencil

You used to be so grand
Decorated with holiday cheer
Held by a warm hand.
Ideas spilled out of you onto blank paper.
You computed math problems.
You solved science mysteries.
You wrote poetry.
You started out tall and sleek.
Now look at you.
Stubby.
Broken.
A shadow of your former glory.
You will be replaced,
but you will be missed.
You are unique,
One of a kind,
Special to the season,
Until your wrapping was unraveled after one sharpening.
Rest in peace dead pencil.
May you have the after life of holiday cheer
Always.

I HATE Mosquito song

Various Ways to Cook Eggs Mash Up Song

Harry Potter Mash Up Song

Hurricane Irene Song

Raise the bar...song about the writing standards

To the tune of "Raise Your Glass"

Right right standards tonight
We’ve got a lot of work to do
What’s the dealy -o
Read read understand them
Try to find how to apply them
In my classroom now

Can I do it?
Will it work?
Will my kids think i’m a jerk
will they make it
understand
why i’m so serious...

So raise the bar in all our classes
Teach them how to write
so they can always be always be
thinking out loud
Writing little geeks
They will never be never be
lost in their thoughts
In social studies
Teach them how to think
using argument argument
details, context, conclusion
make the connections.

So raise the bar!

Brain Empty

Sometimes, when I'm in a workshop, and it's 3:30, and I've been sitting all day, my brain goes numb. It's empty, so empty. My energy goes away, sugar is not even helping, caffeine just makes me sick at this point... but... I wrote a poem...

Why am I here?

To write
To think
To be with other teachers
who write
and think
To gain focus
To re-energize
To create
To remember
why
I love my job
why
I do what I do
why
I am effective
To connect
with other teachers
other writers
other human beings
during
hot
summer
days
while
drinking iced coffee.

Song of the Moment

M&Ms

Song: A whole new world from Aladdin

I can eat M&Ms.  They come in lots of colors.  Red, Yellow, Orange, Green and sometimes Blue.
I love M&Ms.  I love to eat them when I crave, chocolate during that special time of the month!

I crave them so,
They come in different varieties
I'll eat them anywhere
They can't compare
To something not as crunchy

There used to be tan
Why did they replace it?
With the blue one, which seems to taste like a smurf
What does a smurf taste like?
Why did I even write that?
M&Ms are tiny, and they pack a tasty punch

I crave them so!
They are good when you are solo
They bring you taste relief
From your sad grief
If someone just broke up with you!