C4T Project #3

This blog was written by Mrs. Denise Kreps. This blog is named Taking Pictures with Words. She is a middle school English teacher. Mrs. Kreps first post is about the 365 project. This project is where someone will take a picture of something and write a little bit about that picture each day for a year. I really like this project because it makes you stop and take a look around instead of letting everything pass by. I posted on this blog explaining how interested I was in this project, and she replied back to me giving me the link and thanking me for commenting. I also mentioned that I wanted my class, when I start teaching, to join in on this project and Mrs. Krebs said that she was going to have her class do it also.



Taking Pictures with Words
January 15, 2012 by Denise Krebs | 13 Comments

The roads were 100% snow covered in some areas, and I had precious cargo in the van with me–students on the way to a quiz bowl meet. There were dozens of photographs jumping out to be taken, but I had precious cargo and I couldn’t stop–we would have been late and there were several cars in the ditches.
Since June, I have been taking many more photographs. Most of them with my point-and-shoot camera, and I am no expert. However, I have gone from the one who didn’t have a camera, or if I did, the batteries were dead to one who is always prepared and on the lookout for photos.
Last summer I received a tweet from Sheri Edwards inviting me to participate in the June, July, and August Project (#JJAProject) which was started by some fellow teachers. After that was over, a few of us continued with the Teachers’ Foto Friday (#TFotoFri) once a week group. Now, about 20 teachers and I are attempting the #T365Project, a picture a day in 2012.
But back to my snowy road trip. This was the first snowy day of the year and only the second of the whole winter! I was so taken with all the beauty, finding photographs everywhere I looked — from the quick sparks and snowy powder shooting up from the blade of the heavy snow plow in front of me to the gentle, intricate flakes falling and melting onto the warm windscreen of the van.
Today, instead of taking the pictures, I could only talk to myself about them.
Some more photos I missed…
 Powdered sugar snowfall sprinkled evenly on the oxidized railroad bridge.
 Hay bails lined up in formation with uniform helmets of snow.
 Festive and frosted evergreens, missing during Christmas, now found interspersed among the bare deciduous trees.
 Thin ice, now snow-covered, proved to me it was at least thick enough to hold the deer whose tracks ran down the middle of the river.
After a long day, we turned around and retraced our steps, the snow mostly gone after a sunny winter day. However, the images continued to come.
 Reflective tape danced in the sun as the box cars and tankers rumbled by at a train crossing, train art graffiti occasionally broke the rhythm.
 Golden grass, bent in the breeze, absorbed and reflected the late afternoon sunshine.
Without my camera, I discovered that my year-long photography adventure is making me a better observer, a better describer, and a better writer. As a literacy teacher, I couldn’t help but wonder if taking photos would have the same effect on students’ writing. What do you think?
Will a photography challenge help students observe, describe, and write?
When they find themselves unable to get a shot they long for, will they take pictures with words?


Mrs. Denise,
I really like the 365 project. It is so interesting and really does make you stop and take a look around. I know I am so busy that I have to make myself stop and take a look around instead of letting everything fly by. I am not a teacher at the moment but I am in college to be a teacher and I would like to do the 365 project with them. I hope that this project works for your class.
Thanks,
Candace

Candace,
Thanks for coming by and taking the time to comment here. I hope you will join the 365 Project. Just click on the link above and join us! My students have not started a photo challenge yet, so I was glad you left this comment. It reminds me to get going on that! I do know that as they are learning to blog, they are becoming better writers.
Thanks,
Denise




Goal #2 – Magical Moments in Teaching



This is the second blog that Mrs. Kreb's wrote. It is about how there is that magical moment in teaching that makes everything worth it. Mrs. Krebs has a student that won a writing contest and this blog is talking about the student and about the feeling that Mrs. Kreb's felt. I commented on this blog saying that I cannot wait until I have my own class and that I get to feel that magical moment.
Mrs. Kreb's commented back saying that it is a great feeling when a student does something that they feel accomplished about. She asked me when I was graduating and getting my own class. I commented back and told her in 2013 hopefully!


February 1, 2012 by Denise Krebs | 1 Comment

In The 30 Goals Challenge 2012, Goal #2 is Highlight Your Magical Teaching Moment.

It’s hard for me to think of one defining magical moment. Instead, there are magical moments daily, cumulatively making me know that I have the best job in the entire world. I am lucky and blessed to be able to spend my day learning and growing with junior highers. Anyway, here is just one magical moment of the year.

Miss A began a novel during genius hour, and she continued in November during National Novel Writing Month. She has been a writer for a while, but she is now writing more than ever. She regularly blogs about her life and experiences. Last month she wrote a short story for submission to a writing contest in our area. She won first place and went on to state competition.

Here is what she wrote in a blog post about the contest:

In geography Mrs. Krebs came in and said I won first place in a writing competition. Another classmate got second. I am happy that I won…My story was about growing up. It had to be 750 words at the most. It was hard not to go over the limit but I did it. I am excited. I can’t wait until I’m a published Author. The story was about a girl who lost her best friend because of cancer. She tried to kill herself then realized that she could help others instead of being miserable and sulky.
Miss A is developing her skills, finding her voice, and sharing it with the world. That is what it’s all about!


Mrs. Denise,
This is Candace. I really enjoy reading your blogs because they get me excited about becoming a teacher myself. I cannot wait to get that magical moment in teaching. I love when children get excited about learning and when they have that excited feeling when they finally understand. I can tell that you feel the same way! I hope I will be a teacher that children love to be in my class. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Candace

Denise Krebs
February 6, 2012 at 7:29 pm
Candace,
Thank you for reading my blog.
It is very exciting when I can engage students so they want to learn. It sounds like you have had some experiences like that in your pre-service experiences! It is a very special time when you finally get your own classroom too. How soon will that be for you?
Sincerely,
Denise