Month: June 2020

My Last Day of School was Anticlimactic

Denise Krebs6 Comments

Today was my last day of school, but we were asked not to come to school. There was a small team of admin and teacher who would greet the parent–just one from each family was allowed. Parents could pick up report cards and contents from the lockers and return school items like library books and sports uniforms.

It was hard for me to keep working on the paperwork that I still need to finish. I will have to do it eventually, but today I wasn’t getting it done.

At noon I got a phone call from my vice principal asking me to come to school for something, she didn’t explain what it was. “OK,” I said, “Can I have 30 minutes?”

“Sure, that’s fine,” she said. So I finished the document I was working on and walked to school. I sat in the office for a bit and visited with my sweet friend who is leaving the school next year. Then she was called into the principal’s office. I started figuring out what the “something” was that I was there for.

We missed out on our end-of-the-year party, where we would have had a wonderful meal and celebrated highlights together. We’d say goodbye to staff who are leaving and honor employees who have been there for 10, 20, 30, and more years. But that celebration was not to be.

When it was my turn I saw another friend who was holding a gift for her ten years at the school. I went to the principal’s office and they told me thank you for everything I have done for the school. They said nice things.

It was a sad reminder to me that I didn’t sign my contract for the next school year. My husband’s visa is due to expire in December, so we will retire and move back to California. However, because of Covid-19, who knows what will happen. I’ve told the administration I’ll be here volunteering for the first semester.

My principal said something like, “We know you’ll be here in the fall helping, or maybe filling in for the new teacher if she can’t get her visa, but anyway, we wanted to give you this gift.”  It was a tiny blue handbag. Hmmm.

We took a socially-distanced photo with the three of us–principal, vice principal and me all wearing our masks.

I definitely would have preferred the end-of-the-year party.

I guess this Slice of Life post and the photo we took are a way to document our history from this outrageous era.

Today I felt aimless and unmoored.

Follow the Line

Denise Krebs

Today is Tuesday, Day 119 in Bahrain’s stay-at-home time, day 84 of The Isolation Journals with Suleika Jaouad. The prompt today is by Shantell Martin. She is a visual artist and today we are doing “creative-cross-training.” The prompt is to take out a pen, begin drawing and “follow the line and let it lead the way.” I watched Shantell’s TED Talk while I drew today.

How Am I Recharging in Summer?

Denise Krebs2 Comments

This post is week 2 of 8 in the #8WeeksofSummer Blog Challenge for educators.

Today’s question is great timing, as today is my last day of school. It’s been such a long second semester in the emergency remote learning chapter because of the Coronavirus.

How are you recharging this summer? I do look forward to recharging. Here is a list of my do’s and don’ts for my summer.

Do

  • Read, read, read – I have a stack of Kindle books to finish, including The Tradition, The Racial Healing Handbook, Teaching ESL/EFL Reading and Writing, How to Be Antiracist, A Practical View of Christianity.
  • Fight for justice and equity
  • Be antiracist
  • Write poetry and blog posts
  • Work on my TESOL certification and be ready to teach the created unit in the fall.
  • Cook and continue to experiment with vegan and vegetarian recipes, chock full of spices
  • Continue to eat healthy foods and be mindful of my eating
  • Take walks

Don’t

  • Take a trip
  • Be apathetic

#OpenWrite for June 2020

Denise Krebs

June 20, 2020 – List Poem and Lift a Word prompt

Doctor Solomon
Servant of God and humanity
Older with underlying conditions
Did not stop his work
Urgent care physician
Contracted Covid-19
We prayed

  • for a miracle
  • for healing
  • that you would go home to your wife, to your grandchildren
  • for you to laugh and listen as always
  • for us to hear your wisdom again
  • for you to pray for us again

Again and again
But today you died
Rest in peace, dear Dr. Solomon,
Today you are with Jesus in Paradise.

My sweet teacher-mentor-fellow-poem-writing sisters left some healing comments and gratitude for Dr. Solomon. See them here.

June 21, 2020 – Father’s Day Small Fiction
I wrote this poem with another prompt for The Isolation Journals. See A Gift From My Father.

June 22, 2020 – Memory Poem

Playing House
Think playing house–
but maybe not that kind–
come with me to the
eucalyptus grove
at Grove Avenue Elementary School
a hundred trees planted so close
they barely have elbow room
aromatherapy for us
minty, herbal with a touch
of honey and lemon
no sun rays make it to the floor
so nothing grows
tamped-down, hardened clay
becomes our earthen tile
pencil-like leaves fall and gather
the floors swept with our hands
construction materials
readied for the building
we mound the leafy walls
zig-zagging willy-nilly
throughout the grove
the bell rings for us to go back to class
play as long as possible
before running to avoid being late
immediately start watching the clock
when is our next recess?
finally…run to the grove
choose our favorite spot and build again–
living room, den, bathrooms and
bedrooms, lavish and profuse
this forest is our mansion
gladness gleaned from the grove

June 23, 2020 – Marcher or Leaper?

Leaping Into the Story
The story is with us, with us for a lifetime.
The story is within us, much beyond
Our lifetimes. Story passed on to our heirs. Little or
Much property doesn’t matter, but generation after generation
All become heirs of our beliefs–
Tenets of toxicity,
Positions of poison,
Cesspools of say-sos.
Four hundreds years of unjust stories.
Let justice roll down like water.
Righteousness like an endless stream.
The story of humanity makes
Us alive to Truth. Will we listen to the Truth?
Will we make amends? Hear the story.
Tell the story. Tell
The Truth.
Tell the stories for the just world we yearn for.
March for Truth. Truth that will set
Us free. Then maybe we can
Leap into a changed storyline.

June 24, 2020 – Writing with Melanie Crowder

Rose of Saffron
Out in the open
In the full sun
Lies the costliest of all
Spices

For thousands of years
It is true
The Crocus Satimus corm
Initiates the process
First lying dormant
Through the heat of summer
Does its wizardry underground

Then the autumn crocus
Burgeons and blossoms
Six purple petals
Cradle the crimson stigmas
And yellow styles

Gentle hands
Carefully pluck out the
Three red threads,
Dry and store safely–
150 flowers are needed to make
One gram of spice
(400 flowers to match the mass of a penny)
Use saffron for
Fancy fragrances
healing and health
Creating golden ambrosial delights
Beauty of the beloved

On Being Listened To

Denise Krebs

Today I stopped by my husband’s office before coming home. I had read today’s prompt, and I was determined to make today the most recent time I felt really listened to.

So, I listened to my husband, which is something I am not always the best at. I asked him questions like Esther Perel’s question at a dinner party with Suleika and others who didn’t yet know each other: What would you list on your unofficial resumé?  He said, “I’ll be retiring soon, I don’t need a resumé.”

“OK, wise guy. What about an unofficial resume? Like you love tinkering with technology.” That got him going and saying funny and romantic things.

We talked about mud because of today’s poetry prompt from Margaret Simon. We both shared stories about playing in the dirt and mud when we were kids and when our own daughters played in the mud in our Arizona yard.

We talked a lot at home this evening too–about Dr. Solomon’s death on Saturday, and I asked him to share words that describe his emotions about this very special person’s death. Then he asked me to share my own words.

I learned something from Esther today. Listening leads to being listened to.

Today is Monday, Day 118 in Bahrain’s stay-at-home time, day 83 of The Isolation Journals with Suleika Jaouad. The prompt today is by relationship therapist, Esther Perel. Write about the last time you felt someone really listened to you. “What was it like—emotionally, physically, and energetically—to be heard?”

 

 

A Gift from My Father

Denise Krebs

A Gift from My Father

The water flowed through the pipes today
Thanks to your work at LADWP
You left me a suitcase when you
died too young

Sadly there is no more ice water
in paper cone cups
water and cups
left over from your day as foreman
I, the self-appointed water supervisor,
led the crowd over
after our game of Mother May I
“line up for ice water”
Open the steel door and find
the five-gallon, heavy-duty metal cooler,
confined, solid and steady,
still half full of water and ice
I dispensed lavishly, but always
maintained control
for the neighborhood kids
They all knew it was better than the hose

But the suitcase couldn’t keep ice
It’s full of water and power though
electrified
rainwater and tears
Power to make it
power to take control
even when I was
a broken baby bird
A gift of water and power
A message from you:
Be careful not to electrocute
yourself and others

Today is Sunday, Day 117 in Bahrain’s stay-at-home time, day 82 of The Isolation Journals with Suleika Jaouad. The prompt today is by Suleika. We are to imagine if I had a suitcase left to me by my father. What would be in it?

From a Burning Building

Denise Krebs

Today is Saturday, Day 116 in Bahrain’s stay-at-home time, day 81 of The Isolation Journals with Suleika Jaouad. The prompt today is by Susan Cheever. What would you write from a burning building, where there is no escape? You know it’s the last thing you will write. Who do you write to? What would you say?

Dear family,

(Or whoever gets this paper airplane flown out the window of my burning building – I hope you will try to pass it along to my family.)

Well, this is not how I expected to go out. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has made me realize that it could be a fatal bout of coronavirus that does me in or DNA related to my heart or, like this, in a burning building. It has made me more appreciative of my days, hours, and minutes. And now I just have a few left.

What should I say when I’m limited to these few stress-filled minutes left on earth?

First, of all, I’m not afraid. It took me some time, but I’ve realized it will happen. I know that there is a God and I’m thankful I don’t have to be in charge of life or death. So I’m ready.

Having said that, I do want to say that I have regrets. I have years that I was more fully alive than others. I wish I would have been more intentional about making the world a better place. I wish I would have listened when Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke when I was a kid.  I wish I would have asked more questions and demanded more answers. Now, it’s too late. I leave it to you, my daughters. I trust that the world is going to be in a much better place because of your generation. I know you will be better.

It’s getting hot now. I better go fly this letter out the window.

With all my love for now and eternity,

Mom

Remote Learning – What I Learned

Denise Krebs2 Comments

This post is week 1 of 8 in the #8WeeksofSummer Blog Challenge for educators.

I will finish up my remote learning / teaching tomorrow. Tuesday is our last day of school, but tomorrow is the last time we will meet with our students. We’ll play a Kahoot selfie guessing game. And say our good byes and best wishes for the summer. What a sad way to spend the last four months of our school year.

I guess the most important takeaway I had after that whirlwind, crazy experience is that students and teachers who own their own learning are going to be most successful at this. There was no way we could help the few students who chose not to be involved. But those who owned their learning were able to keep growing. I’m not sure what our future holds, but I’m confident that the ones who really bought into remote learning, even in this emergency, are going to succeed. I wish I could give a gift to all the troubled or reluctant ones. First, I pray they are safe and just making choices that this wasn’t important. After, I know they are safe, I would give them the gift of being able to want to learn, to be resourceful and take initiative. If they just jump through hoops and try to please the system, this remote learning is not going to work for them.

He did Genius Hour remotely, and it was without a doubt, my best series of lessons this past semester. I wish all of remote learning could be like that!