the sky is wakin' up
good morning, sun
glad to see you
brighten the sky
outside my window
the sky is wakin' up
a pale peach
on the horizon
where darkness was
lavender emerges
the sky is wakin' up
a new day dawns
it's gonna be a good one
I can tell
from the sunrise
the sky is wakin' up
in muted shades
of brighter colors
quiet tones today
it doesn't call for fanfare
just a gentle stretch
this way and that
in shades of peach
and lavender
the sky is wakin' up
This poem started as an early morning Facebook status update, "Janean Baird loves watchin' the sun rise. Today the sky is wakin' up in shades of peach and lavender. *happy sigh*" As the color out the window emerged on the horizon, I grabbed my camera and hoped to catch the subtle nuance of color my eyes were drinking in. While the photograph doesn't do The Real Thing justice, it's better than no picture at all. Now the sky is fully awake and the sun shining brightly. I can feel it's warm rays on my skin, from the window on my left, as I type this on a beautiful Saturday morning. I was up at 4:47 a.m. I admit it. So, don't call this afternoon. I may be nappin'.
© 2011, Janean Baird Turquoise Tangles
Turquoise Tangles 
Sweet poem, Janeane.
Originally posted by ligan0510:
Thanks, Aidia. You're good for me.
What were you doing up at 4:47? Don't tell if it's none of my business; I'd understand.You should get up that early more often though, as you make very nice things at that time of day! 🙂
Originally posted by bentrein:
Oh, Ben. I'm An Early Bird. My friend LizBeth called me A Worm Eater. I don't mind though. It's just the way I'm wired. Not to say I don't have some Night Owl in me too…Thank you for your kind words about my poem. It was a beautiful sunrise. I wake up spilling over with words most days. These felt right, and fell together, just so.
Originally posted by jbaird:
Hm… I love mornings too. On the rare occasion I'm up at 5 (or so), I really enjoy the rest of my day… By the time it's work time, I've already had some leisure time.However, I do like my leisure time at night too much; I usually can't be ar**d to get up that early! 😀
You know, I totally regret all those naps I didn't want to take when I was a child. I am seriously considering moving to a country where they practice SIESTA on a regular basis.
Originally posted by bentrein:
Ben, Yes. That's it exactly. I so enjoy the quiet time of early morning while my family still sleeps. I love watching the sun rise and the sky brighten over a still quiet world.
Originally posted by KayFour:
Kay,Those countries with Siestas beckon to me too. I am always torn by "Too Much To Do" and the nagging tired that a nap, even a quick cat one, can remedy. Anymore I give in to the nap and never regret it, as long as it's early enough in the day. Napping too late, on toward evening, makes it harder for me to go to bed at night. There is A Fine Art To Napping. One worth exploring given half a chance.
Originally posted by jbaird:
I'll need to win the lottery then, so I can afford to sleep at work. 😛
Originally posted by bentrein:
Smiling at your reply, Ben. When I substitute as an aide (the second banana teacher) in the room with four year olds (pre-kindergarten) they have Rest Time after lunch. It takes all my self control to not join them in laying my head down on the desk during that brief time in a darkened classroom. Instead I do what I can in low light conditions at my (temporary) desk.
I would certainly LOVE teaching naptime! 😀 That would instantly be my favourite subject. However, where I teach, the 3 year olds are the oldest that nap… I teach the first year that doesn't.
Originally posted by bentrein:
Smiling at your reply, Ben! I hadn't thought of it quite that way, as "teaching naptime". For the four year olds it's a 20 minutes heads on their tables time after lunch. Some do fall asleep and quite soundly. The three year old program is new this year. At three they have cots for napping. I haven't subbed in there yet to know how long their rest time is. Fun to know more about your classroom and the age of the children you're teaching. They are so fun! Creative free spirits unfettered by the Suppose To's and Have To's of Life. They still say it how they think it and can be quite profound in their youthful honesty. ~ Janean
Originally posted by jbaird:
Yes… And I'm at in eternal struggle with myself, because I have opted money for freedom. In my previous school – further away = more travelling cost, and less salary – I could pretty much teach however I saw fit. The more creativity I put in my lessons, the better it was received by the powers that were – there.My new school though, the curriculum is way too full for four year olds, and the regime is pretty darn strict. I'm told to put all my creativity in my lessons, but 30 minute lessons with 20 four year olds are very very short – and there's no time to repeat stuff! Yes, I know, it's hard to believe, but I feel I'm beating the creativity out of them; and I am at odds with myself over that. I love them to bits, and I would hate to see anything but perfection head their way…What I'm even more worried about, but I have no proof of it yet, as the school's too young to have a full program, is that we – the teachers – are not only killing their creativity, but also their curiosity. If that turns out to be true, I will quit and find another position…I went today to a presentation by Steven Hughes – a proponent of the Montessori school system. That was profound. I have – in Thailand – not been through such a worthwhile two hours!One of the things he stated – next to a lot of research on how the brain develops – was that the Montessori system stimulates creative problem solving more than any other school system (I'm ready to elaborate, but it's a long explanation, so let me know if you need it), and that in the near future, success is no longer determined by what you know, or where you've studied, but on your ability to cooperatively solve problems. And I feel – fear? – that that is so true… Originally posted by jbaird:
Oh yes, they do. On to something less serious. The pleasures of teaching four year olds! :DLast year, one of the smartest kids in my colleague (Nick)'s class (two classes, same level) had a very small eraser from home. The school normally provides those. However, we're stimulated to use the British vocabulary. So in all innocence, I had the following conversation:Me: "Oh, Mark, you made a little bit of a mess there in your book. Can you rub that out and try again please?"Mark: "Okay, Teacher Ben." And he whips out his small eraser.Me: "Oh, you don't need one from over there then…"Mark: "No. I have a small rubber. Teacher Nick has a very big rubber. It's too big for me."Ah well, he's too young to know any better – if he did know better I would be seriously concerned about his home situation! 😛 – but I couldn't help but smile at his remark… 😀
I'm sure IT IS too strict. Four year olds need to wiggle and play, and learn by touch and doing more than they need to sit still and listen for-ev-er writing letters and numbers and coloring inside the stupid lines at their tables. I secretly root for the children who color green people and pink roosters. They are My People. I have always been a scribbler. Just ask my mother. She'll tell you how bad at coloring I was and that my teacher was quite concerned. Lucky for me, my mother wasn't. She knew big blank paper was better for my imagination than a coloring book page ever would be. Years later, my mother found herself teaching in a kindergarten classroom. Lucky children who had her for their teacher. She went back to teaching full time after my brother, sister and I were in school full time. My father taught high school for over 30 years. His mother, my grandmother, was a teacher too. I've heard of Montessori schools, but I've never read about them in great detail or seen it in action. I've liked what I heard though. So glad you had this opportunity and it was inspiring to you. I love answering their questions and seeing the world through their eyes. Their eyes truly do sparkle and their four year old impishness comes though. They make me laugh. Thank you, Teacher Ben, for this peek inside your classroom. Bet you got a million of 'em, just as charming and just as sweet and innocent. ~ Janean
Originally posted by jbaird:
There's no teaching unless you have that ability, I feel. I mean, you can pretend to teach. But unless you really remember what it was like to be them, it's not going to be top-notch-effective.As for their questions, this girl today loved answering mine…Me: "What did you do yesterday?" (Yesterday was Sunday)She: "Oh, I draw some pictures." (Here English is awesome, minus tenses).Me: "Oh! Great! Did you draw my face?"She: "No! I draw something beautiful!" :bomb: 😆 Thank you miss, thank you indeed. :DOriginally posted by jbaird:
We all should! Those are the ones that will make magic happen!And may I recommend you learn a bit more about the Montessori system? Academically the kids start of slower – performing worse than most kids their age – but instead of focussing on the ability to write and count (which is taught, but not drilled!), children are taught how to learn, and are kept curious. And that curiosity stimulates them to outperform many others by the time they're 18; and at that age, they're still just as curious… Which, I ask many a parent in my class, is the important age. 4 or 18? When do you want your child to perform best? Of course, also the normal system produces some curious people; but some believe it's despite the system, not because of it.Anyway – 50 more things to read. Member of the Week; am busy! 😀 Darn, I never wish for more fame than this! 😀
Thank you for your comments here, Ben. Thank you for being a teacher through and through and teaching me about the benefits of the Montessori learning philosophy. I do remember what it is like to be a child. Especially at those awkward ages. So many of them, including the one I am now some days. I am still curious. My children are too. If I don't know the answer I say so and add, "We can google it" or "we can go the library and research it further." I cannot wait to see what my boys will be when they grow up. But wait I will. Because I don't want to rush the magic of childhood away to the grown up world that waits. They will arrive there soon enough. Your Member of the Week is much deserved. May your fame continue and extend well beyond the 15 minutes Andy Warhol spoke of in his famous quote, which John first referenced in his comment on your blog. ~ Janean
Originally posted by jbaird:
That's the teacher in you… 🙂 It's disappointing to see how few people share that here.Originally posted by jbaird:
Yeah, let's hope it is only the beginning! 😀
Thank you, Ben. For the lovely conversation. 🙂
🙂
My comments here, are now a blog post of their very own, "The Pink Rooster". http://my.opera.com/jbaird/blog/2011/10/19/the-pink-rooster