Figurative Language - The Usual and Extraordinary - Part Three! by PerfettoWritingRoom (C)

A little secret is that what you are looking at above is really my husband's enormous hand-built, by scratch, ridiculous, over-the-top shed that, by the way, is make to look exactly like our house right down to the blue door, cream façade and green shutters. A SECOND SECRET is that it is MY plan to make it my WRITING-ROOM-CENTRAL when he is not looking. Oh, I don't know how successful I'll be, maybe I'll remove all of the heavy machinery and put the pieces in the garage. Place my desk in there so that I can look out towards the largest tree in the yard . . . It can happen!

But I digress.

I showed up here today to continue our discussion of figurative language. If I recall correctly, we are on lucky # 7

7. Simile - one of the comparison tropes of figurative language, a simile compares two essentially dissimilar things using the word "like" or "as."  There is the short way to do this. Examples of short similes include "Sanford is as hungry as a bear," or "Though Philip loved her with all his might, Sandra remained aloof, separate and apart like the island on which they lived; though it was beautiful and charming, he would never know its secrets."

As you can tell from the examples given, the first simile is simple. The second is much more elaborate. This brings us to the second type of simile.

8. Epic Simile - a type of simile typically used in epic poetry, known for being so long and involved that it may obscure or interrupt the original thought being introduced.  To clarify, one may also call these epic similes Homeric Similes. A less extreme example of an epic or Homeric simile, taken from the Iliad is the following: "As when the shudder of the west wind suddenly rising scatters across the water, and the water darkens beneath it, so darkening were settled the ranks of Achaians and Trojans in the plain." Another example of an epic simile, longer and more involved, comes from The Odyssey when Odysseus regales the Phaecians with his tale of how he bested Polyphemus : "I drove my weight on it from above and bored it home like a shipwright bores his beam with a shipwright's drill that men below, whipping the strap back and forth, whirl and the drill keeps twisting, never stopping --So we seized our stake with it fiery tip and bored it round and round in the giant's eye." In this particular, second epic simile, it is fairly obvious that one nearly loses the logic and thread of the thought - that is how involves the simile is - until the "so we seized our stake" bit returns to save the sense of the sentence. An epic simile is very much a part of epic literature, the classic boast, and the speaker getting 'carried away' with his or her own comparison. This is not to say it bad! It does however need to be used properly. And no one can do it better than Homer.

9. The Metaphor - figurative language in which two dissimilar items are compared and in which two characteristics about them are said to be the same. In this case, there is no use of the word "like," or "as." In Romeo and Juliet, "It is the east, and Juliet is the sun" is a classic example of metaphor - we know Juliet is not the sun, though apparently for Romeo, Juliet must be for him the main star to which he gravitates. In this example as in many simple metaphors, the sentence uses the "IS" construction. One thing is another thing.

Then of course, there is the metaphor that does not use "IS." For example. "The cat's tail slithered around its owner's leg." This type of sentence is a bit more sophisticated, but in truth, writers may do this all the time unconsciously. It is part of who we are to compare elements to each other. A fantastic metaphor that I am borrowing, comes from J.K. Rowling (I use it in my literary term glossary and it's one of my favorite quotes): "There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you."

This brings us to some TERMS WITHIN TERMS. . .

The TENOR which is the subject of the metaphor. This would be Juliet in the very top example, the cat's tail for the second example, and blame in the third.

The VEHICLE is the image that carries the weight of the comparison. For each of the above, in order, the vehicles or images of comparison are: for Juliet, the sun; the cat, a snake; for coming of age, imagery of driving a car and steering.

10. Extended Metaphor - a metaphor that is much like an ordinary metaphor but longer. So much longer in fact that it can take up a considerable amount of space on the page. Though this is many years ago now, I heard about Will Ferrell giving a speech at Harvard. Lest anyone think that extended metaphors are only for Henry James, Twain, and Dickinson . . . well, good old Will Ferrell can give an extended metaphor in a speech. Let read it:

"I graduated from the University of Life. All right? I received a degree from the School of Hard Knocks. And our colors were black and blue, baby. I had office hours with the Dean of Bloody Noses. All right? I borrowed my class notes from Professor Knuckle Sandwich and his Teaching Assistant, Ms. Fat Lip Thon Nyun. That’s the kind of school I went to for real, okay?" Will Ferrell, Commencement Address at Harvard University, 2003)

Of course, you can create extended metaphors in poetry, as Emily Dickinon did in "Hope is the Thing with Feathers":

"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,

"And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

"I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me."
(Emily Dickinson)

I will leave you with this thought . . . it is worthy, it is exhilarating, it is fun to attempt these in your writing, and to review these with your students and have them attempt these in their own writing. It's part of what makes writing so very enjoyable. Stop by here to learn and refresh what you know. Leave a comment, say something nice! And pop by my store to see my glossary of 90 literary terms.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Complete-Literary-Term-Glossary-in-PDF-w-Answer-Key-HS-College-865170

TOMORROW more Figurative Language GOODIES!!!

Synecdoche, Metonomy, and Simile, Oh MY! - Usual and Extraordinary Figurative Language Lessons

We all know how fun writing can be.
And we all know how CRAZY it can drive you when you are either
A. looking for that correct trope or device, or
or B. looking at those papers and realizing that God bless those students, they certainly have zeal but perhaps they lack finesse.

If you look at the product above, it is my newest writing product with SEVEN writing activities in it, reusable up to THIRTY TIMES! It is filled with the introductory information you might come to expect just by having read this blog:

• A full glossary including thorough explanations on: character, characterization, flat, round, static, and dynamic         characters, direct and indirect characterization, sidekick, doppelganger, protagonist, antagonist, villain, foil, and show don't tell.
• Hand outs specifically on Show Don't Tell (a master overview with guidelines and examples)
• The differences, uses,  and pros and cons of Direct and Indirect Characterization, titled "Direct Versus Indirect: Is One REALLY Better Than the Other?"
• Easy Reference "TIP SHEET" for Direct and Indirect Characterization for use when writing
• "I Can READ 'em Like a Book: Writing Emotion Into A Scene Using Indirect Characterization" (7 Uses)
• Character Data Sheets! Unlimited Uses - 3 powerful, inspiring pages to get you started on that character-driven story.
• Character Expansion Task Cards - 12 Uses! Read the Card and get down to business!
• Stock Characters - Defy the Mold!
• Indirect Characterization Writing Exercise - 4 Uses
• Guided Visualization (Great Fun, great results)

If you are interested in this handy writing item, by all means, check it out at

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Character-Fiction-Prompt-Extravaganza-High-School-Adult-with-CCSS-1148941

But NOW a QUESTION? How to PROPERLY USE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE? How much is too much? When and Where to Use it? 

A writer writes. This is even more true for the budding writer. And sloppy, messy, purple prose writing is probably BETTER than weak and anemic writing. The goal is to just keep writing, just keep writing, and yes, just keep writing. I think I mentioned how a Pulitzer-prize winning author told me how he had three novels shoved unceremoniously in his closet and a hundred or more short stories in his desk - ALL REJECTED?? If this is not proof positive, and hope eternal that students and teacher-writers both should simply soldier on. . . well I don't know what is! In short, with practice, we all improve!

      Your little freebie for today is DOUBLE. Number ONE. . . a validation of writing. This is found on my Teachers Pay Teachers site. Yes, you can SEE it here. But if you click on the link below, you can go and get it, too. It is beautiful, and it is also life affirming and "write-affirming."

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Writing-Posters-2-FREEBIE-Welcome-to-My-Store-1064172

There is ONE more from that pack… if you go to the store. . . it is inside the download!!

MY second Freebie is information and THE TITLE OF MY POST. I know, I save the best for last. But it’s all a lovely process, just like learning, writing, teaching, and life, I suppose.

USUAL and EXTRAORDINARY FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Cliche and Idiomatic Expression -

1. Cliche – What’s great and terrible about cliches is that students are familiar with them, and yet, not at all aware of how prevalent they are, as many of them have now become “figures of speech” that can work their way into our writing style and affect the writer’s voice.  The worst part of cliche is that while it can be fun to teach and review in class, this is NOT something we should aspire to have in our writing, even in dialogue. The same is true for our students. Earlier in my career, I advised students that perhaps their characters used cliches, but the longer I live my life as a reader of great fiction, the more I realize that I fall in love with writing and characters that are odd, quirky, original, and those things that are singular and that have the feel of elevated artifacts. That is a tall order for ANY of us. While it may feel impossible to accomplish. It may well BE impossible to accomplish. But it is a noble goal.  Therefore,  while using hackneyed, everyday and cliched language is often unavoidable because it nearly a reflex, we do ourselves and students little service to encourage the practice. On the first day of High school or university teaching, I encourage students to write the WORST they can, using cliches and every bad writing element they know. Then, we try our best to move on.

2. Idioms – Idioms can be confusing to us, to students, to EVERYONE. A fantastic product I really should make up would differentiate between cliche, idiom, proverb, and maxim. I believe there are even more! WRITE IN and share your thoughts. . . An exercise in which each in defined, examples are given and students are  encouraged to use each properly or invent their own would be a great lesson.

3. Hyperbole – this is a fancy term for “exaggeration for emphasis” – it has some great uses in fiction. While you are using “exaggeration for emphasis” you can make your hyperbole work double or triple time, though! It can be used by narrators speaking over confidently or hyper critically about their characters or setting;  I’m sure you know already that the author’s attitude is called the tone, and the narrator’s depictions of the setting and surrounding environment may affect the mood and atmosphere. What this means is that if the narrator is using hyperbole (positive or negative) about the characters it must affect the tone or give us an indication of the author’s attitude towards the subject being written about. And, when the narrator describes the setting, (for example, if it is exaggerated in its gloominess), this certainly will add to the mood and atmosphere! I bet you didn’t think  hyperbole could do all that!

              It gets BETTER! Hyperbole may also be used in dialogue for those characters who are literally exaggerating, which reveals much about their personalities. This is, as I am sure you know, just one of the seven methods of indirect characterization. (aren’t you glad you kept reading!) It can go a step further and become a plot device once the characters use hyperbole in dialogue in order to GET something. For example, if, at a ball or party, male characters are in the home of a lovely woman who just so happens to the only wealthy and unmarried woman left in this portion of the country, that may not mean much. When each decides to speak a little dishonestly, adding little bits that are beyond his abilities, talents, holdings, etc. it would be safe to say that each has stepped forward into the rising action of the plot; each will attempt to marry her, and it was through his hyperbolic speech that we can know his intentions.

The last example is quite singular, though an interesting one, and the idea of using hyperbole for a plot device is not new. In any case, there may be other ways in which hyperbole is used, whether for comic effect, insult or other – but these few suggestions alone provide a glimpse into how this figurative language can affect a story. I hope you see the possibilities!

TOMORROW or Friday, LOOK OUT FOR PART TWO of SYNECDOCHE,  METONOMY,  and SIMILE OH MY!!!

THE Importance of Old Teachers, & Free Exercise Idea Inspired by Him. . . “Make Your Verbs Sweat!!”

I am now working on a very arduous project that has kept me from keeping in touch with readers, writers, and teachers.

Currently, it’s a 35-page, everything-but-the-lamppost unit on characterization, including fiction writing exercises, identifying and analyzing the differences between direct and indirect characterization, a definition overview on all character types (including foil, doppelganger, sidekick, flat and round, etc.), with quizzes that are easy, and then more challenging for different levels of students, plus writing beyond the stock character, analyzing characterization in a short fiction piece……ARGH.

I suppose you understand why it’s taken so long for me to get back to writing?

One of the things I am including is “The Rules of Showing versus Telling” which has some things in it that frankly go beyond fiction and push all writers to be better, stronger writers. Period.

ONE. Use active verbs, and if at all possible, precise verbs.

TWO. AVOID adverbs more often than not.

THREE. Stay away from unnecessary words. Really, truly, I mean it. Are you getting to the point where you sort of know what I mean? (Ha).

Sure, this is a characterization unit. But quickly, you see how important style, economy and strong sentence structure is to the whole, regardless of whether you are writing in fiction, or an analytic essay about characterization. Which brings me to. . .

My FORMER TEACHERS. . .

One in particular. As a teacher, I lament that students will forget me, or toss me into the garbage heap of their teen memories. Sure, on occasion a few find me and say thank you. I delight in knowing that the work I performed mattered. It doesn’t happen all the time, though. I loved English, and one of my teachers always said, “Make your verbs sweat!”

It was because of him that I developed a love of English, and in particular, of words, and of language.

Why say walked? When you can:

• Amble,
• shuffle,
• shamble,
• meander,
• hot-foot it,
• skip,
• march,
• proceed,
• hoof it
• made a beeline for
• minced
• waddled
• and more?

And while we are talking about VERBS, why not also discuss ADVERBS? Why do we “say morosely” or “say accusingly”? Even WE are guilty of this. Let alone our students. What my teacher Mr. Prior gave me, was a love of words though perhaps not the mind of an editor. Years ago, we wrote short themes and were meant to use adjectives and colorful language, including adverbs. Instead of ANY type of “say” with an adverb after it, why not use a STRONGER VERB. As Mr. Prior said, “Make your Verbs Sweat!”

Instead of Say, feel free to choose of these appropriate verbs:

• accused
• inquired
• infer
• pronounce
• announce
• respond
• reply
• reveal
• whisper
• breathe
• promise
• retort
• assert
• cry
• and MORE

I find that it is heartening and validating that such simple exercises exist to improve writing.

FREE ACTIVITY IDEA.

1. Simply provide a verb as above, or substitute out another one, such as: try, go, or make.

2. 3. Allow students to try their hand at writing out acceptable substitutes on their own, and then, with a thesaurus.

4. Students will write the best, most active sentences they can. Your choice how many they write. Perhaps five sentences per verb, each using a different verb of their choice.

On a FINAL note, I think it is a hopeful thought indeed that all of us, I’m sure, have a fond recollection of an old, dear teacher that at least in part, makes us who we are today. If you have any heartwarming stories, we’d all be delighted to hear them.

Warmly,

Gina Perfetto, PerfettoWritingRoomhttp://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Perfettowritingroom

A love letter to creativity in general and creative writing too

I have often lamented the loss of art, music, creative writing and other creative arts in the school system. I also tire of the never-ending struggle to keep these classes, the anxiety about funding cuts, or the feeling teachers have that they need to "justify themselves" when they add creative elements that may "detract" from other lessons deemed more essential.

I am astounded that some people still think creativity = easy and bad. Is learning a musical instrument and musical notation easy? Is writing a short story easy? I can attest, as can many of my students (and I'm sure you can as well) that creative tasks require more of your faculties and brain power, a wider array of skill sets, and both sides of your brain than many other tasks do.

I was once accused of not teaching properly, or sufficiently, when I introduced my high school students to children's books. It was a fiction class. The goal of this particular activity was to have the students analyze a number of children's books and picture books and come to series of conclusions about the way these books are written, their font size and placement, etc. in order to learn and then create their own complete creations. The department head only thought I was making a "dumbed down" and "inappropriate" lesson. She thought I was asking them to "write at a kindergarten level" - after all the parents expected a lot more than "Dick and Jane are friends" for sentence structure! She really missed the entire point: creativity, critical thinking, owning the entire process. Clearly I am glad to not be there anymore.

If she misunderstood me, and this was an activity in a sanctioned fiction writing course, I can't even imagine the degree to which other teachers are being maligned for attempting to encourage students to be creative and write stories in regular classrooms.

Turn that Negative into a Positive. . .

Creativity is the most important tool we have in our arsenal against indifference.

Whether we teach math, geography, science, history, art, or physical education and health, we can be creative and fun ourselves, which is how we bring wonder and excitement into the classroom.

What about Creative Writing? Isn't it Just a Waste of Time?
I think this has me a little angry.
I can't tell you how difficult it is to write stories and poems, and to write them well.  True poetry writing and fiction writing aspires, has goals, is work shopped, is graded. While it can be exhilarating, exciting, and great fun, it is challenging and can be frustrating as well. And at times, it is just plain difficult. There are rewrites. The students get stumped and feel challenged.

Story writing is even MORE complicated than the very best of essays and papers. Stories are dynamic and there is no such thing as "how to write a story." No, no formula, despite that drawing of a nifty little "arc" in those fiction writing books. Every single story is unique and varied and is organically derived from the student. There are threads, through lines, dialogue, one character or many, various settings that might or might not occasionally forward the plot, and an arc of some type. One must think of foreshadowing, mood, and must describe clearly. 

Sometimes, students will even do research in order to know more about the topic they are writing about. In fact, the research is not a big deal in the way the "research paper" is; writing a good story is so involved that doing research is usually just background to the story they are telling. Research is simply a part of the job!

So I ask you. REALLY? Fun but a little too easy? A waste of time?

A Comment on the Essay

So writing stories is easy and a waste of time (I haven't even told you how hard it is to write a poem. Maybe another day). Essays and research do not hold high court in the world of words and meaning. In fact, the more capable students are in a multiple of forms, the better. What is difficult about research is thinking critically, making original points out of the points out there, and less so, notating. All of this should be done often and regularly. And, so should many other forms of writing, including poetry, argument, story writing, and OTHER forms. Hey, how about REAL letter writing? Remember that? Now that's something we should all blog about! How's that for a lost art form?

Creative Writing - Of Immense Value - NINE SKILLS (and maybe more)
Of course there will be a transfer of skills. This is not the difference between skiing and learning French.

1.  Learning to organize thoughts,
2. create full sentences, paragraphs, and to a certain extent,
3. argue,
4. look up background information that will be used in the work,
5. use logical order and
6. explain things in a clear way, 
7. practice economy, and
8. obey spelling and
9. grammar rules

are just a few of the transferable skills students will learn through storytelling that will prove a boon when it comes time to writing a paper. In fact, students may even be more motivated to improve if they are working on stories.

I Leave You With This

 

 

Is THIS Why Folks Say It's a Waste?

Don't Judge a Book by it's Paper Bag Cover?

If you look above, I guess if you saw me bring these things into class, and you weren't very open minded, you'd think I was playing games and not challenging my students. You'd think I was going to read a newspaper or something while they fiddled around and then got bored. You would certainly not think I would be engaged the entire class, and that the students would be engaged. You'd never believe this was serious "life or death stuff," ending in a workshop dealing with full length stories about super spies, wars, and other heavy stuff. But you'd be wrong!

 I've mentioned this activity before - It is the SUPER SECRET - 4-SENSES Writing Activity. Take all of your little treasures and garage sale finds, and put them in brown paper lunch bags.

Step one. Students choose only by feeling. Write a description using only touch.

Step two. Take it out and LOOK! Now you can write about what it is and describe it.

Step three. Now only use metaphors and similes.

Step four. Your object isn't what you think. It is a weapon, a spy device, a portal to another dimension, of incalculable worth, has a long story of excitement and adventure, has a spell on it and a story only YOU know, has the ability to heal two warring peoples (offer other suggestions). TELL the full and complete story of this object the day you main character finds it or gives it away.

PS. This is a paid-for product on TPT, (there is extra of course in that one)...but I'm illustrating a point.  The students are pushing to use figurative language, they are using outside of the box thinking, (other senses in order to write, such as feel, and in the paid for version, they are instructed to use sound, etc.),  and they are surprised and told to switch gears. They feel internally motivated to write because they have a lot of options to choose from and it feels very immediate and very cool to them that what they are being presented with is something different. They "play along" - I've even done this in colleges, and they do it willingly. It somehow opens something up in them, and all of the NINE SKILLS are still being used, ready to transfer when you want them to write that argument essay.

God Bless, and happy teaching.

Gina

A "Retro" Writing Activity that'll have Students Enthusiastically Writing - TeachersPayTeachers Freebie!

 Here is a fantastic, low tech, throw-it-together-in-your-spare-time sort of assignment that FEELS like magic when you do it in class. It has love and care, because it does in fact come from YOU. The students will know that. It really pushes the level of creativity, inspires new ways of thinking and has the element of surprise - more than once!!  This is a multi-tiered assignment, and it can take two class periods or AS LONG as you need it to, if you take your time, enjoy yourself, and let the students do the same. The ultimate goal is an actual well-written, full-length short story(this can take up to a month of part-time work). If you want them to have fun, follow the directions and go through the assignment, this can be done in as little as two days.

WHAT YOU NEED:

25-30 brown paper lunch bags and 25-30 items.

"What?" You must be saying. What KIND of items? The items are

§  small, interesting, intriguing,

§  with different types of sides

§  weights,

§  textures,

§  temperatures to the skin, 

§  In short, items that would interesting EVEN IF you could only TOUCH them.

§  Lastly, they will come from your life.

§  The odder the better.

Just some of the items I have in my bags are: One porcupine quill gotten while hiking (cut into a size that will fit); One very antique, cloth embroidered woman's compact, with a feather puff inside; A faux jade stamping device called a "chop" that they sell in Asian markets; an old knot, from a tree, that had fallen out during a routine carpentry work; an old black plastic film canister from the 1980s with a gray lid. I put a foreign coin in it for extra intrigue; miniature hand-carved wooden push puppet, where you depress the base the body goes limp; sea glass made into the centerpiece for a necklace; a small leather-bound journal detailing my vacation (there wasn't anything personal in it); dull crochet needle; 3-d glasses; Japanese fan; locket; other items.   

WHAT IS THE ASSIGNMENT?

When the Students come into class....and mind you, the students can be age 12 or 13. But don't think for a moment that a 58 year-old wouldn't get a kick out this either, tell them....

***Don't sit down! Look at all these mystery bags that are placed on the desks. Walk around each bag and place your hand in each one, FEELING the item in each bag, but don't LOOK. TRY not to talk! When you have felt enough of them, choose the one you think you'd like to write about and sit down, but remember, do NOT look inside!

*Of course, this should be pretty exciting and fun. There should be some giggling, or whispering, like "I know what this is" and a bit of eye winking. When the students have all chosen, they will take their places. Any left over bags can be collected. Please note that I give time ranges for each section, but don't be surprised if your class varies and needs more time. These are only outlines. In my experience, it is better to give the class a guideline to work within.

WRITING DIRECTIONS

1. Part One Writing Directions 7-10 minutes. Keeping your hand in the bag, Use every sense you have except vision. Even if you know what the object is, do not write it. Explain the object by: size, shape, dimension, temperature, texture, sound, weight, and smell. You can weigh the object in your hand, gently tap it on your table to see if it is hollow or solid or makes a sound. Most of these items will be odorless, or may have an organic woodsy smell, a plastic or powdery smell. Be a detective.

2. PART TWO 5-7 minutes : Take the mystery object out of its bag! Say what it is, then describe it visually, now that you can see how it looks.

3. Part THREE 7 minutes: Go beyond simple description. Explain this object with metaphor and simile.  You will exhaust the expected comparisons; naturally your tropes will become more experimental and artistic. THIS IS GOOD.

4. Part Four: The BEST PART. The object you see before you is not really the ordinary object that you think it is! It is one of these:  A. a KEY to unlock something of great potential or power B. an object with a secret history that is held by someone who is able to tell its story to one person on his or her deathbed C. a superspy device that actually can do multiple things in order to help your hero save the day D. an object that will bring peace to a planet  E. the source of amazing power for an entire people F. a weapon G. provides incredible knowledge H. is a porthole to another universe I. is a treasure that people are willing to kill for, or die for! J. is essential for some civilization's utter survival; other. TELL A STORY that FEATURES THIS OBJECT.

Note: If you want to collect these when they are finished, this is a two day activity. Let them read their stories. They will, I assure you. love this assignment. If you want them to turn these into real, full-length stories, this will take a workshop, a rewrite, and so be prepared for this to take up to a month, part-time of revisiting before it is complete. But students LOVE this assignment. Years later, students have approached me in grocery stores and THIS is what they remember about my class. I have even done this at the University level, and they enjoyed it too. Sometimes, a little love and generosity comes back to you, and it comes back to the students too. They remember to have fun. They forget they hate writing, or that they are supposed to hate it. They just go back to being small kids with pencils, coming up with adventures. This is a great "trick" assignment. Please try it, free, on me, today. I will also make a free version and a pay version on teacherspayteachers. If you want the free version, just download it. In the end, it's gotta be about making students want to learn, and enjoy the process. Otherwise, what is the point, right? Please note I have not yet posted this freebie on teacherspayteachers. There will be a free and a paid version soon. In the meantime, please just use this blog!! The goal we have as teachers, regardless of whether we are new, veterans, or retired, is that we delight in helping others, and in seeing others learn. I promise, this is a really good one!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Perfettowritingroom