This was the week of creative brevity as I asked folks to boil down their days into six words. This is not so easy for the writer and leaves out a lot of context for the reader, but I hope that folks found it informative.

Here are the sentences:

Bonnie was off on a trip, although our virtual connections remained very much intact — another indication of the flat world. She even emailed me her sentence as a podcast (you can do that too!) so we could hear her voice. “Tucson, western romance, we arrive Tuesday.”

Amy usually tries to podcast through PodcastPeople but has been running into some slowdown on their network. That’s OK. We love getting her words even without her voice, particularly she is having such a good teaching week. “Introduced writing project, students are excited!“

I’m happy to report that four of my colleagues from the Western Massachusetts Writing Project contributed sentences this week (see what some timely placed emails will do?). Mary is part of our new Tech Team and she is doing fantastic, thoughtful things in her classroom. She writes, “New faces emerge as ideas grow.“

Another WMWP colleague is Anne, who is also our site director, a co-editor on a book we are developing on technology and assessment in the classroom (k-college), and one of my former professors. Anne shares this regional New England thought: “In frigid Northeast, I welcome sun.“

Cynthia is thinking of drawing people together. Food helps is one meaning I get from her six words, but I may be wrong. “Retreat bound; roast in Crockpot; enjoy!“

Delaine has business on the mind and the continuing education of people. “A week with adults studying entrepreneurship“

Jo used to post her sentences over at our old friend, The Reflective Teacher, from whom I took this Day in a Sentence mantle. I’m glad that the breadcrumbs left behind led her to my site and our feature, even though her sentence surely gives all of us pause: “A threatening e-mail arrives amid exams.” (She notes that the email came from a student.)

Ben B. has politics in his head, and not all good, apparently. Does this have to do with Mitt? “I’ve lost faith in Michigan Republicans.“

And then there is Ben D. who puts his passion very succinctly and with literary references. “Gatsby loves like I teach grammar.”

I wish Elona did have to write this sentence. But I am glad she feels comfortable enough with us, as a community, to share her thoughts both in writing and as a podcast (she sent me her file and I am hosting for her — did I mention you can do that too?). “Death- a celebration of Angie’s life.” Elona reads her sentence.

Yeah, Liza! I am sending some virtual flowers your way. “Principal observation survived; I did well.“

Susan, another friend from WMWP, hopes these words will carry her through some tough days of dealing with administrators (she is our innovative and resourceful professional development coordinator). “Honoring teachers’ own learning–nothing less.“

Connie keeps seeing new potential in networking, on many levels, and asks this question: “Networking is an art form, yes?” (Kevin answers: Yes, and one that requires patience and support and careful nurturing).

Matt, who has an amazing site for considering video in the classroom, captures the flux of time in eight (I hereby grant him two extra words in my role as blog-o-sentence-master) words: “Bills, books, time gone, going back to school.“

Michaela came to the rescue (but let’s hope she doesn’t need rescuing herself). She writes, “Household flu transformed me: Florence Nightingale.“

A friend from the Dakota Writing Project took a trip and brought the winter with them. (I hope it passed through luggage check). “Dakota snow followed me to Atlanta.“

Larry has been running into walls, apparently, even as he continues his incredible journey to document and share some of the more amazing Web 2.0 tools, particularly those with applications for ESL students. But, “I’m frustrated with District content filters.” Who isn’t?

Testing in Texas with the TAKS makes for nice alliteration but a whole heap of stress, I bet. Joyce tries to explain in the limited number of words I have given her: “Worries, packets, bubbles: TAKS-time in Texas!“

 Gail used more than her six words (which is fine) to relate the highs and lows of her week: “The low point of my week was the TV version of Comanche Moon, and the high point was starting a new project with a middle school English teacher from my district, who will connect with an English teacher in Northern Italy, to share their writing, especially poetry – and whose writing does not sound better when translated and read in Italian?!?” (Gail, who is a friend, hopefully won’t mind that I translate this into six words: “TV show, bad; Flat world, good.“)

And Tina (added late here), also of the WMWP and a new member of the Tech Team, reports a week of mixed blessings, I suppose: “Snow day. Sick day. Field trip.”

Bonnie will be hosting the feature next week so be on the look-out for a post and email notification. We are always encouraging folks to do some hosting of the feature, so let me know if you are interested.

Peace (in short sentences but deep thoughts),
Kevin