Professor Sharon

Professor Sharon header image 1

100 Day Project – Day 34 – Gratefulness

October 9th, 2011 · 100 Days Project, Musings, Quote of the Week, Work

100 Day Project – Day 34 – 8:10 p.m.

‘There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life.’

Frederico Fellini Film Director
A beautiful day today — glorious sun, a not so glorious autumn color due to so much rain, good smells and too much food at the fair, the company of good friends, the hugs and kisses of little and big family members, and life itself.  Today I am happy.  Today I am alive.  Today I’m even almost totally rested.

Here’s to the beginning of another year of beauty and passion.  Here’s even to the Tuesday morning that will come this week when I must put in a 12 hour day.  Today I am thinking about gratefulness.

Comments Off on 100 Day Project – Day 34 – GratefulnessTags: ·········

100 Day Project – Day 33 – a sweet year

October 8th, 2011 · 100 Days Project, Musings, Quote of the Week

100 Day Project – Day 33 – 4:16 p.m.

 

I am grateful for this, / a moment of truth, / grateful to stand before You / in judgment. / You know me as a liar / and I am flooded with relief / to have my darkest self / exposed at last. / Every day I break my vows— / to be the dutiful child, / selfless parent, caring friend, / responsible citizen of the world. / No one sees, no one knows / how often I take the easy way, / I let myself off the hook, / give myself the benefit of / the doubt— / every day, every day. / On this day, this one day, / I stand before You naked, / without disguise, without / embellishment, naked, /shivering, ridiculous. / I implore You— / let me try again. —Merle Feld, poet, playwright, activist, and educator

 

Wishing all I know a sweet year ahead.

Comments Off on 100 Day Project – Day 33 – a sweet yearTags: ··

100 Day Project – Day 32 – Play

October 7th, 2011 · 100 Days Project, Children, family, Musings, Play

The three day weekend starting tomorrow reminds me of the importance of play for adults!  Next week in my Introduction to Early Childhood Education, we’ll talk about play: what it is, the stages of play, how to support it, how to help children who don’t have a multiple assortment of ways to do it, and as adults, how we do it.  The US has always seemed to have this mixed reaction and response to play.  It seems we like it alot, but somehow feel guilty when we do too much of it.  Certainly adults don’t understand the real value of play for young children and their learning.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard, “Oh, he/she is just playing.”

Play is not only a way to learn and retain valuable life knowledge, but a relaxation moment so important to our overall health.  I’ve had a long, intense, and delightful September teaching and learning with students.  I’m ready to play.  The weekend will be sunny for the first time in weeks (and I mean weeks of rain here in New England), and I intend to be out in it: walking, hiking, sitting, recharging and thinking.  Oh, I have plenty of house repair jobs, and a lawn and a garden that could use my time – but I’m going to play.

It’s about a month old, but I found this posting on Huffington Post about the attack on young children’s play.  It says it all.  Think carefully about the importance of play, to you, your family and yourself.  Play a little, play a lot, this weekend.  You’ll feel better for it!   Today I’m thinking about play.

Comments Off on 100 Day Project – Day 32 – PlayTags: ······

100 Day Project – Day 31 – Llama llama!

October 6th, 2011 · 100 Days Project, Books, Children, College students, Fundraiser, Reading, Teaching & Learning, Website of the Week, Work

100 Day Project – Day 31 – 8:57 p.m.

Today I read Llama Llama Red Pajama – not once – but twice!   Did you?  As part of JumpStart’s Read for the Record Program, I enjoyed reading the book to a group of early childhood pre-service teachers, and a group of women who donated books and pajamas to local service agencies for children in need.

Children’s literacy is at the heart of so many important achievements in their lives.  Try to find a way to support children’s – all children’s — access to books.

Today I’m thinking about the joy of reading aloud for a great purpose!

Comments Off on 100 Day Project – Day 31 – Llama llama!Tags: ····

100 Day Project – Day 30 – Steve Jobs

October 5th, 2011 · 100 Days Project, family, Important People, Musings, Website of the Week

Apple’s Board of Directors wrote:

We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today (Weds Oct 5, 2011)

Steve’s brilliance, passion, and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.

His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.

In 1976, my husband was a novice engineer and member of the (in)famous Homebrew Club (we met at Stanford the SLAC).  I worked at the Byte Shop in Palo Alto where one of my responsibilities was to take orders for the ‘new’ Apple I — and then go to Steve’s garage and pick up those that were ordered to deliver to the other computer stores in the Bay area.

I imagine in the next few days many people will come out of the woodwork and claim to have known this genius of a man.  What I know and learned from Jobs was that geniuses are only human.  When I sold those little memory boards and ran my errands to his garage, none of us could know what would be in 35 years time.
It’s been a long and interesting ride, Steve, we and the world will miss you.  Today I am thinking of Steve Jobs and his family.  My deepest sympathies go to his family on the loss of that human being you knew and loved.

For more details of his life — there are many articles like these online:
http://www.macworld.com/article/162763/2011/10/remembering_steve_jobs_the_man_who_saved_apple.html
http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/05/us/obit-steve-jobs/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Comments Off on 100 Day Project – Day 30 – Steve JobsTags: ·······