Sharing Stories in Iowa City

Here are Jeremiah, Josh, Alli and Emmy from Lincoln Elementary. They scoured my website (the "Life Notice" in particular, written by Comfort Snowberger) and distilled it (Comfort is verbose) into fascinatin' facts about Deborah Wiles for the kids at Lincoln and their guests, 5th and 6th graders from Mann Elementary.

I now own a SHIRT, too! It's the 20th year of this Community Reads program in Iowa City, which includes not only an author visit (for which the students are so well-prepared) but lunchtime "Leaders as Readers" (today at the library -- I will miss it -- sob!) and much more. The partnership here between the public library, the university, the public schools and the sponsors, including Hills Bank, is generously creative and wonderfully exciting -- I'm trying to find words for it but it's too early in the morning right now --

Yesterday stretched my teaching sinews, from Lincoln/Mann to Lemme/Longfellow to Twain Elementary -- what a difference!




Five schools of 5th and 6th graders, and three very different locations. I love this look into the fabric of a community.





I love the challenge of reaching all students (sometimes I am better at this than others) and I love the "stay on your toes" aspects of the day -- there are students (and teachers!) from all walks of life in these public schools, just as there are in all public school systems across the country. How do we best serve their needs?

It's a perennial question. How can we best serve our own needs as we work with them and with each other? What are best practices? How do they change? It fascinates me to see the challenges that teachers face in the classroom, and to see the great passion they bring to these challenges. I feel humbled in their presence. I learn so much.


And, as every good teacher knows, our students are our teachers as well.







Last night we had pot luck together, the teacher-librarians and moi. WHAT a time we had. "There's nothing like an Iowa pot luck," said Julie Larson. "And an Iowa TEACHER pot luck -- you're in heaven," said I... and I was right.


Here we are, gathered for a photo. Here are the teacher-librarians who have been making this week possible for students in Iowa City Schools.




I hope to take a walk this afternoon to the cemetery -- cemeteries are some of my favorite places -- to find "the black angel" I've heard so much about. I also want to take a photo of the Vonnegut house for you. It's right outside my window. Think Iowa Writers Workshop, many years ago, a rented house, May Day parties on the lawn, and all those words, all those stories, all those glory days...

Librarian Barb Stein lives in Marilynne Robinson's neighborhood - be still my heart. "Maybe you'd see her out walking her dog if you walked through the neighborhood." Nah. Sometimes it's best to admire from afar. I have read GILEAD twice and need to read it a third time.

"What are you reading?" was the question posed at pot luck last night. Here is a partial list of the titles we shared, in no particular order and sometimes without author listed -- but I'll fill this in later -- got to go to school this morning!

POPULATION 485: Meeting your Neighbors One Siren at a Time by Michael Perry
GODS IN ALABAMA by Joshilyn Jackson
THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY by Trenton Lee Stewart and Carson Ellis
BLOOD DONE SIGNED MY NAME by Timothy B. Tyson
THE BOYS OF MY YOUTH
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS by Sara Gruen
THE TORTILLA CURTAIN
LITTLE HEATHENS
SUMMER AT TIFFANY
EAT PRAY LOVE
THREE CUPS OF TEA
A FRIENDSHIP FOR TODAY by Patricia McKissack
The new Gilda Joyce mystery
A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS
THE GIRLS
DREAMS FROM MY FATHER
Diana Mott Davidson (mystery writer)
DIGGING UP AMERICA by Anne Tyler
SUITE FRANCAISE
THIRTEENTH TALE
A SHORT HISTORY OF TRACTORS IN UKRANIA
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE THUNDERBOLT KID
BEL CANTO by Ann Patchett
SPLENDID SOLUTION (the story of Jonas Salk and the polio vaccine)

Lots to choose from here, including some Iowa writers and stories, when I go to Prairie Lights this afternoon to sign stock.

Off to Van Allen, Wickham, and Penn Elementary Schools this morning.