Sydney Returns

Hi everyone,

I'm back after two months abroad.  It was great getting a new rhythm, new places, new projects.  I hope my fresh eyes will be happily seeing you all soon...like next session.

Now for assessment, moving on, joining forces, keeping this going... I hope everyone has enjoyed their experience and wants to continue.  Everyone is doing such great jobs, and I know we are all sort of whistling in the dark, getting to know how to operate this new machinery, how to get to children, to relate and move the relationship on toward reading...

Reading what is most interesting is how to get to reading.

It took me a lot of motivation, to learn what that picture of The Girl in the Chicken Coop was doing in that wild ocean.  Who was she and what was happening to her awoke me to the world of reading and storytelling and it was thanks to L. Frank Baum and the Oz books that I got going.

Who has read Narnia?  Would Gabriella like Narnia?  First read it and then see the movie, not the opposite way around, because then they can compare the movie to what they had imagined it to be in their head when they read the book.  That's a good summer read and then to cap it with the movie would be great.  Doesn't matter who reads to whom, it's good to start something new and different.

We should all see the film Chain Camera.  Let's get those cheap little Kodaks for everyone to use and then to share...and perhaps to write about later...Mentors and Mentees will both benefit from that summer exercise.

And LALIFF is coming up!  We get to go on the Red Carpet, and we get to be a part of the film literacy project.

And other tutorial, mentorial, educational groups are approaching us, perhaps there are other ways to grow this project...we take care of a particular age group - those who the school system is about to forget about, those who might drop out as a result of neglect and go on to prison instead of to college.

In Carcera o In College?  Which will it be?  Now is the time these young folks make their decisions, now is the time for us to be there. Incarcerated or incollegeiated? En carcera o en collegio?  Let's opt for the latter!

Happy 4th of July!  Here's to Freedom and Independence!

See you soon!