It was a long week. Hybrid Model. Group A. Group B. Daily Agendas. NWEA Testing. F&P Testing.
I barely squeaked out this limerick.
The Tale of the Fashionable Carrot
There once was a carrot by chance,
whose roots grew to look like orange pants.
He capered, cavorted,
his root legs contorted,
creating his own harvest dance.
©Molly Hogan
And since writing limericks is such fun, I was inspired to try another in response to Jone’s invitation to write a math-related poem today.
Standardized Testing and Vocabulary Enrichment
When math testing wouldn’t resume
I started to fret and to fume.
Technological glitches
unfiltered my lipses.
The F-bomb went off in my room.
©Molly Hogan
Ok, the f-bomb was dropped. But actually only after students had departed for the day and I couldn’t get the next day’s test session set up. Talk about aggravating! It was one tech testing snafu after another all day long. Ugh.
This week’s Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Jone McCullough at her new blog site. She’s invited participants to share math-inspired poems and is highlighting a few from a soon-to-be-released anthology by Janet Wong and Sylva Vardell.
Nix the comfort zone 
I imagine more people in the world this past month have uttered that “F-bomb” because of tech, Molly. Best wishes for “easier” next week! Teachers are saints this year! And I love those carrot pants, glad you squeezed it out!
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Luckily the second day of testing went better and now it’s in the books. I’ll count that as a win!
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I’m glad you were able to turn your frustration into limerick and I’m hoping a moment of humor.
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It was so nice to focus on something lighter for a bit.
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Molly, I am sure there were many frustrations happening this month in classrooms. Teachers I know felt frustrated, exhausted, and yet excited to be in the presence of students. Your limericks are wonderful, especially the carrot poem. I have been shopping at the Farmer’s Market. The carrots are so sweet and the bunch adorned with crooked ends for all to admire, just like yours.
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I’ve always been fascinated by carrots! As a child I used to pull them up to check how they were growing and then tuck them back in. My dad couldn’t figure out why he had no luck growing carrots! lol
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Did you grow those lovely carrots? They are beauts! The limerick form is just right for blowing off some steam/looking on the funny side. Glad you were inspired!
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We did grow these. They survived a lot of benign neglect :)–indifferent thinning, inconsistent watering, etc. They are champion carrots! lol
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Hee hee, both limericks are great! And sometimes a well-timed F bomb is all that will suffice in certain situations…especially involving technology and testing! 🙂
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I was just thankful the kids had left for the day when that particular bomb dropped!
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I love your limericks! It really helps whenever I can find a few minutes to write something, and it sounds as though it’s the same for you. Hang in there, my hybrid teaching buddy! Surely this won’t last forever!
Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
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Sometimes I’ll wonder why I’m feeling out of sorts and then realize it’s because I haven’t been writing. Mostly I write some each morning, but sometimes life takes over! Good thoughts are winging their way south to you!
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Your limericks are hilarious, Molly. I especially enjoyed the vocabulary enrichment. LOL!
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Thanks, Michelle! Limericks definitely make you look at things from the lighter side. Though, now that I write that, it might be fun to try to write a somber limerick. Hmmmm…..
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We’re getting twisty carrots this week as well – but I hadn’t yet thought to write them limericks! I will amend that immediately, of course.
Rest up, teacher, and thank you for hanging in there, even through @$(*%&* standardized testing. Ugh.
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I hope you’ll be sharing a taste of your carrot limericks 🙂
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I have always been a sucker for Limericks Molly- both bawdy, bubbly and bold. I certainly enjoyed your offerings. Quite a range of topics- carrots to testing, all good fun.
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Thanks, Alan. Limericks are a relaxing form to turn to when writing time is limited. It was a nice change in focus for me. Glad you enjoyed them!
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I knew there was a poem in those carrots when you shared that picture earlier in the week! Your limerick is very clever, and I love the idea of carrots cavorting in a “harvest dance.” I’m sorry about your tech issues. It’s beyond frustrating.
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Well, there were at least three poems–Donna wrote a poem and a haiku and I wrote this one. Carrots are so good for you–both nutritious and inspiring!
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Oh. My. Goodness! Can I ever relate to your second limerick! We started MAP testing day #1 with the discovery that Clever had wiped out all of our rosters! I had quite a few “vocabulary enrichment” moments inside my head!! Day #2 on Thursday went much smoother. Whew.
Love the harvest dance!
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That sounds like a real testing nightmare. I’m so sorry!
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Ha! Both final lines had me giggling–harvest dance! Those pants!. I still love teaching–my teaching is different than classroom teachers. But, I am still making videos, providing “help-desk” service to kids wanting into the library catalog and teaching lessons. I find myself wiped out at the end of the day. We are going 50% hybrid in Nov. Fingers crossed I can keep up.
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We’re supposed to be considering moving to green but today had our first positive case in the district and three more probable positives. Thankfully none are in our school, but it’s definitely worrisome.
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I have to tell you that I adore limericks, ever since stumbling across them as a child (I recall the first ones by heart to this day). Love the carrot’s contorted legs and harvest dance – and I know you inspired another absolutely enchanting poem as well. Limericks to the rescue, indeed – just the light and laughter we need at present! Those orange pants just dance their way into the heart.
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Limericks are such fun, aren’t they? Most of the ones I can recall are more than a bit off-color though. lol
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Both of these are so much fun. You “f-bomb” gave me a chuckle.
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I’m just glad that in real life it didn’t explode ’til after the students had left for the day 🙂
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I’m so glad you grew those inspirational carrots! They are beauties! I just saw that you went to my blog to catch the carrot inspired poem. Thanks!
I have the daily tech glitch here using cyberschool…but my grandkids are sitting there beside me so I have to be careful with all the alphabet bombs. Double stress! Lol!
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Alphabet bombs! Ha!
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Absolute winners, both, Molly! I think limericks must engage an oft-ignored little pocket of the brain which is wired directly to the funny bone. A good place to enrich your vocabulary, too!
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I’m totally captivated by the idea of a limericks linking a brain pocket to the funny bone.
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I laughed at the F-Bomb. I totally get your frustration. Technology and teaching do not always work together. Your carrot limerick is hilarious as well. I love your wit when things get tough. It helps to bring a smile.
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It’s laugh or cry, right? I choose to laugh when I can.
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Both are so fun. I think anyone who has ever taught knows the dropping of an Fbomb…Thank you for taking the time after a challenging week. I feel for my teacher friends trying to teach right now.
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The whole hybrid thing has gone much better than expected. It’s still overwhelming, but it could be so much worse. I’m just beyond thankful that I’m not making videos for remote learning.
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Your limericks are so much fun! Good for you for finding the time/energy/focus to write them. Your carrots are also fabulous! I hope this week is easier.
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Thanks! Whatever happens this week, I still have a few carrots left to harvest, so there’s always that! Who knows what I’ll find!?
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Carrots are very mysterious. You never know what they are doing in the earth until you dig them up.
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My point precisely!
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Standardized testing! Worthy of multiple F bombs. Got to laugh and laugh with colleagues to flourish as a teacher.
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Thankfully I work with the best of colleagues!
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Hilarious!
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Thanks! It’s hard to stay downcast when writing limericks!
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