Hmmm...musings on poetry,life, and Shakespeare...

This weekend I officially have no report cards to finish.  They now have hopefully reached 27 homes (one student is in India) and I just have to endure 27 interviews next week prior to Easter weekend.  Next excitement is the school musical and a workshop with Adrienne Gear at our school I am organizing for LOMCIRA (I guess I didn't get enough of that the last four years at the school board,)  Following that I get to plan four days for a teacher on call because I am going to Chicago for the International Reading Association conference thanks to having banked three days from the summer having given a couple of summer insitutes.  I am so looking forward to this as I really like Chicago and at this point I am particularly looking forward to all those books I plan to bring back to my classroom, excess luggage or not.  Also I am sure I will get lots of inspiration as well as getting to wander around that gorgeous city, staying at a historic hotel and going to see Billy Elliot, the musical.
My class thoroughly enjoyed meeting Beryl Young and now one of my girls is happily reading Follow the Elephant.  Many of our students had been to India so that there was lots of discussion.  She was lovely and many of my students noted this as a highlight of their week!
What am I reading these days?  A Year in the World: Journeys of a Passionate Traveller by Frances Mayes and I am currently in  Portugal.  I have to admit I started  Under the Tuscan Sun but didn't keep reading because I wasn't in the mood for it but I did see the movie and I am enjoying A Year in the World.  I am learning perhaps more than I want to know about Portugal and its food but what a nice escape to read this just before I go to sleep after a day of teaching.  Not having been to Spain nor Portugal it's great armchair traveling.  I am planning to go to South Africa this summer but I still find myself in a bit of a state of disbelief but if all goes according to plan this should be an exciting adventure.
Well April is coming soon and it will be Poetry Month as the wonderful Ruth Powers from Choice Literacy reminded me in the latest The Big Fresh Newsletter.  I have given you that link so you can explore all the great links there.  I love the idea of Poem in a Pocket Day on April 29th where everyone carries around a favorite poem. You also have to check out 30 Poems in 30 Days where you get a new unpublished poem from some of the best children's and young adult's poets each day.  We all need more poetry.
Before I go to Chicago I believe my class is going to get to see A Midsummer's Night Dream at our local high school.  One of my fellow teachers had already decided to do an integrated unit on this and I may have to steal an idea or two.  One of my students is currently reading Nathan Fox: A Spy in Dangerous Times, Nathan is a young actor in William Shakespeare's company.  He wondered why it sounded as if it was written 1000 years ago-well I said it takes place 400 years ago!  And I am off to see Queen Lear tonight.  This is especially  exciting as the lead is being played by Shirley Broderick who was a good friend of the mom of the friend with whom  I am going to see the play. 
I started the blog not sure if I had anything to say but as you can see...