tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578299375433383985.post5431608081684478329..comments2024-03-14T00:16:58.277-07:00Comments on Ordinary Guy: The Little PrinceTim O'Keefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12653709506879101775noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578299375433383985.post-21239890885920813452010-08-28T07:33:46.551-07:002010-08-28T07:33:46.551-07:00This is one of my favorite books -- I still quote ...This is one of my favorite books -- I still quote it when I feel warm about a subject or person -- Thanks, Tim MOMruckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12684630630648197122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578299375433383985.post-19007430506795953082010-08-25T17:04:54.528-07:002010-08-25T17:04:54.528-07:00I wish i could be with you more,but life is fast a...I wish i could be with you more,but life is fast and a gift.Sam K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10596926965255527340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578299375433383985.post-36665519777473491172010-08-23T19:36:49.185-07:002010-08-23T19:36:49.185-07:00Ok, sorry for the long winded comment…twice! One ...Ok, sorry for the long winded comment…twice! One last thing. Thank you for the wisdom about our homeless friend. I was the angry ME, ME, ME one in that situation. I just get so angry when people don’t appreciate…but you are so right. It is not about me, and Mother Teresa is so right also, it is between me and God. I have so much to learn yet. Selfishness and ego are so evil! It is not my job to teach everyone a lesson, especially one that I am not great at myself!!! Thank you for the time you take to comment on our blog. I really do cherish your words. Thank you my friend.Brent and Kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14984443680360669177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578299375433383985.post-27165705088334569042010-08-23T19:35:14.418-07:002010-08-23T19:35:14.418-07:00I am not quite sure of posting etiquette, but I am...I am not quite sure of posting etiquette, but I am going to post about your last two blogs on this one. First of all, wow! I think back to the days when Devin was just a young explorer of the world, a boy full of laughter, adventure, and a heart like so few at his age, a new 4th grader in my class. All those years ago, and I can still say the same of him today. You must be so proud of him. What an important time for the both of you. I still remember the feeling of leaving home for college. I was timid, but so excited and so ready for freedom. Yes, I missed my parents, they were home, they were my safety, but I was so excited to see if I could do it on my own. (As on your own as you are in college). While I am sure Devin is excited, and ready to try it solo, there is no doubt countless lessons that you have taught him, years of love that he has felt, and an infinite amount of admiration that he feels for you that will always help him find Home! I am so inspired by your words and the truth they speak to me. I think of the days that blur by me and how much Asher has grown already. I do not want to blink. I want to see, to feel each moment and live in it. <br /><br />On to Blog 2, the read aloud. Oh my. Where to start? Tim, I am sure, as modest as you are, you are tired of hearing how amazing you are, but tough. That is one of the reasons I love your blog. I realize how much you impact the world around you, not only through the kids, and through the countless lives they in turn will influence, but you can tell from all those who read your words that you have made a difference in them. I am blessed to have been taught, and tamed by you my friend. <br /><br />I love the notion of “Taming”. I looked the word up on dictionary .com…and it made me even more excited to think about the word as we have seen it used in The Little Prince. Let me share with you the dictionary definition;<br /><br />–verb (used with object) <br />9. to make tame; domesticate; make tractable. <br />10. to deprive of courage, ardor, or zest. <br />11. to deprive of interest, excitement, or attractiveness; make dull. <br />12. to soften; tone down. <br />13. to harness or control; render useful, as a source of power. <br />14. to cultivate, as land or plants. <br /><br />What a great contradiction. The feeling of this definition, (yes they have a feeling associated with them) is negative. DEPRIVE OF COURAGE…CONTROL…RENDER USEFUL…MAKE DULL!!! How crazy. <br /><br />WAIT!<br /><br />My mind is lost in a sea of teachers, some mine, others who I have seen, still more who I have presented to or heard tales of. This is the TAME of their world. The crazy children of the new school year, excited, interested, no where near dull, waiting to take over the classroom and destroy the teacher at any coast must be TAMED! They must be made into something that “I”, the teacher can use to promote myself, to make my job easy, to gain higher test scores, to control! (in a deep voice HA, HA, HA, HA!) <br />No really, doesn’t this sound like the majority? Doesn’t this just fit most? <br /><br />I will use this word, Tame more often thanks to you brining it to light Tim, and yes, embarrassed to say, will read The Little Prince, for the first time. I Love how you described the give and take of Taming. So many, (not those who have seen you with kids) would be baffled by a teacher allowing students to tame them. What a beautiful and wonderful thing. Making a connection to kids, making children important, making meaning for learners, making others know that you care, sharing ourselves, our real selves to others… it doesn’t get much better.Brent and Kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14984443680360669177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578299375433383985.post-28136494984492393012010-08-23T19:34:35.098-07:002010-08-23T19:34:35.098-07:00I am not quite sure of posting etiquette, but I am...I am not quite sure of posting etiquette, but I am going to post about your last two blogs on this one. First of all, wow! I think back to the days when Devin was just a young explorer of the world, a boy full of laughter, adventure, and a heart like so few at his age, a new 4th grader in my class. All those years ago, and I can still say the same of him today. You must be so proud of him. What an important time for the both of you. I still remember the feeling of leaving home for college. I was timid, but so excited and so ready for freedom. Yes, I missed my parents, they were home, they were my safety, but I was so excited to see if I could do it on my own. (As on your own as you are in college). While I am sure Devin is excited, and ready to try it solo, there is no doubt countless lessons that you have taught him, years of love that he has felt, and an infinite amount of admiration that he feels for you that will always help him find Home! I am so inspired by your words and the truth they speak to me. I think of the days that blur by me and how much Asher has grown already. I do not want to blink. I want to see, to feel each moment and live in it. <br /><br />On to Blog 2, the read aloud. Oh my. Where to start? Tim, I am sure, as modest as you are, you are tired of hearing how amazing you are, but tough. That is one of the reasons I love your blog. I realize how much you impact the world around you, not only through the kids, and through the countless lives they in turn will influence, but you can tell from all those who read your words that you have made a difference in them. I am blessed to have been taught, and tamed by you my friend. <br /><br />I love the notion of “Taming”. I looked the word up on dictionary .com…and it made me even more excited to think about the word as we have seen it used in The Little Prince. Let me share with you the dictionary definition;<br /><br />–verb (used with object) <br />9. to make tame; domesticate; make tractable. <br />10. to deprive of courage, ardor, or zest. <br />11. to deprive of interest, excitement, or attractiveness; make dull. <br />12. to soften; tone down. <br />13. to harness or control; render useful, as a source of power. <br />14. to cultivate, as land or plants. <br /><br />What a great contradiction. The feeling of this definition, (yes they have a feeling associated with them) is negative. DEPRIVE OF COURAGE…CONTROL…RENDER USEFUL…MAKE DULL!!! How crazy. <br /><br />WAIT!<br /><br />My mind is lost in a sea of teachers, some mine, others who I have seen, still more who I have presented to or heard tales of. This is the TAME of their world. The crazy children of the new school year, excited, interested, no where near dull, waiting to take over the classroom and destroy the teacher at any coast must be TAMED! They must be made into something that “I”, the teacher can use to promote myself, to make my job easy, to gain higher test scores, to control! (in a deep voice HA, HA, HA, HA!) <br />No really, doesn’t this sound like the majority? Doesn’t this just fit most? <br /><br />I will use this word, Tame more often thanks to you brining it to light Tim, and yes, embarrassed to say, will read The Little Prince, for the first time. I Love how you described the give and take of Taming. So many, (not those who have seen you with kids) would be baffled by a teacher allowing students to tame them. What a beautiful and wonderful thing. Making a connection to kids, making children important, making meaning for learners, making others know that you care, sharing ourselves, our real selves to others… it doesn’t get much better.Brent and Kristenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14984443680360669177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578299375433383985.post-31616643443602614942010-08-22T17:47:52.759-07:002010-08-22T17:47:52.759-07:00Wow, I have already begun to feel that same "...Wow, I have already begun to feel that same "taming" process this year. As a second year teacher, I knew that it would be interesting to come into the classroom with a new group of students...I knew it was coming but I can't help but feel a little pang in my heart where I miss the group I had last year. I am so excited to gain another family and thank you for the reminder for both me and them to be patient with one another as we grow accustomed to our new lives for the next 180 days.Teresahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05808035639351691925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578299375433383985.post-86551176521670249492010-08-21T17:01:34.397-07:002010-08-21T17:01:34.397-07:00Alright, a whole bunch of thoughts flew through my...Alright, a whole bunch of thoughts flew through my mind as I was reading this.<br /><br />First, it reminded me of a book we read last year in our class. Or, at least we started it. The first few chapters were so strong with lovely passages and a dark, dark storyline about an ancient serpent locked inside an old tree waiting to come out and take revenge on those who had angered him. Who they were or what they had done we never figured out because I abandoned the book. There were really long passages, sometime chapters even, where very little happened. Then some of the vocabulary began to get really difficult and I feared I was losing the kids. Sure enough, when I stopped reading it, despite the fact that they had become distracted and disinterested in parts, threw a fit. They wanted to finish the book. Every single one of them. I stuck with my guns and put it back on the shelf. Then, of course, it became the most popular book in the room. The kids queued themselves up and began passing it along after taking it home to finish it. Many wound up abandoning it too (it was just too hard) but three or four finished it and loved it. <br /><br />Second, you did a great job of capturing the magic and importance of read aloud. It's my favorite part of the day. I feel challenged each time I sit to read with the kids to see if I can make them feel something when hearing the story - joy, laughter, sadness, wonder. There's little more satisfying than pulling your kids into a really good story.<br /><br />Thirdly, Harper said this summer "Mr. O says if you can't cry then you can't read. But I think he's wrong because I don't cry but I read all the time." Of course, she's reading catty novels about middle school girls with horses so I'm not that certain there's all that much to cry about!Mr. Hass' Classhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01966423580619691843noreply@blogger.com