First Day of Worlds of Wisdom and Wonder

Today was a glorious, fun day in the life of some gifted children. Worlds of Wisdom and Wonder Began in Gurnee. I thought I had three advanced classes, so my first day letter might have taken some parents aback. Be assured that I will do my best to make sure my students are challenged, but not unhappy. The students were all quiet, as they are on the first day. So many strangers there. I try to group them according to interests so they can make new friends. I always think back to the first weekend activity my son had in western Illinois and how he came running out showing me all the things he had done. I want all of my students to have that joy and I will my part to make it enjoyable.

I forgot to put my website on the first day letter. It is Duncan Wallin Networking Associates. To find the page on Legos, click on Gifted Education and then Lego Logo. Or, you can just click here

Now I must go analyze the information I have on the kids and group them into teams. Please let me know if there are any problems. I love to hear from parents.

The most touching moment came at the end of the day. For those of you who are not in the gifted community, you may not realize that there are some topics we can't talk about. One of these topics is our abilities. Talking about our achievements is usually seen as bragging, even when it is not. So I was pleased when one of the students told me he had skipped a grade. I replied, "Me, too." His face lit up and it turned out we had skipped the same grade. As we walked out of the classroom, the quiet young man next to me said, "I skipped two." It's so good to be able to talk about this!

North Park University Loses Expert on Middle East

The Chicago area is losing one of the foremost experts on the Middle East, Donald E. Wagner. His book, Dying in the Land of Promise, opened my eyes to the plight of Palestinian Christians. Apparently, North Park has not renewed his contract and the students are distraught. My grandfather was a minister in the Swedish Covenant Church, and I think he would be appalled at the actions of the Swedish Covenant University. We need a reasoned look at what is occurring in the Middle East. Here is a man who has gone there many times, talked to all factions of the residents, and has some ideas on what needs to be done to end the bloodshed. Palestinians think he is pro-Israeli and Israelis think he is pro-Palestinian. The fact is that he is neither. He genuinely wants to call attention to the new leaders arising in the Middle East who are working for peace. Will we ever be able to find resolution among the people of the Middle East if we can't even discuss it here in Chicago? Shame on you, North Park!

National Poetry Month

I feel like I should post a poem here, since it is National Poetry Month. One of my favorites is called:


Cottonwood Snowflakes.

in slow motion
herald the beginning of summer.
Floating into
suburban pools and urban slums,
they have no opinion.

Swimming lessons, baseball games,
court convictions and funerals
continue unaffected.

Stop
and observe
as the miracles float by,
a caress from above.

(c)Linda Wallin 1997


I wrote that poem the year my cousin's son died at the age of ten. He was the same age as my second son and died around the time of Colin's birthday. He was born with his heart in backwards, and it gave him wisdom beyond his years. I was taking my daughter to swimming lessons and watching her sing the National Anthem at a White Sox game, which was in a very poor neighborhood at that time. My children's uncle was struggling with legal issues. I was struck by the gentle softness of cottonwood seeds constantly falling all around me, unnoticed by most people.

My students have discovered that it is not so hard to write a poem. My fifth grader wrote a beautiful poem about a walk we took outside the school. My third graders are searching their hearts for feelings and senses to put into their poems. My fourth graders are giving me their best effort. Every year I am amazed at what my students have to say that is unique to them. The best part - no grammar!

Today I was blessed with a trip to the Loop. My daughter Kim and I visited the Chicago Cultural Center, had lunch with poets, and then I went to a workshop at the Chicago Public Library by Poets and Patrons, followed by a Poetry Wheel led by Tom Ruby. My cup is full. I hope you all learn the joy of poetry if you don't know it already. It can heal your hurts, give you hope, and force you to explore parts of yourself you didn't know you had.

Missing the Boat

I know we are doing whatever it takes to teach children to read, but do we really have to sacrifice science, social studies, movement and the fine arts? How are we going to solve the environmental crisis if the students don't know what is involved in habitat? Will they care about people in Ghana if they don't even know the difference between a country and a continent? Students who cannot read can draw, sometimes very well. Students who have athletic ability deserve a chance to use it, and physical exercise will keep them healthy until they are old enough to qualify for Medicare, which may be age 80 by then. Music is the most effective teaching tool we have, and a recent study showed that children under the age of one move to music spontaneously (http://www.sciencefriday.com/videos/watch/10289). What are we doing with what we have? We have 1660 minutes per day to teach our students how to be reasonable human beings with a desire to learn whatever they need to learn to survive in a global society. Education has been charged with teaching citizenship, basic skills, love of learning, a need to serve others, and an appreciation for life in all of its multitude of dimensions. Are we missing the boat?