Christmas has once again come and gone and I await,with anticipation, the new year of 2012 and what it will bring.  Sitting and enjoying a steamy cup of coffee last night, I started reminiscing about growing up and  about my grandmother who lived with us. Granny had a habit of pouring her creamed coffee into her saucer to drink it which always seemed normal at our house. I hadn’t thought  much about it while it was happening, but now it is a special memory to me. Wondering if it was just a southern thing, I researched and found it had been prevalent for years  in many countries. Apparently it wasn’t always considered polite to those in the upper class though.  I realize now that I really need to take time to jot down all these little memories.

What an opportunity we can offer our students if we also allow them the chance to research and interview their families before they are gone. We will not only give them writing and researching opportunities, but we will give them a chance to build deeper relationships with those around them.  Students will have the chance to learn about family and to compare their findings to those of others around the world. What an interesting way to get them to write!!