Melissa Forney's blog

Melody Welt and the 4th grade from Sand Pine Elementary, Wesley Chapel, Florida, have read my book, The Astonishing Journey of Teddy Bodain. Now they've held their first ever Sand Pine Writing Camp. They took their "campers" to Tampa's Cracker Country as a celebration of Florida history.

My friend, Maureen O'Neill, who teaches 4th grade, wrote to share an idea for motivating her students:

Our new granddaughter, Tallulah Elissabeth Rossi, is finally here. She was born this past weekend to our daughter, Rebecca, and her husband, PJ Rossi. We are so blessed to have a new baby in the family. It's true: little girls ARE made of sugar and spice and everything nice.

Meet two of my favorite teachers, Gretchen Faust and Nancy Prizito. What makes a fabulous teacher? Dedication. Innovation. Thinking outside of the box. Concern. Passion. Integrity. High Standards. Vision. These two have it in spades.

Gretchen tailors her teaching to the specific needs of each child in her 4th grade class. She celebrates every victory and keeps in touch with her students long after they have left her room. She writes letters of encouragement to all of her students and spends the time necessary to help them on an individual basis.

Patrick Rossi is an elementary music teacher. He also teaches writing to 4th graders.

If I can't have a trip to the islands, if I can't have Paris, if I can't have Paula Deen cook supper five nights a week, then give me a PRIMARY WRITING WORKSHOP.

Marlo Gordon is a teacher after my own heart. She believes in reading aloud to her students on a daily basis. I had the opportunity to hear her rich, mellifluous voice at one of my writing conferences when she read aloud a chapter from my book, The Astonishing Journey of Teddy Bodain. The 100+ teachers and I were mesmerized, transported back to childhood, back to the world of imagination. Reading aloud to your students is a vital step in teaching them to become great writers.

The weather here today is gorgeous. I see beauty all around. For those of you who don't live in Florida, I wanted to share this photo of a natural spring. Rainwater accumulates in underground rivers, pushes up through limestone formations, and bubbles to the surface, forming a pool. The water is filtered, crystal clear, and a constant 72 degrees year round. The underwater forms you see are manatees, swimming with their young. Take time to stop and smell the roses--or see the manatees--no matter where you are.