Okay. Hate is a bit strong, but I definitely don’t like baseball. But I love the plethora of baseball metaphors and idioms that exist in the American vernacular. So as I contemplated…and thought about…and reflected… (hence my lateness) on the theme of my blog, I decided to stick with the baseball analogy that fits so nicely with my fellowship.

During my Kenan Fellowship, I will be working with DPI as North Carolina makes its transition from NC Wise to Home Base. When I accepted the fellowship, I expected to be working with individuals at DPI as I identified high quality resources for ESL teachers around the state. In Raleigh last week, however, I learned that I would also be working with an amazingly diverse group of teachers that are just plain fun to be around.  I was also introduced to the entity that is CUACS. So far I have learned that CUACS is responsible for EOGs, EOCs, and MSLs. How that fits in with their website tag line that states that CUACS is “conducting research to improve the lives of North Carolina citizens”  (www.cuacs.ncsu.edu), I haven’t quite figured out yet.

As the end of my school year and the beginning of my fellowship approached, life through me another curve. I accepted a new position in my district as a secondary instructional coach. As I wrapped my head around leaving my position as the ESL specialist at my two schools to being the coach at the same two schools, I hoped that I would be able to center my fellowship on finding resources for teachers who have English Learners in their classrooms. But teachers in all disciplines at all levels have ELLs in their classrooms. So I have chosen to narrow my initial search for resources for middle grades social studies teachers who have ELLs, oftentimes without support, in their classrooms.

This brings me to what I expect to gain from my fellowship: 1. a wealth of resources that I can share through Home Base with the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Social Studies teachers at my school, in my district, and across the state and 2. a deeper and more intimate knowledge of America’s pastime on her language.

So I close my first belated blog post with a request for the baseball fans out there. Got any suggestions of favorite baseball terms, metaphors, idioms, allusions, etc. that I can add to my lexicon?  

Let’s play ball.