It's Monday! Here's What I'm Reading

Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers cohost It's Monday!  What Are You Reading?  Be sure and stop by to participate and see what others are reading and recommending.

This weekend I read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library.  What a fun book! This book is creatively crafted, woven with puzzles, videos games, book titles, and intrigue.  The main character, Kyle, resembles many of the students I have had throughout my years of teaching.  He would rather be playing videos than read a book any day.  I just have to chuckle when he says, "I'll have to put that one on my reading list."  

If you have reluctant readers, especially boys, then this book might just be the answer to get them going.  Although some of my 4th graders could read this book, I think it is more suited for 5th grade to middle school students because of the difficulty of keeping track of all the twists and turns in the plot.  

On deck for this week - two more books that I have heard so many good things about.

Happy Reading!

Celebrate Good Times, Come On! 10/26

Each Saturday join Ruth Ayres to share and celebrate events from your week.  Looking for small celebrations has certainly improved my outlook on my week.  For that, I am certainly grateful to Ruth and all of you who choose to celebrate.

Today I celebrate partnerships.  We all know how important relationships and partnerships are in the classroom.  Writing and reading groups, mentorships, grade level collaborations.  The list goes on.  But what about community partnerships?

We have a local McDonald's who gives generously to our community and especially to our school corporation.  Most of their work is anonymous.  They do not want, nor expect to be given recognition for the many positive things they do.

Each year they host a McTeacher Night for our four elementary schools.  Our night was last week.  Teachers sign up to work, and the students bring in their families to eat.  The kids always get a kick out of watching teachers make McFlurries or fries and even working the drive-through window.  McDonald's then gives a certain amount of the proceeds from the night back to the school.  

I worked at McDonald's when I was sixteen in high school and during breaks and summers when I was in college.  It was a fun place to work, but as a teacher I prefer to work the lobby and talk to my students, former students and soon-to-be students!  It is such a fun night....a great night for celebrating families and community partnerships!

Three of my fourth graders.

A second grader and future fourth grader.

Me with a former student, now a freshman.

Have a great week and may you be blessed with many celebrations!

Slice of Life - Little Notebooks for Little Slices

Two Writing Teachers

After I started blogging this summer, I knew I wanted to try the March Challenge hosted by Two Writing Teachers.  But after the first nine weeks of school, I began having some doubts.  I just didn't see how I could accomplish this goal.

It seemed as if I consistently ran out of day before my endless list was complete.  How in the world would I ever find the time to write a post every...single...day in March when I am struggling with writing one every Tuesday!

My other doubt was how would I ever find thrity-one different ideas to write about?

Reading your blogs, I have learned that many of you "borrow" ideas from each other.

Yes, the lightbulb finally came on!  Why can't I do that?  I mean, isn't that mentor text at its finest!

OK, that problem is solved, but now another one.   I read blogs anytime, anywhere...sometimes I even sneak a peak in the middle of the school day!  How will I ever remember all of those ideas I read about when sometimes I can't even remember why I walk into a room?  I always think, "Oh I'll remember that!"  Wrong!

Another lightbulb moment - find a notebook!

I decided I needed to start keeping slice ideas in a separate notebook.  After reading Terje's post last week, I knew I wanted a special notebook just for slices that was a reflection of me and my personality.

I knew I wanted it to be small enough to carry with me.  

I knew I wanted it to express my personality.  

I knew this was the one!

I was so excited that it was green polka dots, just like my blog.

So I am now "armed and ready" to start borrowing ideas, searching for those little nuggets that I can turn into a slice and collecting them in a special place.  Hopefully, by March I will have so many ideas, finding the time to write is the only thing I will be searching for.

National Day of Writing - Perfect Timing

Saturday as I was posting my celebrations on Ruth Ayres' blog, I noticed my next post would be number 25.  A small milestone, yet its importance is monumental.

I thought, "Hey, I have made it this far.  I should write about it."

My first thought was to write a list of 25 things I learned through writing on my blog to celebrate.

But, wasn't feeling it.

I already had Monday's IMWAYR ready to go - my list of Mock Newbery Book Club titles for those of you who asked.

Already had my slice written for Tuesday - yes that is a first!  I really need to start "It's Monday Night!  Is Your Slice Written Yet?"

So, I decided against writing my list.  Besides, no one would want to read that anyway.

Day over.

Went to bed.

Sunday morning after reading the paper, I opened my computer and there was Katherine's post on Read, Write, Reflect about National Day of Writing.

She wrote one...little...word...WRITE!

Perfect timing!

So here is my list of 25 things I have learned about writing on my blog and the connections I have made.

a blank page is scary

a blank page is full of possibilities

writing is hard

it starts with just one word

words hurt

words comfort

words make me cry

words make me smile

words make me laugh

feedback and comments are important

proofread comments

writing communities are important

writing connects me to people I don't even know

sharing my writing makes it easier to write again

ideas are easily forgotten

get a notebook

write in the notebook

everyone has a story to tell

stories are found everywhere

small celebrations are still celebrations

celebrate throughout...not just when through

write about the small things

write about the big things

write about things...nature is full of "things"

just write!

I am blessed to be connected with this writing community.  You support; you encourage; you push me to become a better writer and to reach goals I never thought were possible.  Thank you for helping me believe.

It's Monday! Here's What We Will Be Reading!

Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers cohost It's Monday!  What Are You Reading?  Be sure and stop by to see what others are reading and recommending or to participate.


Saturday I wrote a post about celebrations, thanks to Ruth Ayres and her Celebrate This Week Link-up.
I was celebrating the inauguration of my Mock Newbery Breakfast Club.  I had a couple of people ask what book titles I was including, so I thought I would write today about those books we WILL be reading.

All of the books were recommended on Goodreads and by teachers on various websites.  My goal is to persuade my readers to read books which are out of their comfort zone.  These students are high ability, and I want to push them to think more critically about the books they read.

Here's the list I currently have but several more I want to add.  I have not read all of them, so I welcome feedback on my choices or other titles you feel I need to find.

Happy Reading!

Celebrate Good Times, Come On! 10/19

Each Saturday join Ruth Ayres to share and celebrate events from your week.  I have several things to celebrate this week, but I have chosen two to share today!

Celebration One - Monday morning I started my Mock Newbery Breakfast Club with my high ability 4th graders.  It is a small group, but they seem to be willing to accept the challenge of reading books which are out of their comfort zones.  I can't wait to start reading and talking about the books I have bought for this group...all recommended from many of you!  I hope this becomes a great way for me to celebrate books and talk with my students.

Celebration Two - Last week we held our parent - teacher conferences.  This year I decided to try student-led conferences.  What a success!

Yes, it was a little more work with the preparations and practicing with the students, but well worth it.  The kids were both excited and nervous about showing their assessment results and progress for the first nine weeks of school to their parents.  But I could see the pride on their sweet, little faces...students and parents!

Accountability has been the buzz word for teachers, but this year I have made it a part of my classroom.  I think students (and parents!) need to be held accountable for their learning.  Because of the conferences, the students have a deeper understanding of the assessments they are given, the way their grades are determined, and the expectations set for them.  I anticipate great things happening and many celebrations as we go forward.

For those of you who already use student-led conferences, is there anything you would do differently?  If you don't use them, you might want to consider this.  I think it will give you a reason to celebrate!

Have a great week and may you blessed with many celebrations!

Slice of Life - Coincidence or Message?

Two Writing Teachers

Do you believe coincidence?

Do you believe that everything happens for a reason?   

Or do you fall somewhere in the middle?

Last week I received an email from my sister-in-law, Angie.  She was telling a story about what she thought was a typical flight back home for her job.  Here is part of her email:

I was traveling this week and spent a lot of time on planes.   I don't like to "chat" on planes and usually find a way to not have to engage.  It is a busy time and I was hopeful that I could make good use of my time flying and get some much needed work done.  All was good on my flight there…nobody in the seat next to me and plenty of room to work on my laptop.  

On the way back…100% full flight…ugh!  Too crunched to work on my laptop, so I thought I would put in my ear buds and watch a movie.  As my seat mate squeezed into the middle seat, we shared a few pleasantries.  The flight got under way and I watched a mindless movie.  When she needed to get up to go to the restroom I unhooked my buds.  Upon her return she asked "Would you like to see what I do for a living?"  I said "sure."  She pulls out her iPad and I immediately think she is a photographer, but quickly realize she is an artist.  

How do you think I looked when she showed me this?  Needless to say, we chatted the remainder of the flight.

The artist is Ramona Swift, and her artwork is magnificent.  (Many of her pieces remind me of pictures I would find on Elsie's blog!)

Now, let me get to the "rest of the story" and explain why this is so significant.

Several years ago my in-laws passed away within a year and eight months of each other.  My father-in-law passed first, followed by my mother-in-law.  

The day before Marge passed away, all seven of her children were at the hospital.  Two of the girls were in the room with Marge and the rest were in the family lounge.  The two sisters came out of the room and told a story about something strange that had just happened while they were in with their mom.  

They said a butterfly came up to the window and kept hovering like it was looking in.  It stayed at the window for quite some time.  They were fascinated that a butterfly would be up that high, the sixth floor of the hospital, and that it remained there for so long.

One of them said, "If it was anything but a butterfly, I would think it was Dad coming to get Mom.  But he wouldn't come back as a butterfly."

Frank, my father-in-law got to a point before he died where he needed a cane to walk.  He used a cane that belonged to my husband's grandmother.  Guess what it had on it?  Yes, butterflies.  My sister-in-law, Linda, tried to talk him into getting a more "masculine" cane but he said no, the purple cane with butterflies suited him just fine.

After Marge passed, the family went through some very stressful, difficult times.  Try to imagine seven siblings trying to make decisions.  Linda who was the one handling many of the details, lives in Kentucky.  She and my husband had many of the affairs in order, and she was getting close to returning home.  Before she went, she made one last trip to the cemetery.  

Guess what was there on the flowers covering the fresh grave?  Yes, a beautiful butterfly, giving her a sign, a message that said you can go home now, everything will be OK.

Was it a coincidence that a butterfly was hovering at Marge's window, beckoning her to let go and come home?  Or was it a message?

Was it a coincidence that a butterfly was on the flowers in the cemetery, giving Linda a sense of peace?  Or was it a message?

Was it a coincidence that almost three years to the day of Marge's death, Angie finds herself on a plane with this artist whose beautiful artwork is a meadow of butterflies?  Or was it a message?

Was it a coincidence that the artist wasn't even supposed to be on this flight, but the original flight was overbooked and she was bumped to this one?  Or was it a message?

Coincidence or message?  I'll leave that for you to decide....I already have my answer.

It's Monday! Here's What I'm Reading?

Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee at Unleashing Readers cohost It's Monday!  What Are You Reading?  Be sure and stop by to see what others are reading and recommending or to participate.

I am so excited to finally be able to do this!  Learning about blogging is very challenging to those of us who are "technologically illiterate."  Right before school started I figured out on my own how the get the link for Mentor Texts and the "It's Monday" button.  Believe me that was an accomplishment!  I couldn't wait to link up and share what I was reading.

Fast forward to school starting...the reading took a halt, and I have never been able to participate.

Last week my world slowed down enough for me to finally be able to read some books.  At last, I get to share!  Here is what I read last week.

Every Day After by Laura Golden

Although this book is set during the Great Depression, it is timeless.  The main character, Lizzie Hawkins could easily be one of the students in my classroom.  She's compassionate, she's driven, and she's a fighter.  I have a special place in my heart for Lizzie, because I too felt like I could never live up to my father's expectations.  You will love her!





The Boy on the Porch by Sharon Creech

This book left me wanting more.  I wanted to know more about John and Marta, more about why the boy on the porch didn't talk, and more about the ending of the story.  It's a book about different kinds of love, finding love in unexpected places, and losing love.  Quick read!

Here's what I am hoping to read this week:

Happy Reading!

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

Each Saturday join Ruth Ayres to share and celebrate events from your week.  

I continue to be thankful for this writing community, the people like Ruth and so many others who I learn from each day, and the opportunities I have found to challenge myself as a writer.  I would consider this a reason to celebrate!

To many of you who are avid readers, my celebration may seem quite small.  Since school started on August 9th, reading has taken a back seat in my life.  The education world seems to never stop, and I have found myself on a bit of roller coaster this year.  But, this week I actually read two books and have started a third.

One night I even stayed up until 1:00 finishing Every Day After by Laura Golden.  Snuggling under the covers in bed with my reading light on felt like old times.  I am back in reading heaven!  Now that I know I can get back to reading and still maintain my busy schedule, I can celebrate!

Slice of Life - Words

             

Two Writing Teachers

Words can sometimes be so hurtful, especially when they are untrue and said about you.  Events from this week are behind  this short poem, unfinished and unpolished, but from my heart.

words
deflating my spirit
like a balloon
with a small leak
echoing
why

words
will not hold me hostage
from happiness
from being who I am

I will move on
to become a better, stronger person
because
of
words

Slice of Life - Mentoring 101

TWO WRITING TEACHERS

Last week I received a book from a friend titled Mentoring 101 by John C. Maxwell.

My friend is a pastor at one of our churches.  His children attend our school, and his wife teaches here.  He actually leads a bible study and prayer group with a small group of teachers here at school.  I know - I hear some of you gasping right now.

We meet before our school day officially begins.  The power of prayer for our students and colleagues, diving into the Word of God, his inspirational text messages, and focusing on these throughout our day is amazing.  It is one of the highlights of our week.

I haven't read past the preface and first chapter of the book, but I think this book has the potential to be inspiring.   I have been placed in a couple of new leadership positions this year, and with that comes opportunity and professional growth, but also many new challenges.  Although I love the challenge, it is harder to find the time to do the things that I love...reading and writing.

A line in the preface says "If you want to grow and become the best person you can be, you've got to be intentional about it."  This is still a work in progress in many areas of my life.  My intentionality right now is not including the reading and writing that I so enjoy and need in order to become a better teacher.  I miss that, and I am searching for some balance.

Also in the preface, the author says "...life is busy and complex.  Most people run out of day long before their to-do list is done."

My to-do list included a longer slice but....I have run out of day!  Seems to be a pattern lately.

I have read more of this little gem of a book since I first posted this.  Check back this week for more inspirational tidbits.

Slice of Life - Reflections

Since I started writing this summer, I have found that I do more reflecting than I have ever done before. I have always thought about how lessons and days went and how I could I change things, but now it is different.  Maybe it's because I am taking the time to actually write things down instead of just "thinking" about things.

Last week was just an all-round great week, so I decided to write a little bit about what happened in Room 19B.

1.  We received our standardized test results for last year, and 100% of the students I had all year passed!  I was thrilled to say the least.  They worked really hard to become better readers in an environment which was heavily focused on assessing.  Not something I like, but today's reality.

2.  We started our Independent Work Time and I started small groups and conferences.  This went exceptionally well.  I have modeled, and we have practiced and practiced, but it is so satisfying to see it all come together.  We even had an unexpected visitor and our room was buzzing with reading work.  I was very proud of my kids.

3.  We were reading The War with Grandpa, and the kids were begging me to read more.  I love it when that happens!  This an older book, but the kids love the story.  I always read it when we first start story elements because it has such great events in the rising action and climax.  If you haven't read this book, you might want to see if you can find a copy.

4.  I placed an order for the following books:  Counting by 7's, Paperboy, Every Day After, and The Center of Everything.  I can't wait to get started on these new books.  I am starting a Mock Newbery Club for my high ability 4th graders, and these are some of the ones I have been hearing about.  If any of you have read these, I would be happy to hear what you have to say about these titles.

   

5.  My students posted their first post on Kidblog.  I had shown them my blog when school first started and they were all excited to become "published writers."  I even had a couple of students go online at home and create a post and comment on students' writing.  I think this will be fun!

6.  The last thing and probably the best thing that happened last week was that we found out they have decided to make our part-time teacher full-time.  Today I will go from 36 students in the afternoon to 23 all day.  We all know the importance of building relationships with our students.  It was simply impossible to that effectively with 36 students.  Today will be like another first day of school and I can't wait to meet my class....AGAIN!

Slice of LIfe - Better than Yesterday

TWO WRITING TEACHERS

Last week on Portable Teacher, Lea Ann wrote a post about a comparison of running and creating curriculum calendars.  Her running trainer from Camp Gladiator sent her a photo with a quote:  "It's not about being the best.  It's about being better than you were yesterday.

This quote came to life several times this past week.

We received DIBELS scores which of course reminded my of the post from Two Years and Finishing Strong.  When I think about the kids with the "red dots,"  I know I need to remind them that it is not about being the best reader in our classroom, but about being better than you were yesterday.  So many of them are aware that they struggle with reading, but become embarrassed because of the books they are reading or because they go to the resource room. They just want to be like the others who are reading at grade level.  But it is about the small gains they make from reading every day and working hard to improve, not about being the best.

I am a mentor teacher to a new teacher in our grade level.  He was all excited today because he was going to start his small groups in reading.  He had everything ready to go - plans made, groups formed, and books chosen,
                              ...and things
                                     ...did not go
                                               ...as planned.

By the end of the day he was very disappointed, exhausted, and overwhelmed.

He told me

• they got started late because of our school morning meeting
• things took longer than he expected
• the kids didn't stay focused on the task at hand
• they were late for lunch
• there were behavior problems

I told him, welcome to teaching, where things don't always go as planned.  I tried to use this quote as advice to make him see that this was just the first day.  It wasn't about being the best day, but learning from what went wrong, and making sure that tomorrow was better.

Last night we received our state standardized test results.  If you live in Indiana, then your know what a fiasco this has been.  Our school's results, as well as my own, were quite good.  But being the self-critic that I am, I looked at the fifth grade math scores and compared his to mine.  A conversation I had with my principal last year about this teacher immediately came to mind.  The gist was that "He gets results."

In my mind I added ..."but you don't."  That self-doubt came bubbling up and poured out today.  I questioned what and how I did things last year.  How could I have done things differently to get better results?

I had to give myself the advice I have been giving others...

It's not about being the best, but about being better today than yesterday.

So, tomorrow I will continue to build relationships with students and colleagues, work hard, have a positive attitude, and continue to make today better than yesterday.

Slice of Life - My First Featured Student Reader

TWO WRITING TEACHERS

In my last slice, I wrote how my reading heart was smiling.  The second day of school, I "caught" a student reading a book tucked inside her desk while I was giving a spelling inventory.  I knew she was a  girl after my own heart!  Today I have chosen her to be my first Featured Student Reader.  Thank you Ramona for the inspiration and for sharing your idea.

Jenna is a student in my fourth grade classroom and shares my passion for reading.  She began reading Harry Potter as a third grader!  As I was typing Jenna's answers, I decided it would be fun to answer the questions myself.  So, here is a peek into our reading hearts.

1.  What are some of your favorite books?  Why are they your favorite?  Some of my favorite books are Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Candy Makers, Runaway Twin, and Ella Enchanted.  They are some of my favorite books because they all tell an amazing story.  All the stories are different and I would recommend them to anyone.

I have read so many books that it is difficult to list favorites....my list would be too long.  But, my list would definitely include:  Bridge to Terabithia, The War with Grandpa, Wonder, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and my all-time favorite adult book is The Thornbirds.  I am an emotional reader.  I love books that tug at my heart and even make me cry.  

2.  What makes you choose a book?  I choose a book because the cover and the back look interesting.  Sometimes I close my eyes and pick a book and end up loving it!

I prefer realistic fiction, and I like to read books that my friends or students recommend.  Reading other teachers' blogs has given me enough book ideas to last a long time!

3.  Where do you like to read?  I like to read in a quiet place with my pillows and blankets.  In my room I have a pink chair.  It's very comfy and it's my favorite place to read.

I love to read by the pool in the summer time.  I also read every night in bed before I go to sleep.  It is a way for me to unwind.  (Don't tell my students, but I also love to read in the bathtub!)

4.  What do you remember about learning to read?  I remember the popcorn words we had to know how to read because you couldn't sound them out.  Some of the ones I remember were:  I, have, were, and how.

Although it was almost 45 years ago, I remember being able to read the word "the" and being able to find that word in books.  I also remember learning how to read with the Dick and Jane books.

5.  If there was one author you could meet, who would it be?  If I could meet any author, it would probably be Peg Kehret.  My favorite story by her is Runaway Twin.  I would choose her because I love her books!!!  

An author of adult fiction I would like to meet would be Karen Kingsbury.  Again, her books make me cry and I am amazed at how God has used her writing to inspire so many people.  J. K. Rowling would be a children's author I would like to meet.  But, not because I like Harry Potter (fantasy is NOT my favorite genre!).  I think her story of how she became a writer is very interesting and I would love to sit down and have her tell me about it.

6.  If you had a friend that didn't like to read, what would you tell them?  How would you get them to start reading?  If I had a friend who didn't like to read, I would tell them that no matter what you like, there's a book for you.  I would get them to start reading again.  I would find a book that has their "likes" in it.  I would give it to them and hope they like it.  If not, I would find different books and try over and over until I find the right one.

My answer is very similar to Jenna's.  I love sharing books with others and the more we do that, the greater chance we have of turning someone on to reading.

7.  Is there someone or something that inspired your love of reading?  I think my teachers helped me love reading even more.  They encouraged me to try my hardest at reading, and I feel like they helped me a lot.

I am a third generational reader.  My mother and my grandmother are both voracious readers.  I remember when I was a little girl, going to the library on Saturdays with my mom.  We would go home, fix popcorn and read our new books together.


I hope you enjoyed reading about Jenna.  I look forward to sharing books with her this year.

Happy Reading!