Book Shout

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for creating this space for me to share my corner of the world.

“Never underestimate 

the power of a great book 

in the hands of a teacher 

who knows how to use it” 

~Steven L. Layne

Any good reading teacher knows the power of a book.

A great teacher knows how to use it.

I believe in these words by Steven Layne with all of my heart.  His words are in my email signature line because I want my world to know I live, breathe and believe in the power of these words.

Many of us have the opportunity to talk about books in our classrooms.  Many of these book talks are extensions from our online communities.  We know that when teachers read kid lit and talk books with our students, 

we share our passion,  

we foster a love of reading.

we create readers.

Wednesday, I have the wonderful opportunity to take book talks to a new level.  I start a new segment on our morning show which is written, produced, and broadcasted by students.  

My segment is called "CMS Book Shout," and I will be sharing books with over 600 students each week.  That is a reading teacher's dream.

Below is part of my script for the first show.

Many people ask me why I read kid lit.  Although I have many answers, I would like to share one of those with you today.  

I read kid lit because it helps me to be a better teacher.  Now you may be wondering just how that happens.  

You see, when I read a book about a kid whose parents are going through a divorce, I understand you better.

When I read a book about a kid who feels different, I understand you better.

or when a kid is bullied

or when a kid’s parent is dealing with addiction or is in jail

or when a kid loses someone they love, 

I understand you better.

When I read a book about a kid who accomplishes a goal, 

or makes the team

or overcomes a fear

I get to celebrate with you because I understand what it took for you to get to that point.

But this understanding doesn’t just work for me as a reading teacher.  It works for ALL teachers, including math and science and health and PE teachers, and even principals and counselors and cafeteria workers and custodians.  When we read books with kids as the main characters, we understand all of you and what you are going through just a little bit better.

But here is the best part - this level of understanding can even work for YOU.

Just imagine what could happen if we took the time to read a book and learn what other students are going through.  If we create a culture of understanding and acceptance by reading,

we could become a better school.

a better community,

a better world.

That, my friends, is the power of books.  And that is something worth shouting about.

A Little Note - Celebrate #16

Each week Ruth Ayres extends an invitation to share and celebrate events, big or small, from our week.

Last week I celebrated being unplugged for an extended time.  I thought maybe writing about it would bring me back.

It didn't.

You know how it feels when you have not seen or been around someone, and you feel that you can't go back because it won't be the same?  Like their life continued without you?  When you do, you stumble on your words because everything feels "uncomfortable."

It did.

I feel scared to write again.  I see my communities of online friends continuing with their writing and reading lives, and because I have been absent for so long, I no longer feel "comfortable" being a part of them.

I don't.

Just now, I had my computer open, begging for the words to come.  Wanting to write a celebration post, to reconnect with those people who have meant so much to me.

They didn't.

Just now, I received a direct message on Twitter that said, "Hi! I was thinking about you." It was from Loralee from This and That.  When she first started blogging, I sent her the Sunshine Award to encourage her and to welcome her to the blogging community.  I knew what it felt like to be a part of something much bigger than myself, and I wanted to share that.

I did.

If she only knew how much I needed this small message at this exact moment.  I don't think it was a coincidence that she sent me that note, and I don't think it was a coincidence that these are the words on her last post:

A simple little note can lighten
someone's load and lift a heart!

- Renee Swope

It did.

Thank you Loralee!

Unplugged - Celebrate #15

Each week Ruth Ayres extends an invitation to share and celebrate events, big or small, from our week.

Today I feel as if I am a stranger in a place that once was so familiar.  A place where I could share and celebrate and think and wonder and laugh and cry.

But it also became a place where I felt over-committed and tired and empty.  I took a much needed break and abandoned my routine of blogging and writing.  My small writing break stretched into days and weeks and now months, something which wasn't intentional, but much needed.  

I tried to come back but I just wasn't ready yet.  I still needed more time to figure out why I write, where I wanted my writing to go and who I am as a writer.

Then school started two weeks ago, and as I began to plan my writing lessons, I felt like an impostor, a phony.   I became someone who says she writes but has rarely opened a notebook or picked up a pen in two months.

I strongly believe that in order to teach writing effectively, one must write.  Realizing the day had come when I needed to begin writing again, I picked up my pen.  I opened my notebook.  And the words and ideas flowed onto the page as if no time had passed.  

During these two months, I learned that sometimes we need to take a step back, take a deep breath, and unplug ourselves.  And that is perfectly OK.

Realizing I "still work" gives me reason to celebrate today.

Have a wonderful week 

and may you find many celebrations along the way!

"Introduce Yourself" with Google Slides

Digilit Sunday

Today I am participating in Digital Learning Sunday with Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche.  This week Margaret has encouraged us to write about preparing for a new school year.

Last Thursday I began my 10th year of teaching, and I still get excited to greet a new group of students and wonder about all the magic that the new year holds.  

This year's students have a special label - "the students I abandoned."  

Two years ago I moved from the elementary level to the middle school level, and these are the students I would have had, had I stayed in 4th grade.  That spring I invited all of the third graders up to my classroom, and we had a wax museum where my current students became the person they read in a biography.  We talked about what it was like in 4th grade, and I told them all how excited I was to have them next year.

And then I left.

I look forward to finally being their teacher this year.  

I have spent a lot of time this summer learning about Google Classroom and all the amazing things I can do with this technology.  After attending a conference in June, I wrote a post and had teachers share their summer learning on Google Slides.  It was a fun way for me to try it out and connect with others.

This week I am using Google Slides with my students to introduce themselves to the class.  They will all have a slide in a presentation where they will tell three things about themselves and take and post a picture.  I will then play it for parents during our Back to School Night in a couple of weeks. 

If you use Google Classroom and have never been to Alice Keeler's website, I highly urge you to go.  Here is a link which will take you to the Google Slide template I used.  The best part is that it is all set up for you.  Just copy it, and you are ready to start your own Google Slides presentation with your students.

I am so excited to get back to school, to get back to blogging after taking the month of July off, and to get back to reading, writing, and teaching.

Let the school year begin.

Singing a New Song

I know with many of my posts I am just preaching to the choir because many of my readers and I share the same beliefs.  This post is no different.  As Donalyn  Miller often says, "You preach to the choir because you want the choir to be loud."

But what about those teachers who do not know how to sing?

Last year I was having a conversation with an elementary teacher about independent reading in my classroom.  I teach in a district that uses Accelerated Reader, but she knows I do not like the program.  She asked me "If you don't do AR, how do you get kids to read?"

That's when I realized this teacher is one of those who did not know how to sing. Sadly, I think many more are just like her.  They have become so dependent on a program, they no longer remember "the words" or maybe even have a voice.

Today I am answering that question with a simplistic, yet multi-faceted answer.

By living a literate life.

1. I read the books my students read so I am better prepared to recommend titles to them.  Building reading relationships with students is built upon my knowledge of books.  Throughout the school year, our relationships move from teacher to student, to reader to reader.  They trust me to give them suggestions, and they trust our conversations.
2. I share my reading life.  I set a yearlong challenge for myself, and they see when I struggle with a book or struggle to find time to read.  Students get to know my preferences, and they know when I laugh, when I cry and when I abandon a book.
3. I have a well-stocked classroom library where books are within the reach of my students.  School libraries are essential to developing a reading culture, but quickly handing and suggesting books to students "in the moment" is even more important.  
4. I talk about books.  I talk about the books I am reading, I talk about the books they are reading, and they talk about the books they are reading.  Reading is a social activity, and it deserves a place at the discussion table.
5. I value independent reading.  I give my students time each day in class to read books of their choice.  I have 48 minute periods, but those 10 minutes we read have become nonnegotiable  I have this quote by Donalyn Miller posted outside my room.

A place where "all readers are valued

and all reading is valuable." 

It is not a program that creates readers.  It is the teacher who lives a literate life.  This past year my 100 students, which is one half of a grade level, read over 2,400 books. We read more books than each of the 7th or 8th grade classes.  We did it without a program.  

Because I know I am preaching to the choir, my goal is for you to share this with a teacher who has forgotten how to sing.  Teach them the words to a new song, so our choir can lift our voices for everyone to hear.

Our students deserve it.

#cyberPD: DIY Literacy - Week One

This summer I am participating in #cyberPD, an online book talk, with an amazing community of educators.  We read, respond and share our learning with each other. The summer's book is DIY Literacy Teaching Tools for Differentiation, Rigor, and Independence by Kate Roberts and Maggie Beattie Roberts.  To learn the basics about #cyberPD visit Cathy's blog, Reflect and Refine.  It's not too late to join us!

Chapter One:  Extending Our Reach

In this chapter Kate and Maggie identify three obstacles we face when teaching our students.  These obstacles are memory, rigor, and differentiation. Our students struggle with remembering all of what we are teaching them. Learning is hard, and sometimes this hard work gets in the way of learning. Our classrooms are full of different learning styles and abilities, and sometimes those students' needs are not being met.

But the beauty of this chapter lies in the answer - "Teaching tools can be...the seemingly simple things that cause great positive change" (3).

I use many of these tools already, but Kate and Maggie have shown me how I can tweak them to help my students "become more powerful, independent readers and writers of a variety of texts".  Don't we all want these "powerful assistants" in our classrooms?

They give three reasons to use teaching tools with our students:
1. Make teacher clear
2. Bring big ideas and goals to life
3. Help learning stick

Simple tools...positive change. 

Chapter Two:  An Introduction to Teaching Tools

Teaching Charts - I love the label of "teaching charts" instead of anchor charts which is what I have always called them.  Looking back at my charts, I use them more as repertoire charts, or a list of strategies, rather than process charts which take a larger skill and break it down into the steps the students need to master that skill.

Demonstration Notebooks - Once again, this is one of those simple things that I think will make a huge difference in my teaching.  To have interactive lessons at my fingertips will be powerful as a teacher.  I have started a list of lessons I want to include, but would love to hear or even see what others are including in their demonstration notebooks.  

Micro-progressions of Skills - Personally, I think this tool will be the most difficult for me.  I know I will struggle to clearly define the three levels of work.  This tool is one I will certainly be looking for examples from all of you and the hashtag #DIYLiteracy.  In the bonus chapter, Kate and Maggie suggest "never teach alone," and that is one piece of advice I intend to heed. 

Bookmarks - I use several bookmarks in my classroom, but all are pre-made and copied for students.  Lightbulb moment -- Letting them make the bookmarks themselves will "create space for them to be self-directed and reflective on the teaching happening in the classroom."  Again, a simple tool for powerful learning.

Bonus Chapter:  How Do I Find (and Write) Strategies for Teaching Tools?

For me, this chapter was the Jackpot!  When I read this book the first time, I remember thinking to myself, "This is all great, but where do I find all of the strategy steps to include in the making of these tools?"  Then, as if they heard my question, Kate and Maggie wrote the bonus chapter!  I find that in my own teaching, I tell the strategy more than I teach the strategy in a clear way for students to use independently and to transfer to other work.

I know I need to do this strategy work for myself.  I need to determine "the what + the how + the why" with many strategies in order for this work to be successful in my classroom.

My personal call to action from week one:

1. Think about how I can better use these tools in my classroom, especially the micro-progressions and the demonstration notebooks.
2. Determine strategies I want my students to clearly understand and be able to do.
3. Find or create examples of learning progressions.

The information in this book is powerful, but just reading the book is pointless if I am not doing the work myself.  I love how Julieanne shares her learning with us by creating her own strategy work with the book Pax.  She has truly set the bar for my summer learning, and I encourage you to read her post.

Now, it is time to get to work!

The Importance of Relationships: A Reminder from Pat Summitt

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for creating this space for me to share my corner of the world.

It is a very somber day in my house.

I woke up this morning to a daughter who was experiencing a personal form of grief. She woke up to the news that her idol, Pat Summitt, had passed away early this morning.  

Megan has been a Lady Vols fan since she began playing basketball as a young girl. Her senior year, she attended a camp at the University of Tennessee with her high school team, and she has watched the women's team play several times. She even met Pat once at an Indiana Fever game and had her picture taken with her.  Pat Summitt and the Lady Vols have had a huge influence in Megan's life as a girl's basketball player.

Now that Megan is a teacher and a coach, Pat's influence is reaching her in new ways.

As I sit here on the couch listening and watching the celebration of Pat's life, one word keeps winding itself around the reflections and memories of those who knew her...relationships.

Yes, her former players and people in the world of sports talk about her fierce competitiveness, her demands, and even her icy blue stare.  But the common thread in their words is the relationships Pat had with everyone who came in contact with her.

Today as a teacher, I am reminded of the importance of relationships from a legendary coach.

My students deserve a teacher who builds relationships before building lesson plans.  

My students deserve a teacher who will not settle for anything less than their best in and out of the classroom.

My students deserve a teacher who sees them as more than a test score or a reading level.

My students deserve a teacher who will give them the confidence that they can achieve far more than they ever thought they could.

My students deserve a teacher who will teach them life lessons along with lessons in reading and writing.

My students deserve a teacher who makes every decision by putting them first.

It's not all about the game on the court, or in my case the learning in the classroom; its about the relationships with those who are in our life, something Pat Summitt's legacy is built upon.

You Just Revise

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for creating this space for me to share my corner of the world.

My sister Janis and I are only a year (and 19 days) apart in age.  When we were little, our mom would dress us alike, and people would ask if we were twins, although we looked and acted nothing alike.  We still don't look and act anything alike, contrary to what many people say.

My daughter, older sister, younger sister, and me! (l to r)

Four years after I was born, my brother was born, and my little sister came along five years after that.  Janis and I shared a bedroom from the time I was born until the year she went away to college.  We had a huge bedroom, big enough for two twin beds, two chests, two desks, and two nightstands. Plus room to draw an imaginary line down the middle to designate "my side" and "her side."  Walking in, a person could immediately tell which side belong to whom. Her side was neat as a pin, and my side had piles and piles.

Fast-forward many years, and today a person could tell which house belongs to which sister.  In her house everything is in its place, and in my house everything is in its pile. It is funny to see how those behaviors or personalities still exist.  

And given our personalities, I don't think it is a coincidence that she is a math teacher and I am an English teacher.  

We have many, many conversations about teaching.  The other day she was talking about how she gets frustrated using Jigsaw because she has to change her groups depending on how many students she has in each class.  When she said, "They don't always work out the same for every period" I started laughing.

She asked me why I was laughing.  I replied, "Because I am an English teacher and when groups don't work out...you just revise!  Groups aren't suppose to be an algorithm with one right answer like math."

I guess there are some things in life...or in people...you just can't change!

Summer PD ~ Celebrate #14

 

Each week Ruth Ayres extends an invitation to share and celebrate events, big or small, from our week.

Today I celebrate summer learning.

Betsy Hubbard from Two Writing Teachers wrote about making summer learning plans to achieve goals in the classroom next year.  Summer learning is one of the best parts of summer.  

I have attended several conferences and workshops already this summer, and still have a few left. Sharing our learning ranks right up there with making the plans.  Together, we can improve our own learning, and in the process, strengthen our students' learning as well. I will be writing blog posts about my summer learning, in hopes that you may learn something too!

I spent two days last week at an eLearn conference, and Alice Keeler was the keynote speaker and also presented several sessions on Google Classroom.  Alice knows Google!  

I kept hearing over and over again about using Google Slides in my classroom.  I have dabbled in Google Classroom and created small collaborative presentations, but I was excited to come home and start thinking about how I could use this tech tool in my classroom.  

Imagine presenting a question to the class, and each student responding on a Google Slide.  If you have any experience with Google Slides, then I am sure you are thinking - utter chaos.  

This may not be easy in the beginning, but Alice assures me that they will get better at it.  The end result is a slide show with all of their responses.  What a great way to collaborate, as well as to create deep class discussions and teaching moments around their responses.

Alice wrote a blog post about using Google Slides to have students introduce themselves at the beginning of the year.  Here is the link to that post and step by step directions.

In order to share our learning this summer (and for me to practice too!) I have created a collaborative Google Slide presentation.  Click on the link below, upload a picture, and share something you have learned this summer.  Then come back and take a look at all the summer learning!

Add your summer learning slide here and celebrate summer learning with me!

Summer PD ~ Conver-Stations

I love many things about summer:  reading by the pool, eating summer produce, sleeping in, and taking time for me.  But at the top of my list is personal learning. Summer grants us time to read professional development books, collaborate on-line and in real time, and attend professional development conferences and workshops.

People frequently ask me why do I "waste (their word, not mine!) my summer with school stuff?"

My answer is simple.  First of all I do not consider it a waste.  I do it because I am a learner, and I want to improve my teaching and my students' learning.  Over these next fews weeks, I hope to share some of my learning with all of you.

I taught 4th and 5th grade for seven years before I became a middle school teacher. As an elementary teacher I created learning stations or choices which I preferred to call them.  A part of me misses this type of learning because it was so easy to differentiate and keep students engaged.

I attended a session this week presented by Jill Lyday and Melanie Martz from our Indiana Department of Education which put a twist on station work in the secondary classroom.  They presented a learning strategy called Conver-Stations.  I absolutely love this idea because it can be adapted to any content area and with many types of texts.

Here's how it works!

Procedure:

1. Select a text.  We read an article, but this strategy could easily be used with a poem, an image, or even a video.
2. Prepare an essential question which could encourage deep discussion. 
3. Have students read and annotate the text.  If you use a video or image, notes could be taken.
4. Divide into groups and have groups discuss the text and the essential question.  During the discussion students record good discussion points from others.
5. After 2-3 minutes, rotate 1-2 students into another group.  The number of rotations and students who rotate will depend on the class size.
6. Continue discussion for several "conver-stations" and then come back as a whole group to share out.

Benefits:

1. Gets kids moving.  Many students find it difficult to sit still and stay engaged.  This allows students to get up and move around.
2. Facilitates deep discussion. I found when doing this activity, the first question asked was what did you talk about in your other group?  These stations allow the discussion to go in different directions and give different perspectives, one that the group may not have thought of.  
3. Creates a culture of learning.  Every student is involved in the discussion, unlike what you may have in a whole group discussion.  Having the students record discussion points from others, gives introverted students more confidence to share with others.  It helps them to contribute to the conversation.

Conver-stations have so much potential.  I can't wait to start using this strategy in my classroom.

If you wish to view this strategy in action, here is a link to a video from Teaching Channel!

Grandma - Celebrate #13

 

Each week Ruth Ayres extends an invitation to share and celebrate events, big or small, from our week. 

Today I celebrate my grandma.  I am 51 years old and lucky to still have my grandma in my life.  She will turn 91 in just a few weeks.  Tonight I sit with her and watch her sleep, understanding that the mind is such a fragile thing.  And I write these words which are on my heart.

Grandma

slowly

day by day

pieces of her 

leave unexpectedly

without saying goodbye

words escape her

so we sit together

and enjoy 

a silent conversation

memories are mere moments 

of another person's life

one she doesn't remember

a moment of hope

a sparkle in her eye

she knows me

if for only for a short while

and I smile

and say

I love you, 

Grandma

Have a great week, and may you find many celebrations along the way.