Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Not again... {Slice of Life}

thawp...
thawp...
thawp...


Oh no, not again.  Brake.  Hop off.  Turn slowly around and yes.  I have another flat tire.  He worked so hard yesterday fixing it after our ride on Saturday.  I rode it to the grocery store and it was fine.  That was a short distance.  What do I do now?  I'm all alone.  I'm about a mile and a half from home. I don't have that extra tire we bought.  I don't have my cell phone.  I don't have my handy dandy husband the bike repairman.  I can walk.  I started to get a little bit grumpy.  I like walking.  It is quiet tonight.  I love this little wooden section on the path.  I hear some birds.  Maybe someone knew I needed to slow down, think, and be mindful.  

Epilogue - I took my new bike to where I purchased it and I had run over something on the first bike ride that had a slit in the outer tire.  Excellent customer service with a free repair and my biking adventures are back on track.


Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community.

Good Rosie! A New Kate DiCamillo Book!

I was so happy for a sneak peak at Good Rosie! by Kate DiCamillo from Candlewick Press this week.    It's a graphic novel format and a great way to introduce graphic novels to younger readers.  The story is broken down into nine parts giving it a chapter book feel at times.  I like having the parts because each one is a snippet of the overall story and would allow pauses for class discussions.  I think there's just enough text in each part to also look at and study graphic novel features. 

Rosie lives with George and often feels lonely.  She sees her reflection in her food bowl and feels lonely.  She prefers chasing squirrels and George likes to look at cloud formations.  George takes Rosie to a dog park for the first time and I found her reaction to be quite surprising.  While there Rosie works through being unsure, being a hero, and learning how to make friends.  Sounds like a perfect read for the beginning of the school year or when things might seem a little bit off in a community during the year.  Rosie reminded me new situations can take time and careful thinking.

You can preorder Good Rosie! today, it's available September 4th.

Monday, July 30, 2018

No More Independent Reading without Support {Professional Read}

I picked up No More Independent Reading without Support by Debbie Miller and Barbara Moss because I wanted support.  I was hoping to find validation for my independent reading block.  I was hoping to find suggestions for conferring individually with readers.  I was hoping to find new ideas or nudges to improve one of my favorite times of the school day; independent reading.  Chapter two is packed with easy to read review of research to support independent reading along with stating guided reading as it's place and time too.  It was fascinating to read study after study supporting students reading on their own.  If you struggle finding time for independent reading there's a few pages to help you look at some scheduling changes that could be made and of course tips for navigating independent reading with a classroom of readers.




Nudges I found to try within my own work

- create genre studies, there's not just fiction and nonfiction
- comprehension strategies need to be taught and can differ from genre to genre
- complex text isn't harder text
- read nonfiction daily as a read aloud 
- involve students with goal setting more
- strive for reflection and sharing each day to end the workshop


Quotes that are sticking with me

"To grow, our students must read lots, and more specifically they must read lots of 'complex' texts - texts that offer them new language, new knowledge, and new modes of thought."

"Successful teacher intervention behaviors included 1. teaching responding to student questions, 2. teacher led discussions and 3. teacher monitoring and modeling of comprehension strategies."  

"Conferring is differentiating at its finest."





Saturday, July 28, 2018

Breakfast Together {Poetry Friday}



Morning quiet
Eases my mind and body
Opening unknown opportunities

zoom 
dart
dashing about
Hearing Motion

rapid flapping
zip in
short linger
Sipping Nectar

Iridescent shimmers
flashing in and out
pausing for nutrition

Being mindful
Sitting quietly
Peaceful observations

Breakfast Together


I'm continuing my study of the book Poems are Teachers How Studying Poetry Strengthen Writing in All Genres by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater.   Each week I will let you know the technique of the week I've played with and a thought or two about the process.  

"Writers write about that they believe is important, what they believe is wrong, what they long to preserve."  Amy Ludwig Vanderwater


This week was Write from a Feeling or Belief and I appreciated the list of questions Amy provides to help the reader/poet get to beliefs and feelings.  I was torn between two questions; How are you different after reading/seeing this? and What do you want to change in the world?  

I wrestled with many things to change in the world from my home, school district, city, state, nationally, and worldly.  Amy's words about longing to preserve something kept rising to the top of my thinking because I didn't have my phone with me to capture a hummingbird visit to my flower boxes during breakfast.  I enjoyed capturing the feelings with words and can visualize the image and moment now.

I wanted to name my visitor and remember how much my students and I enjoy trying to infer while reading.  I had to pull back as a writer and not name who I had breakfast with.  I wonder if readers will figure it out.


Thank you Catherine at Reading to the Core for hosting Poetry Friday this week.

Friday, July 20, 2018

Where did my parsley go? {Poetry Friday}



Who is eating my parsley?
Not I.
Cooper the dog?
Yikes!

What is that?
Plump and striped.
is that a caterpillar?
Green, white, yellow, black.

What kind of caterpillar is it?
Google.
Striped caterpillar eating parsley?
Parsley worm caterpillar.

What kind of butterfly?
Black Swallowtail.
Are they harmful?
No, just ate my parsley "crop."


I'm continuing my study of the book Poems are Teachers How Studying Poetry Strengthen Writing in All Genres by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater.   Each week I will let you know the technique of the week I've played with and a thought or two about the process.  

"Questioning teaches us about the world, and a willingness to question is a citizen's responsibility."  Amy Ludwig Vanderwater

This week was Follow a Question and lucky for me I had skimmed last week's writing idea and was on the look out for a questioning situation.  On Wednesday I made a discovery, grabbed my notebook, and did Amy's suggestion; a question hike.  I didn't have to go far.  This situation was right on my deck.  

I wanted to get rid of my parsley eating friend right away and then decided there was no point because most of the "crop" was gone.  As I wrote my poem today and learned more I dashed outside in a rainstorm in hopes of collecting my parsley eating friends.  I wanted to buy more parsley for them and watch their transformation.  This whole process just confirms Amy's writing; "Questioning teaches us about the world, and a willingness to question is a citizen's responsibility."

Thank you Heidi at My Juicy Little Universe for hosting Poetry Friday this week. 


Tuesday, July 17, 2018

What's that sound? {Slice of Life}



thwap ... -----------
thwap ... -----------
thwap ... -----------
thwap ... -----------
thwap ... -----------

I'm riding my my brand new bike and thinking.  There's a strange sound.  My bike is just two weeks old.  It's been a great ride and smooth.   I'm ignoring the sound.  This path between two suburbs is beautiful and well planned. We've been riding for a bit and I look at my watch to find out 12 miles.  This is my longest bike ride yet with three more to go.  Maybe the sound will go away.  It's been a great ride and smooth.   This path between two suburbs is beautiful and well planned.  

thwap ... -----------
thwap ... -----------
thwap ... -----------
thwap ... -----------
thwap ... -----------

The sound didn't go away.  My husband's just ahead of me.  I'll ask him is something is rubbing on something at the stoplight and let him know about the sound.  

I tell him about the sound.  He tells me to ride ahead of him and he'll listen for it and then without me moving he says you have a flat tire.  I look down and I do.  I'm so puzzled by the sound still.  It didn't pop.  It's not hissing like a slow leak.  There's a rhythm to it.  A beat of sorts.  We peddle a bit up the path and pull over.  

Lucky for me - he cycles.  He has on the bike; ready to go tool kit and an extra tube that worked enough to get me back the three miles to the van.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community.



Monday, July 16, 2018

Being the Change - Chapter 5 & 6 {#cyberpd}

As I kept reading and finished Being the Change by Sara K. Ahmed, I really held on to the idea of this powerful work being anchored with simple introductory conversations of daily observations.  I also find myself reflecting on my school community and what it offers or doesn't offer.  I worry our children are protected and sheltered and won't be ready for what they may encounter.  I also worry we cover things up because we think they aren't ready and wonder when we stop this to promote growth and change.  I found a sentence I wanted to share with parents to maybe help our community.  "And if we don't know the answers to our children's questions, we can create opportunities to learn together."  I love when a child says something and makes me stop and think.  I don't hesitate to think along the side of them to figure things out.  I wonder how we can model this as part of the learning process and make it visible to help our families and community.

Another sentence I want to ponder longer is, "When we ask ourselves honest questions about how we may see our own humanity in others, we will be far more adept at being compassionate citizens."  It makes so much sense to find things the same to help us process, question, and support a situation.

The lessons ideas n Chapter 5 are lofty and big for little ones.  I found myself writing notes in the margin to think about the word obligated; committed, obliged, pledged, required, tied, and urged.  I wasn't thrilled with these words either.  Then I started to ramble on with a few questions that might help little ones think about obligated.
   
Who helps you make decisions?
Who helps guide you?
Who watches or takes care of you?

I think I need to wrestle more with the steps or process of thinking about those you could defend or stand up for.  Those who you will connected with might be something to think about.

I think decision making is one to explore more with because little ones have a lot of impulsivity.  I want to look for picture books characters that make conscious and unconscious decisions.  I wonder if Cathy Mere has that list already made, she loves to make book lists!  

Then the words intent and impact sent me to dictionary.com.  I found intent to be defined as meaning or significance - the why and impact to be the influence of effect - the impression a decision or choice may have.  Again, I think we need picture books geared for little ones with some examples here.  

Chapter 6 sums up all that I'm thinking about this work no matter what the grade level is.  We have to start the school year ready to listen and allow time for the students to share their news.  This sharing isn't just about hearing it, it's about learning from it to grow as a human.

Thank you Cathy and Michelle for organizing #cyberpd.

Friday, July 13, 2018

Possibilities {Poetry Friday}


possibilities
of mixed media

idea sketches 
growing in numbers
as ideas swirl

stitches 
pull you in

texture 
pulls you in

color 
pulls you out

various fibers
light and lifting
bumpy and smooth

possibilities 
of fashion design

I'm continuing my study of the book Poems are Teachers How Studying Poetry Strengthen Writing in All Genres by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater.   Each week I will let you know the technique of the week I've played with and a thought or two about the process.  

This week was Let Art Inspire and I didn't have to look far.  My soon to be college freshman spent her high school years finding a way to incorporate her first love of sewing with painting and ceramics during high school.  Amy shares with us, poetry after art allows us to bring ourselves into the ice, not just as observers, but as participants."  She also shared a new to me type of poetry.  "Ekphrastic poetry is written in response to art, but inspiration through artwork is not reserved for poets."  I took her suggested and listed things I saw and then jot some descriptions to start gathering ideas. 

Thank you Sylvia at Poetry for Children for hosting Poetry Friday this week.

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Picture Book 10 for 10 is 1 Month Away {#pb10for10}

Dear Cathy,

I'm so excited today!  It's July 10th which means August is coming up next and on August 10th we are lucky to host Picture Book 10 for 10.  I think today snuck up on both of us this year.  Summer is a great time to do things differently and I hope you are doing something differently right now.  My alarm clock was wonky this morning so I missed my 5:30am yoga class I was going to try and get to.  Yes, working out that early is something different for me and then allows me to be all in for the dogs and girls the rest of today.  Yoga is relaxing and I find #pb10for10 relaxing and invigorating at the same time.   Don't you?  I hope our friends think so.

 I just want to remind everyone of the details for our #pb10for10 event.
  1. Grab a Badge (I like to select the image and save image as...)
  2. Join the #pb10for10 Google Community
  3. Choose Your Favorites:  All you need to do is choose ten picture books you cannot live without for whatever reason.  In the first days of this event, everyone shared their ten very favorite titles.  This still works.  You will notice, however, that many past participants choose some type of theme to determine their selections.  We'll leave this up to you.
  4. Narrow Your List to Ten:  It isn't easy, is it?  We've seen some crafty ways to get around that number, but really ten is plenty. 
  5. Write Your August 10th Post:  Write a post about the ten books you cannot live without.  Share your post on August 10th and link it to the Picture Book 10 for 10 Community.  
  6. No Blog?  No Problem:  If you don't have a blog, this might be the perfect time to start one --- or now with the Google Community it is quite easy to just post your favorites directly into the community without a blog.  We will also be tweeting from the #pb10for10 hashtag.
  7. Comment:  On August 10th (and maybe for a week --- there are a lot of posts) take some time to read posts from other participants.  Please comment on at least three.
Enjoy your day Cathy!

Those books are so predictable. {Slice of Life}

This week's slice is truly captured in this text.





This was part of a conversation with my oldest daughter who just graduated from college and has already started graduate school.  She's deeply immersed in reading anatomy text books and notes.  I was a bit disappointed with her first response and thrilled with her second response when I threw out some teacher jargon.

I love reading and tend to find a purpose to read a book - personally and professionally.  It's summer and while each day feels like a long weekend I woke up one day and decided to stop all reading and pick up one of my favorite authors; Nicholas Sparks.  I haven't read for pleasure without a reason or information to gain in quite some time.  I enjoyed thinking about reading moments I could find.  I was charmed by the story the characters were living.  I found myself choosing reading over chores.  I found myself timing other activities and mapping out reading breaks.  I need to remember these feelings and foster them again for myself.  I sometimes worry when students fall in love with a character, series, or author.

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community.


Monday, July 9, 2018

Being the Change - Chapter 3 & 4 {#cyberpd}

As I continued reading Being the Change by Sara K. Ahmed, new learning is taking place for me and I need to listen more carefully.  I teach second grade currently and I want to say microagressions don't happen in our community at this age.  However, as I sit and reflect today I think if I listen with this lens or focus in mind I might pick up on some simple/possible ones younger students will use.  

I'm wrestling a bit with what microagressions will sound like in a primary classroom.    "Microagressions  are comments relating to someone's identity that leave a lasting, negative impression on the receiver of the message."  In her examples on p55 I found two that sounded like primary students; Did you make that?  and I heart your hair.   I have to be honest though some years I don't have students with cultural differences which seem to be an obvious opportunity for microagressions.  I really wonder what other readers are thinking about microagressions in primary grades; grades one, two, and kindergarten.

As I was reading, I wondered if intentional was part of a microagression and on pg 58 it was confirmed that it is.  I think primary students need to study intentional and unintentional.  Younger students can just state what they see based on observations or a honest wondering.  They certainly struggle with the idea of their words lasting and having a negative impression on the receiver.  So, I'm thinking maybe the precursor to the work with microaggressions with primary students is discussing someone else's identity beyond developing their own webs and discussing how our words can linger with someone, hurting their feelings.  I think we can foster the work in this book in grades that follow by creating an awareness of self and then others.

As I ponder my thinking around microaggressions in primary, I found myself excited to introduce the word bias in second grade and lay a foundation for the meaning and explore what it looks like for each of us.  I think with support and guidance we could frame our thinking around I am statements and the examples on p62 seem possible for second grade.  I found myself reframing my reading this week with the phrase, keep it simple.  

I'm also wanting to have a discussion with my students about labels, stereotypes, and assumptions.  I don't know if they have experienced labels yet.  My heart hopes not - they are just seven-ish years old.  

So much great thinking about being better informed about you students and helping them process their own news or the news of the world this week.  I was super excited to read about this because we share any news we have with each other a few days a week in our morning meeting and I'm thinking we need this all five days.  The news we typically share in second grade was validated in our reading this week because it's usually very self centered, as it should be with primary students.  I'm also thinking I need to make sure I'm available to not only greet them at the door each morning but be close as they settle in to over hear any news that might be shared informally in between students.  I'm sometimes caught off guard with public news students might know and instead of shy away from discussing maybe I can collect their thinking and either ponder how we can address it as a class or let parents know.  With little ones, there's a range of news knowledge their parents want them to know.  I can respect that.  However, I thought some of the lesson ideas shared could be modified and used when we use Scholastic News, National Geographic for Kids, and Newsela this year.  

Personally, as I read these two chapters I was hoping and wishing my own teenage daughters would have the opportunity and guidance to think like this with one of their teachers.    



Thank you Cathy and Michelle for organizing #cyberpd.

Friday, July 6, 2018

Starting a Poetry Friday journey

I purchased Poems are Teachers How Studying Poetry Strengthen Writing in All Genres by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater at the start of the summer.  When I was looking at the table of contents I thought I could not rush through this book but meander weekly and try these ideas out myself and share my journey via Poetry Friday.  Each week I will let you know the technique of the week I've played with and a thought or two about the process on my site for dabbling with writing.  You can easily find this space in the tabs across the top of this site.

This week was Jot from a Photograph and I really enjoyed reading guidance words from my friend Mary Lee Hahn and using her writing as a mentor.  I love to take pictures and Mary Lee writes, "My photos are my visual writer's notebooks."  This might just change how I view my photos.

inside and out {Poetry Friday}


Inside and Out

greens and blues
surrounding our days
bringing peace
inside and out

white clusters above 
sharing sunshine space
bringing happiness
inside and out

ripples of water
paddle fast paddle slow
bringing comfort
inside and out

off season quiet
going slow
bringing comfort
inside and out




I purchased Poems are Teachers How Studying Poetry Strengthen Writing in All Genres by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater at the start of the summer.  When I was looking at the table of contents I thought I could not rush through this book but meander weekly and try these ideas out myself and share my journey via Poetry Friday.  Each week I will let you know the technique of the week I've played with and a thought or two about the process.  

This week was Jot from a Photograph and I really enjoyed reading guidance words from my friend Mary Lee Hahn and using her writing as a mentor.  I love to take pictures and Mary Lee writes, "My photos are my visual writer's notebooks."  This might just change how I view my photos.

Thank you Tricia at Miss Rumpus Effect for hosting Poetry Friday this week.

Thursday, July 5, 2018

The Kid From Planet Z Series

Magic Bones is a much read series in my second grade classroom and I was thrilled to find another series The Kid From Planet Z by Nancy Krulik while on vacation.  Both series have in common the idea of traveling to another place or space which is very interesting for my readers.


The first book in the series, Crash! is about the landing or crash of Zeke Zander and is family lose power while traveling through space and land on earth.  Zeus the spaceship commander is a cat and the only one to attend college.  As you can imagine, the spaceship isn't a quick fix and the Zander family has to adjust to living on earth with earthlings while not giving away their true identity.  I loved figuring out the things Zeke didn't understand as an alien and his responses to cover up his earthling mistakes while adjusting to going to school.  He might have even used some of his alien powers to help him win a game of hide and seek with new friends Amelia and Eddie.



The second book in the series, Don't Sneeze! has the Zander family still living among the earthlings.  Zeke continues to spend time with Amelia and Eddie and have earthling adventures.  The book begins with a trip to the circus and Zeke being exposed to tissues, juice boxes, and cotton candy.  Zeke and his friends are suppose to do a presentation together when Zeke gets the sniffles.  It's quite a struggle to keep his identity hidden because zeebops get the flu they leak green tears and to heal they have to stand on their head for quite some time.  Zeke needs to be there for his friends and the presentation.  Zee isn't the only one not feeling well, Zeus the cat/spaceship commander comes down with the itches.  I bet you might be able to figure out what Zeus catches while living as an Earth cat.

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

...it's unsafe. {Slice of Life}

It's been mentioned for a couple of years.  Then our days and lives kept moving forward and it stayed. It held memories for all of us.  It held a space in our yard.  It might have kept our hearts young but the reality was it sat vacant.  We had taken down a portion a little while back because it wasn't safe.  

Yesterday I sat outside under some shade in some sweltering summer heat and read.  My husband decided today was the day the playground was coming down.  I watched him work on it for a bit of time.  Unscrewing bolts, pulling boards off, and sorting them into piles.  Then I watched our youngest, a sophomore in high school come out to help.  She turned around frequently with a pouty lip and big understanding eyes.  As I listened in, every screw removed from this point on was followed with a comment, "look - this screw is half the length it should be, they are rotting and it's unsafe."  

My heart started to feel sad.  I didn't think it would.  I started to remember packing trays with our lunches and crawling up there in the summer with two girls then three.  I remembered buying the plastic steering wheel for the oldest and she had it turned into a pirate ship, much like Captain Hooks.    Then I began to hear, "look - this screw is half the length it should be, they are rotting and it's unsafe."  

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community.

Monday, July 2, 2018

Being the Change - Chapter 1 & 2 {#cyberpd}

I'm very thankful I had a gift card and chose to spend it on Being the Change by Sara K. Ahmed to participate in #cyberpd.  I initially didn't look at this book very closely because it's marketed for grades 4-8.  When it was selected I found some tidbits that others felt things in the book could be tweaked for primary grades.  As, I finish chapters one and two I would agree.  

As I read chapter one, the sentence, "We have an obligation to make kids feel visible."  I enjoyed reading Sarah's thoughts that followed discussing how this can be done through establishing relationships.  I think if you are reading this book you are invested in communities and relationships and wonder if any of  you had thought about the work we do in these two areas as making kids feel visible.  I hadn't and I want to make sure my students do feel visible.

As I read about identity webs, I found myself comparing them to Georgia Heard's heart maps.  I was wrestling if they were different ideas and I concluded they are.  I think identity webs could help build heart maps later in the year.  I loved the idea of starting identity webs the first day of school.  Kristi Mraz did a wonderful blogpost with Heinemann where she lays out how she would adjust identity webs for her kindergarten students.  It's doable with primary students.

I drew a little heart in my book on p36 where Sara encourages us to kid-watch.  In the age of data driven meetings, reports, and testing I long for someone to justify kid-watching.  I also think the suggestions on p36 and p37 could be guidance for an Reflection/Closing Circle at the end of the day.  

I started tweaking the language used for discussing the discomfort during disagreement.  This is just a rough draft and I'm open to any thoughts for further revising for younger students.
 - Listen with an open mind and heart.
-  It might not feel right.
-  What is your body doing?
-  Others can think differently than you.
-  We can have different ideas.

Thank you Cathy and Michelle for organizing #cyberpd.