August 10 for 10: Our Second Annual Picture Book Event

"If you ever get to the point where you think you have it all figured out, it is time for you to quit."  Patrick Allen was given this advice from his supervising teacher during student teaching and shares this pearl of wisdom in his book, Conferring: The Keystone of Reading Workshop. 

Well, I'm here to say I don't have it all figured out.  I keep evolving as a teacher.  I keep finding new picture books to share.  Some of these are old.  Some of these are new.  Some of these are borrowed, I'm not sure if any are blue.  Which leads two friends to join forces for August 10 for 10: Our Second Annual Picture Book Event.

Here's a little history of how this blog-o-sphere event got started last year.  My original thinking and my partner Cathy Mere at Refine and Reflect: Building a Learning Community, original thinking from 2010.  It was such a pleasure to have Cathy contact me about my own thinking.  Sometimes it's easy to doubt our own knowledge and strengths.   Cathy kept probing and with gentle nudging got me thinking I might have ten picture books I've couldn't live without.  She does know how to build a learning community, what a great title for her blog!  So, there we have it we wanted to know what other teacher's couldn't live without in their classrooms.  We wanted to learn and gather more books to use in our own classrooms.  We wanted to connect with bloggers who also enjoy children's literature. 

I was surprised this past November when I tweeted Cathy to say I found another book for my August 10 for 10 event.  After using this book in my classroom I knew instantly it made my list.  She was chuckling in the background and I'm not sure she believed I was thinking about it so soon.  As I said earlier, my thinking is evolving so it makes sense my list of picture books would also evolve.  I've taught K again for the second year and with more experience everything gets better.  Right now, all I can tell you is I have one that will remain on my list from last year and I have one new one.  What would you put on a list of ten picture books you couldn't live without?

I am borrowing Cathy's words, I couldn't say it better.

Join UsPass the news along to your friends and join us August 10th for a virtual picture book party!  You might want to save your money as last year this event resulted in some new picture book purchases.  Contact us on our blogs, on Twitter (@mandyrobek or @cathymere), or by e-mail to let us know you are joining this event.  On the day of the event - August 10th - we will be linking all the "must have" posts.  Can't wait!!

Looking for a MOOSE

I've been to New Hampshire five times and each time I hope, wish, and actively look to see a moose in the wild.  I've seen moose crossing signs and my hopes get higher.  Each time to be slightly disappointed when I realize another trip has gone by and I haven't spotted a moose.  So, imagine my excitement and overwhelming joy when I found this just right book I could highly connect with!

Looking for a MOOSE by Phyllis Root is hysterical to someone in my situation.  After reading the first two pages, I bought this book to share with my students and my family, without reading more. 


"Have you ever seen a moose -

     a long-leggy moose -
          a branchy-antler,
              dinner-diving,
                  bulgy-nose
                     moose?

"No!  We've never, ever, ever,
   ever, ever seen a moose.
      And we really, really,
           really, really want
               to see a moose."

This book was calling my name.  The children journey through the woods, swamp, bushes, and hillside.  The rhyming and descriptive language is so fun to read!  At times, if I don't watch the rate in which I read, it feels a bit like a tongue twister.   I think this book would be a great example for a writing mentor text too.  You just have to read an example -

"We wade in the swamp -
Squeech squooch!
Squeech squooch! -
the sloppy-gloppy, lily-loppy,
slurpy-glurpy swamp.

I know my young students will be excited to use their picture reading skills to see how illustrator Randy Cecil has placed hidden parts of a moose or two along the journey in the background.  This caused great excitement for my grown up friends I read to on vacation.  The ending of the story is just what I hope to have happen one day. 

Just a quick shout out to a great independent book store I always visit when in New Hampshire, Innisfree Bookshop at Mill Falls Marketplace, Meredith.  They don't have a website or I'd show you a link.  Maybe next time a little photo will have to be taken.

Conferring Blog Book Chat Follow up

If I was in a physical room with my Conferring Blog Book Chatters, the conversation would probably go back and forth.  We would probably take turns listening and responding.  We might get excited and talk over each other or speak really fast.  However, we aren't in a room together, we are in #cyberpd!  So, I'm going to share some thinking I've had as I followed comments to my post from yesterday.  It was so exciting to know other's were reading my thinking and took the time to respond.  I really appreciate their efforts.

Tony (Atychiphobia)- Thank you for validating my thinking and sharing suggestions to help me achieve balance.  I also appreciated you recognizing K can be a challenge. 

Maria (Teaching in the Twenty First Century) - Thank you for making me feel better by sharing teachers of older students have similar issues. 

Randi (Tastes like Chocolate) - I had to chuckle and could only wish to have a para professional in my room.  I have tried a few ways to organize my data collecting, observations, and thinking.  What I've returned to and continue to love is a three column chart, organized in a 3 ring binder.  I've created a Google Doc as a pdf so you can see the actual form.  Whether I'm teaching one set of students or two, as I do in kindergarten I've found I like to have all my thoughts for each child together.  I find it hard to flip through a plain notebook and look for things for individual students.  I use this recording sheet for conferring notes, kidwatching notes, guided reading notes, and further thinking I have.

Cathy (Reflect and Refine) - I am honored you'd hang my thinking in your room!  Thank you for understanding my thoughts.

Shelley (Thoughts of a Teacher), Chris (Reading Amid the Chaos), Jill (My Primary Passion)- I found your writing so reassuring and as we ponder our own thinking and make it public it's reaffirming to know others understand. 

Laura (Camp Read A Lot)- Thank you for sharing your friend's organization of having a separate independent reading time.  I too have a separate independent reading time and love the feel of the room with any age group of readers.  Last year I used this time for a guided reading group but it might make more sense to do think of it as my conferring time while the are all reading from their book boxes. 

Shari (The Literate Mind) - I love the word urgency, that is exactly how I feel and constantly try to talk myself out of it (and others too.)

Debf (Primary Perspective) - You made me laugh out loud!  I hadn't pictured my own writing as soothing, what a compliment that is.  I do hope to provoke thinking, isn't that the goal of blogging and I am glad I'm reaching that small goal for you.  Glad to be on another book journey together.

I'm sure all of these thoughts might have fit within the comment section to each of my commenter's but I wanted to share with everyone the power of doing a Blog Book Chat in helping each other grow.

Conferring: The Keystone of Reader's Workshop Part 1

First things first, I would like to thank Cathy, Jill, and Laura K for hosting this blog book chat around Patrick Allen's Conferring:  The Keystone of Reader's Workshop.  It's been in my to be read pile for some time or I should say my Kindle wishlist and their idea made me take the plunge.  Splash!

I couldn't put the first two chapters down!  I find author's hook me by sharing tidbits about the personal life.  I feel like I had a friend in Patrick by the end of of Chapter 2 and was ready to get to the nuts and bolts about conferring for Chapter 3.  I found the first two chapters to be soothing and reassuring, just like I feel when I read books by Debbie Miller or hear her present.  I enjoyed reading Patrick's reflections and I didn't feel rushed to read more pages to find out more answers.  So far, the book feels more like a journey in helping me wrestle with an internal struggle of mine.

I have missed regularly conferring with students.  I have missed...

-"Purposeful conversations that provided me with meaningful instruction-rich in strategy, inquiry, vocabulary, and skills.

-"...conversations that stretched my thinking and monitored my understanding."

-"Purpose is uncovered during the reading conference,..."

-"Conferring helps me find out new things about the reader and provides an intimate opportunity for a shared "coming to know"

-"Conferring helps me uncover a reader's learning in a manageable, thoughtful way while leading to documentable data..."

In kindergarten, I am still trying to find my groove and balance the organization within reading workshop with guided reading groups and conferring opportunities.  I think guided reading is essential for emergent readers.  I don't think it's the end all be all for emergent readers.  I miss the amount of conferring I did with third graders.  I am wondering and want to keep reading to see what Patrick might suggest for emergent/young readers/teachers.

I think the the first thing I've taken away from  reading Part 1 is the guidance and need our students have to make a workshop model a success within a classroom community.  Patrick is very explicit at the beginning of his year.  In kindergarten, we have to be very explicit with everything to establish our routine, community, and learning.  Patrick is explicit as he starts his year with conversations about stamina, trust, respect, endurance, and responsiblity.  He provides questions to help you dig a bit deeper with your students during conferencing.  He provides mentor text for endurance and gradual release.  I think it's important and I've found it successful to explain to students what we are going to do in various parts of reading workshop.  There are teacher expections and student expectations and Patrick shares them with students.  I think it helps the students understand how they can use and interact within a workshop model.  To quote Patrick, "learner's perception of who they are and what they can do has the greatest effect on what they learn."  Patrick provides the reader with many of examples for nudging, guiding, and increasing independence.  I know I learn more about a student by conferring, I know conferring is invaluable to help a student grow, I know I need to find a way to do both conferring with individuals and and strategy instruction in small groups with five days of attendance over two weeks. 

If you, my readers have any thoughts, please let me know.  Your thinking will help mine. 

Math Workshop Resources- Dear Jean,

While on vacation Jean left this comment to my blog. 

"Cathy Mere (Reflect and Refine: Building A Learning Community) suggested that I ask you for a recommendation. I am looking for resources on creating a Math Workshop in my classroom. I have been doing Readers' and Writers' Workshop for several years. I want to stretch the format to Math. We use Saxon, but I want to restructure for the kind of learning I see in Reading and Writing. What books shall I read???"

Hands down, Jean I would use, read, borrow, collect books by the Math Solutions group which was all started by Marilyn Burns.  I went to my bookshelf and found these four titles and didn't want to only represent one source.  About Teaching Mathematics by Marilyn Burns is a great book to help grow a teacher's understanding about mathematics and has ideas for K-8.  Another invaluable math resource is Teaching Student Centered Mathematics by the late John Van de Walle and comes in three different grade level bands.  A new resource to me but one I am enjoying for the format of ideas and just filled with lessons is Hands On Standards by Learning Resources and available for specific grades.  Now, back to Marilyn Burns and Math Solutions.  She is the queen of teaching mathematics in a workshop format.  Growing Mathematical Ideas is a series, one for grades K-4 and would be a great jumping point for a year of mathematics for any grade level.  You can't go wrong with other books from this group either.  They have some Math and Literature books, fiction and nonfiction with lesson ideas based on a book which helps a teacher feel like the are in the middle of literacy.  I hope you have found these ideas helpful and enjoy your journey!

PS - I thought this was a great question for everyone with summer here to refresh our thinking.

Vacation Reading - Cesar's Way

Life has been busy and in an attempt to find balance and telling myself it's okay to let something go, my blogging and sharing slipped.  However, it never left my mind so I have lots to share with you and must start slow.  When packing for vacation, I decided to pack books that I had in my To Be Read pile and nothing for school. 

Before I can tell you about a book I read you have to meet this guy.  He joined our family the Tuesday after Memorial Day.  We weren't looking for a new dog or a second dog, but he found us.  Back in 2007, after two years of not having a dog our family put in an application at Pilot Dog, Inc. right here in downtown Columbus, Ohio.  It is a seeing eye dog training facility and has dogs that need rescuing.  I honestly thought for some reason we weren't a good match for this organization since we never heard from them.  It just takes almost 4 years to get a call.  He is purely delightful!  My 8 year old can walk him in a heel through the neighborhood.  He fetches and is loved by all!  I am so glad my husband pushed me a bit to get him.

In keeping all things fair, I have to share with you our first rescue who we adore.  She had some service dog training for different reasons and was too friendly to continue.  She is everyone's best friend.  She brings us joy and crazy stories about her antics with food.  She is probably more of your typical house pet and the reason I purchased Cesar's Way by Cesar Millan 3 years ago.  However, I just got to reading this book and wish I read earlier.  Yes, Cesar Millan is the Dog Whisperer on National Geographic TV Channel.

First, you  must know this book is not a training manual.  It's a book about understanding your dog starting with their pack instinct.  Cesar believes in routine, I believe in routines!  I'm not sure I have followed through as religiously with my dogs as they have aged and/or as more daughters were born.  Excercise is essential according to Cesar and the first step in a routine for dogs.  Followed by discipline and affection.  He talks a lot about a calm-assertiveness with dogs and becoming their pack leader.  Some of these things were familiar but not to the point of understanding through the psychology of a dog.  The book began with learning about Cesar's journey to becoming the Dog Whisperer and I felt as if I was reading a biography.  Connecting with a character to help understand his thinking.  Just loved that!  I immediately implemented some changes and have ideas to continue with for our journey with two dogs.

More Soon...

I just got back from New Hampshire and have lots to blog about.  Just need a bit more time to get my feet planted in the home summer schedule and get my ordering done for school next year.  I never leave for summer with things undone but the minivan and family were leaving with or without me.  Who could miss ten days with this view all day long?  I hope your summer is going well.