Pre-Thanksgiving Day, it seems appropriate to talk about thankfulness.  And in reflecting recently on the life and legacy of John F. Kennedy, I thought the quote most fitting to share with my colleagues.  I reflect with thankfulness throughout the year on my life, and often these thoughts are about the colleagues with whom I have the pleasure to work.  Without them in my lives, I know my mind would be duller and my life less fulfilling.  I’m thankful for our profession, despite all those things that make our jobs trying at times.  I’m thankful to be a reading teacher, because I know that I make a difference in students’ lives, and I know that you do, too.

AL A CARTE (11/22/2013)

How do you share gratitude? – Quick little article about the value of sharing gratitude with colleagues and students. It can be infectious, in a good way.

Tween Brains, Brains, Brains! – Nice little 3-part blog about the tween brain and why it ticks the way it does.  I kind of forget these things.  As the holidays approach, there were some good reminders about why those students do what they do, based on their brain development.

There’s Still Hope – An inspiring story about author Matt de la Pena, who was not a reader when growing up.  Now he’s a terrific author that your male students should know about.

How Books Can Open Your Mind – Maybe not for your classroom, but Lisa is very inspiring about the value of reading.  I like her thoughts on reading in multiple languages.

Chalk With Me – Fun website from Canada started by two women who believe tear down and put up walls between people.  You just have to check it out…could have some useful discussion ideas for future books.  And their art is pretty cool!

Grit, A New Educational Buzzword – Longer article (but worth the read) about a trend toward assessing students’ character attributes.  See what this author says about it.

Happy Thanksgiving!!  See you in December!

“The greatest part of each day, each year, each lifetime is made up of small, seemingly insignificant moments. Those moments may be cooking…playing catch with a child before dinner, speaking out against a distasteful joke, driving to the recycling center…. But they are not insignificant, especially when these moments are models for kids.”    – Barbara Coloroso (20th Century), U.S. Parent, Educator, Author. Kids Are Worth It (1994)

If you’re blessed to be a parent, you can probably think of a time or two when you’ve had a teachable moment with your son or daughter.  As teachers, we are blessed to have the privilege to experience teachable moments at work, too.  Have you experienced any teachable moments lately in the classroom?

One of the beauties of being a teacher is the opportunity to recognize and turn a seemingly inconsequential moment in the classroom into a powerful experience that provides students with a life lesson.  And those moments enhance all the planning and preparation of your well-crafted lesson, a little bit like the sprinkles on a cupcake.

You might be surprised to know that teachable moments aren’t something everyone does naturally.  It’s a skill that may take time to develop, but it is one of the strongest teaching tools to have in your professional “kit”.   Teachable moments aren’t necessarily accidental.  Teachers who are intentional about their work keep eyes and ears poised for teachable moments.  They are constantly observant, taking the time to notice, stop and engage with their students.  It means that they can adapt to the moment, not afraid (outwardly) of where the moment may take them.  Yet, they are willing to deviate for a few minutes from carefully developed plans because they value taking the risk to make learning real.  They know that, to meet the students where their interest and curiosity lie, leads to greater engagement and motivation.   It’s something that the pressures of data and testing and AYP can’t, and shouldn’t, eliminate from classrooms.  It’s what keeps intentional teachers (and hopefully you) coming back, day in and day out, to the classroom.

If you Google the term, you’ll see that “teachable moment” is broadly used in a variety of contexts.  What’s key to remember is that a teachable moment is a real benefit in our classrooms.  It’s spontaneous, addressing what sparks the interests of your students.   It may feel uncertain, yet it gives a different flavor to the learning.  It brings out change, both in the learners and the teacher.  What is more valuable than speaking to the moment? Don’t teachable moments make us glad to be educators?

AL A CARTE (11/15/2013)

Intentional Teaching – On the topic of teachable moments, I enjoyed this writer’s thinking through the idea of intentional teaching.  Nice reminders.  Made me ask myself: What techniques, cues, modeling tips and strategies do I integrate into my daily life as an educator to intentionally create learners?  I’d ask you the same.

Your Brain on Visualization – Cool infographic about how the brain stays focused on visual representations.  Now how can we transfer that focus to reading our classroom text??

The Secret to Successful Close Reading – I value the research of Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey. They always seem to be on the cutting edge of best practice.

 Gobstopper – This is the coolest app around! Oh, the day students have tablets, how easy it will be for them to read at home…and for us to keep tabs on how they are doing.

Q & A with Donalyn Miller – Thought you’d like to read about Donalyn Miller and her new book.  Here’s an older article that is also a valuable read.

Gordon Korman is the quintessential middle school author.  I don’t even think he’s more of a boy’s author; I just think he writes with a style that draws male and female middle school students into his literary world.  My favorite current read from Korman is Schooled (©2007, Hyperion Books for Children).  It’s the story of Capricorn (Cap) Anderson, a 13-year-old boy who has never watched television.  (Wow.)  He’s never tasted pizza, heard of a wedgie or worn shoes from a store.  (Really?)  Since he was little, he has been living on a farm commune and been homeschooled by his hippie grandmother, Rain.  (Oh, my!)

All this changes one day when Rain falls out of a tree while picking plums and she has to stay in the hospital with a broken hip.  Cap is forced to move in with a guidance counselor and her attitudinal teen daughter while attending the local middle school.   Cap looks and lives the part of true hippie, which has students at “C Average” (Claverage) Middle School thinking, “Is this guy for real?”  What ensues is a series of situations where you might think, “Poor Cap! He’s going to be eaten alive in the middle school world.”   Don’t be so sure.  Read this book, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.  Good overcomes evil in the end, with a bit of a compromise that will surprise you.  True to his form, Korman includes a couple of quirky moments that seem a bit out-of the-ordinary, but you’ll be satisfied at the ending.

Great independent read for Ideas students and those Elements students who like a funny book.

AL A CARTE (11/8/2013)

Are You a Member? – If you’re not a member of a professional reading association, take the time to think about it.  Both IRA and the Nebraska State Reading Association provide professional development opportunities and communication about your profession.

Teach Like a Champion – If you attended the flex session for TLAC this year, then you know about Doug Lemov and his fantastic classroom management materials.  Here’s a post from the TLAC blog, containing a nice video clip of several strategies in use.

How Books Open Your Mind – Just been introduced to TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) website, which contains lots of interesting video clips on a myriad of topics with a range of speakers.  While this may be above your students’ heads, it interested me the thought of reading the same book in different languages.

 Ban Round Robin – I shared a strategy in an earlier post about an alternative to round robin reading.  I’m not opposed to some reading aloud, but in a way that engages students.  Check out this nice list of additional ideas.

Test-Taking Devices, Anyone? – I find this blog true to its name, and I appreciate the things he brings up about our educational world.

The Wacky World of One-Star Reviews – I’ve tried this with a few classics and it is funny what you’ll find on Amazon.  Makes you wonder what people are thinking when they hit “send.”

…hasn’t been a reading teacher.

AL A CARTE (11/1/2013)

Chocolate Cake and Reading – Mmmm, two of my favorite things, especially together.  This 17-year-old blogger is thinking how valuable reading is to her.  A model for other young readers, perhaps? (And don’t you love her quotes!)

Setting the Record Straight – Did not realize that October is National Dyslexia and Learning Disabilities Awareness Month, but the post is thoughtful, and the infographic link at the end is a must for you to see.  It contains good reminders as we work with students who have disabilities.

Diane Ravitch on The Daily Show – A pair of great posts by Diane Ravitch. If you don’t know of her, you should.  She is a historian of education and Research Professor of Education at New York University. More notably, she is an education policy analyst; if you want to keep tabs on what’s going on in educational policy, she’s your go-to for the latest information.

I’m Inspired – Thought-full things to ponder.

Loved to Bits – It might be fun to ask students this question (especially you who are teaching Earthquake Terror, think Abby and her Raggedy).  My muchloved companion was Curious George, still with me (in storage), a bit pungent and threadbare.  And on an extended thought:  what book have you “muchloved”?

Passing Note – Please watch this video clip.  It’s short and oh-so sweet.  🙂