What would you consider to be an ideal winter getaway? 

AL A CARTE (January 17, 2014)

Thinking About Reading – “Booking Through Thursday” always has fun questions about reading and books.  I liked the recent posts as they got me to reflecting on my reading over the last year.  A mini-getaway for the mind.

Have You Forgotten Picture Books? – Speaking of a nice little getaway, read this post about why sharing picture books with middle schoolers is always a good thing to do.

Here’s What I Learned from PISA – Check out this 5-minute video about the PISA.  It’s an international assessment to be aware of, and this post breaks down the data very clearly.

Resources on the 2014 State of the Union – This may be worth sharing with students–they can watch the state of the union online with enhanced graphics and social media participation.  Might be worth sharing with your social studies colleagues, if they don’t know about this already.

See the InsideStory on Vocabulary – I’m not suggesting you purchase this product at all, but I can see where one could make a free adaptation of the ideas here with a bit of clip art through a power point slide.  These are cool–and now I know what a “taw” is.

A Worthwhile Newsletter – Smekens Education has a nice monthly newsletter you can sign up to receive (if you don’t mind all of the sales pitches you’ll get through your email).  Or bookmark this link and you can occasionally go to it and see the newsletters, sales pitch-free.

E-books in Spanish – Check out this Newsela article about the fastest-growing sector of the e-book industry:  books in Spanish.  This article might be a nice 1- or 2-day lesson for students.

 A Final Getaway – This lovely little blog wanders, but the entries are nice, little inspirations.  Enjoy!!

How are you doing with Notice & Note?  I hope you’re still trying it out with your students in some form, be it independent reading or with novels.  Perhaps you are trying it out with your own reading of fiction, and that’s a good idea, too.  We hope you haven’t given up on the signposts, that you are thinking about how to best incorporate the strategy into your instruction.  I continue to be amazed at how powerful the signposts are, yet they are simple to learn.  Students are guided to think about their reading and hold that thinking.  The result is connecting with the text and remembering what they have read.  Connecting with the text through Notice and Note signposts will definitely have students ready to tackle those high school texts they will encounter soon.

Today’s posts include some of the latest materials and information I have found.  You’ll see some thinking, some nice materials and (hopefully) more food for thought on how you can use the signposts in your own professional world.

Al A Carte (January 17, 2014)

 Close Reading on Pinterest – I love the Pinterest community.  Here’s one board on which you will find a number of nice ideas for Notice and Note and close reading.

New N & N Materials in Docushare – Check out some of the new Notice and Note materials in Docushare.  I particularly like the “Notice & Note Trifold” where students can record examples of all 6 signposts.  There’s a foldable called “Stop Sign N&N Graphic Organizer,” that may be useful if you’re wanting to have students collect one example of each signpost from a text.  Nice alternate bookmark, too, called “Notice & Note Bookmark with Signpost Graphics”.

Notice & Note on Prezi – There are a number of N&N Signpost presentations that are free for your use if you go to Prezi, a virtual whiteboard where you can make creative visuals to go with any presentations.  This particular one would be a great one for reviewing the signposts with students.

Creative Use of Post-Its with N&N – The teacher’s blog is nice, but scroll down a bit and see how he uses post-its with his signpost posters.  Creative way to involve students in using the signposts–good idea for a “brain break.”

 Falling in Love with Close Reading – Valentine’s Day is a ways off, but here’s an interesting title on my reading list.  The description sounds a bit like the best of both worlds, close reading and love of reading.  You’ll have to read it and let me know.

New Materials from Beers and Probst – Check out this new resource from the authors, a set of materials that you can use to help structure students’ thinking about signposts.  My copy is on order; I would be happy to show it to you when it arrives.

“Rest Stops” at the Signposts – This blogger talks about three different ways she has made noticing and noting of signposts an interactive activity with students.  She calls them “rest stops” (clever, huh?).

Welcome back to a new semester!  I trust you had some good things happen during the semester break.  On the blogs and tweets I’ve read since the New Year, I’m not surprised to see a number of thoughts on resolutions.  I’m not a big resolution fan; I like to reflect on the previous year and think about changes I may make in the new year.  One repeating idea has me thinking about a change in how I manage my online time.  I can get pulled into a Pinterest search, and the next thing I know, it’s past my bedtime.  Others must have the same problem with social media and technology; several posts I read talked about streamlining and adjusting how much time to spend reading online. It’s an interesting idea.  I’m not opposed to online reading and all that entails social media, etc.  I just wonder if we (adults and kids) wear ourselves out with the constant electronic stimulation, so that we are too tired to focus on a hard copy book.  It’s something to think about, anyway.

AL A CARTE (1/10/2014)

The Most Important Skill for 2014 – This blog is the one that got me thinking about time management and technology.  Must read more books…made of paper!

Reading, A “Specialist Activity” – While I don’t like the title of this article, I think the content is interesting.   Our society is changing…wonder if the author purposefully didn’t count people reading their phones?

 Stories May Change Your Brain – Reading actually has a biological effect on your brain.  Who knew? (Well, we did…and now we have the data to prove it!)

 We Live in the Age of Distraction – Tips on managing when there are so many distractions.  Good ideas for students, and us, too.

School Wasn’t Cancelled – The role model of my youth, Laura Ingalls Wilder, was no wimp.  This article reminds us of how times have changed.

Absurd Creature of the Week – This is definitely a middle school thing.  Might be a fun sponge to share and talk with students.  But creepy at times.  You’ll need a strong stomach.

Do you feel like first semester just flew by?  Can you believe how much learning you and your students have completed so far?  I imagine you are ready for a time to step back to focus on family and home and relaxation.  You’ve earned it, and I hope your time exceeds your  expectations.

Thank you so much for the efforts, expertise, patience and personality you bring to your classroom.  I’m so lucky to have the opportunity to work with you.  Your students are so lucky to have you!  (They may not express it every time, but they do appreciate you!)  Best wishes for the upcoming new year!

Al A Carte (12/20/2013)

Undersecretary of Education – Diane Ravitch discusses the new Undersecretary of Education.  It’s always important to keep tabs on who is heading up education at the federal level.

Great Public Schools Criteria – NEA’s commitment to quality education is highlighted here.  This post shares the proposal of a series of priorities being offered to Congress as a framework for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

Hearts in Our Hands – Great reminders on how much responsibility we have as teachers in the lives of students.  This post provides nice thoughts that may encourage you as you refocus your energies for second semester.

Package Your Past – An interesting (possibly first day back?) idea for helping students refocus their energies on the second half of the school year.

15-Second Vocabulary – Check out entries in the New York Times Vocabulary Video contest.  Students made 15-second videos demonstrating an understanding of the word and its use in a specific context.

Birthday Word Generator – Do you know which words entered the English language around the same time you entered the world? Use the Oxford Dictionary’s online OED birthday word generator to find out!

The History of Education – Enjoy the infographic on where our profession has come from.

Mighty Times – If you’re an Ideas teacher and preparing to use Watsons Go To Birmingham, 1963, here’s a great website to check out.  The video materials recommended for use with this novel unit, “Mighty Times”, comes from this website.

Good Reads – Wonderful, updated list of Young Adult titles.  A good site to bookmark and refer to periodically.  This site will keep you aware of what’s new and what’s hot in YA lit.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!