Planning for Summer-Learning, Reading, Balance and Baking

It is hard to believe that Friday is our last day of school!  Summer is quickly approaching and, as always, I have way too much planned. I realized that I am the kind of person who creates impossible to-do lists.  Mine are never quite doable or finishable. There are always too many tasks for the time allotted. But my lists give me a vision and things to look forward to:-)

This summer, I am excited about the learning opportunities I have. In June. I'll be speaking at Lakota Literacy View which is an amazing summer institute in Ohio.  I have attended in the past and am excited to be part of it again this year. Even though I'll be facilitating workshops for most of the time, I'll have the opportunity to hear keynotes by Sharon Taberski, Lester Laminack, Katie Ray, Penny Kittle, and Matt Glover. And I know I'll learn so much from all of the teachers there. I am excited to kick off my summer learning at Lakota.

When I get back from Lakota, I'll have a few days before I leave for All Write Consortium Summer Institute.  The institute is only 3-4 hours away and the list of speakers was too good to pass up. Speakers include Cris Tovani, Debbie Miller, Ann Marie Corgill, Terry Thompson, Lester Laminack, Jeff Anderson, Ruth Ayres, Georgia Heard and Katie Wood Ray.  2 days filled with this great thinking. I am excited because there are 7 of us from Dublin attending the institute. And lots of Twitter friends are going too. It will be a fun group and a great few days!

Choice Literacy workshops begin in June in Tacoma. I'll also be doing Choice Literacy workshops in July in Michigan and Wrenthem.  It is always fun to get together with the Choice Literacy gang and I always learn so much from the participants, as well as from our informal conversations after the workshops end each day.  It feels like a great summer camp for grown-ups--being together with like-minded educators from around the world.

In July, I'll be attending November Learning BLC again.  I am really excited about it this year. Since it is my 2nd year there, I think I'll try to be a little bit less overwhelmed by the pace of the day.  I am excited to hear some new thinking by speakers I heard last year and I am also excited to hear some new voices.  There are so many people there that I heard last year that I now follow on Twitter, blogs, etc. that I think it will be a different experience. And now that I am more familiar with the shopping and restaurants in the area, I am set:-)

I think there should also be lots of time for reading this summer. I am going to attempt Donalyn Miller's #bookaday challenge, although I am sure some days will be easier than others. My 11 year old seems somewhat interested in giving this a try too so I think there'll be lots of family reading time!  On top of #bookaday, Columbus Kidlit bloggers will be participating in Mother Reader's 6th Annual 48 Hour Reading Challenge in which we will dedicate 48 hours to reading (with a little bit of book shopping in there too). If I counted correctly, there are 83 days of summer.  So, I am building my summer reading list.  Some top picks for summer are (just to name a few...):
So, What Do They Really Know by Cris Tovani (Stenhouse, July)
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
Entwined by Heather Dixon
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Horton Halfpott by Tom Angleberger
Juniper Berry by M. P. Kozlowsky
Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
The Trouble with May Amelia by Jennifer Holm
Jeremy Bender Vs. The Cupcake Cadets by Eric Luper
The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander
The Loser List by
Bird in a Box by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Breadcrumbs by Ann Ursu
Mindset by Carol Dweck
Reality is Broken by Jane McGonigal

I'm also hoping to learn about some apps for the iPad (I am totally underutlizing my iPad!) and how to use the Color Nook that I purchased for the library. My goal is to find some great ebooks and to learn to download ebooks from the Dublin Library.

And, I am hoping to get this foot back in order so that I can get moving again.   I am hoping for exercise and balance.  The summer seems set up in a way that it might be possible. Time for work and reading. Time for exercise. Lots of time to spend with family.  And some time to learn a few new recipes--I am going to work on cupcakes (thanks to recipes from Jen Allen and hopefully Mary Lee:-)) and basic Cakepops from Bakerella.

So, that's my summer to-do list.  My thinking ahead about all that is possible. Maybe that is why I like to-do lists....they help me think about all the things I would love to do if I had time.  A good balance, I think.