Poetry Friday -- Hope

photo by treehouse1977

"Hope" is the thing with feathers -

by Emily Dickinson

"Hope" is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I've heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

We were working in the land lab after school when a goldfinch, already in drab fall and winter colors, flew between us and smacked into a classroom window, falling to the stones below.

I scooped up the blinking, dazed little bird, and as I held it, I thought of the thing with feathers in Emily Dickinson's poem. After resting in a quiet spot for a few minutes, the goldfinch flew off, no worse for wear.

The thing with feathers perching in my soul has hit a wall this week, too. But true as it was for the bird in the land lab, it has only taken the kindness of one gentle hand to restore hope to its perch in my soul.

The round up today is at Big A little a.

GRAPHIC NOVEL CLUB BEGINS

This week, we started a 5th grade Graphic Novels Club in the library. The Club will meet twice a month during lunch and recess. We had 19 kids attend and each came with lots of enthusiasm. Ray Barrett, one of our great Dublin Library librarians will be running the group through the year. Ray knows graphic novels well and I have already learned about lots of titles that I wasn't aware of. Since he is running the club, I was able to sit back and listen to the conversations between Ray and the students. He introduced the club by sharing many new titles with them. The kids were aware of some of them but many were new to all of us. Then they all chit chatted about the Graphic Novels they'd read and enjoyed as well as those that they hoped to read soon. Everyone left with one title in mind that they'd like to read before our next meeting. Ray and I will work together to gather the books they requested.

I was amazed at the level of talk and the knowledge that most of these kids had about graphic novels. I was also excited about the variety of things they were interested in reading. No one was worried about what other kids were choosing to read--they all felt pretty confident in their choicesI think that one thing Graphic Novels are doing for kids today is stretching the genres and authors they read. They seem more willing to try a new genre if it is in graphic novel form. .

It seems that we can't keep graphic novels in the library. Even though I felt like I added many Graphic Novels to the collection over the summer, there are never many available for check out. They are always checked out!

I am excited about the year ahead. We are so lucky that Ray has offered to run this club for us. Graphic Novels are not a genre that I choose to read often but I am hoping that this club will inspire me to read more of them. Ever since I read Terry Thompson's professional book, ADVENTURES IN GRAPHICA, I see the importance of this genre for all readers. The blog THE GRAPHIC CLASSROOM has also helped me learn about new books for elementary readers.

I think The Graphic Novel Club will be a great experience for the kids and we'll all learn so much. I'll keep you posted as we move forward in the year.

National Day on Writing!

It's finally here! NCTE's National Day on Writing!

Check out the Kidlitosphere's Gallery, "A Lifetime of Reading."

KidLitCon09 attendees had this to say about their lifetime of reading:

Thanks to the folks who agreed to appear on camera (in order of appearance):

Pam Coughlan (MotherReader),

Jen Robinson (Jen Robinson's Book Page),

Melissa Fox (Book Nut),

Liz Burns (A Chair, A Fireplace and a Tea Cozy),

Karen Terlecky (Literate Lives),

Bill Prosser (Literate Lives),

Sara Lewis Holmes (Read, Write, Believe),

Tricia Stohr-Hunt (The Miss Rumphius Effect),

Olgy Gary (Olgy's Blog),

Julie Dauksis (Grow Up With Books),

Lara Ivey (Grow Up With Books),

Terry Doherty (Scrub-a-Dub-Tub),

Maureen Kearney (Confessions of a Bibliovore), and

Greg Pincus (GottaBook).

A PLACE FOR WONDER: Author Interview Today

If you have not picked up a copy of A Place for Wonder: Reading and Writing Nonfiction in the Primary Grades by Georgia Heard and Jen McDonough, you will definitely want to do so after you read today's interview. We are thrilled to be the first stop on a blog tour for the authors of this great new professional book for teachers.

Georgia Heard's work has had a huge impact on my teaching. Her first book for teachers, FOR THE GOOD OF THE EARTH AND SUN gave me a new way to think about poetry writing with my students. In this new book, she teams with classroom teacher Jennifer McDonough to help us think about how to build on children's natural sense of wonder in schools. Together the two authors help us see the importance of making time and space for children's curiosities and celebrations of the world around them. They also show us how to connect those natural wonders in ways that help them grow as readers, writers, and researchers.

Although this is a book written for classroom teachers in grades K-2, I can see it being read and used by teachers at many levels. As a school librarian, this book has helped me think about ways to make research more real in the library---ways to think about space in ways that invite students to own their learning by starting with their wonders.

If you want to preview the book, it is available on Stenhouse's website. I am planning on rereading it and thinking about ways that the brilliance of these two educators can help me transform the library.

Now, onto the interview!

Franki: (for Georgia): We have always known you to write about poetry and writing. What made you decide to take on a different topic for this book?
When my son was younger, he inspired me by how curious he was -- especially about the natural world. During every outing, he learned something new and he asked hundreds of questions about how the world works. I’ve written and spoken about this especially with poetry but with all writing really – how poems, novels –- come from curiosity, close observation and the freedom to explore. I believe that young children are natural poets because they have a poetic way of looking at the world.

Georgia: When my son attended school for the first time, I was surprised by how that poetic way of looking at the world, the appetite for learning and curiosity, was almost viewed as a negative and a distraction. The structure and curriculum of school seemed to want him to do the opposite – to rein his unbounded enthusiasm in. So, I began to investigate early childhood and primary grade classrooms and environments, and realized that particularly with No Child Left Behind – many primary classrooms were not places of exploration and curiosity because teachers were under so much pressure to plan their curriculums around state tests. I was so grateful to meet Jen, who was my son’s teacher, who felt the same way as I did, and we teamed up to explore creating a wonder-filled world for primary children. So, it was a personal decision to pursue the idea -- not just for my son -- but for all young children.

Franki: So much of the book is about valuing the things students wonder about and creating spaces for wonder in our classrooms. Can you share a bit of your thinking on that?

Georgia and Jen: Matthew Fox wrote that many of our schools have become “knowledge factories” rather than “wisdom schools.” I’ve always loved this description because it seems so true. But then we ask ourselves, What would a wisdom school look like? And what kind of wisdom would it teach?
We feel that wisdom is about thinking deeply and paying attention to what’s around us, perceiving things around you with a sense of what really matters, and asking questions about the world around you. Children are naturally curious and come to school wanting to know how the world works. How many schools truly nurture and value that natural sense of wonder? It’s important for children to know that we care enough about what they’re curious about to make a space and time for those questions during the school day. Last week, one of the hermit crabs came out of its shell, and the kids were so excited about this seemingly small event. Jen sent them to the pet observation journal where they wrote down their questions and observations. Because Jen made a place for their wonder, they were able to savor that moment in words.

Franki: What is your advice for teachers who are trying to create places of wonder while still meeting the high-stakes testing environment that is present in today¹s schools?

Georgia and Jen: Teachers with little, or no extra time, can still create places of wonder in their classrooms. Teachers can set up wonder centers as an activity in the morning when kids first arrive, or as after-school activities. You can write a question on a chart, and invite students to write their thoughts and answers throughout the day as a kind of shared writing. In A Place for Wonder: Reading and Writing Nonfiction in the Primary Grades, we name numerous centers and activities that teachers can put in place without giving up curriculum time. But the bigger question is how can teachers find their voices, and make a stand as to what we value in the curriculum for young students.

Franki: You have so many great suggestions for teachers about ways to make room for spaces where children can be curious and creative. If teachers were going to create one space to start, what would you suggest?

Georgia and Jen: The Discovery Table is the most popular of all the centers because kids love the natural world, and this center seems to connect them to the wider world. They love holding the shells, acorns, and robin’s eggs, etc. in their hands, and seeing new details when they look through a magnifying glass. We would also set up a Wondering Center to start –- a chart, a board -- where children write down and explore their questions throughout the day.


Franki: You include several booklists in the book. Can you each tell us about one of your favorite children¹s books from the book and the ways that you¹ve seen children respond to the title?

Georgia: One of my favorite books, and one of children’s favorites as well, is Byrd Baylor’s THE OTHER WAY TO LISTEN because it speaks about walking in the world like a poet – not just labeling trees and rocks with proper names -- but being able to see and understand their beauty. Children love this book because that’s how they perceive the world. Another favorite is THE WISE OLD WOMAN AND HER SECRET by Eve Merriam because it tells the story of how a child’s natural gift of curiosity and wonder are the keys to living a wise and intelligent life. It’s a great read aloud as you introduce the wonder centers.

Jen: THE FIRST SONG EVERY SUNG by Laura Krauss Melmed is a great example for kids of a heart wonder book. It shows that big, thoughtful questions often have different answers depending on who you are asking, and what you, as the author, believe. My kids were so enthralled by the illustrations, and realized quickly that the same question was being asked again and again, and the boy was getting different answers each time he asked different people. When I finished reading, I asked them what they noticed and they were quick to point out that the way the question was being answered was different each time. Right after the read aloud, I gave my mini lesson on writing heart wonders -- exploring a question through your own beliefs instead of looking the answer up in a book. It’s hard to find text that support the idea of writing from heart wonders but this book does it really well!
For Research Wonder work, the I Wonder Why Series by Kingfisher is an excellent choice for the classroom library. The illustrations are engaging and the text is fairly easy to read. These books are also great for examining non-fiction text features as they contain: table of contents; indexes; captions; fun facts and diagrams. These books are always in book baggies because the kids love to read them!

Franki: What do you see happen with research projects when students know that the things they wonder about are valued? How does classroom research and student learning change?

Georgia and Jen: We noticed that, prior to this wonder work, some of the topics, even ones that were personal, would fizzle out –the kids lost their enthusiasm to continue because they had little ownership over the process. When children’s wonders become part of their research the energy is tangible -- they are persistent and enthusiastic about exploring their questions, and also about becoming experts on their topics. We also discovered that the writing used to be more superficial, “Cats have four legs….” but with this way of exploring non-fiction, it helped push the children’s writing as the kids’ pieces were filled with craft, and voice as they try to emulate favorite non-fiction authors.

Franki: This book is targeted to teachers in grades K-2 but to me, there were so many things that would really support older kids as well. Through your research and writing, what tips do you have for teachers of upper elementary students when it comes to curiosity, creativity, research, and nonfiction writing?

Georgia and Jen: You’re right, encouraging wonder and curiosity in the classroom is not just for the primary grades. If you think about the genres of writing – poetry, fiction, nonfiction, essays, newspaper articles, etc. – authors of those genres speak about getting their ideas from observation and wonder. A unit of study on personal essays could have a wonder component. We might start with asking students if they have a question or a wonder -- that they’ve asked themselves for awhile –that they could explore in a personal essay. Students could also keep wonder boxes – or wonder notebooks – of questions and ideas they want to pursue in independent projects. Teachers could write a question – pertaining to the curriculum, or not, -- on an easel, and kids could write down their theories and ideas during the day. And of course, their research writing could be fueled by their wonders.

KidLitCon--Places

The Library of Congress,

JEFFERSON Building

The Capitol Building

(any possible symbolism contained

in the opposition of the flag and the

street sign is purely coincidental and

not intended as a political statement)

A fellow Dublin teacher's son

participated in the U.S. Department

of Energy's Solar Decathlon with

the OSU team.

The energy efficient homes were on

display on the Mall in front of the

Smithsonian, so we had to go check them out!

This is the OSU team's house.

Go, Bucks!

OSU placed 10th

overall.

Library of Congress, Full Disclosure

1. We were late to the Library of Congress because it took us longer than we planned to find the hotel. (lesson: get driving directions from multiple sources)

2. We went to the Madison Building instead of the Jefferson Building. (lesson: read the instructions in the email carefully)

3. AJ's pocket knife was intercepted by security. (lesson: don't carry a pocket knife in D.C.)

4. The folks at the Jefferson Building information desk found the KidLitCon group and took us to them via a WAY cool spiral staircase. So we missed the general LOC tour, but we did get to see rare children's books in the Children's Room and rare illustrated books in the Rare Book Room. (lesson: never give up, because even though things aren't turning out the way you planned, something even more wonderful might happen)

Voice check: not back to full strength, but enough to be functional.

Library of Congress Bound!

Image by wallyg

Unfortunately, the sky won't be this blue and the temps won't be this warm! At least it won't snow...will it?

Voice check: None on Wednesday, some on Thursday, more today, high hopes for full volume tomorrow!

Stay tuned for more news from KidLitCon09!

Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle

I discovered NUBS: THE TRUE STORY OF A MUTT, A MARINE, AND A MIRACLE at the book fair last week. I am always looking for great nonfiction read alouds as I need to balance my read alouds a bit more. This is a great story that I think kids are going to love too! It is the story of Nubs, a wild dog who befriends Marine Major Brian Dennis who was stationed in Iraq. The two developed a strong, fast friendship but were separated when Brian had to move on. Since Marines aren't allowed to have pets, Brian knew that he couldn't take the dog with him. But, the dog followed Brian and found him miles away. This is a great dog story and the real photos and email messages on the side add to the information. The story has a happy ending and the book ends with a note from Brian Dennis. This is a great dog story and a great story about friendship and hope. I think it is going to make a great read aloud for any age. WIth Veteran's Day right around the corner, I am thinking teachers might like this one to tie into that day.

2 Great New Gift Books

I had someone asking about a great book for someone getting ready to be a big brother. I didn't know of one but there is a great new one for a child preparing to be a big sister. SUPERSISTER by Beth Cadena is a great story of Supersister who dashes down the stairs like a whistling locomotive, slides down the slide like a speeding bullet and more. This is a fun story about a little girl anxiously awaiting a new baby--practicing the skills it takes to be a Supersister. The superhero language is quite fun and it would make for a good read aloud.


THE CHRISTMAS BABY by Marion Dane Bauer was a great surprise. I am not often drawn to books with religious themes. I have my favorite Christmas stories and it is not very often that I see a retelling of a Christmas story told in a way that outdoes my favorites. But this one was at book fair last week and I loved it. I think it would make a great book for a baby gift--a baby born near the holidays. In this book, Marion Dane Bauer shares a retelling of the story of Mary, Joseph and the manger. The ending of the book connects the story and the joy that families experience when a new baby is born. The added connection at the end makes this a new favorite for me. The illustrations are buy Richard Cowdrey who captures the spirit of the story well. A joyful celebration of the Christmas story and of babies!

2 Great New Novels for Middle School

I had a great reading week reading 2 new books that I picked up at the book fair this week. Both books are pretty heavy reads. Both deal with tough topics and both are amazing reads. I was reading them, thinking they might be good for our K-5 library but after reading them, I think they would be better at the middle school level. There might be a few students in the upper elementary who would enjoy them, but they struck me as perfect for grades 6th-7thish.

First, I read Gary Paulsen's new book, NOTES FROM THE DOG. This is different from lots of Paulsen's other books although as usual, he has a great character that you come to connect with very quickly. Finn is a teenage boy who likes to spend time by himself--doesn't feel like he fits in anywhere. He lives with his father , his dog, and he has a few good friends. His one good friend, Matthew is an important character in the story. In early summer, Johanna moves next door. She quickly becomes friends with Finn and his family and seems to bring out the best in everyone. Johanna is undergoing treatment for breast cancer and is also training for an event to support breast cancer. Just like Finn, as a reader, I sometimes forgot that Johanna was going through pretty difficult chemotherapy. A very real life story that deals with a hard topic. I haven't read much for this age group that deals with breast cancer but this book is an amazing one that to me, seems realistic and honest. Even though Johanna is an important character in the story, it is Finn who is the character who changes and whose story this is. This is a great coming of age story--a story of Finn who, because of Johanna becomes comfortable with who he is. A GREAT read.

I was so excited to see a new title by Katherine Paterson. She is one of my all-time favorite authors. But, I had forgotten that Katherine Paterson doesn't write about easy things. She takes on topics of people who are often going through hard times. THE DAY OF THE PELICAN drew me in and I think there were pages and pages where I completely forgot to breathe. It was a painful read but a hopeful read. The book is the story of an Albanian family who lived in Kosovo. Caught in a war, they escape the country and then eventually apply to move to the United States. The main character in the story is Meli, a thirteen year old girl. Her world is turned upside down by events that no one can predict or control. Paterson does her usual great job of making this authentic. The pain and terror that this family goes through in the story is real. So many issues that families in war torn countries endure. As with all of Paterson's books, it is not an easy read. But Meli will stay with me forever, just as Gilly, Jess and Leslie do. The story is based on a family that Paterson knows and she includes some historical information on Kosovo following the story. For me, this book was an important read. Reading fictional accounts of the things people are experiencing has always been important for me to better understand what is going on in the world.

I don't often make the time to read YA books but I am so glad that I read these two.