Poetry Friday -- Habit

by Hugh MacLeod at Gaping Void

Like a Bad Habit

The ivy is overtaking the front bed.
It approaches the lamb’s ear insidiously.
It has overwhelmed a pair of stepping-stones.
Clearly, the whole driveway is within the scope of its ambition.

I admire its tenacity.

But my will 

will dominate.
My pruner and I

will reestablish
boundaries.

©Mary Lee Hahn, 2013

The theme of the recent Choice Literacy writing retreat was "Habits." We've all got 'em. Some are strong and productive, and the others eat our good intentions for breakfast.

I'm trying hard to fortify my morning habits of exercise and writing so that they are strong enough to withstand the tsunami known as teaching. I'll be keeping my best two hours for myself, but that leaves about 15 other waking hours for everyone and everything else. Seems fair, doesn't it? Check back in October and we'll see how I'm doing!

Poetry Friday is one of my favorite habits of all. Margaret has the roundup today at Reflections on the Teche.

Going Public

Wikimedia Commons photo by Justin Brockie

Raise your hand if you've ever been terrified to go public -- to introduce him to your parents, to speak in public, to start a blog?

And yet how often do we expect our students to share their ideas, try new things, or take a risk, all without fear or hesitation?

I have given myself a taste of my own medicine, and it's been good to remember how hard it is to do the things we ask our students to do all the time.

One of the gardeners I work with in our community garden is deaf. She had her hearing long enough to learn to speak, but she's never learned lip reading. So we've been getting by with her talking to us, and us writing to her. It's a functional solution, but not equitable, and definitely not inclusive.

I decided to learn to finger spell. Of course, "there's an app for that." I've been trying to spend a few minutes every day practicing with the app, and sometimes on my morning walk, I run through the alphabet or spell things I see.

But I was terrified to try it with my deaf friend. To be the rank beginner at the feet of the expert.

Finally, this past weekend, I jumped the hurdle. I told her I was learning. Her smile glowed and crinkles showed in the corners of her eyes. I asked for her patience as I got better. She nodded enthusiastically.

And that's all it took. I just had to get past my fear of failing and give it a try. She is thrilled that I am making an attempt to communicate with her on her terms, and she is patient, encouraging and helpful.

Just like we are with our students.

That First Read Aloud of the School Year....

Every year, I put a lot of thought into that first read aloud of the school year.  It is always my summer obsession.

On Twitter, the other day, I posed a question to a friend about a possible first read aloud.  Several others jumped into the conversation with suggestions for that first read aloud.  So many possibilities, but none feel quite right.  Last year, I wrote an article for Choice Literacy about my thinking behind that important first read aloud. For those of you that subscribe to the weekly Big Fresh from Choice Literacy, you may have seen it this week.  Spending my summers thinking about my first read aloud is not something new for me.  And in moving to a new grade level, I am finding myself doing even more thinking about it than usual.  I'm never sure quite what I am looking for, so the search often continues until that day right before the students arrive.

The Read Aloud routine is an important one in our classroom. It is an anchor for reading and conversations and community. It is a time when I work hard to make sure 100% of students are in the classroom and I protect that time from pullouts and interruptions.  It is important as students not only share a common story but we learn together how to think about and talk about stories in ways that change us--as readers and as people.

I know we'll read many picture books every day in the classroom, but in 3rd grade a chapter book read aloud is key as this transitional stage is a stage where children are learning to read longer books, stick with a plot, think across a longer text.  I know that a chapter book is not a chapter book is not a chapter book and I want that first one to be one with a plot simple enough for all students to follow but complex enough with some things worth talking about. I want to start those conversations about what readers do when reading longer books, but more importantly, I want to start those conversations about books and the way they often change our lives.

The choice of the first read aloud is even harder because I don't know my students. I don't know their reading histories and I don't know much about them as people.  I don't know if a child is going to walk in the door who who is suffering in some way.  Our community will not yet be strong enough during that first read aloud for a student to come to me to say, "I don't think I can listen to this story right now in my life." as they might do later in the year when they understand that this is one of the decisions readers make.

There are so many books I can read to kids and they would love, but kids loving a book is not enough for me.  I have found that kids love being read aloud to so much that most of them are going to love almost any book I read aloud and the year isn't long enough to read aloud that many books. So I have to choose a book for more reasons than just "kids will love it".  It has to give me lots as a teacher --each book has to grow them, as readers, as people and as a community of learners.

Even though read aloud time is an anchor in our classroom and I do lots of teaching, read aloud feels to the kids like that time of pure joy.  The book has to be so good that it naturally INVITES the conversations I  want to happen and that there are so many invitations for talk and thinking that the talk happens naturally.  I am looking for books that makes my "teacher work" during read aloud is almost invisible because the book pretty much does the work on its own.

Ideally, I'd love a book that none of the kids have read before. I value rereading but the first read aloud involves lots of kidwatching as I get to know each student and experiencing a new book can tell me so much.


So, it is nearly August 1 and I am still thinking.  I will probably still be thinking for a few more weeks. I started a Pinterest board to keep track of my own thinking--keeping track of the books on the top of my list for the moment and books that I want to keep in mind for the first few months of the school year.  I don't know if I'll stick with this list but it is a list of books I don't want to forget about yet. I know that after the first few days of school, when I know my kids and see how they respond to that first read aloud (whatever it may be) and I see the books they are reading and I start learning about who they are,  I will know the perfect book to choose for our second read aloud. But that first read aloud....it is never an easy decision!

Poetry Friday -- The Speed of Time

Photo by Mary Lee Hahn

A Teacher Turns the Calendar Page From July to August

It's the same feeling you get

just after you've nudged the sled 

over the shoulder 

of the hill.

Movement becomes momentum

and quickly shifts 

to catapulting and careening.

You relinquish control

and hold on 

for the ride.

©Mary Lee Hahn, 2013

Sherry has the Poetry Friday Roundup today at Semicolon.

Nerdy Book Club Post

I wrote a post for the Nerdy Book Club yesterday about my concussion and my weeks with no reading.  You can visit the Nerdy Book Club to read the post here. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? Online Edition

 This week, I found some online gems in my reading that I wanted to share.  Enjoy!

Pernille Ripp has a great post that is an important one to read as we start a new school year. We Must Be the First to Stop the Labels.

After having such a great day at Nerdcamp Battle Creek, I have spent lots of time reading everyone's blog reflections. Katherine Sokolowski has spent time doing a Nerdcamp Roundup on her blog and I've loved reading everyone's recap.

I loved Jen Scwanke's Big Fresh Lead, A Reader and Her Books.  As a fellow book hoarder, I could relate:-)

And this Mo Willems Interview was a fun read.

And, as always, Ruth Ayres puts things in perspective in this post It's Time to Get Ready for School.


Happy Monday and Happy Reading! 

Poetry Friday -- Minimalist

photo by Mary Lee Hahn

Just a note before we head out for a day of fly fishing.

Go to The Writer's Almanac.

Read the poem for today. Remember those who are gone and love harder those who are still here with you.

Then read the 20 quotes about writing in the sidebar (not sure why they sometimes are there briefly and then disappear behind the ads...how to make them stay visible???) and pick the one that is your favorite for today. Mine is:

“All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath.”

—F. Scott Fitzgerald

That's the way it felt to write my Summer Poem Swap poem this week with my brain a (somewhat murky) lake of back to school planning. When the poem finally came, it was like that delicious first gulp of air after you've been under for almost too long.

Happy Poetry Friday! Jone has the roundup today at Check it Out.

#CyberPD--Who Owns the Learning?, Ch 5-end

Who Owns the Learning?: Preparing Students for Success in the Digital Age
by Alan November
Solution Tree (May 21, 2012)
I read the Kindle Edition

"Reflecting on my own education while growing up, 

I don't remember any of my tests. 

I don't remember any of my multiple-choice tests 

or my written answers. 

But I remember the experiences I had...

...what can we give kids that's an experience 

that they typically don't get...?" p. 86

Chapter 5 -- Job of global communicator and collaborator
Big idea for me: Students need to learn empathy. Global empathy as well as just plain understanding and appreciating other points of view.

Discussion Question #1 -- What kinds of opportunities can you imagine for enabling students to engage with authentic audiences around the world? 

• Skyping with other schools and with authors...and perhaps with the international families of my students? Just learned last night on #5thChat about Mystery # Skypes and TodaysMeet. Both of these seem RICH with possibilities!
• Working the Twitter feed for all it's worth. 
• Participating in the Global Read Aloud.

Discussion Question #2 -- What barriers do you anticipate educators will face in guiding students in the role of global communicator and collaborator? 

The biggest barrier will be Me.

• I have to guard against running out of time, energy, commitment, focus, and a willingness to brainstorm creative ways to access technology resources. 
• I have to remember to start small, using authentic audiences in our own school district...maybe even our own building!
• I have to choose projects wisely, then work backwards from the end result to make sure I've taught all the skills my students will need in order to be successful.

Chapter 6 -- Purposeful work, legacy of student contribution
The story of the student-written history text/wiki is fascinating. Leaving a legacy is as crucial as empathy. I had an amazing interim principal once upon a time (you know who I'm talking about, some of you). His tagline on all written and most verbal communications was "Leave a legacy." The hallways in the new wing of our building (built during his term with us) are named Legacy Lane. Through his constant use of that word, he made me think about the value and importance of all I do in my classroom and our school. I think the idea of taking student work to the Legacy Level can be a ongoing conversation from day one. "What can come of this work we are doing that will be of lasting importance? Of use to someone else?" Thinking about the legacy piece will naturally tie into teaching empathy. (Hmm...this is pretty fascinating. You are witnessing ideas being born as I type...I'm getting really excited about this!!) I recently had an afternoon of conversation with some of my #LivePD pals. We kept wrapping back around to the idea of "Who will be the audience?" Seems like if students are involved in conversations about leaving a legacy, they are also determining the audience for the work they'll be doing. So they won't just be shouting into Cyberspace and hoping someone will respond. (Hmm...it's all coming together nicely...) And if we're considering legacy, we've got purpose covered, too! (Hmm...)


Discussion Question #1 What opportunities can you identify for incorporating multiple student jobs into your classroom activities? 

The answer is Yes.  (need time to think and plan)

Discussion Question #2 How could you help your students create an educational legacy that would outlast their own student experiences?

The answer is Yes. While I'm hoping that it's not just one thing and that it comes as much from them as from me, I do have one idea I'd like to float to my students and to the staff of my school: We need to take our Multiculturalism on the road to other schools whose classes aren't as international as ours. We need to take our authentic Multicultural Day out to other schools that have a fake one put on by their PTO.

Discussion Question #4  How would you structure yearlong collaboration with colleagues beyond your classroom to add value to your students' learning experiences?

See answer to #1.  (also got a good start on this during #LivePD with Karen, Maria and Cathy)




Laura Komos (Ruminate and Invigorate) is hosting today's conversation about WHO OWNS THE LEARNING? Thank you to her, to Jill Fisch (My Primary Passion), and to Cathy (Reflect and Refine) and for bringing us together to have these important conversations. Looking forward to the Twitter Chat!

The Meanest Birthday Girl by Josh Schneider

I've spent lots of time this summer catching up on series books that I think my new third graders will be reading when school starts next month.  Catching up on these transitional books is key to supporting their reading development. I'm also looking for stand-alone books that help readers understand the power of story and that help them build conversation to understand character, see the world differently, and laugh and learn together.  3rd grade is a challenging one when it comes to book choice because it is tempting to choose books that are just beyond what kids are ready for so they don't quite understand them.  They are 8 year-olds so their life experiences are not quite ready for the depth of some middle grade novels. And I am a firm believer that if we give kids great books too early, we take away the joy of experiencing an amazing book later, when they are able to fully enjoy and love it.  But, I also know that third graders are brilliant people who have lots to say and need books to help them think through life. It's just that finding books that match the stage of life is not as easy as it appears.

But, I found one this weekend that I think is perfect!  The Meanest Birthday Girlby Josh Schneider seems to be the perfect book for early third grade. I am thinking it will make a great read aloud and one that we can revisit and discuss. I am not thinking it is one with huge depth but there is depth and humor that will provide for conversation and kids will need to infer lots to fully understand the message here.

Dana is the birthday girl in this story. And because it is her birthday, she can do whatever she wants. So she pinches, steals desserts from others' lunches, and calls people names.  At the end of the day, she has a birthday party and gets presents and this is where the fun begins.

The book is a short chapter book (48 pages total). The illustrations add to the fun of the book and the characters are some of my favorites.

I think this book was written for young children in that they will have to really think to understand the message but they will love the fact that they "get it".  Them message is a good one and there will be lots to talk about when it comes to choices, kindness, and how we treat each others.  Lots to love about this book.

And, Anthony? Well, he might be one of my favorite new characters ever. Even though he only says a few words in the whole book.

Notice and Note (With CHICKENHARE)

Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading
by Kylene Beers and Robert Probst
Heinemann, 2013

In my post last Thursday, I shared my plan to search for the signposts in everything I read/viewed for the rest of the summer. What's that quote about roads that are paved with good intentions? What a ridiculous goal that was!! And what a good reminder: EVERY text does not need a close reading! Note to self and others: don't overdo the signposts, or they will kill a love of reading as surely as any packet of worksheets.

I had success last week using the Notice and Note signposts with DON'T FEED THE BOY, a middle grade realistic fiction novel by Irene Latham. I've been on a graphic novel-reading binge for a couple of days, so I got to wondering if I could find the signposts in a graphic novel. After all, many (if not most) of my students will choose a graphic novel over any other genre or format any day.

Lo and behold, they were there. I had to think differently about them at times, finding them in characters' facial expressions or in the illustrations. But they were there. And I didn't try finding them in a straight-forward, traditional-narrative sort of graphic novel. The next one up on my pile was fantasy with oddball random characters and a storyline that makes you feel like you've been dropped into the middle of the story. (Just checked online. Although this book is not identified as a part of a series, it might be the third book. That would explain a lot about the dropped-in feeling.)

Chickenhare

by Chris Grine

Scholastic/GRAPHIX (February 1, 2013)

In this story, a chicken-legged rabbit and a bearded box turtle team up with the ghost of a goat to defeat the evil guy who keeps killing his pets and stuffing them so that they can't run away from him. (Think "willing suspension of disbelief...")

p. 9 What the butler says and how the evil guy answers don't match. CONTRAST AND CONTRADICTION (with a bit of irony and sarcasm thrown in)
p. 11 The other evil guy who kidnapped Chickenhare and Abe (the turtle) unwittingly gives the duo information that will help them to escape. AHA MOMENT (for characters and the reader, who should be predicting like mad when this happens!)

p. 66 The ghost of the goat shows up again. AGAIN AND AGAIN
p. 79 " 'Forty years ago...' " MEMORY MOMENT
p. 97 Interchange of questions between Chickenhare and the ghost of the goat. TOUGH QUESTIONS
p. 98 The ghost of the goat comes as close as it gets to giving WORDS OF THE WISER
p. 139 The visual clue in the picture gives the reader an AHA MOMENT when they realize how Chickenhare and the goat are going to trick the evil guy.
p. 157 The faces of Chickenhare and Abe are happy that they are continuing their journey. The faces of their two companions are not happy. CONTRAST AND CONTRADICTION