Monday, November 09, 2009

Another Great Lego Book: COOL CARS AND TRUCKS by Sean Kenney


I was thrilled to find one more LEGO book at the bookstore this weekend. This one is a small book for younger readers. It is called COOL CARS AND TRUCKS written by Sean Kenney, a Lego Certified Professional. (There are less than 10 of these in the world!) After reading about Sean and watching a videoclip in which he talks about the book, I am hoping he does more of these great books for kids.

This book is fun on many levels. So many interesting cars and trucks to look at. And I can see many kids starting to create some of these with the book as their guide. There are instructions in the book that help kids see the steps used to create the cars. The text is simple and the photos are up against a white background so you can clearly see the pieces that go into creating each vehicle. Between the book and Sean Kenney's website, I am again reminded about what is possible with Legos. I loved the Lego Book Set that I purchased a few weeks ago and the Lego Star Wars Book is definitely a popular one in the library. But this one is different. The other books share lots of great information, history, etc. But this new book by Sean Kenney really invites kids in on the process--these are things that kids can sit down and make and then hopefully revise based on their own ideas. A great addition to the few Lego books available.

There are several building options available to our students in the library this year. We have spent a lot of time talking about the library as a place that has a variety of tools for your learning. Legos are definitely in use most of the day and I continue to be amazed watching kids play and create with these. The conversations they have, the ideas they share, and the thinking they do continue to remind me how important these building tools are.








Sunday, November 08, 2009

Jerry Pinkney's THE LION AND THE MOUSE

The Lion & the Mouse
by Jerry Pinkney
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 2009
review copy provided by the publisher

You've really got to see this book, to hold it in your hands and look closely at the illustrations for yourself.

First you'll look at the lion on the title-free front of the dust jacket. You'll follow his eyes to the back of the dust jacket and smile at the mouse you find there. Next, you'll open the book and look at the endpapers. In the front, they'll speak to you of the African setting of the story. Flip to the back, and you'll be thinking of the importance of family. Just for fun, you'll take the dust jacket off and be delighted to find two different paintings on the front and back covers of the book. (How on earth are libraries going to make all of these before-you-open-the-book parts of the book accessible to patrons?!?)

This wordless retelling of Aesop's fable of the Lion and the Mouse begins with the mouse escaping by a whisker from an owl. In her distracted state, she runs up the back of a lion who uncharacteristically allows her to go free. When she hears the roar of the lion captured in a rope net, she doesn't think twice. She runs to his aid and chews the ropes until he's freed. Watch for the mouse (and her whole clan) on the back of the lion again at the end of the book. And make sure you save a giggle for the lion cub holding onto dad's tail as they walk.

In the artist's note, Pinkney writes about the big hearts of both of these characters, about the power of both the life-changing decisions of the lion to free the mouse and of the mouse to reciprocate and free the lion. He writes of the importance of the setting, the African Serengeti of Tanzania and Kenya, for which he has curiosity, reverence and concern, and of family (so obvious in the endpapers).

I'll be surprised if this book is passed over by the Caldecott committee...

Friday, November 06, 2009

Poetry Friday -- Beyond Surrounding Clouds


SONNET
by James Weldon Johnson

My heart be brave, and do not falter so,
Nor utter more that deep, despairing wail.
Thy way is very dark and drear I know,
But do not let thy strength and courage fail;
For certain as the raven-winged night
Is followed by the bright and blushing morn
Thy coming morrow will be clear and bright;
'Tis darkest when the night is furthest worn.
Look up, and out, beyond surrounding clouds...

(the rest of the poem is at the Poetry Foundation)


This poem goes out to all who are struggling right now along ways that are dark and drear and that make their hearts utter deep despairing wails. "...do not let thy strength and courage fail..." and remember, "Thy coming morrow will be clear and bright..."

This, too, shall pass.


The round up this week is at Wild Rose Reader. Thank you, Elaine, for stepping in and gathering us together!

Thursday, November 05, 2009

New Gingerbread Man Book


I just got a copy of GINGERBREAD MAN SUPERHERO! by Dotti Enderle. I think kids are going to love this one. As with most of the gingerbread stories, the Little Old Woman makes a gingerbread man as a treat for her husband. But before popping him in the oven.."remembering how grumpy The Little Old Man has been lately...she pressed a nice plump prune in the belly." And the story continues. The gingerbread man escapes, finds a dishtowel to wear as a cape and soars over town and finds someone who needs help. This is a fun superhero story and a fun new version of this favorite story. There is a refrain, as you would expect and the art is almost comic booky with talking bubbles and text boxes. A fun addition to our gingerbread collection!

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Who Would Like a Christmas Tree?

Who Would Like a Christmas Tree?
by Ellen Bryan Obed
illustrated by Anne Hunter
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2009
review copy provided by the publisher

I know the pumpkins are still sitting on the porch, but soon enough, cars will be driving down the road with Christmas trees tied on. Here's a book to remind you that "your" Christmas tree once belonged to a host of animals.

In January, the chickadees want the Christmas tree for the seeds and insect eggs they find hidden in the bark and needles, and for the warmth of the thick branches. In February and March the field mice and white-tailed deer want the Christmas tree. All through the months, different animals, insects, birds and other plants want the Christmas tree. And you can guess who wants it in December!

Information in the back of the book tells how a Christmas tree farmer in Maine takes care of her trees throughout the year.

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Interview with Patrick Allen, Author of CONFERRING: THE KEYSTONE OF READER'S WORKSHOP


Today, Patrick Allen's new book, CONFERRING: THE KEYSTONE OF READER'S WORKSHOP is available through Stenhouse. I am excited to read this book. I have heard Patrick Allen speak at several conferences and he is BRILLIANT about conferring. I spent some time reading parts of the book online but am anxious to get my hands on a copy now that it is available! I interviewed Patrick about his book and about reading conferences. Enjoy!

Franki: Tell us a little bit about the title of your book-what do you mean by Keystone?

Patrick: It’s kind of an ironic story. I write about it in my introduction. I was talking to my eldest sister, Joy, about my students and the work I was doing with conferring. During the course of our conversation, she compared the work I was doing with readers to the craftsmanship of my father (a stonemason and bricklayer). After our conversation, I wrote about an experience I had with dad years ago when he turned to me and asked me, “So… what do you think?” It was the first time I remember anyone looking me in the eye, asking my opinion, and then waiting for a response.

A keystone is the central voussoir of an arch. It is said to hold the weight of an arch and is often the last stone put in place, but it is the most important part of an arch. So, I thought a keystone was a perfect comparison.

To understand the power of conferring in reader’s workshop the keystone became the metaphor I chose to use as I wrote. The work keystone comes from the Latin clavis for “key”… meaning imperative, vital, essential. The same words I would use to describe conferring.
I had the idea of the keystone in my mind long before I wrote my first word… I love the image.


Franki: What is the place of conferring in a reading workshop?

Patrick: I think it is one of the most essential things we can do with readers. Conferring is of utmost import.

Ellin Keene points out, conferring is one of the five most powerful instructional tools we have at our disposal. And, conferring is something that I have spent a lot of time honing—learning to do better (and I’m still learning). I look forward each day to the conferences I have with readers during the composing portion of the reader’s workshop. Lori Conrad (a friend and colleague) and I have come to realize that conferring:
• Mirrors rich conversations
• Shepherds developing readers and writers
• Provides an authentic context for ongoing assessment and response

Conferring has become a nonnegotiable routine in my classroom. It provides the opportunity for my students and me to discuss and explore ideas in a manageable, thoughtful way. It’s the shared “coming to know” that I value most. Conferring is the most important thing I do with readers. It’s my favorite part of reader’s workshop.


Franki: You talk early in the book about purposeful conversations. Do you see conferences as conversations?

Patrick: I see them as conversations and so much more. My favorite conferences take on a conversational tone; the most effective conferences do. But, they also provide meaningful instruction, stretch thinking and monitor understanding, leave the reader with a specific goal, etc. Ultimately, I think conferences strengthen the capacity for students to be independent readers.

In Chapter Six of the book (titled “Conferring Walk-Aways). I write about what I hope students walk-away with after a conference or series of conferences. My friend, Cheryl Zimmerman and I created a list of walk-aways after she visited my room. The list continues to develop.
If I can make the experience of conferring more authentic and conversational in tone, I think readers become more metacognitive, and ultimately, more independent. There’s an amazing since of trust that develops if we confer honestly and sincerely. As I was writing the book, I was shocked about how many times I used the word conversation. It’s an important word when it comes to conferring. And, purposeful is an important descriptor of those conversations.


Franki: What makes reading conferences more difficult for teachers than writing conferences?

Patrick: Good question. One I’ve thought a lot about…
For me, reading conferences seem somewhat less tangible than writing conferences. My colleague, Lisa Olsen, once said “I think the reading conference is shrouded in mystery largely because we think some sort of divine intervention needs to, or is going to, take place...” Lisa explained that if we see conferences in this light, we neglect to see and hear the simple truths of what can emerge from each and every conference. We have to focus on the reader, then those truths can emerge.

There are many parallels between writing conferences and reading conferences, but there’s a twist that makes reading conferences unique. I love the challenge of conferring with readers; it’s about what a reader is thinking, wondering, discovering about himself and his process. It’s a grand discovery. I feel so blessed every time I sit down side-by-side a reader.
There’s been a lot written about writing conferences, so it’s been so much fun for me over the years to learn from great conferrers like Debbie Miller and Ellin Keene. I love the ambiguity of trying to really study how reading conferences work… it has been and continues to be an exciting inquiry.


Franki: You talk about conferring myths. Can you tell us a bit about that and one myth that you think really holds teachers back?

Patrick: Well, my colleague Lori and I chose to call them counterfeit beliefs rather than myths. As a classroom teacher, who also works as a staff developer, I’ve heard lots of excuses about why reading conferences can’t or don’t work. Early in the book, I dispel some of the misconceptions I’ve encountered in my work with other teachers. Basically, this list started as Lori and I kept a list of the things we heard teachers say about conferring.

When visitors come to my classroom, they always comment about the way I confer. Questions about conferring take a prominent role in our debriefing sessions. Often teachers say, “I could never do that…” And, I say, “Yes you can…” It is an art, but we can all dabble.

What holds teachers back? I wrote about ten counterfeit beliefs that we encountered, but there may be others. I think teachers need to think about the kinds of things they say to themselves about why they don’t confer more often and then ask themselves, “Why?” and “What am I going to do about it?” That’s the first step.

A lot of Conferring is about the journey I went through as I tried to change some of my beliefs and to enhance my instruction. I hope that as people read the book, they’ll understand that like all great learning, learning to confer takes time, energy, and practice, but it’s well-worth the effort! My own journey has made conferring the keystone of my reader’s workshop.

Throughout the book, I’ve interspersed “ponderings” that readers can spend time reflecting on (it’s my hope that they will take time to think, write, or talk about them). We have to ponder, to think, if we ever expect to get better.



Franki: What tips do you have about record keeping for conferring?

Patrick: You have to develop your own system. Don’t rely on someone else to hand you a system or say here, “Make this…” Can you use their ideas? Sure. But take them as a suggestion.
For me it was first about developing a structure for my conferences (I call it the R. I. P. model). The record keeping system followed. My record keeping system is simple and flexible, personalized (not cutesy), and purposeful. I write a bit about the format I’ve developed. It works for me.

What wouldn’t I recommend? Using someone else’s system without first trying it out… it’s not one-size fits all. We’ve all tried record keeping systems that sound great as we read about them, we copy the idea… then it doesn’t quite work out as planned and we give up.
I created a form that aligns with the structure of my reading conferences (And, I’m playing around a bit with some things I’ve learned from you). It’s all part of the process of learning to confer and confer well.

I think that we can use our conferences as a viable means to monitor a reader’s progress, so we have to keep practicing and exploring this aspect of conferring. And, as I point out in the book, we have to look at conferring versus collecting… which was a great conversation I had with my good friend, Troy Rushmore. And, there are lots of “collectors” out there.

I also recommend that you do something. If we’re always looking for a perfect record-keeping system, often we forget the reason we needed it in the first place.


Franki: Can you talk a bit about the balance between student ownership and teaching with rigor?

Patrick: Balance. That’s an intriguing word. I think that the balance shifts depending upon so many factors—experience, interest, strengths, growth areas, etc. Without moving ownership to the forefront of a conference will it be filled with rigor? If we try to focus on rigor, but readers have no ownership, will our conferences be as effective? We have to ask, “Who’s in control?”
I used the ideas of cultivating rigor, nurturing inquiry, and developing intimacy as I wrote about the essential components of conferring. Ellin Keene says we must, “Create an unseen culture of rigor, inquiry, and intimacy by continually expecting more, probing ideas further, and pressing students to explore their intellect." (2008) I explored conferences through each of these lenses and discovered the answers to some important questions I was having about reading conferences.

Chapter five in the book is all about this very issue.


Franki: What is one thing you hope readers walk away with after reading your new book?

Patrick: One thing? One thing questions are hard to answer, but here goes… belief in children.

In the prologue, I write about a teacher who made a lasting impact on each of my four children—simply by believing in him or her… and by conferring regularly.




Thank you, Franki and Mary Lee, for inviting me to share Conferring: The Keystone of Reader’s Workshop on your blog. It’s been an honor. I’m so proud of this book and I appreciate the opportunity to share it with your readers.

Monday, November 02, 2009

My Halloween Costume-Scaredy Squirrel

I loved my Halloween costume this year. I was Scaredy Squirrel, thanks to Beth at Cover to Cover. She made my costume and it was quite fun dressing as one of my favorite book characters!
I meant to post it last week but am finally getting to it!

Similes and Metaphors

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things, often introduced with the word "like" or "as." For example: I am as hungry as a bear.

A metaphor is also a form of comparison, but it does not use "like" or "as." For example: That last math problem is a bear!

Similes and metaphors seem to often be taught in the spring, right before state tests, judging from the number of hits we get on our Poetry Friday post, "Poetry Friday -- Simile and Metaphor Poems." Why not start exploring these forms of comparisons with your students NOW, so they can be using them in their writing all year long and have the difference between the two of them internalized by April??

Here are two great books that explore metaphors and invite you to write more. Both are personal copies.

Courage
by Bernard Waber
Houghton Mifflin Books, 2002

"Courage is being the first to make up after an argument."
"Courage is breaking bad habits."
"Courage is a blade of grass breaking through the icy snow.
by Harriet Ziefert
illustrated by Jennifer Rapp
Blue Apple Books, 2005

"Misery is when your mom insists on sensible school shoes and you really want flip-flops."
"Misery is two against one -- especially if you're not part of the twosome."
"Misery is learning that you and everyone in your class will be checked for head lice!"

Sunday, November 01, 2009

BUYING, TRAINING, AND CARING FOR YOUR DINOSAUR


Beth at Cover to Cover shared this fun book with me this week. It is called BUYING, TRAINING, AND CARING FOR YOUR DINOSAUR. It is written by Laura J. Rennert and Illustrated by Marc Brown. This book is quite fun. This is written in the same format you would find any pet-care book. It tells you how to choose the right dinosaur, how to train dinosaurs, how to bathe your dinosaur, and more. Each page focuses on one piece of advice with so much added information about dinosaurs. As you can guess, this book is quite amusing and I can see it as a really fun one to study in writing workshop. Some pages follow the genre of How-To writing while other pages give advice such as advice for when traveling by car, "Make sure to leave the windows open. Extra leg room, or in this case, head and tail room is always good." Marc Brown's illustrations are too fun--colorful and happy and you often find yourself forgetting that dinosaurs do not really make good pets. Everyone in the pictures seems so happy having one as a pet!