tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21243982235474749502024-02-20T00:58:10.711-05:00Authentic Learnerlearning how to teach authenticallyAbbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-38762609514786439422010-09-30T07:16:00.002-04:002010-09-30T07:23:24.853-04:00Social Bookmarking<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MlvyySSxzKtMbQRsU8HMatNp1zH9Gl4H2QZlWU0-76ieN4xBB92eA9lseGxsuL8dP5IrF6auHUAH4jr0LapG6k8ezydfz9RlEV7Ugn54VnblTi-pl1BCH1cEwZ7zWcL5mjgCbmqTkGs/s1600/Picture+4.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MlvyySSxzKtMbQRsU8HMatNp1zH9Gl4H2QZlWU0-76ieN4xBB92eA9lseGxsuL8dP5IrF6auHUAH4jr0LapG6k8ezydfz9RlEV7Ugn54VnblTi-pl1BCH1cEwZ7zWcL5mjgCbmqTkGs/s200/Picture+4.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522665599270273218" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It is amazing to witness all the new terminology that has surfaced just in the last ten years related to technology. If you would have asked me what social bookmarking was four years ago, I would have had no clue what you were talking about. Now, as I am beginning to use it, I am very excited about its possibilities.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> To be honest, I started a <a href="http://www.delicious.com/">delicious </a>account at the end of last year and wasn’t really sure how to get it going and how to make it user friendly for me or anyone else. Therefore, it became one of those things that got put off to the side. However, now as I learn all of the capabilities it has, I am super excited about some of the things I can do with it. I am just starting the process of making one for my class. I think it will be such a great resource that the children can have access to both at home and at school. I am actually looking forward to including the children in the process of how to tag and organize the sites. Since they are using it, I want them to feel ownership in it as well, and also, I believe they will be able to navigate it better if I have them help me.</span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In terms of personal use, I am in the process of creating a delicious, but might try starting a<a href="http://www.diigo.com/"> </a></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(81, 81, 81); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="http://www.diigo.com/">diigo</a>, which Katie at <a href="http://creativeliteracy.blogspot.com/">Creative Literacy</a> mentioned. Right now I am using a delicious for the blogs, wiki’s, and other sites I like to visit and read. Since I am new to using a delicious, I am still adjusting to how I want to tag sites. However, I know this will work much better than just having bookmarks saved on my computer.</span></span></span></span></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01987481927458667170noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-43518116604963462672010-09-27T22:45:00.002-04:002010-09-27T22:51:33.185-04:00Google Reader<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0MAsHBmc8qPie_SMvVJChCGxhvBw61KbSg8hZ9KrfDLHG8Vh7vOG8sqGf75gwX9iRxQnRPI_Gscvr0QKHsXFX8uCHlzPQ8ZY4i8udRWJln8fWY9Xk6EW3vIwvkfOsD2ggVOU5pZeA6c/s1600/online_collaborative_writing_how_blogs_and_wikis_are_changing_the_academic_publishing_process_academic_blogging_id18161671.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0MAsHBmc8qPie_SMvVJChCGxhvBw61KbSg8hZ9KrfDLHG8Vh7vOG8sqGf75gwX9iRxQnRPI_Gscvr0QKHsXFX8uCHlzPQ8ZY4i8udRWJln8fWY9Xk6EW3vIwvkfOsD2ggVOU5pZeA6c/s200/online_collaborative_writing_how_blogs_and_wikis_are_changing_the_academic_publishing_process_academic_blogging_id18161671.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521791490783523762" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">I have known about <a href="https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=reader&passive=1209600&continue=http://www.google.com/reader/view/?utm_campaign%3Den%26utm_source%3Den-ha-ww-ww-bk%26utm_medium%3Dha%26utm_term%3Dgoogle%2Breader&followup=http://www.google.com/reader/view/?utm_campaign%3Den%26utm_source%3Den-ha-ww-ww-bk%26utm_medium%3Dha%26utm_term%3Dgoogle%2Breader">Google Reader</a> for a while, but through my pre-game activities for <a href="http://plpnetwork.com/">PLP</a>, I was directed to start one of my own. I had originally heard about it through my brother-in-law who uses it for his daily reading and my sister who used it for planning her wedding. She just loved checking blogs and sites. I was intrigued by this but never really jumped on board. Well, I have to say I am very happy that PLP has pushed me in the direction of trying Google Reader. I think it will help me with the organization of my reading and allow me to focus in each day on what I am interested in reading.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> I have to say that I am still trying to figure out how to keep it organized using the rss in my Google Reader and trying to weed through blogs, wiki’s, news, etc. that I am interested in reading. There are so many out there that I am still prioritizing what is helpful for me. I also have to say that I am thrilled that I finally understand what rss means. The video that I watched and the article that I read were most helpful, and I now feel like I can understand what others are talking about in reference to rss.</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> I am still working my way through rss in my Google Reader, but I know I will definitely continue to use it. I am enthusiastically looking forward to using it more and more and feeling greater confidence as I further learn. </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01987481927458667170noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-22039779452350956682010-09-27T22:27:00.002-04:002010-09-27T22:43:31.922-04:00PLP Reflection<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZc7qkrx45Wrfs6j00Q3BMsWQkMZvEyS5LLilLFwJCE3mjDODCDbefAHdSDNKPVkF_RsoPkvtsXEA3eXWCHDWopkC1G9KmO8cCfaIVCX1Dyg5T59kLeaWaIc0u65s_Ds4M6GF3dkrJCmE/s1600/learning_logo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZc7qkrx45Wrfs6j00Q3BMsWQkMZvEyS5LLilLFwJCE3mjDODCDbefAHdSDNKPVkF_RsoPkvtsXEA3eXWCHDWopkC1G9KmO8cCfaIVCX1Dyg5T59kLeaWaIc0u65s_Ds4M6GF3dkrJCmE/s200/learning_logo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521789406457269650" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">This year I am fortunate to have the experience of being a part of <a href="http://plpnetwork.com/">Powerful Learning Practice</a> with fellow teachers from my building, my principal, and teachers from across the country. I am very excited about this experience and am really looking forward to learning and growing as a person and as an educator. As part of getting ready for our very first meeting this coming Friday, I have been asked to reflect and think about what I hope to gain from the coming year.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> I have always been one of those students who love being in class. I love learning and furthering my education, and then taking what I learn and applying it. I really believe that this experience with <a href="http://plpnetwork.com/">PLP</a> will allow me to do great things with my kids with technology and with their learning. I am hoping this helps me with achieving what I always want for my kids, which is for them to be inspired and to have the desire to be life long learners.</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> I am particularly looking forward to learn how to use<a href="https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=reader&passive=1209600&continue=http://www.google.com/reader/view/?utm_campaign%3Den%26utm_source%3Den-ha-ww-ww-bk%26utm_medium%3Dha%26utm_term%3Dgoogle%2Breader&followup=http://www.google.com/reader/view/?utm_campaign%3Den%26utm_source%3Den-ha-ww-ww-bk%26utm_medium%3Dha%26utm_term%3Dgoogle%2Breader"> Google Reader</a>. I know I spend more time than I need to going through my bookmarks and reading the regular sites I read. I am also looking forward to extending my PLN. I am always looking for new blogs and articles to read, and I think having a place to organize my information will be a good stepping-stone.</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> I would like to get better at using <a href="https://twitter.com/">Twitter</a>. I have had an account for about two years and have maybe used it ten times. I am a more avid user of<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.facebook.com"> </a><a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a> but feel that <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a> is more a social network where I interact with my friends. I want to learn how to make <a href="https://twitter.com/">Twitter</a> another resource for me professionally.</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> I am also wondering how to use my <a href="http://www.delicious.com/">delicious</a> account more effectively. I want to find a better way to organize my websites and access them more effectively. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would also like to create a <a href="http://www.delicious.com/">delicious</a> account for my classroom where I can add sites for them and even figure out a way for my kids to add sites as well.</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> In addition, I am trying to decide which is better for my kids- a <a href="http://www.wikispaces.com/">wiki</a> or a <a href="https://www.blogger.com/start">blog</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I still don’t have the answer. I have started by using a <a href="http://kidblog.org/">blog</a> with my kids, which has been most successful. However, I am wondering if the <a href="http://www.wikispaces.com/">wiki</a> is better across curriculum where the blog at this time is just being used for writing. I will have to continue to explore this.</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Overall, I am hoping through PLP that I will become a better learner and an even better educator. I know I will be overwhelmed at times, but I feel this experience will clarify and expand my knowledge in supporting my kids and their education. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <span style="font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-USfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><br /></span><!--EndFragment-->Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01987481927458667170noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-87989839170152706622010-09-27T14:41:00.004-04:002010-09-27T14:53:23.864-04:00RSS Reflection<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZw6hFaXmM-DPTSg7DjFgnbOPQIqH6HEFK8gx6U5zpbnYSd7pI0EOcSscq4_aRFRqDvdveIgS6RR3QjmhK34XA6cZP7qooe_eWtWpwZjxz77oU3zlV6zQm_Lz6HtdlB1j-OFfY4Bj-Eps/s1600/128px-Feed-icon.svg.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 128px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZw6hFaXmM-DPTSg7DjFgnbOPQIqH6HEFK8gx6U5zpbnYSd7pI0EOcSscq4_aRFRqDvdveIgS6RR3QjmhK34XA6cZP7qooe_eWtWpwZjxz77oU3zlV6zQm_Lz6HtdlB1j-OFfY4Bj-Eps/s320/128px-Feed-icon.svg.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521667789715710370" /></a><br />RSS. Another buzz word (or letters?) in the Web 2.0 world. Although, I had heard it discussed many times and even have friends that are huge fans, I had no idea what an RSS was or how it was used. This week, we were asked to start our own RSS for our work with PLP. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a place to organize all the information you consume on the internet (blogs, wikis, news, etc). It provides up-to-date information, all in one place. It's purpose is to save us time from having to go to 10-15 different blogs to only visiting one space where all your personalized interests are organized. We were asked to use Google Reader as our RSS. I started my account yesterday and spent a great deal of time subscribing to my favorite blogs, websites and news feeds. I am hopeful that this will indeed save me time by only showing me blogs that have been recently up-dated or news that I specifically request rather than visiting each site individually. <div><br /></div><div>My questions: How are you organizing your subscriptions on your RSS? How do you use twitter within your RSS? Does this really make you feel less overwhelmed?</div><div><br /></div><div>I clearly have a great deal to learn about this new tool. I am excited for the possibilities. Who wouldn't want to save time in a world where there is never enough of it?</div>Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-37221150343092351592010-09-26T15:40:00.006-04:002010-09-26T16:15:44.378-04:00PLP Journey<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDcNIfgKoELKl7kYCvMgCle8i0QJAgU5aB8_erARQtmw4_N5-GUlFhHGr1BvLbR-udl6itVo4srSyx0s_uDYQdUcPmqeJJSXknXlMt5Lq7pd5t2XPUaVqH0a1d10XDz0EbyYkw1f3z3Y/s1600/Picture+3.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDcNIfgKoELKl7kYCvMgCle8i0QJAgU5aB8_erARQtmw4_N5-GUlFhHGr1BvLbR-udl6itVo4srSyx0s_uDYQdUcPmqeJJSXknXlMt5Lq7pd5t2XPUaVqH0a1d10XDz0EbyYkw1f3z3Y/s320/Picture+3.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521313859967422450" /></a><br />This year, I have the amazing opportunity to be part of <a href="http://plpnetwork.com/">Powerful Learning Practice</a> with a small group of fellow teachers and my principal. It will be a year-long learning experience where we'll examine our beliefs and practices in this 21st century learning environment with fellow educators across the country. Our first official meeting with all the participants is this Friday. Before this meeting, we have been asked to reflect on our expectations of what we’d like to gain in our year-long journey with PLP or any questions we may have.<br /><br />As always, when it comes to technology and learning, I feel very excited and enthused by all the possibilities both in my professional and personal life. I also find myself extremely overwhelmed. I never feel on-top of things (is it even possible?) in my digital life, overwhelmed by the pure volume of inspiring information out there, and lost as to how to contribute to this digital community myself and, in turn, provide my students with the support to consume and contribute as well.<br /><br />I hope that being part of PLP, I will gain a better insight on how to organize my digital learning and more authentically have it be part of my students daily life inside our classroom. I find that I am a consumer of Web 2.0 resources but rarely contribute myself. I hope that I will be able to find a my voice and understanding of how I can give back. <a href="http://www.stevehargadon.com/2008/03/web-20-is-future-of-education.html">Steve Hargadon</a> says it perfectly, "Because it is in the act of our becoming a creator that our relationship with content changes, and we become more engaged and more capable at the same time. In a world of overwhelming content, we must swim with the current or tide."<div><div><br />Most importantly, I look forward to finding out how this will impact my teaching, and, in turn, my students. I want to make sure I am preparing them to be part of this digital world. I look forward learning more about Web 2.0 tools (Google Reader, RSS, Delicious, etc.) and how it will impact our teaching/learning.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-42459158377093086182010-05-19T21:14:00.003-04:002010-05-19T21:24:32.979-04:00How We Can Help Our World<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Since Earth Day my kids and I have been having lots of conversations about how we can help our Earth. They had so many ideas and this video, that we created, was just a few of their ideas.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Each child drew a picture, took the picture with photo booth, uploaded it to</span><a href="http://www.animoto.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> animoto,</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> and added text. (I did help with a bit of the spelling.) </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">I hope you enjoy the message my six and seven year olds wanted to share.</span></div><br /><br /><object id="vp1j8Q4v" width="432" height="240" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="movie" value="http://static.animoto.com/swf/w.swf?w=swf/vp1&e=1274318036&f=j8Q4vNdS037zT7eRPIsHmA&d=188&m=a&r=w&i=m&options="><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed id="vp1j8Q4v" src="http://static.animoto.com/swf/w.swf?w=swf/vp1&e=1274318036&f=j8Q4vNdS037zT7eRPIsHmA&d=188&m=a&r=w&i=m&options=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="432" height="240"></embed></object>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01987481927458667170noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-8138267504204699522010-03-30T21:34:00.005-04:002010-03-30T21:49:07.906-04:00Experimenting<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">So, after reading Katie's blog post at </span></span><a href="http://creativeliteracy.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">creativeliteracy</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"> I was inspired to give </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://animoto.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Animoto</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"> a try. Like Katie I am now addicted and am just spinning with ideas about how I can use this with my first graders. I can't wait to show this to them when we get back from break.</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">I have attached my f</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CCCCCC;">irst try at making a video. It is of the loves of my life, my dogs:) I hope you enjoy.</span></span></span></div></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span><object id="vp160KXJ" width="432" height="240" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="movie" value="http://static.animoto.com/swf/w.swf?w=swf/vp1&e=1269999234&f=60KXJ46a0tGnEvGbWPnhew&d=33&m=b&r=w&i=m&options="><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed id="vp160KXJ" src="http://static.animoto.com/swf/w.swf?w=swf/vp1&e=1269999234&f=60KXJ46a0tGnEvGbWPnhew&d=33&m=b&r=w&i=m&options=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="432" height="240"></embed></object><p>Create your own <a href="http://animoto.com/">video slideshow</a> at animoto.com.</p></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01987481927458667170noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-54291473644636901742010-03-24T19:50:00.004-04:002010-03-24T20:06:37.201-04:00Big Nate<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMpKjUwbt9S_4cfi-Up7BbPrGQMKNtVkg0EGoTi0ad55z_kcfiCjk_w8a1z2iQgL5_c9DR8d4iCe157nnIJJW2t8PvQYlZhA4KnaArlRVW1HjlPNghhH4R7p5cQqqM7-P1gjsIYTNf6M/s1600/bignate.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMpKjUwbt9S_4cfi-Up7BbPrGQMKNtVkg0EGoTi0ad55z_kcfiCjk_w8a1z2iQgL5_c9DR8d4iCe157nnIJJW2t8PvQYlZhA4KnaArlRVW1HjlPNghhH4R7p5cQqqM7-P1gjsIYTNf6M/s320/bignate.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452354384944812722" /></a><br />If your classroom is at all like mine- <span style="font-style:italic;">Diary of a Wimpy Kid </span>is a big time favorite (especially for boys). The series has hooked even my most reluctant readers. The newest one, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wimpy-Kid-Movie-Diary/dp/0810996162"><span style="font-style:italic;">Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Movie Diary</span></a>, has taken the class by storm (but that's another post). <br /><br />Unfortunately, aside from the <span style="font-style:italic;">Diary of a Wimpy Kid</span> series, there are not many diary style/comic books out there for boys. I have spent a great deal of time looking for similar books so my boys will continue there enthusiasm for reading. I was lucky enough to come across <span style="font-style:italic;">Big Nate</span> by Lincoln Peirce. Big Nate is a syndicated comic strip and now it's being turned into a tween series. It's format is alot like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and there's even a review quote from Jeff Kinney on the cover.<br /><br />Book Summary:<br />Big Nate is in a class by himself! Nate knows he's meant for REALLY big things. But life doesn't always go your way just because you're awesome. Trouble always seems to find him, but Nate keeps his cool no matter what. He knows he's great. A fortune cookie told him so. <br /><br />I just put it in the hands of one of my <span style="font-style:italic;">Diary of a Wimpy Kid</span> fanatic. Here's to hoping it'll hook him....<br /><br />I'll keep you posted!Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-27799955786255096912010-03-16T11:25:00.003-04:002010-03-16T12:19:46.586-04:00A Good Teacher is....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXV2VlBxKa3as6zLM0SiTqMgsxZgLr7oMCLkYDI1xEqUGIKHN53i6L3-JUbAdvHsTEPxywjKZrt01ijfvU_SLTynaVfggJ-Px_f4R5dOAUW6agl-DM1fMGfsllPj9A4-5mNynvsX05XQ8/s1600-h/teecher.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 202px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXV2VlBxKa3as6zLM0SiTqMgsxZgLr7oMCLkYDI1xEqUGIKHN53i6L3-JUbAdvHsTEPxywjKZrt01ijfvU_SLTynaVfggJ-Px_f4R5dOAUW6agl-DM1fMGfsllPj9A4-5mNynvsX05XQ8/s320/teecher.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449267102474946514" /></a><br />Yesterday my students and I started a brand new wiki/blog space. It is a page our district created for us that has both a wiki and blog component. We discussed the purpose for each component and let the kids explore. Each student blogged about the idea "A good teacher is...." in response to the first couple chapters in <span style="font-style:italic;">Bridge to Terabithia</span> after meeting Mrs. Myers' (the teacher in the story). <br /><br />Here are a couple of their responses:<br />A good teacher is....<br />-filled with peace.<br />-shiny.<br />-a listener.<br />-reminds their students of the classroom promises and expectations.<br />-helps people to be a nice teacher and person<br />-Happy because you don't your teacher to be grumpy and fun because you don't want to live a boring life on the weekdays.<br />-Another way to describe a good teacher is playful. She plays and laughs with kids.<br />-Respect is a teachers greatest value so they help scared kids that need help.<br />-I like Teachers that I can understand what the class is doing and that can understand me. <br /><br />I love reading what they have to say and finding what is important to them. These were just a FEW of the many insightful thoughts they shared. I LOVED the "filled with peace" one. He told me that I was filled with peace. I hope so (however, there are times when I know this is not true...haha!). This activity left me inspired to meet their expectations as they all seem very reasonable to me!<br /><br />Disclaimer: Of course, now that they know how to blog/wiki, the student will use these resources in a variety ways that make sense to them (podcasts, book reviews, writing workshop, videos, etc.). We started with a general topic so that we could introduce blogging.Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-37479298028119759402010-03-14T20:19:00.004-04:002010-03-14T21:08:48.296-04:00That Workshop Book: Reflection 6<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxjfR3f3ntkjWwi9UkN2fFG5W-NCM7fQrNY7vsyWWYxnaQiunujzZliCPZCmo9zljeGseY4hhlyijEuQv-dHTJSYCXFBp-s_tjr0BfW0aU1kzLlrNTNdKdwevPd32jFd88NbfX8psHNg/s1600-h/images.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 113px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxjfR3f3ntkjWwi9UkN2fFG5W-NCM7fQrNY7vsyWWYxnaQiunujzZliCPZCmo9zljeGseY4hhlyijEuQv-dHTJSYCXFBp-s_tjr0BfW0aU1kzLlrNTNdKdwevPd32jFd88NbfX8psHNg/s320/images.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448657590383291042" /></a><br />My favorite part of the day, hands-down, is read aloud. I value this piece of our learning so much- we have read aloud <span style="font-style:italic;">at least </span>twice a day. During read alouds, we have conversations about the story we're hearing, the author's craft, new words, predictions, etc. I am hearing them process all the thinking that happens while reading. Talk about authentic assessment! It is also one of the most intimate times in our classroom. I love that Samantha Bennett refers to this time as "re-creating the emotional and intellectual pleasure of lap time reading as well as bringing your students into the grown up world of sitting around the dinner table for hours having fascinating conversations." The tone and atmosphere we create during a read aloud is gentle, yet purposeful, allowing kids to feel safe taking risks and sharing their ideas. I love that many of them will check out the same book from the school or local library and read along with me. Or check the same book out months later to revisit the story because they loved the experience so much. Read aloud allows us to hear other's thinking which helps us grow as learners. We observe strategies to improve for reading comprehension, accuracy and fluency. It is a time of inspiration for us as readers and writers. Independently, they will read with more expression or write in similar style as they stories they hear. Many of our read alouds end up being mentor texts for our writers. Worth mentioning- this is my first year with a Smartboard. One of my favorite features is the Smart Camera that can be used with it. I am able to take pictures and magnify illustrations and/or passages from read alouds with the camera and have them on the Smartboard. Then the kids can come up and write on, circle and/or engage with the story in a different way. Also, they just are better able to see the features (illustration/text) of the story. This was especially helpful when reading <span style="font-style:italic;">Hugo Cabret</span>.Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-21172454513485850462010-03-14T19:40:00.002-04:002010-03-14T20:16:03.086-04:00That Workshop Book: Reflection 5<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjl5jP6Wh8-BVQh-ao9OX7SQ3QYBi-BZIfSrSGKCtkLv6gsRZRQeCfIVbEB8gTXVZbsBvskxuRnwzoWAEBYbgiAvoRyBu0W4UHarcPP6yTiNsKSBNF26xQKONmjx0krBP_Bj_ZFW3Ni-Q/s1600-h/knowledge.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjl5jP6Wh8-BVQh-ao9OX7SQ3QYBi-BZIfSrSGKCtkLv6gsRZRQeCfIVbEB8gTXVZbsBvskxuRnwzoWAEBYbgiAvoRyBu0W4UHarcPP6yTiNsKSBNF26xQKONmjx0krBP_Bj_ZFW3Ni-Q/s320/knowledge.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448647721039300466" /></a><br />Our district has adopted Progress Book. It is a transparent, on-line grade book that provides parents constant access to their child's progress at school. It is also meant to provide administrators easy access to the happenings in each classroom and a streamline, consistent recording system for teachers. Needless to say, there has been a GREAT deal of conversation about how to authentically and thoughtfully use this tool in the best interest of our students (particularly primary students). <br />While reading, <span style="font-style:italic;">That Workshop Book</span>, I immediately thought of Progress Book when Samantha Bennett said, "Many brilliant, amazing teachers, when you ask them how they know what their students know and are able to do, would answer ......they know their students deeply and can tell you stories about them, their lives, their habits as students, their likes and dislikes. But when you ask them "HOW do you know?" they answer, I just see it all like that, you see". Samantha goes on to explain that this is wonderful but we need to be asking ourselves- How do I know all of my students are growing in their skills and understanding reading? How do I help students make "invisible" skills of reading "visible"? What can I do to help my students read better? <br />Progress book requires us to make these invisible skills visible. We are going to be held accountable by our administrators, parents and colleagues. But after reading and reflecting on this part of <span style="font-style:italic;">That Workshop Book</span>, I was reminded of WHY I chose this amazing occupation and WHO I should keep in mind when using this new tool. It is all about the learners in my classroom. I want to make sure that I stay true to what I believe as an educator/learner, that really knowing your students means knowing their likes/dislikes, their habits and life stories. It also means knowing how to SHOW them their growth as learners. Progress Book is really requiring me to shift my ways of showing my students growth. It is so important that I don't let it change the avenues we use to accomplish this growth. I am hoping to find a way to make Progress Book work for my students and I- that instead of focusing on the scores/points/grades- we should focus on the journey of learning.Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-58422499221006216362010-03-04T22:20:00.004-05:002010-03-08T20:33:41.106-05:00That Workshop Book: Reflection 4In That Workshop Book, Samantha Bennett says that we need to "think about how you want your days with children to begin and end." When we think about what we want our students to experience each morning when they walk in our room and each afternoon before they leave- we need to ask ourselves- what matters most? For me- that is the feeling of community. Students really love to know their opinions and ideas are valued. Samantha Bennett suggestions that the best way to go about valuing our students ideas and opinions is to ask for them. So I did just that. I asked them how they would like to start our school days. Prior to this, our morning routine varied (as it still will on occasion) with free learning time, reading workshop, quick checks for math, and/or word study activities. After checking with my kids, they overwhelmingly chose free learning time. Their reasons: 1. Although it is focused learning, they get to choose what that learning is based on their mood that day. 2. It is relaxing/No pressure. 3. They can leisurely get started after greeting friends and catching up on the prior night/weekend's events. How could I argue with this reasoning. And as I mention- after asking myself the same question about how I wanted our days to begin- I said "with a sense of community." Does the student's reasons support my feelings as well?? I love it when that happens. Although, we still have the occasional quick check, we spend most our mornings reading, writing, on the laptops, playing math games, creating, thinking, learning based on individual interests. <br /><br />This week, the kids and I are going to rethink how we want to end our days together. Sometimes the end of our days feel so rushed that I leave the classroom feeling uneasy. I would love to find a way to end our time together each day on a calm note as a classroom family. Perhaps a family meeting discussing the days events?? I look forward to chatting with the kids about it as they always have such smart ideas to share.Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-80000188389651613362010-03-04T12:35:00.004-05:002010-03-04T12:38:50.865-05:00ClaymationOne of my students made this Claymation piece to help share his research on the Bobsled. So cool!<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwPJeRe8Ivmxs0q-J45nFLrPSUtO3MFGqXQBBZvYAz7Rx5iEO3p5EOAemGURidUXwFuzGl810xERiM9IBsLsA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-46970270782664192292010-03-02T19:23:00.006-05:002010-03-04T11:27:06.104-05:00That Workshop Book: Reflection 3<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLVgVxavsdZ5iBNSjmO3kk77BwI_qFYi8WFejGECX_rGN_35TC3EW6qlUS6IexMBIsU2inpWIfWFJ_T2tYack_jNKG5Yzgl1aLc1NvUNkgPgLbTq_JDvyaFJQps031NvAuOG9L8jmQeo/s1600-h/51CNB1G980L.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLVgVxavsdZ5iBNSjmO3kk77BwI_qFYi8WFejGECX_rGN_35TC3EW6qlUS6IexMBIsU2inpWIfWFJ_T2tYack_jNKG5Yzgl1aLc1NvUNkgPgLbTq_JDvyaFJQps031NvAuOG9L8jmQeo/s320/51CNB1G980L.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444815308787705106" /></a><br />Literary nonfiction, research and sharing that research are huge units of study for both reading and writing in our district (and the state of Ohio) during third grade. Reading nonfiction can be really tricky for many readers- especially young ones. Most times, you are reading nonfiction for purposes different from those when you read fiction (namely, research). Not only are the students asked to comprehend what they are reading but they are expected to share it in an organized, factual, way. It is pretty tricky for most of my students to find their voice and share their research in a literary nonfiction writing piece. What better way to help them find their voice and create quality piece of purposeful work than MENTOR TEXTS!!?? Samantha Bennett really focuses on using mentor text to help scaffold final projects in <span style="font-style:italic;">That Workshop Book<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span> (pg. 63). I have created a collection of literary nonfiction books in my classroom that the kids have used to scaffold their research projects on the Olympics. These books have a variety of themes, layouts and ideas for sharing information. "Students learn to write by studying the craft and process of other writers." <br />Here are some of the books in our literary nonfiction collection:<br />First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger<br />Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert<br />Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre<br />Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin by Gene Barretta<br />A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams by Jen Bryant<br />Actual Size by Steve Jenkins<br />What is Science by Rebecca Kai Dotlich<br />This is Your Life Cycle by Heather Lynn Miller<br />One Is a Snail, Ten Is a Crab by April Pulley Sayre<br />On This Spot: An Expedition Back Through Time by Susan E. Goodman<br />Trout Are Made of Trees by April Pulley Sayre<br />Animal Dads by Sneed Collard<br />An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston<br />Unbeatable Beaks by Stephen R. Swinburne<br />Flight by Robert Burleigh<br />Home At Last by April Pulley Sayre<br />Lives: Poems About Famous Americans selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins<br /><br />After sharing some of these stories as mentor text, the kids had lots of different, fun and personal ideas on how they might share their Olympic research. As Samantha says, "It provides a variety of entry points for their own writing" and sharing.Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-26977717604131460602010-02-16T10:04:00.003-05:002010-02-16T10:13:20.359-05:00What Should I Read Next?Now- I know I shouldn't complain but after a long weekend- we have another snow day. Don't get me wrong- teachers love snow days. I just like mine dispersed throughout the winter- not all at one time. I am missing my kids, panicking about the amount of work we have before student led conferences AND I am getting some major cabin fever. However, all these snow days are providing some time for great reading. I tell you about some of the books I have been reading later. Also, I have been catching up on some of my favorite blogs while finding some new interesting blogs. Which brings me to the purpose of this post. While playing on the internet this morning I found a helpful website for book lovers (disclaimer: I have only played it briefly): <a href="http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com">What Should I Read Next?</a> If you have read a book you really love and aren't sure what to read next- this website provides suggestions!! Let me know what you think!Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-45147377113621831442010-02-04T11:30:00.005-05:002010-02-11T10:47:05.811-05:00That Workshop Book: Reflection 2I would be willing to bet that if you asked most teachers what one of their biggest struggles with their jobs was, a vast majority would say- TIME!! There is never ENOUGH time for professional development, building meetings, teaching all subjects, conferences with students, allowing a study to end naturally, etc. We try to be so thoughtful about which aspects of our learning and our student's learning is most valuable and try to make sure those ideas take precedent (at least we shoot for a good balance). In return, I find that many ideas/beliefs fall through the cracks- not because they aren't important to my students and I- but rather- due to the fact- there is never ENOUGH time. After reading That Workshop Book- I realized that one of the ideas I have always believed in but seems to have lost its space in my classroom- was allowing my students (and myself) time to REFLECT. Samantha Bennett refers to this time as DEBRIEF. Lately, we have made sure to take the time to reflect on our learning and debrief, either as a whole class or individual/group conferences. The possibilities for the focus of this share/debrief time are "endless if you believe that student thinking matters most" (Bennett). The kids are beginning to rely on this time and, in turn, provides them with an additional PURPOSE for their learning. They know they will have the opportunity to check in and share their concerns and celebrations they have experienced with their learning. I have noticed an improvement in motivation and quality of work. I have also noticed, as the teacher, that I am more in-tune with their needs and strengths- it really helps to guide my instruction. As with my Reflection #1 post- another lesson in SLOWING DOWN and making time for what really counts!Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-65589850512189674482010-01-25T08:23:00.004-05:002010-01-25T12:21:05.413-05:00That Workshop Book: Reflection 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iKTGxhrl5xAhgL_GHFyMhUv62EJPDwOZg3NEsvki7-tcT3W8FlWbKrjWhnhDdqPLIzHqr9YSwBzPCRlAG0dzJtKBxkqdZ90yBuA57toVkwBtBkQtH3Iz90W6FQ-hSDq8CB-Gddscoek/s1600-h/9780325011929.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 178px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iKTGxhrl5xAhgL_GHFyMhUv62EJPDwOZg3NEsvki7-tcT3W8FlWbKrjWhnhDdqPLIzHqr9YSwBzPCRlAG0dzJtKBxkqdZ90yBuA57toVkwBtBkQtH3Iz90W6FQ-hSDq8CB-Gddscoek/s320/9780325011929.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430717023757087762" /></a><br />I heard about <span style="font-style:italic;">That Workshop Book</span>, by Samantha Bennett, last year from my friend and colleague, Katie (<a href="http://creativeliteracy.blogspot.com/">Creative Literacy</a>). It is now a cornerstone in my teaching philosophy. I find myself constantly referring to it in order to re-focus my thinking on reading/writing workshop. When I found out that a local literacy group (<a href="http://www.theliteracyconnection.org/Welcome.html">Literacy Connection</a>) was offering a course that concentrated on the book- I jumped at the opportunity. For this course, we need to reflect on and share our thinking/teaching from the book. This is my first shared reflection:<br /><br />I am in the wonderful situation of looping with my students from second to third grade. Due to our long journey together, I often take for granted what they have learned and assume they remember/use what was taught last year. However, I had reason to pause on this thinking during our "Guess Who Will Win the Caldecott" study. I had placed the top 50 "most talked about" Caldecott contenders around the room, asking students to place post it notes throughout the book sharing their likes/dislikes, prediction, etc. On the back of<span style="font-style:italic;"> Lion and Mouse</span> (the WINNER), one of my students wrote: "This makes no sense." Oh my goodness- had my third graders forgot all that time we spent on how important pictures are when telling a story back in second grade? Bennett writes: "Workshop is a structure, a routine, a ritual, and a system that helps teachers answer the question 'How do I know?'" She then explains why "teaching as listening" is more important than the traditional "teaching as talking." I was not listening to my students on this topic prior to READing this post-it. I had kept "talking", teaching new mini-lessons, without taking the time to ask "how do I know" they remember/are using what was learned in the past. I listened when I saw that post-it note and heard that my students had forgotten the importance of illustrations/pictures. We spent the next couple days studying wordless (or limited word) picture books. They loved revisiting old favorites and the idea of the importance of illustrations. They noticed details in pictures that help them put stories into words. This is a perfect example of the graphic spiral in Samantha's book: it is a straight line with student understanding written on it, wrapped in a coil/spiral that has assessment, planning and instruction on it. <br /><br />It was refreshing to be reminded that we need to stop and listen before moving forward. It is a great reminder to just SLOW DOWN!!Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-23431734978298714092009-10-27T14:34:00.003-04:002009-10-27T14:46:04.928-04:00A Touching Moment<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpma-3YkZiy42EKUFVSXXbTRqqA8kBG5ljBQ9Wgp3w6TVhrGgyuHtOhArxVP7X2sddzeNJ-meC_CtHeBLWEQjHIFry7tViQiQfe7jV9_WUIkBK0CKx9pn7AZse98zvCULmHZlLVov8Gg/s1600-h/howard-sokol-adult-hand-holding-little-childs-hand.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpma-3YkZiy42EKUFVSXXbTRqqA8kBG5ljBQ9Wgp3w6TVhrGgyuHtOhArxVP7X2sddzeNJ-meC_CtHeBLWEQjHIFry7tViQiQfe7jV9_WUIkBK0CKx9pn7AZse98zvCULmHZlLVov8Gg/s200/howard-sokol-adult-hand-holding-little-childs-hand.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397352567873304482" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">So, Friday appears to be one of those days to either be forgotten or more meaningfully to learn from. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I must conclude that it was far from my best day as a first grade teacher mostly because I had a child who was having a very difficult day and demanded my attention and challenged my direction. By the end of the day, I was exhausted, and I am sure he was too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But we ended the day with a genuine hug and with the agreement that Monday was going to be a new and better day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As we were lining up to exit for the day, one of my other boys came up to me and asked if he could hold my hand. I must say that his request, gratefully granted, made my day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Whether he sensitively felt the angst of the day related to the conflict with my first little guy, or he wanted to assure me that all was well in his corner of the world, I cannot know. But what I do know is that he gave me a gift that reassured me that life was OK, and we, with strength and connection, will move forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This little boy is a joy who has cautiously, slowly, but assuredly grown more comfortable and relaxed with our classroom family with each passing week. I don’t know if he wanted to hold my hand because he is finally at the point where he feels at home in our room or if it were because he just intuitively knew that his request would be something that I needed and would love. Whatever the reason may be, he made my Friday wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He gently but powerfully confirmed that even on days that are very hard and depleting, he reminded me that no matter what, we are all joined together as a school family and will be here for one another. </p> <!--EndFragment-->Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01987481927458667170noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-32318966952966807692009-10-05T08:29:00.003-04:002009-10-05T08:36:39.689-04:00Binky the Space Cat<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_fancVHdjliLa9PGKwfU03E2EkJqM2KbtgWsGZWHiQ5C7lAnB1WnaJJazBoA-jZdu0lModm0-ahXx-HBT_7hYyDEk8aZyDoM0XYeJtu6NuHuITvQRpZvM16P_vkJizZabn5DUQExldo/s1600-h/51-h-U2Y0rL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_fancVHdjliLa9PGKwfU03E2EkJqM2KbtgWsGZWHiQ5C7lAnB1WnaJJazBoA-jZdu0lModm0-ahXx-HBT_7hYyDEk8aZyDoM0XYeJtu6NuHuITvQRpZvM16P_vkJizZabn5DUQExldo/s320/51-h-U2Y0rL._SL500_AA240_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389093517097147394" /></a><br />Haha. My fellow cat lover and friend, Cathy, just shared a new graphic novel with me- <span style="font-style:italic;">Binky the Space Cat</span> by Ashley Spires. It is a silly story full of cat humor but I am confident even those not so fond of cats will chuckle a few times while reading. According to Binky- he is a space cat. In reality, he is a house cat that has never stepped paw outside of the house. However, he is determined to protect his humans from the aliens (aka houseflies). He secretly makes plans to go to Outer Space to destroy the enemies. However, at the last minute he remembers that he has forgotten something really important. This is the first in a new graphic novel series. I can't wait to read more about this fun character!Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-40674282682962893542009-09-24T11:27:00.003-04:002009-09-24T11:37:44.008-04:00Have I Got a Book for You<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs79au_kqRR0tBuJrmnVCST24BDrNvhvapHh0DppU9NFipZJV5AS0FRl3Fp25a3unaI6t7C_UUP3D40e0kGujY_BUtRF2vis8sUMfFKwVZKKl_of7CHkZ7_IJxjZhNQ0aE8CBw33vXlzM/s1600-h/51vtYgKDWAL._SL160_AA115_.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 115px; height: 115px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs79au_kqRR0tBuJrmnVCST24BDrNvhvapHh0DppU9NFipZJV5AS0FRl3Fp25a3unaI6t7C_UUP3D40e0kGujY_BUtRF2vis8sUMfFKwVZKKl_of7CHkZ7_IJxjZhNQ0aE8CBw33vXlzM/s320/51vtYgKDWAL._SL160_AA115_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385056212721712322" /></a><br /><br />Yay! I found a new Melanie Watt book. And for those of us that love her silly, playful and totally fun books (Scaredy Squirrel, Chester, etc.) - she doesn't disappoint with <span style="font-style:italic;">Have I Got a Book for You</span>. The book reads like an infomercial. Al is a salesman that can sell anything. And since we are book lovers- Al is trying to sell us a fabulous book. And the one you're holding is just for you. Al is pretty tricky in the end as well. Melanie Watt creates another humorous story with engaging illustrations and a character you can't help but like. Hurry- go read it!Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-33246806880533076092009-09-13T09:31:00.000-04:002009-09-13T09:32:07.022-04:00I'm Back!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">I am still here! I do believe one of my many goals this year is to try and write once a week. I am thrilled to say that the beginning of this year has gotten off to an amazing start. I am teaching first grade. What is even more exciting is that I hope to loop with this group and have them for second grade as well. I can tell already that I will thoroughly enjoy spending many hours with this group of twenty first graders. They are bright, talkative, and always wanting to share. I am so excited about this year, and I can’t wait to share their thinking and mine with you this school year.</span></span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01987481927458667170noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-47734566196515275402009-09-11T18:54:00.002-04:002009-09-11T18:59:27.084-04:00Kids Say the Darndest ThingsIs that how you spell <span style="font-style:italic;">darndest</span>?? Anyways- today in class one of my students had me cracking up laughing. Our conversation follows:<br /><br />Me: Darlings- you are all crowding me a bit. I am feeling a little <span style="font-style:italic;">claus</span>trophobic. <br />Max: Does that mean you are afraid of Santa CLAUS?<br /><br />Poor guy was being serious. It ended up leading to a super conversation about phobias but his original, smart, yet funny comment is the part I enjoyed the most. I love my job!Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-25152261813980061692009-08-12T09:54:00.004-04:002009-08-12T10:20:33.246-04:00Catching Fire<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQkD_oG7fHgy9gHZCZJenqfwmzwnrQFIxUEC5kaONX8yuYXPRpU_OflLzSwqFUvyUpZOzTl9ceX4jeDSM0CD8KLQPU5S5-GNqj-_hDev-RN_p3fsuDMzjAnny5ywTZbefs7pHWTpwWvU/s1600-h/51nJ3eDhl5L._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQkD_oG7fHgy9gHZCZJenqfwmzwnrQFIxUEC5kaONX8yuYXPRpU_OflLzSwqFUvyUpZOzTl9ceX4jeDSM0CD8KLQPU5S5-GNqj-_hDev-RN_p3fsuDMzjAnny5ywTZbefs7pHWTpwWvU/s320/51nJ3eDhl5L._SL500_AA240_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369079787806962610" /></a><br />I'm back. Although it looks as though I dropped off the face of the earth, I was still very much part of the blogging community over the summer. I religiously check my favorite blogs and did my best to comment on entries that really caused me to think and reflect! Now- it's time for me to share and document my summer reading, thinking and reflections. <br /><br />What better way to start than to share my thoughts on my favorite read of the summer, <span style="font-style:italic;">Catching Fire</span>, by Suzanne Collins? It is the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. I read <span style="font-style:italic;">Hunger Games</span> late last winter and LOVED it and I have to say that I enjoyed <span style="font-style:italic;">Catching Fire</span> equally as much. It has it all- GREAT characters, vivid imagery, action, horror, and love. The cliffhangers at the end of each chapter prevented me from putting the book down. I finished it in about 4 hours and my heart was pounding every second. One thing I have to say, I was more satisfied with the ending of this book. The first book ended in such a way that I was bothered by it and itchy for the next book. With the end of Catching Fire, I felt a little more comfortable with the conclusion (however, the story still leaves you with many questions). My only complaint- I have to wait way too long for the third book (Hurry Ms. Collins!!)Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-32010705579835577502009-04-20T07:53:00.005-04:002009-04-20T08:05:58.962-04:00Authentic Teacher<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfnvyFGFjR9u2zOd8BDUa6Nf8hV8ScbOPZLXw7YB-J2dhP3Gnd1pvL1ESwTMQHw3f0nASxvmcN7w5k-qHNllkXDf2XXNzHY1JJpFI39xK1Y2sUmrVbCtlgFtjK2-t2ImAkJP7iXHuSw8/s1600-h/9780061214653.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 99px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfnvyFGFjR9u2zOd8BDUa6Nf8hV8ScbOPZLXw7YB-J2dhP3Gnd1pvL1ESwTMQHw3f0nASxvmcN7w5k-qHNllkXDf2XXNzHY1JJpFI39xK1Y2sUmrVbCtlgFtjK2-t2ImAkJP7iXHuSw8/s320/9780061214653.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326743309121098802" /></a><br />After reading (and loving) the <span style="font-style:italic;">Twilight</span> series- I discovered that I am a huge fan of teen/young adult literature. Yesterday, I started reading <span style="font-style:italic;">Wicked Lovely</span> by Melissa Marr after reading wonderful things about it on several blogs. I have not finished yet (I will blog when I do) but I LOVE it so far. <br /><br />Anyways- Franki and Mary Lee at A Year of Reading always take note when they come across a <a href="http://readingyear.blogspot.com/2006/12/100-cool-teachers-in-childrens.html">special teacher in literature</a> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Wicked Lovely</span> has got one!! I am currently taking a class where we always end up talking about the possibilities of the workshop model at the high school level. I am absolutely an advocate for it and was blessed to have experienced it myself with my senior level literature course. It sounds like Sister Mary Louise (High School English Teacher in <span style="font-style:italic;">Wicked Lovel</span>y) has the right idea. Here is an excerpt on why Sister Mary Louise is Aislinn's (the main character) favorite teacher:<br /><br />"It was one of the reasons the class was Aislinn's favorite: Sister Mary Louise didn't simply launch into a lecture. She got them talking, and then she slipped in her points, revealing every bit as much information, but with more style than any of the other teachers."<br /><br />Student led discussion and learning is powerful whether the student is two or seventeen. <br /><br />I'll keep you posted on <span style="font-style:italic;">Wicked Lovely.</span> So far- it is a WOW!Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124398223547474950.post-77819641537907572632009-03-12T12:32:00.004-04:002009-03-12T13:55:09.815-04:00Let's Talk WritingToday during writing workshop, I overheard a wonderful conversation between two authors in our classroom. They are writing a story together called- The Defenders of Earth (The First). It was so amazing to listen in on their thinking as they discussed how it should begin ("Make sure we hook the reader."), the characters ("Should we web them first?") and the sequence of events. They also talked about dialogue and other aspects of the story- here's a snippet of their conversation:<br /><br />Student 1: Then he said, "It's coming down to earth.<br />Student 2: How about we tell the reader WHAT is coming down to earth.<br /><br />Student 1: Let's add ALL OF A SUDDEN before he says it to make it more suspenseful.<br />Student 2: Hey- we used a suffix....haha.<br /><br />Student 1: What should happen next?<br />Student 2: Maybe we'll find a way to make this part come back up later in the story.<br />Student 1: Yeah- like we can make a Part 2- kind of like Tale of Despereaux.<br />Student 2: Cool- a mentor text.<br /><br />Unbeknown to the students- I was quietly sitting at table behind them- listening- proud as punch. Not only was their knowledge of the writing process and the words they chose impressive- their love for writing and creating stories was clear. They we so excited!! Another great day doing the best job in the world.....Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14324374416321289940noreply@blogger.com2