Slice of Life: The Magic of the Ninja Red Read Aloud

  A Slice of Life is a weekly blog hosted by Two Writing Teachers, Ruth Ayers and Stacey Shubitz. Click on Two Writing Teachers to be taken to their website to learn more about this week's 

Slice of Life.

 

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As a beginning teacher mentor, I miss out on the day to day joys of sharing books with students. Don't get me wrong. I carry books in my bags and show teachers and their students what I'm reading. If I pass a student in the hallway with a book, I ask about what they're reading. So, I guess I dabble in book sharing, but nothing like when I was in the classroom full time.

 

I also miss the read aloud. I love it all - picture book read aloud, poetry read aloud, middle grade chapter book read aloud, well, you get the idea. I love a read aloud. And, trust me, I don't shy away from "the voices". 

 

This week I'm partnering with one of the teachers I mentor. I spend some intensive time supporting strategies that she wants to focus on for her own professional growth and she allows me to borrow her students for some instructional strategies I want to refresh and refine. 

 

The motivation was that I wanted to be a part of coaching students through redeveloping stamina through the Daily 5 structure. Both of the elementary schools where I mentor are implementing Daily 5. As a result, the reading teacher from one school and I are leading both schools through a Daily 5/CAFE book study and professional learning community. (Side note: if you have not read the 2nd edition of The Daily 5, then I highly recommend that you do. It's even better than the 1st edition.)

 

 

Today, during the first "round", the students I was with held stamina for 3.5 minutes. After pulling together to reflect and reteach the i-chart for Read to Self, I sent them on their way and they increased to 6.5 minutes. A read aloud seemed like an appropriate "lesson". Yesterday, I brought a book off of the Oregon Battle of the Books list that is next on my TBR pile for the read aloud. They did not really engage with the story the way that I had expected them to. I decided to change things up for today and I brought with me several of my favorite picture books from 2014 to read aloud during one of mini-lesson times. The book I chose to read with them was none other than Ninja Red Riding Hood by Corey Rosen Schwartz.

 

Based on previous visits to the classroom for teacher observation and feedback, I had witnessed this group of 5th graders to be particularly squirrely. Twenty plus years of educator experience led me to suspect that this squirrely bunch would love a picture book read aloud as much as classrooms of my own students from the past. Yet, strangely, I was a tad apprehensive about how this group would receive being read a picture book.

 

After the first page, one student stopped me so she could "move to a spot where (she) could see the illustrations better".

 

At one point, I looked across the carpeted space (yep, I bring 5th graders closer to me...especially for a read aloud) and witnessed magic. 

 

Not a single student moved.

 

All eyes were glued on the book.

 

No one student said a word. (I actually wondered if they were breathing.)

 

This squirrely group of students was under the spell of the picture book read aloud. I knew it but today it was reaffirmed the interest that our students, our larger, middle grade students, have with not just a picture book, but also having a picture book read to them. 

 

Since the students are not students of mine, if felt like a small gamble. The gamble paid off. The classroom teacher was able to witness the power of the picture book read aloud. I was able to experience that feeling again of sharing book love with students. It made me miss having a classroom of my own.

 

For now, I will be looking for ways to invite myself into more classrooms for that magical moment that comes with a picture book read aloud.  

Celebrate! 12/13/14

 

Here are the things I loved about my week:

1.     Monday was the Artist’s Tea at Maddie’s preschool. The highlight for me is always the fact that Teacher Rhonda teaches the preschoolers to serve drinks and small treats to family members. And it is all served on glass plates and cups (say, what?!). It’s amazing to watch Maddie ladel hot chocolate into small GLASS cups and then serve the plate and cocoa without spilling both her dad and me. It shows me that I step in and do too much for her sometimes – she is far more capable and independent than I give her credit for. 

2.     Wednesday I had time to meet with the amazing Jennifer Napoleon, Reading Teacher at Oceanlake Elementary, to discuss our Daily 5 PLC. In essence we are leading two schools through a book study, and providing support through observation, modeling, co-teaching, and planning yet have limited time to really talk about what we are doing. Often times, our conversations take place through Facebook posts or text messages. Jennifer has a deep understanding of Daily 5 and coaching teachers through implementation. I learn something new from her every time we meet and consider time with her a bright spot in every day, every week. 

3.     Speaking of the PLC, we met on Wednesday evening. The PLC interactions began as blog responses but I'm seeing and hearing that the format does not work for every PLC participant. We pulled everyone together for our first face-to-face gathering. I am always so impressed with teachers when they pull together on their own time and that they choose to do so. This is just evidence of what teachers will do when given a choice about what they want to read and how they want to grow professionally. I wish that we provided more choice for professional development that is embedded into their work day. They are stretched incredibly thin and they still show up. 

       Anyway, we gave participants time to engage in a collaborative assessment process that we use in our mentor program giving participants an opportunity to celebrate what they are doing well with Daily 5, challenges with Daily 5, identify where they are headed next, and then supports they need to continue to move forward. I loved hearing and seeing their reflections – I couldn’t help but feel proud of the teachers for their reflection, their honesty, their willingness to make themselves vulnerable. I work with amazing, dedicated educators. 

4.    Friday morning was a time for the mentor team to pull together for a monthly business meeting. Although the mentor project has been a part of the way we do business in my district for seven years, the mentor team is relatively new. We begin talking now about specifics of the January beginning teacher seminar so we aren’t planning at the last minute (I’ve done it but I cannot function well that way). For the first time since I joined the team, I feel like we are doing a better job of intentionally connected the topics of the seminars. Last month, we focused on formative assessment (and really differentiating it from summative and interim assessments). Next month, we take what they learned from formative assessment and apply it to the work we will do with analysis of student work. The seminar after that will focus on differentiating instruction and will build upon what they do with their analysis of student work. I guess, like new teachers, now that I’ve survived my beginning mentor years, I’m finally seeing how the seminars are interrelated or it really could be that we are better about connecting everything. For me, there’s just satisfaction in knowing that while we follow general themes in seminar from year to year that the way we are presenting them this year makes more sense - they're more interconnected and I believe are being facilitated in a way that will push teachers further in their practice.

5.    Today we get our Christmas tree. I know, I know. Christmas is less than two weeks away. Maddie is at the age now where the anticipation of the holidays is fun. While we are working on the constant “wants” and being honest about not getting everything you ask for along with doing something for others can grow to be exhausting, she “gets” the season. She is excited about Christmas lights, loves the Elf on the Shelf (we are VERY low key about it), has had her picture taken with Santa, and wants to be part of every aspect of Christmas. She has already stated that she wants to be the one to put the star on the tree because she’s “never been able to before, mom”. She is just shy of 5 and I can't help but be in awe of watching her develop into an amazing, engaging little being. I love being her mom.

Slice of Life: Over the Slump

  A Slice of Life is a weekly blog hosted by Two Writing Teachers, Ruth Ayers and Stacey Shubitz. Click on Two Writing Teachers to be taken to their website to learn more about this week's 

Slice of Life.

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To start, my school district out for Thanksgiving break this week so I get to write my Slice post with my cutie close by. 

Cuddles with my girl-my happy place.

Each month, my supervisor schedules time with me to check in. She's an amazing leader who is incredibly supportive and has the art of coaching educators mastered. I know that when I am with her that she is going to push my thinking and reflective practice in a way that truly helps me improve my mentor and coaching practice. It's a two-way conversation that leaves me feeling rejuvenated and refreshed.

 

As I prepared for my meeting with her last week (which really is just me developing a list of hot topics and professional development ideas), it occurred to me that for the first time in several months I was not preparing myself to "crawl up on Betsy's lap" to pour my heart and soul out about how stressed I am, or to share feelings of inadequacy, or to gain clarity around the latest district rumor. For the first time in quite some time, I felt like I could just breathe.

 

What occurred to me is that I was going through phases much like the new teachers I mentor and was coming out of disillusionment. 

Phases of First-Year Teaching

Like new teachers, I had gone through a 6-8 week (maybe even longer than that)funk. I had been sick since August. I really questioned whether had what it takes to be a strong support for teachers. I struggled to manage my mentor time in a way that was about the teacher and not the requirements of the program. At this same time my district has a new superintendent-our district had not a new leader in 10 years so a new superintendent feels like a jolt to the system. And, there were a number of tragic events that took place in our community and my alma mater. Add to the mix the fact that I was not engaged in the things that kept me "fed": reading and writing. I had even pulled back on my Twitter PLN. I was feeling low.

There was nothing magical that transpired except that a week ago "things" began falling back into place. I finished an audiobook that snapped my reader brain back to life. I had this epiphany about structuring my mentor time in a way where I observe and meet with teachers in a more timely manner. I now feel more connected to the teachers I support. Two colleagues talked to me about starting a Teachers as Readers group which for me was like an oxygen mask - I have been craving local conversations about reading, about books.

Like the new teacher phases, I am in Rejuvenation. Of course, some of the rejuvenation can be attributed to Thanksgiving break and time away, but I truly believe that it has more to do with shifting my mindset. I needed to quit focusing on the doom and gloom that was surrounding me or that I perceived and really focus on the things that I had control over. And, I needed to take care of myself. A large part of my self care is reading and writing. I never should have stepped away from either. Happily, I'm back.

 

I'm over the slump.

 

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 8/25/14

 It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is an opportunity for everyone to share their book journeys: where we've been for the week and where we plan to go next. To learn more about It's Monday! What Are You Reading? with a kidlit focus, jump over to Jen Vincent's blog, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee Moye's blog, Unleashing Readers.

 

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It's been way too long since my last IMWAYR post. 

 

I believe in transparency. I did not have the reading nor writing summer that I anticipated in June. 

 

I am disappointed. 

 

My four year old took all of two naps this summer. I had not planned for that. In previous summers, toddler nap time was when I had my time with my books. Yeah, I had not planned on not having nap time.

 

My summer was incredibly short. As the manager of a grant for my school district, I worked through the end of June and then started up again August 1. I was not too worried about it - even with travel in there, I packed books like I pack underwear - we never leave home without 'em. 

 

It's not that I didn't read. With a 4 year old in the house, we make regular visits to the library and leave with an amazing book stack. When it comes to picture books, I had an amazing summer. 

 

It's the young adult and middle grade book stacks that I barely made a dent in. 

 

By the time August hit, what I thought was a cold was actually some sort of bacterial lung infection. I didn't know it was worse than it was until I was using an inhaler (one I usually only need, on occasion, for exercise) at night just to sleep. In a rural area like where I live and work, doctors come and go and I couldn't get in to see anyone for nearly two weeks. I'm on antibiotics now, but in the meantime, I was literally too exhausted to do anything but sleep once I got Maddie down for the night. 

 

I was in a reading slump. 

 

I didn't like it but was too tired to pull out of it.

 

That is....until the principal of the 7-12 school where I will mentor this year posted the all-school-read for 7th and 8th graders on the school's Facebook page. 

 

 

Let's just say, I read The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen in one sitting. It is an amazing book!

 

And, The Running Dream helped to kick me out of my reading slump.

 

I'm back... :o))))

Here's where I plan to travel this week:

#audiobook

Professional read as part of all district K-6 implementation for framework for math instruction

What are you reading this week?

Books That Make Me Smile: The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend

#booksmiles

Several Nerdy Book Club pals and I post weekly about a book that makes us smile. Follow #booksmiles on Twitter to see other book smiles. Check out these blogs to see what books make my Nerdy Book Club pals smile:Niki Ohs Barnes, Ann King, and Stacey H.  

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Sometimes the books that make me smile are the books that make Maddie smile. We recently read The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat.

Beekle is the endearing story of how he (Beekle) goes in search of his friend since no one is imagining him. Anyone, especially a 4-year-old little girl, will appreciate how Dan Santat validates the reality of her imaginary friend. Maddie not only wants to read Beekle repeatedly; she also wants to go in search of Beekle. :)

Check out the Beekle book trailer. You will fall in love with Beekle.

What books make you smile? 

Books That Make Me Smile: Ninja Red Riding Hood

#booksmiles

I'm joining my Nerdy Book Club pal, Niki Ohs Barnes, and others to post weekly about a book that makes me smile.

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If you are not on Twitter then you really should be. Not only can you connect and learn from amazing educators from across the nation and from around the world, you are able to interact with wonderfully generous children's literature authors. One author that I have connected with is author Corey Rosen Schwartz. 

Corey is the author of The Three Ninja Pigs (and Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Hop Plop) and the soon to be released Ninja Red Riding Hood. Both Ninja books are illustrated by Dan Santat. 

Remember that Twitter plug? Well, it is through Twitter that Corey asked if I was interested in a F & G of Ninja Red Riding Hood for review.

Ummmm... YES, please!!!

So, true to her word, Corey sent me a copy of Ninja Red and I LOVED it. I had my #booksmiles on the entire read. 

Ninja Red continues to follow the plight of poor Wolf. After getting his rear kicked by The Three Ninja Pigs, Wolf sneaks into karate school thinking that he will gain the skills necessary (beyond huffing and puffing) to fill his empty stomach. As we know, Wolf crosses paths with Ninja Red ... what he doesn't expect is that she, too, has been to Ninja school.

Corey Rosen Schwartz made me a fan with Ninja Pigs and she continues to amaze with Ninja Red. I love how Ninja Red starts with wordless pages showing Ninja Red entering the bamboo forest and then ends with a wordless page of the Wolf exiting the same bamboo forest. This fractured fairy tale is told through rhyme and again includes a female character who knows how to defend and hold her own. Who doesn't love a girl that can kick butt?!

Here's a sample of Corey's fun Red Ninja rhyming:

Soon after, he heard someone knocking.
He called out, “My dear, come on in.
Oh, don’t you look good
in your lovely red hood,
but a shame that you’ve gotten so thin.”

Check out the Ninja Red Riding Hood book trailer here:

 

Check out author Corey Rosen Schwartz's website here: http://www.coreyrosenschwartz.com/Home.html. And, be sure to follow her on Twitter at @CoreyPBNinja.

Check out illustrator Dan Santat's website here: http://www.dantat.com/DANTAT.COM/DAN_SANTAT_author___illustrator.html. And, follow him on Twitter at @dsantat. 

Ninja Red Riding Hood's book birthday is next week. I have mine ordered & it should arrive on July 10. Celebrate by picking up your copy of Ninja Red and prepare to smile.

 

Slice of Life - Finally, Some Time With My Girl

  A Slice of Life is a weekly blog hosted by Two Writing Teachers, Ruth Ayers and Stacey Shubitz. Click on Two Writing Teachers to be taken to their website to learn more about this week's 

Slice of Life.

 

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Today was the first real start to my summer. 

 

Ahhhh... relief!

 

Summer is a time to read & write. 

 

It's a time to run around with my hair in a pony tail and without anything on my face but some Burt's Bees on my lips. 

More importantly, summer means uninterrupted time with Maddie. 

Today, Maddie and I had no real schedule. We had a leisurely morning of cuddles and hot cereal. We then made our way to the outdoor swim center in Corvallis. Since Maddie is four we are able to get into the aquatic center at 11:30 a.m. instead of 1:00 (thankfully, because with 90+ degree temperatures everyone was at the pool today). I tend to supervise Maddie closely so I was in the pool following her around as she meandered about. At four, she wants to know that I am close, yet she really wants to have the freedom to move about on her own.

After swimming we enjoyed frozen yogurt together and spent time chit chatting.

When we got home, Maddie played in her pool with a couple of friends who are going to spend part of July playing with us while their mom works.

As I look back on the day, nothing major happened, but I realize that today I actually had time to just watch Maddie; time to just listen to Maddie; and time to appreciate the person that she is becoming.

Quality time with Maddie is the BEST way to begin my summer break. I am appreciative that I have this next month to soak in every Maddie moment I can.