Book study - That's all folks

Is there no end to the stress a writing assignment creates in a student? I'm 50 years old, hold multiple degrees related to literacy - and yet as I prepare to offer closing thoughts on my reading of Donalyn Miller's Book Whisperer and the book study I participated in, I'm anxious: How long does it have to be? Headings, really? (This phenomenon is not unlike the idea that I still get nervous when I'm called to the principal's office.)

Oh - and it's worth mentioning that as I finally got around to getting my ideas in black symbols on a white page and went back to review the expectations. . . I'm not entirely sure this isn't late. (Heaven help me; I am my students).

Much of my anxiety comes from my failure to prepare to write as I read. The good news is - this is because I was completely engaged in the content while reading. I was making meaning, having epiphanies, and celebrating moments of I do that.

My takeaways include a great feeling of satisfaction - not only that my thinking about literacy and how to encourage reading in young adults aligns with that of Miller's, but also that many of my actions mimic Miller's. I am doing something right.

Ideas I continue to grapple with include the idea of helping students to develop a love of reading, necessity of classroom libraries, and whole class-single title reading.

• I don't believe anyone can make someone else learn to love reading. I don't think reading is that for everyone. But I completely believe that I can help people appreciate everything reading can do for them and respect the power of reading. 
• Probably because I'm a teacher librarian I am frustrated by the attention classroom libraries get. Great for the classroom teacher who adequately stocks that library with diverse, timely, quality materials. But every school should have a school library that is cared for by a trained librarian who works with a budget. Classroom teachers: Take your classes to the library regularly. Help students know when/how to access the library outside of your class.
• I am all about choice reading. I encourage it; I deliberately teach skills related to book selection. I hope all my students always have a book with them (at the very least when they come to my classroom). But. . . I think there is a time and place for whole class reading of a single title (as well a cause for caution, for sure). There are benefits to discussing the same words. And there is a benefit to forcing (unfortunate word) students to read something they may not have read on their own.

What I remember

Kindergarten:
I remember the struggle of learning to tie my shoes; I think I remember some shame involved in that.
I remember creating butterfly wings for a school performance of some kind. I remember some adult (my teacher?) commenting about how nice mine were.
I don't remember my teacher's name, but she was murdered by her husband sometime within the past 10 years.

1st grade:
Ms. Frieden. I loved her; she loved students unconditionally.
I also vaguely remember that another 1st grade teacher (across the hall?) had cancer and was very sick; I think she died that year.
And I almost remember some kind of reading room; a refrigerator box, I think.
And my struggle with "b" and "d."

2nd grade:
Nothing

3rd grade:
Mrs. Hatfield - I think, but she may have been 4th grade. She was nice. She traveled to Iraq, or India, maybe both during the school year and brought back little brass trinckets. I shamefully remember something about that too - but that's for another time.

4th grade:
Mrs. Thomas, or Thompson (or something like that). I kind of remember switching classes - one room/teacher for math, another for reading, etc.
I remember getting publically repromanded (rightfully & fairly) for snickering about something stupid.
I remember a class play of A Christmas Carol. I was the spirit of Christmas past. My mom missed the play. I expected her and she didn't make it. She went in the ditch when traveling to school that day.

Also 4th grade:
We moved from Independence to West Union.
My first grade teacher Mrs. Frieden had moved to West Union and was a teacher in my new school. I remember her hugging me when I was being introduced; she wasn't my new teacher.
Ms. Goerond - who got married during the school year. I don't remember what her maiden name was.
Lots of memories about social things; nothing about school

The list goes on. . .
Academically I remember struggling with math. Excelling in ELA. Being self conscious in PE. I remember teachers who I thought liked me, or didn't.

Now I'm a teacher. And I sometimes struggle with the emphasis of relationships rather than curriculum, but I suppose I must admit my own experiences articulate the truth of relationship over academics.

Thanks for the inspiration:
https://plantingrootsgrowingbranches.blogspot.com/2018/12/elementary-education-narrative-potters.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR3zLJVHBQBQUkocX7unWYmjImlWAJr4X5IgLfCVWVmjGTQFuywySng6xmE

https://schoolblazing.blogspot.com/2018/11/what-i-remember-kindergarten-9.html?fbclid=IwAR0iLeZKbyXY0KnlZt-ht3LD4xCzKTjLrfAYFvZ2WjOoCMTOM-M1H_vRbHc

Here I go. . . . (again)

I've messed around in blogging a few times; it's never really stuck for me. But inspired by my Creative Writing class (AKA Independent Writing or Writers Workshop) and a fellow Iowa ELA teacher's blog http://schoolblazing.blogspot.com/, here I go again.

My goals for this blog:

• A means of accommodating a regular (multiple times weekly?) writing schedule
• A way of helping me figure out what I think
• An experiment and experience in utilizing blogging with students and classes
• A way of sharing my writing (she typed with much hesitation).

So, here we go. . . let's see where it takes me.

I'm going to start with some inspiration. Other blogs that might offer direction:

• http://schoolblazing.blogspot.com/
• https://tvprincipal.blogspot.com/
• http://jenhatmaker.com/blog.htm

Every Seniors Favorite Month

May is a great month. The weather gets warmer, the flowers start blooming, and school is out for the summer. For most students, it is just summer break. But for the exclusive group of seniors it is much much more. They are finally done with high school. We spend 4 years together just for a handshake and a piece of paper that says we completed enough courses and credits to graduate. But to some it is much more than just a piece of paper. It is their ticket out or just something pushing them on to the next chapter in their life.

The memories made in high school will last a life time. From homecoming and football season, to basketball season and even state basketball, and everything else that comes with the journey. Graduation is one last time for us to be together as a class before we all go our separate ways. Some will go to college, some will start working, and some will join the armed services. But no matter which way we go, we will always have the memories made together in high school. 

Here they go

I read a Facebook post last night from an English teacher I know. She commented about how hard it is to say goodbye to seniors after spending the year with them. I've never really considered myself that teacher. I appreciate all of my students; I think about them outside of school; they appear in my dreams. I reflect on things I wish I had done better, and always have students' best interests at heart. But I've never been one to have a friendship with students.

That's what I thought.

But my heart is a little heavy today as I know I am seeing the class of 2017 in my classroom for the last time.

I found myself seriously sad when I dropped the desserts I had made for my 6th pd class. That was a small offering of I recognize what great people you are and I wish you the best.

Huh. It's surprising what prompts emotions to surface.

Feelings

I would like to share my feelings. I feel as though this class is a dictatorship. I feel like I shouldn't have to redo a homework assignment that my teacher saw and clearly saved. I feel like I should be able to decide if I don't want to do an assignment or not. I feel as though I should recieve the same treatment as others. I feel as though I should get to play games today and the rest of the class should do this assignment that I already completed and is now doing again tomorrow. I feel ready to be done with this class and am happy this is my last day. I feel like we could be doing more useful things then writing crappy blogs that I will never look at again in my life. All of things terrible things I'm feeling is caused by this class and its dictator. :)

Reading blog

I enjoy reading because its like being transported to another world and living the life of another person. Reading each page dwells deeper and deeper into the separate life of another person. What I enjoy most of reading is the knowledge I get from the book, whether fiction or nonfiction, it still applies itself in everyday life. Lessons or moral throughout the book are played out throughout the day that makes me think about the book.

Reading is a cognitive process of decoding symbols on a page to register a message.  A process all to familiar to anyone. Reading to me is a wonderful way to lessen the stress of everyday life and takes you away. Here is a list of books I love.

- Hatchet

- The kite runner 

- Game of Thrones

- 1984

- The Wall

I enjoy fiction books, historical fiction as well.