Three Celebrations

I'm celebrating slowing down and marvelous books. Thanks Ruth for organizing our celebrations I enjoy spending Saturday mornings reading the wide variety of them. We completed our first week back and it was nice to slow down and ease in.

CELEBRATION #1  We spent time talking about our holiday break. I always encourage my students to share one favorite event and as usual it led to two, three, four and five favorites. The intriguing thing is that as I listened I learned about vacations, family, fears and new little puppies. 

CELEBRATION #2  My students were sharing about their reading over holiday break. Several students shared amazing book talks and several Newbery Club members read 2-3 books.  Announcing Bailey's winner A Night Divided  by Jennifer Nielsen. Won't that be a huge celebration if it wins on Monday morning? 

Our winner for Newbery Club

CELEBRATION #3   I chose not to start a new chapter read aloud this week.  You know that HUGE pile of picture books that you love and purchased but haven't had the chance to share YET. Well this week that's exactly what I did I shared my favorite new picture books.  If you haven't read them I would encourage you to check these out of the library. 

• Energy Island
• The Boy Who Loved Math
• A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin
• The Most Magnificent Thing
• Thank You, Mr. Falker  Every time I read it aloud I get choked up. I have an autographed copy. I shared about when Patricia Polacco came to our school for an author visit. She brought a piece of meteorite and allowed every student and teacher to touch it and make a wish. My wish came true :) What an honor to share one of my favorite books with my students. 

Did you slow down or read a great book?  It was a wonderful first week back.  

Celebrating my OLW for 2016

It's that time of year again, ironic how's it's only January 2. Time to ponder and choose my One Little Word. This year choosing my OLW snuck up on me, and I've spent the last few days in a complete quandary.  I really wanted to recycle one of my past OLW because every time I chose my word it attached to me like another arm. But this year, only 36 hours of it, my word hadn't jumped into my lap. YET

I've been reflecting (a past OLW) about how my word leads my thinking, helps me to slow down, and most of all centers me for the new year.  After several circular conversations with my husband, I knew I wanted a verb and a unique word. I found my OLW or should I say it found me.

 

It's perfect for me in all the ways I need it to be. 

• what's better than a word that is unique and starts with "qu"
• it's a verb - reminds me to be on the look out for and continue to search
• I'm on a quest to continue to weave in my past OLW 
• a constant quest to strengthen my skills as a an educator and blogger
• continue the quest of finding and recording explicit yet engaging vocabulary
• a quest for a balance of prayers, petitions and praise

So now I'm 27 hours into the new year and I'm on my quest. Thanks to Ruth for supporting OLW and Celebrations.  Welcome in 2016!

OLW: Choice and a Little Reflection

It's been a great summer as I continue to implement my One Little Word: choice. A friend posted on my face book page that she was sure there would be a “reflection” post coming soon from a similar photo. I took this picture last night while reading on our dock.  I never saw the clouds in the pond until I took this photo. It is a perfect visual for my last three weeks.  I never knew how I would feel if I chose to slow down and shift my time. I feel more balanced with altering my choices including not focusing primarily on all education. I learned that you never know what you might find if you choose to take the time to take the photo. My reflection involves a happier more relaxed feeling with one of the best parts more time to read.

Here’s the summary of Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graf.

“Albie has never been the smartest kid in his class. He has never been the tallest. Or the best at gym. Or the greatest artist. Or the most musical. In fact, Albie has a long list of the things he's not very good at. But then Albie gets a new babysitter, Calista, who helps him figure out all of the things he is good at and how he can take pride in himself.

Albie is an enduring character that you will to succeed, and he has several obstacles to overcome. Life never gets easy for Albie, and Calista gives him the best advice, “Find something you like…keep doing it forever…even if you stink. And then if you’re lucky with lots of practice one day you won’t stink so much.” This quote hooked me and will encourage strong conversations in our classroom.

My other favorite is by Holly Schindler, The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky. Here is a summary

“August “Auggie” Jones lives with her Grandpa Gus, a trash hauler, in a poor part of town. So when her wealthy classmate’s father starts the House Beautification Committee, it’s homes like Auggie’s that are deemed “in violation.” Auggie is determined to prove that she is not as run-down as the outside of her house might suggest. Using the kind of items Gus usually hauls to the scrap heap, a broken toaster becomes a flower; church windows turn into a rainbow walkway; and an old car gets new life as spinning whirligigs. What starts out as a home renovation project becomes much more as Auggie and her grandpa discover a talent they never knew they had—and redefine a whole town’s perception of beauty, one recycled sculpture at a time.”

Auggie's perseverance is her strongest character trait. She is amazingly strong with not only loving where she lives, but she also shifts the surrounding community viewpoint. Auggie learns about friendship issues and best of all she fights through them with total class. The secrets she finds in the closet, literally, will steal your heart.

Albie and Auggie have traits that I want to discuss with my new class too as well as use the text for amazing mentors in writing workshop. The choice of words and beautiful description drew me into each book. Reflections and choices are a perfect combo as July turns the corner toward August. 

Slice of Life: Happy with my Choices (OLW)

I will be completing my first three full weeks  this Friday.  It has been really exciting to back full time in Room 228. We're learning together about Google, and I have to tell you I was hesitant and now I am all in.  I can't begin to tell you how exciting it is to to "talk" to your students during the evenings.  There have been several times when I know my students would have been stuck if they couldn't have asked a question. But the best part, I didn't always have to solve the problem. Most of time to be honest another student already had helped through the comments.  I was not expecting this type of collaboration. I started small which has always been my technology mantra.  Within two weeks, we started with a weekend conversation, built toward a homework conversation, introduced my first rubric (for Thinglink) and finally today we will do collaborative writing during Wonder Wednesday at Wonderopolis.  

Our Spring break starts this Friday.  After being back for three weeks, I have to admit that I am exhausted.  I was a little surprised how working full time and wanting to continue to be a full time mom is tiring. But it is the BEST tired in the world.  I am excited that we are headed to visit Anna in Charleston, SC this Friday.  We plan on staying for a week and creating more family memories.  The best part will be taking our family picture on beach with all four of us standing there with the sunshine on our faces. Time to make my choice (OLW) for family time. 

Can't wait to get back to the beach.

Friendly Reminder to my Reflection Friends (OLW)

In my first post about One Little Word I wrote that my word for this year is going to be reflection. I had as much fun reading all of the comments as I did reflecting on my month.  At the bottom of first post, I suggested that you might consider reflecting with me at the end of each month well January is getting close to being over. On a side note, I am just fine with that (it is my least favorite month of the year) I guess I will reflect later on why that is.  I had several comments so I am posting a friendly reminder to those who left a comment and of course anyone else who wants to join along on a cross post on Tuesday, January 31.  I will post my monthly reflection and you can post on your blog or just leave a coment, and we'll cross reference each others blogs-what fun.  Thanks for joining my OLW journey.

Melissa @ Technology: figuring out how the pieces fit
   
Mrs. Kmiec @ CSI Scientists

Julie @ Raising Readers and Writers

Gail (a reader of my blog)

Tracy @ Thinking Stems

Tara @ A Teaching Life