Pernille Ripp's Blog, page 47
December 30, 2016
On Doing Less
As I contemplate the year that has passed, the year that is about to start, I cannot help but think that it all seems to have gone by in a blink. That this year with all its news, all its wonder, all its sorrows, seem to have rolled me by and is just over. That while I cannot wait to say goodbye to 2016, I also cannot believe that this year is just done, just like that.
I look at the words that were supposed to define this year; hope, change, slowing down, spending less, giving more, and wonder when those words got lost. What happened to our audacity? What happened to our do something attitude? And how did my own children get so big?
So as I look forward to 2017, I cannot help but think of what I want to do less of. Of how I want to continue on this path of slowing down, of saying no, of focusing in on the tasks we have at hand rather than constantly stay focused on what is to come.
This year I have embraced the slow down in the classroom. To take the time it takes us to work through a topic. To move deadlines, to go deeper, to not do as many things in order to do better with a few. And I have noticed the relief in the students, I have also seen it in their work; more thought has been put into it, they care more, they have more questions. They are usually less stressed when they come to English and can actually turn off the outside world and focus on the learning in front of them.
So my word for 2017 is single-task. For years I have fooled myself into believing that I am great at multi-tasking, but really all I am good at is being distracted. For years I have felt my brain search out new stimuli every few seconds, not being able to embrace what I am doing right now, not being able to appreciate what I am doing because I am constantly searching for the other thing I need to do. So this year will be the year of doing one thing, of not having 7 tabs open at one time on my computer, of doing one thing until it is done and enjoying it. Of doing less and experiencing more. Of hanging with my kids without my phone, without my computer, without doing, doing, doing. Of teaching like every moment matters, because it does, of looking at my students more, of slowing down, of being in the moment.
I know I wont be perfect, we never are, but I will keep trying every day to focus more, do less, and do one thing at a time. What will be your word for 2017?
I am currently working on a new literacy book. The book, which I am still writing, is tentatively Passionate Readers and will be published in the summer of 2017 by Routledge. I also have a new book coming out December, 2017 called Reimagining Literacy Through Global Collaboration, a how-to guide for those who would like infuse global collaboration into their curriculum. So until then if you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students. Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.
Filed under: Be the change, being a teacher
December 22, 2016
Once Again, On My Own Inherent Privilege
I am not sure where these thoughts fit in, or whether they are even ready to be shared, but I keep coming back to the same conclusion and I feel like I have to write this out. So hang with me as I try to make sense of all of this.
Recently I had my US citizenship interview; that scary sit-down meeting that I have been waiting more than 7 months to have. The one where you fill out a 16 page application answering in-depth questions about your life, your intentions, your affiliations, your identity. You send it in, you pay the money, they fingerprint you and then you hold your breath hoping that they will see you fit to be given citizenship. Or even fit to be considered. And you wait, and you watch the mail, and you check their website, maybe once a day, until finally one day a notice shows up and tells you to be there or else…
So I went and my hands got sweaty and I kept thinking, what if I screw this up? What if they say no? What if the person behind the desk sees something they do not like and this means no? Then what? I walked in on shaky feet, heartbeat racing and it began. I had to answer 6 questions correctly – what is the supreme law everyone -I had to read a sentence, and I had to write. I had to pledge to say the truth and nothing but the truth. I then had to re-answer all of the same questions I had already said yes or no to on the initial application;a long rambling list of loyalty to terrorism, of whether I have committed genocide, if I have ever harmed others, held others against their will, which groups I belong to. All things that I tried not to crack up about because the questions are so crazy and as my students had said, “Who would ever say yes to any of that, Mrs. Ripp?” Yet as the interviewer quickly went through the long list of questions, not skipping a beat, I realized something once again…
No one is questioning my answers.
No one is asking follow up questions.
No one is wondering whether I am lying.
No one is questioning what my “real” intentions are for wanting to become a citizen.
No one is protesting.
No one is worried that I might become a part of this nation.
Because I am a woman.
Because I do not wear a hijab.
Because I am white.
I have written before about the inherent privilege I have in this nation as a white immigrant who looks like an American, who speaks English without an accent. About how no one thinks of me as “other” or “foreign.” About how surprised people are when they find out that I was not born here, nor raised here as a child.
I have written before about the path I am given because of things mostly outside of my control. And yet, today as I read about the removal of Adam Saleh on a Delta flight and tried to find out more about the story, I realized another thing; how many times have I sat on a flight and spoken on my phone to my family in Danish and the only questions I have gotten were delightful ones about that fun language I was speaking? How I have never been questioned about the content of my conversation or been seen as a threat because I spoke another language. How no one has ever looked at me with fear because of an every day action.
And I think of my Muslim friends where the opposite is their new reality. Where they are scared to walk the street with their hijab, afraid of having it ripped off their heads or of the treatment they will be given. And even my friends who are not Muslim but speak a language that sounds like something dangerous. Who may look like something we are afraid of (read; not white). Where they are scared to speak their own language in case someone around them mistakes them for plotting something sinister. Since when did we get so scared? Since when did we get so close-minded when it comes to others? Since when did we equate terrorism not with the actions of a few but the culture and appearance of many?
And sure, we can find example upon example of the terror acts we have seen to justify our fears but then why are we as a nation not also terrified of white males? Why are we not terrified of people who look like my husband because white males statistically are behind more terror acts than jihadists?
So while I passed my citizenship test with ease, I left with a heavy heart. Once again, me being white offered me a privilege that will not be extended to others that I know. Once again I am aware of the situations I will more than likely never face because of where I come from and how I look. And I have no answers of what to do except to keep thinking and speaking up and teaching my students about others so that they do not end up being those people who are afraid of anything other than what they know. Who are not afraid to connect with those who might not look like them, speak like them, or even think like them. We are living in a world of fear and that fear is driving us apart, we cannot let it.
Filed under: Be the change, being a teacher
[image error]
December 21, 2016
With Just One Simple Tool…
[image error]
“This is nothing special…”
“Others have done this better…”
“Who am I to share…”
How many of us have thought or even spoken sentiments such as these as we have published our ideas, spoken up at staff meetings, or even invited a colleague in. The imposter syndrome is real and I think many of us live it.
While we can all agree that we should know better, sometimes our own voice shouts louder than those who are thankful for the ideas we share. This is how I felt writing my new book, Reimagining Literacy Through Global Collaboration. Who was I to share on global collaboration? Who was I to tell others how they could integrate technology in a seemingly more meaningful way to empower their students? Who was I to say that I knew something about this, after all, I am not the only one doing just this. And yet…
We are never the only ones doing something. There are very few original ideas in the world. Instead we live in a world that creates off of each other, that shares wildly so that more good can come of it. Integrating technology tools to create more meaningful experiences seems easy because it is. We do not need millions of dollars worth of new technology to collaborate with the world, that just makes it easier, instead what we need are just a few simple tools.
So you start with Twitter…
Perhaps it is a classroom account, perhaps it is your own personal one. You create purposes for the tweets you send. For example, when a child finishes a book, you search to see if the author is on Twitter and then you send them questions, compliments, perhaps even needle them for some sequel information. Imagine the deeper understanding that happens when a child realizes that this author is a human being who has more thoughts they would like to share. Even if the author doesn’t reply you can still see what they tweet about and discover a whole new dimension to them. Sometimes helping a child get hooked on a book happens after they have read it and they all of a sudden see the person being the experience they just had.
Or you go to Twitter and you ask for people to become your audience for something your students have created. Perhaps they are speeches, perhaps they are nonfiction picture books, perhaps you need others to Skype in live to be judges for a poetry slam. Whatever it is, you ask for others to sign up and they agree. Or you go to Twitter and you invent a hashtag surrounding a common purpose like Karen Lirenman and her students did when they asked others to take a picture of the view out of their classroom window and share it with the world. People did and her students learned that our views look quite different.
Perhaps you ask others what the temperature is. Perhaps you ask others to be your editors. Perhaps you create a story only told through tweets. Perhaps you ask for experts to connect with your classroom so that your students can understand something more deeply. Perhaps you ask for help in solving a challenge or ask for a recommendation or send out challenge questions to others. Perhaps you ask for a longer partnership to occur between your classrooms because so many other people out there are probably teaching the same curriculum as you are.
Perhaps Twitter is not your tool of choice. Perhaps it seems like a waste of time, or scary, or perhaps you are not quite sure how to use it. That is okay too. This is not a post heralding the power of Twitter, instead this is a post talking about connecting with others. Because this is what is easy in regard to global collaboration; finding others. But you won’t know that until you start asking.
So find your tool and find out how you can make what you are already doing more meaningful, more powerful, more engaging for the kids you teach. How can you give them the power to connect with others so that they can see the relevance of the work they do? How can you impact the world, but even more importantly, how can the world impact your students?
We speak of creating more empathetic human beings, of the power vested in us as the creators of the future. We speak of creating deeper learning opportunities but then run out of time when it comes to bringing the world in. We run into filters and restrictions. We run into our own nervousness, our own fragility when it comes to taking risks. But I am here to tell you; embedding global collaboration throughout what you already do is not hard, it may take time, and thought, and planning, but doesn’t all great teaching? So pick a tool, look at what you already do and ask; how can bringing others in make this better? What can others bring to this process to make it more meaningful? Then trust yourself and try. You will never look back once you do.
I am currently working on a new literacy book. The book, which I am still writing, is tentatively Passionate Readers and will be published in the summer of 2017 by Routledge. I also have a new book coming out December, 2017 called Reimagining Literacy Through Global Collaboration, a how-to guide for those who would like infuse global collaboration into their curriculum. So until then if you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students. Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.
Filed under: Be the change, being a teacher, collaboration, global
December 20, 2016
My Favorite Picture Books of 2016
I thought I wouldn’t be able to pick all of my favorite picture books from 2016, and then I realized that I do not need to. I can write this post as a way to pay homage to the picture books that started conversations, that taught us to think, to question. That made us laugh out loud, that made us cry. This post is therefore not the best picture books of the year necessarily, they are the ones I loved. The ones I remember as I sit at home fighting off the flu. I can guarantee you that when my head clears and I am back in our classroom, I will add more to the list because inevitably some will get left off. While most of these were published in 2016, some were not, some were simply discovered by me finally. Also, to save my own sanity at the length of the post, I will only write one sentence about each book. I encourage you to read them, to buy them, to praise them, to read them in your classroom and to advocate for the use of picture books with all ages.
So in no particular order, which books am I so grateful to have discovered in 2016?
Friendship. Loneliness. Beautiful.
A Piece of Home written by Jeri Watts and illustrated by Hyewon Yum
Fitting in. Feeling lost. Appreciate differences.
Inspiration. Wonder. Empowerment.
Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph by Roxanne Orgill and illustrated by Francis Vallejo
In-depth. Eye-opening. Mesmerizing.
Ida, Always by Caron Lewis and Charles Santoso.
Tears. Death. Beauty.
The Night Gardener by the Fan Brothers
Magical. Hopeful. Enchanting.
The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers
Deep. Thoughtful. Love.
The Wildest Race Ever: The Story of the 1904 Olympic Marathon by Megan McCarthy
Unbelievable. True. Informational.
The Quickest Kid in Clarksville written by Pat Zietlow Miller illustrated by Frank Morrison
Dreams. Perseverance. Equality.
Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea by Robert Burleigh and illustrated by Raul Colon
How did I not know about this before?
Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be In This Book) written by Julie Falatko and illustrated by Tim Miller
Funny. Creative. Inventive.
Dance! Dance! Underpants! by Bob Shea
Laugh out loud funny. Must be acted out.
Also an Octopus by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and illustrated by Benji Davis
Story craft. Inventive. Funny.
How This Book Was Made written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Adam Rex
Story craft. Collaboration. Hi jinx.
Thought provoking. Imaginative.
This Is My Book! by Mark Pett (and no one else)
Creative. Funny. Writer’s craft.
Don’t Call Me Grandma written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon
Fierce. Unapologetic. Thought provoking.
Jack’s Worry from Sam Zuppardi.
Discussion starter. Community builder.
Hello, My Name is Octicorn created by Kevin Diller and Justin Love
Celebrating differences.
Ideas Are All Around by Philip C. Stead.
Creativity boosting. Writing process. Storytelling.
Baa Baa Smart Sheep by Mark and Rowan Sommerset
Funny. Naughty. Great read aloud.
School’s First Day of School written by Adam Rex and illustrated by Christian Robinson
Meant to be read aloud. Mentor text.
Let Me Finish written by Minh Le and illustrated by Isabel Roxas.
Makes me want to read more.
Inventive. Masterful conclusion. Dreamers.
Explorers of the Wild by Cale Atkinson.
Bridging differences. Adventure. Appreciation.
Dear Dragon by Josh Funk and illustrated by Rodolfo Montalvo.
Finding commonality. Social justice. Funny.
Surf’s Up illustrated by Daniel Miyares
Just let me read.
Pink is for Blobfish written by Jess Keating and illustrated by David Degrand.
Another book, please?! Knowledgable. Crowd favorite.
They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel
Inventive. Perspective. Thought-provoking.
Worm Loves Worm written by J.J. Austrian and illustrated by Mike Curato
Love is love is love is love is love.
My Friend Maggie by Hannah E. Harrison.
Friendship. Perspective. Loyalty.
Penguin Problems by Jory John and Lane Smith
Gratitude. Fitting in. Perspective.
Big Bob, Little Bob by James Howe and Laura Ellen Anderson
Finding common ground. Social justice.
Samson in the Snow by Phillip C. Stead
Heart-attacher. Caring for others.
Gorgeous. Empowering. Tender.
The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas and Erin E. Stead
Humanity. Loneliness. Connections.
The Bear and the Piano by David Lichtfield
Chasing dreams. Loneliness. Finding home.
Across the Alley by Richard Michelson and E.B. Lewis
Finding commonalities. Seeing good. Social justice.
Daniel Finds A Poem by Micha Archer.
Poetry comes alive.
[image error]
Maybe Something Beautiful written by F. Isabell Campoy and Theresa Howeel and illustrated by Rafael Lopez
Inspiring. Dreamy. Do something.
[image error]
Gilbert Ford’s The Marvelous Thing That Came From a Spring
Informational. Inventive. Inspiring.
[image error]
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsberg Makes Her Mark written by Debbie Levy and illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley
Power. Empowering. Speak up.
Ferocious Fluffity written by Erica S. Perl and illustrated by Henry Cole
Surprising. Hilarious. Sequel, please.
The Not So Quiet Library by Zachariah Ohora
Monsters in the library. Imagination. Read another time, please.
A Hungry Lion or A Dwindling Assortment of Animals by Lucy Ruth Cummins
Read it again. Surprise. Shock.
The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield and illustrated by the Fan Brothers.
Mesmerizing. Awe inspiring. Adventurous.
Before Morning By Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Beth Krommes.
Just one single promise, please.
A Poem for Peter by Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrated by Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson.
You can feel the love with every word. Social justice.
Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes by Nicola Davies (Author), Emily Sutton (Illustrator)
What a way to spark curiosity in kids.
Seven and a Half Tons of Steel by Janet Nolan (Author), Thomas Gonzalez (Illustrator)
How something was salvaged from the horror of 9/11 and made into something powerful.
What a Beautiful Morning by Arthur Levine (Author), Katie Kath (Author)
How do we cope with the changing minds of our grandparents?
How does a farm get ready for winter?
Brick by Brick by Charles R., Jr. Smith (Author), Floyd Cooper (Illustrator)
How was the White House really built?
What can happen when we see opportunity rather than ugliness?
Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan
by Ashley Bryan (Author, Illustrator)
Who could the people be behind the slavery sale receipt?
Marvelous Cornelius: Hurricane Katrina and the Spirit of New Orleans
by Phil Bildner (Author), John Parra (Illustrator)
How one person can embody the spirit of a whole city.
Are You an Echo?: The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko
Stunning biography of this female Japanese poet.
Ada Lovelace, Poet of Science: The First Computer Programmer
by Diane Stanley (Author), Jessie Hartland (Illustrator)
An empowering biography of a female genius.
Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions
by Chris Barton (Author), Don Tate (Illustrator)
Perseverance. Creativity. Ingenuity.
Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay
by Susan Hood (Author), Sally Wern Comport (Illustrator)
Rising above one’s circumstances. Inspirational. True.
by Anthony Tucker (Author), Breanne Carlson (Illustrator)
How do you find your path when the world seems against you?
Lailah’s Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story
by Reem Faruqi (Author), Lea Lyon (Illustrator)
How do you explain fasting for Ramadan to those who don’t understand?
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
Aresting visuals. Heartbreak and creativity.
Somos como las nubes / We Are Like the Clouds
by Jorge Argueta (Author), Alfonso Ruano (Illustrator)
May we never forget our own humanity when helping refugees.
by Sebastian Meschenmoser (Author, Illustrator)
Grumpy old pug. Laugh out loud funny.
No words for the beauty of this book, both visually and its message.
by Francesca Sanna (Illustrator)
Where do you go when you know staying is too dangerous?
by Christy Jordan-Fenton (Author), Margaret Pokiak-Fenton (Author), Gabrielle Grimard (Illustrator)
How do you stay true to your identity when others dismiss it?
by Miriam B. Schiffer (Author), Holly Clifton-Brown (Illustrator)
What do you do when your family doesn’t fit what others think family’s should look like?
Bird by Zetta Elliott (Author), Shadra Strickland (Illustrator)
Heart-wrenching.
Giant Squid by Candace Fleming (Author), Eric Rohmann (Illustrator)
Who knew learning about octopus could be so beautiful?
I know I left some off because I am writing this from home. However, this is a start, this is a way to say thank you to all of the books and those who create them that made this year even better.
Filed under: being a teacher, Literacy, picture books, Reading
December 18, 2016
We Don’t Just Teach Curriculum
My first year of teaching I don’t think I ever thought about the end of the year until the end came. Taught every day as if this was the only day that mattered. Taught every day with short-term goals in mind but was too overwhelmed to think about the whole year. To think about how my 4th graders would have changed by the time they were ready for 5th. I think this is common, it is part of the first year survival strategy. One day at a time, sometimes it seems like one lesson at a time. We keep the whole child in mind but really just teach the skills that we set out to cover and hope we do a well enough job.
Now, nine years in and counting, with the feedback given to me by my students, I keep an eye on the end. Not to count it down, in fact the end always comes to soon, but instead to remember the big picture, the end destination; better children, bigger minds, more knowledge, more self awareness.
So while I teach to ensure equal success with our content, I also teach with a larger goal in mind, always propelling us forward; how to become better human beings. How to walk away from 7th grade English and feel like they know themselves better. How to adapt any learning environment to learn better. How to have courageous conversations. How to figure to figure out who they are and where they want to go.
So we weave in the small, but often missed, questions throughout our curriculum, throughout our explorations. I ask my students what is their writing process, they often have little clue, and we revisit the question as the year progresses, so that they know that this matters to who they are.
I ask them how they adapt the environment to fit their needs. Where do they sit to learn? How do they learn best? How does who they sit by affect the way they feel about our class?
I ask after every major unit what they grew on and what is next, how will they get there? They always assess themselves on anything bigger before I do, after all, they need to have a part in what they have accomplished. I ask for feedback on the things we do to make sure they matter to the kids.
I offer choice, of course, but not just in product, but in engagement, in assessment, in process, because sometimes product choice is not an option. I constantly ask them to self assess, even those who cannot be bothered, so that they know that how they feel they did matters to me and to them. We stop and discuss when we need to and adjust course when we must.
I ask them who they are, how they feel, and how I can be a better teacher for them, for the class. Do they feel respected, do they feel this matters, do they want to come to class? And I listen, and I do something based upon what they tell me.
We were never meant to just cover curriculum, we were never meant to just prepare kids for the test, for the next year, for college and career readiness. We were meant to be the handlers of the future. To guide our children to stay curious. To protect the innate love of learning they come to us with. We were meant to help create a better populace that can accept who they are and know that within them there are things that matter, things that still need work.
So don’t just cover the curriculum, don’t just go through day to day. Embrace the amazing opportunity that comes with being in education; the chance to shape the future with the conversations we have now. We are not just teachers of our subject areas, we are teachers in every wonderfully convoluted term of the word. So ask questions beyond the subject, give time to reflect, to slow down, and to find a pathway to being better. Keep an eye on the end not because you want the year to be over, but because in the end, you know that what you did together mattered. That those kids you were lucky enough to teach grew in more areas than one. That is the promise we can make every day. That is a promise we can keep.
I am currently working on a new literacy book. The book, which I am still writing, is tentatively Passionate Readers and will be published in the summer of 2017 by Routledge. I also have a new book coming out December, 2017 called Reimagining Literacy Through Global Collaboration, a how-to guide for those who would like infuse global collaboration into their curriculum. So until then if you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students. Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.
Filed under: being a teacher, student choice, Student dreams, student driven, Student Engagement, student voice
December 17, 2016
Teaching Tough Topics – An Exploration into Suicide Prevention
For the past two weeks my students have visibly struggled in class. They have questioned. They have reflected. They have stopped and spoken to each other as they have made their way through a topic that I wasn’t sure we were ready to do. A topic I felt uncomfortable even discussing, but I knew we should. For the past two weeks my students have to come class ready to learn, eager to get started, and worked until the very last moment, asking if we were continuing the next day. They have been fully invested, fully aware, but also just a little bit timid.
One month ago I saw an article get released by NPR, it spoke of how the suicide rate among middle schoolers is at the highest peak ever. It stopped me in my tracks, after all, this is my age group, these are my kids. And while I am lucky to have never taught a child who has committed suicide, I know I have taught kids who have tried, kids who have contemplated, kids who still carry the weight of suicidal thoughts and are not sure what to think of themselves. The article sat in my inbox staring me in my face, daring me to do something. And yet…would my students be able to handle a topic like this?
On Monday the 5th, I cleared my voice and told my students that for the next few weeks we were going to pursue knowledge, that we were going to discuss, explore, and question. That we were going to go as personal as we wanted to. That the topic was dark but necessary. Were they ready? Yes, they told me. And so we began; focusing a unit on the question, “How do we prevent suicide in middle schoolers?” And I am so glad we did.
For the past two weeks we have been surrounded by hard conversations. Surrounded by outrage, by questions, and even by sadness. They have asked things out loud that they might not have had the courage to ask out loud before. They have shared their truths and also shared (some) of their fears. They have cried with me when we heard a glimpse of a parent’s 911 call pleading for help for their own child. They have been outraged at the intense bullying some children have suffered from. They have discussed responsibility and guilt. They have struggled with the central question and reflected upon their own actions and how they affect other people, even when they don’t mean to.
I have sat in awe as they have taken this topic and explored it in a way I could not have planned for. As one child told me, “Mrs. Ripp, I know this sounds strange but I find this to be fascinating and yet also so sad.”
I wasn’t sure my students were ready.
I wasn’t sure their parents would understand.
I wasn’t sure what the outcome would be. If it would matter. If it would be worth our time.
I wasn’t even sure that I could handle this topic in a meaningful way.
But we did, and it was, and the kids now know what the warning signs are. Now know to ask each other if they are worried. Now know that suicide tends to not be impulsive, that there are hints dropped. Now know that even “normal” looking kids can have suicidal thoughts. Now know what the real effects of bullying can be. Now know to have conversations with someone they trust if they feel like this is a solution for them.
Too often we shy away from the hard topics because we are not sure it is the right time. That we are the right person to teach it. That our kids can handle it. That our community will support us. Yet time after time, these kids amaze me. Time after time, they prove that they are more ready than we could imagine. That they don’t want to invest their time in “boring” topics but want to deal with the real side of the world. They want to know what really happens, how people are really affected, and they want to know what they can do to make it better. Our job is to support them. To help them understand. To help them navigate this world that they live in so they can have better lives. Our job is to educate and not be afraid, to plant seeds that may in some way help them as they grow.
For the past two weeks I have had more hard conversations behind closed doors with more kids than I ever could have imagined. I have cried with my students. I have thanked more kids for their bravery. Told them that no matter how they feel they matter to me, to us. For the past two weeks I have marveled as the facade of some my kids have crumbled and they have risen from their pasts like a phoenix from the fire. All because an article haunted me. All because I thought it might just matter to them, to me, to us. And it did. And so we did. And we grew from it; closer, stronger, better. Isn’t that what teaching is about?
I am currently working on a new literacy book. The book, which I am still writing, is tentatively Passionate Readers and will be published in the summer of 2017 by Routledge. I also have a new book coming out December, 2017 called Reimagining Literacy Through Global Collaboration, a how-to guide for those who would like infuse global collaboration into their curriculum. So until then if you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students. Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.
Filed under: Be the change, being a student, being a teacher, student choice, Student dreams, Student Engagement
December 16, 2016
A Story of A Child that Can
For the past three years, on December 19th, I have written about the miracle that is our youngest daughter, Augustine. About her much too soon arrival. About the fear. The uncertainty. The guilt…
I have written about my hope for others to see how a child’s start in life may still haunt them many years later when they show up in our classrooms. I have written about how the very least we can do is love them when they come. How we can prepare all we want and yet never be fully ready.
Augustine’s much too soon arrival has shaped our lives in many ways, and yet…last night when I came home from school I did not see a baby that arrived too early. I did not see a 4 pound miracle. I did not see a child wrapped up in long nights and frightening futures. In machines and medical personel. I saw an almost three year old showing me her pig, Pua. I saw an almost three year old that wanted to watch that monster show. I saw an almost three year old that kept her siblings awake by making cat noises.
She will always be the baby that came too soon, but she no longer is just that child. She is no longer just a preemie, she is my willful, loud daughter, making her own place in the world. She is the child that crawled at 5 months, who walked at 9 months. She is the child that is perfectly average. A child that defies the odds. Who didn’t wait for someone to tell her that she should do what her siblings were doing but simply ran after them and did. And with every naughty thing she tries not to get caught doing, she is rewriting how we see her.
How often do our students show up with haunted pasts? With files that follow? With reputations and beginnings that yes, have shaped who they once were, but now no longer defines them? How often do our students come to us with assumptions laced around them so tight we can hardly see past them even though that child is no longer the child that presents itself. How often do we acknowledge the past, even if the past is just yesterday, but then purposefully readjust our focus to see the child that stands before us now?
Augustine was the child that came too soon, but she is now the child of can’s. The child of will’s. The child of average. No one who meets her now will ever guess her tumultuous beginning, and I am glad. How many of our students are trying to escape a past that no longer is them, that no longer is all they are?
I became the mother of a premature baby 3 years ago, but I am now the mother of an almost three year old. A little girl that didn’t care what the doctors said. A little girl that from the moment she could, she did. She asks to be seen for who she is now, not what she was before. The least I can do is adjust my vision.
[image error]
I am currently working on a new literacy book. The book, which I am still writing, is tentatively Passionate Readers and will be published in the summer of 2017 by Routledge. I also have a new book coming out December, 2017 called Reimagining Literacy Through Global Collaboration, a how-to guide for those who would like infuse global collaboration into their curriculum. So until then if you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students. Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.
Filed under: Be the change, being a teacher, being me
December 9, 2016
My Favorite Chapter Books of 2016
It is with great trepidation that I make this list. Inevitably a book will be left off or I will somehow screw this up. But…these books have shaped my year. These books with their worlds, their heart, and their dreams have made me better. Have offered me solace on long winter nights, have lulled me to sleep on airplanes and in hotel rooms. When work has been too hard and life has been too busy, these books have kept me afloat. So how can I not praise them? (Thank you Goodreads). While are new this year, some are not, but all were new to me.
Please read them. Please love them. Please share them with others. After all, books may just be the very thing that brings us all together.
It is always exciting when I discover a new series and The Reader by Traci Chee did not disappoint. While it took me a few days to read, my confusion was rewarded at the end when everything made sense and I was left with a longing to read on. PG13 and up.
I had heard of Gene Luen Yang before he was chosen as National Book Ambassador but his new title led me to discover more of his work. While I loved all of his that I read American Born Chinese was definitely my favorite. This is a must add to any middle school classroom and up.
It is hard not to love Pax by Sara Pennypacker. This book was the Global Read Aloud choice for elementary and up for 2016 and I still think it is one of the most powerful reads of the year. This story of a fox and his boy will simply stay with you for a very long time.
I thought I knew a lot about hurricane Katrina but after reading Drowned City by Don Brown, I realized how little I actually knew. Sparse, powerful, and haunting is the best way for me to describe this graphic novel nonfiction book. Must add to middle school and up.
It is hard to not admire Kate Messner and her formidable brain, she epitomizes to me what it means to be creative. I love her new series, Ranger in Time, geared toward early readers and have brought the books in to my own 7th grade classroom as well. What a wonderful way to discover history.
This was my very first read of the year and it was oh so good. In fact, I think Shadow and Bone from Leigh Bardugo was the series feeling I chased all year. Magic, action, love, this series has it all for our PG13 readers.
It is hard to describe the sadness that overcame me as I read the graphic novel Yummy – the Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri. After all, this is the story of an actual child, this is the story of something that actually happened. This is the story of a child who got so lost that he ended taking the life of another child and then losing his own. PG13 and up.
I teach using the Notice and Note signposts, and a A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park is one of the texts used. I knew I had to read it when I saw how it captivated all of my students. This story of the Lost Boys of Sudan is one that many students throughout the year has also gravitated toward. This could be placed in the hands of the right 5th grader who was ready for it.
There is always something bittersweet when you realize a book you loved and booktalked is missing in your library. This is the case of Nimona by Noelle Stevenson. I loved it, I book talked it, someone snagged it to read and poof it has disappeared. This is a graphic novel tale I will gladly re-order though.
I wonder how many times I have booktalked Gym Candy by Carl Deuker this year? This is the book I reach for when I am running out of options for my resistant readers. This is the book that I found myself sucked into as I ignored my family on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. This is one of those books that becomes a magic weapon when we try to help students love reading more. PG13 and up.
With the 15th anniversary of 9/11 we saw a slew of powerful books being published about the events. While I read almost all of the ones published, Eleven by Tom Rogers is still the book that for me captured the day in the most powerful way. 4th grade and up but my 7th graders devour it as well.
I came across Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins as I booktalked poor covers. My librarian told our class that while the cover might leave something t be desired, this was a really popular series. I therefore promptly took t home to read it and boy was she right. Love, action, magic, yes please. Great middle school and up series.
Another fox book? Yes please! Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt and Alison McGhee is a powerful story of loss and discovery. Of a family seemingly torn apart. Of a fox that knows that it plays an important part in the healing. This book is beautiful and for 4th grade and up.
This was the year i started to re-think my hatred of dog books and Maxi’s Secret by Lynn Plourde played a big part in that. While yes the dog dies (it is told to us in the first chapter) this story is bigger than that of a dog. It is about friendship, finding your place, and finding yourself. 4th grade and up.
I was told to read The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid this summer by a friend because she thought it would be one of those books that I could not wait to share. She was right. The Diabolic is a masterful piece of work; challenging science fiction that still is a page turner. PG13 and up.
I don’t know how I missed A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness for so long but I am so glad that I now have many copies of it in my classroom library. This is one of those books you hand to those kids that say that they don’t like reading much. I, along with many students, are eagerly awaiting the movie adaptation that is coming out in January. Middle school and up.
Another book recommended to me by a trusted friend was Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart. This book is needed in our libraries, especially as we focus on creating windows, mirrors, and doors into the lives of others. Middle school and up.
I love complex fantasy, ones that have deep story lines where I need to find the time to fall into its pages and forget about life for a while. Kelly Barnhill’s The Girl Who Drank the Moon is just the right kind of fantasy book. Beautiful language and a story line that mesmerizes, I am glad this now a part of our library. 4th or 5th grade and up.
How amazing of a storyteller is Kate Messner? I loved The Seventh Wishso much that it got it’s own stand alone review on this blog, and I stand by those words. This book belongs in our classrooms, in our libraries, and yes even with elementary children.
Hands down one of the best non-fiction autobiographies I have ever read. Melissa Sweet’s Some Writer! about E.B. White is a masterpiece in visual layout as well as text. I have ordered another copy to house permanently in my classroom and will be using it to teach writer’s craft. I cannot wait for children to fall into the delight of these pages and to be inspired to write more themselves.
I have loved the genius of Jenni Holm for a few years now and her new book Full of Beans is a delight. This is one of those perfect books that will make for a great read aloud, especially in our 4th and 5th grade classrooms. This is also a Global Read Aloud contender for 2017.
I started my summer with The Best Man by Richard Peck. Spurred on by my friends’ love of this book and by the sad fact that I had never read a Richard Peck book before, I was glad to start the summer with this one. I was delighted, surprised, and ever so wonderfully tangled into the story and have loved booktalking it to students. This one is great for middle school and up, or even a 5th grader.
How I have managed to go these years without falling in love with The Raven Boys series by Maggie Stiefwater I am not sure. This has been one of my most recommended books this summer because I dropped everything just to read this whole series in a week. Now that that the whole series is out there is no reason to wait to get this for your classroom library, I would recommend middle school and up.
The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner is still one of the best books I have read all year. This is the book I hope most of my students discover. This is the book I keep recommending. A masterpiece in story-telling that I could not put down and neither could those I have handed it too. This debut author has taken everything that is right about a great YA and put it into a book. I cannot wait for his next book.
I was handed Fenway and Hattie by the author herself, Victoria J. Coe, and read it the very next day. Delightful, fun, and imaginative I have recommended this book to many people since. I love how Victoria Coe writes it from the perspective of a dog and will be using this to show perspective writing with my 7th graders. While this is geared toward a younger audience, I think some of my 7th graders will enjoy it as much as I have. This is also a contender for Global Read Aloud 2017.
Loving Vs. Virginia by Patricia Hruby Powell and illustrated by Shadra Strickland is a must add to your library. This text sheds light on the landmark case of marriage equality and is riveting in how it unfolds. You fall in love with the Lovings and their simple fight to simply be allowed to be married. (Note: Available for pre-order now).
What an incredible book Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk is. In fact, I would be surprised if we did not see this book receive awards later this year. Unlike anything I have read in a long time, Wolf Hollow draws you into a world that speaks of simpler times and yet the story unravels in a way you would not expect. From 4th grade and up, this book is also a must add in middle school.
I loved the scary tale and the beautiful language of The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste. I rooted for the main character Corinne as she fights for her father and the rest of her island, protecting them from the supernatural beings that live in the forest. For kids that love a great scary story, I cannot wait to book talk this, and even better; there is a sequel coming.
I had the incredible honor of seeing Erin Downing, the author of Moon ShadowMoon Shadow, at NCTE. This book is a must read in 2017 (our in May!). With its creepy yet deep story, it promises to be a book that many middle grade kids will want to read, discuss, and share.
Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson is the book I keep telling people to read, keep telling people to pre-order (out in February). This powerful story is one that simply needs to be experienced and then placed in the hands of our middle schools and up. Powerful, eye opening, and also just a great example of wonderful story telling.
The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell is a book I didn’t expect to love as much as I did. I had heard from others that it was a great title and yet whenever I picked it up, I just didn’t quite fall into the appeal of it. Its tale of honor, family, and yes, wolves left me mesmerized from page 1. This is the best of books; nature and survival, historical fiction and fast paced adventure. This is a must for 4th grade and up.
One of these days I might write an entire post about how much I admire the talent and work of Jacqueline Woodson. The conversations she invites us to have in our classrooms are profound and I am so thankful I finally discovered her book If You Come Softly. While the story is set in high school it is not high school langue which makes it even more accessible to many students. This book about race and love and growing up is one I won’t forget. I also read, and loved, Behind You, the follow up novel.
I cannot imagine the painstaking work it must have been for Allan Wolf to write The Watch that Ends the Night. This is the Titanic story like I had never experienced it before. Middle school and up.
Can Jennifer A. Nielsen do no wrong? She once again had me hooked from the early pages of The Scourge, what a great story of mystery, survival, and also devious means to fight back. 4th or 5th grade and up.
I am not sure I have enough words to publicly declare how much I love the brain of Dav Pilkey and his new series Dog Man. This one book has completely transformed my daughter’s life, who is 7, but is equally loved by my 7th graders. This is what great books are made of.
Another book I was surprised I had missed until now. Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate is her other master piece. This book with its free verse formand heart wrenching story is everything great books are made of. This is also GRA contender for 2017.
I don’t know how Jason Reynolds manages to crank one book out after another but I am thankful that he does. His latest book Ghost is the beginning of a series, thank you! It is a Global Read Aloud Contender, and it is oh so good for middle grade and up.
I finally settled into my new reading chair and fell in love with The Wild Robot by Peter Brown. It is always such a delight when simple language brings us deep reading experiences. This is also one of those books that I know I can hand to many kids and they can have a successful reading experience with it. 4th grade and up, but 7th graders love it too.
I always have room for a great creepy book and Janet Fox’s new book, The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle, is just that. Mysterious, creepy, and suspenseful will keep readers tuned in from 5th grade and up.
I tend to steer away from WWII books simply because I have oversaturated myself in the genre, but for The Plot to Kill Hitler by Patricia McCormick, I knew I would make an exception. What is crazy about this story is that it is true, and also one I had not heard of before. This was book-talked once in my classroom and I have not seen it since. Perfect for middle grades and up.
I think My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and JodI Meadows is one of those books where you either love it or hate it. I loved it with a capital l. This felt fresh, funny, and of course I had to read just one more page to see what would happen. Perfect for middle school and up.
I can be very hit or miss when it comes to historical fiction, I feel that I either love it or really do not like it. The Many Reflections of Miss Jane Deming by J. Anderson Coats is a book that I loved reading. I loved the can-do attitude of or female protagonist and also how it provided me with a glimpse into the settler time period. This gem comes out at the end of February and is not to be missed for middle grade and up.
Argh, cancer books. I am terrible with you and yet I also feel myself drawn to their pages. Love, Ish the new book by Karen Rivers is one that will take you for a ride whether you wanted it to or not. Powerful storytelling brings us right there with Ish. Out on my birthday, March 14th, this is a great book for middle grades and up.
There were so many other books that I loved this year but I tried to stick to a little bit of a shorter list. To see all of the books I read and rate follow me on Instagram or on Goodreads. Which books did I miss?
Filed under: being a teacher, books, Reading
Look for the One
This year has been a year of amazing reflection opportunities for me. This year has brought these incredibly resilient and demanding (in all of the best ways) students into my life. There have been glorious days and then there have been those days where I feel like the worst kind of teacher. Where I feel like all of my best laid plans, all of my great intentions, all of the dreams that I carefully crafted meant nothing, did nothing and I stand there feeling like the worst kind of teacher. I am not alone. As speak to my fellow educators, we all have those days, we all have those long nights where we reflect on what we did wrong and how we can get better. So I write this to myself, to all of us, for the days where I feels like nothing went right. I write this a reminder, as a message on the days where I forget. On those days where we all forget.
Dear you,
I am so sorry that today seemed like one of those days where there was a perfect storm. Where we seemed stretched too thin and it is almost as if kids picked up on it and every single thing that could go wrong, went wrong in the worst of ways. As if every dormant issue rose up and came alive to create one glorious, awful day. Where we feel like a bad day kind of teacher and we are not sure just what to do.
So know this, as you lick your wounds and go home downtrodden; it is one day. One day of awful. One day of not so great among many days of great. Know this; that what separates the good from the bad is that you choose to go home and not blame the children, but instead look at what you could have done better. Asking; how can I make it better and telling yourself that tomorrow will be a better day.
And on those days, when that feeling of awful settles into your stomach, ready to overshadow your night, then you must look for the one moment. The one moment where what you did mattered. The one moment where what you did today was not a complete loss for that one kid. Because there is always one kid. Even when everything else burns around us and our walls come down and we feel like the biggest fraud in the classroom, and we feel like we are a part of the problem and not the solution. There is one kid who had a good moment today, and so your job is now to find that one good thing. To find that one good thing so that you will remember that even the best teachers have bad days. That you are better than you think you are. And that having a bad day is just that; a human being having a bad day, and because you had a bad day does not make you a bad teacher, nor does it mean that tomorrow will be bad.
So look for the one.
Look for the one thing that you forgot, that you missed as you look back on the day. Hold on to that one as you think of the bad and don’t beat yourself up too much. We were never promised it would be easy but only that it would be worth it.
I am currently working on a new literacy book. The book, which I am still writing, is tentatively Passionate Readers and will be published in the summer of 2017 by Routledge. I also have a new book coming out December, 2017 called Reimagining Literacy Through Global Collaboration, a how-to guide for those who would like infuse global collaboration into their curriculum. So until then if you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students. Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.
Filed under: being a teacher, being me
December 4, 2016
Win A Copy of My New Book!
For the past year I have been sitting behind my computer most nights trying to figure out how to put into words the work we do in our classroom while writing two separate books. Trying to figure out how I can help others go deeper with their literacy instruction, even within the 45 minute English classroom. Trying to figure out how others could incorporate more global collaboration into their literacy instruction without it feeling like just one more thing to do. Trying to figure out how to make the literacy instruction we all do more meaningful, more passionate, more connected. There have been great nights and there have been early mornings. There have been days when I have felt like the biggest fraud, imposter syndrome for the win, and others where I finally felt like what I had to write might actually be meaningful to someone else.
The past year has been grueling, but oh so incredible, and now I get to celebrate the first release of one of those books; Reimagining Literacy through Global Collaboration. This how-to book is meant to help those that are new to global collaboration or have been dipping their toes in for the past few years. It is meant to inspire, meant to give you the why, and meant to help you create more meaningful literacy opportunities for your students. It is meant to give you a glimpse into our classroom as we try to make the world smaller, kinder, and the work we do more relevant all in less than 80 pages.
The official description says:
Prepare your students to adapt and thrive in the world beyond their classroom. This how-to guide offers strategies for how to establish classrooms that give students globally connected literacy experiences. Learn why students must create school projects aimed at an authentic audience beyond school walls, and plan for more purposeful opportunities for students to engage with what they learn and create. You’ll discover how to use readily available technology tools to create environments where students gain 21st century skills, collaborate with others around the globe, and realize that their work matters.
Enter to win:
So in order to celebrate the impending release of this book, I thought I would give away two copies of it. It should be out within the next first few weeks so before Christmas and you will receive you copy right from Amazon.
All you have to do to enter is to write a comment below, make sure you enter your email address in the field where it asks for it so I can contact you if you win. I will draw two randomly selected winners after Friday night, December 9th at 8 PM.
To order the book yourself:
While Amazon says it will not be released until January, Solution Tree says otherwise. So if you would like to order your own copy of the book, please go here.
What is my other book?
I am currently working on a new literacy book. The book, which I am still writing, is tentatively Passionate Readers and will be published in the summer of 2017 by Routledge. It is the tale of how I changed my literacy instruction to create passionate readers even within the 45 minute English classroom. It is the wisdom of my amazing 7th graders and what they wish all teachers of reading would know and do. It is how we can bring our own reading identity in and let it help us become better teachers of reading. It is a book filled with the practical, the inspirational, and the tools we need to hopefully help our students embrace reading as part of their identity.
If you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students. Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.
Filed under: being a teacher, books
