Pernille Ripp's Blog, page 64

Before I Set Out to Change the World

I never set out to be more than a teacher , to be a speaker, an author, as someone who people ask for advice.  In fact, I still find the whole thing confounding, dumbfounded over how in the world I got so lucky to get to be inspired by so many others.  To get to teach teachers, to learn with others, and to bring those things back to the incredible students I teach at the school I call home.  And yet within this awestruck notion of being more is the truth of me; I may be many things, but the one thing I am first is the teacher to my own students.

So before I set out to change the world, I must first change the very classroom that I teach in.  I must make sure that what I say I hold so dear is not just a stepping stone for bigger things.

Before I set out to change the world, I must make sure that the very thing that has given me the courage to speak up is still the very thing that gets the best of me.  That the students, whose dreams I am trying to protect, are still the most important part.

Before I ask others to listen to the voice of their students, I must give my own students a place to speak up, to be heard, and plenty of time for them to find the words they need to share.

Before I ask others to change, I must change myself.  Reflect on my own mistakes and become better.  Reflect so I can grow and not pretend that I have all of the answers or all of the power.

Before I set out to change the world, I must make sure that the words I speak are the truth.  That what my students and I do really is making a difference for the better.   That what we say we do is really what we do and not just what we hope to do.

Before I tell others how to teach better, I must make sure I am a better teacher.  That my teaching is not a point on the to-do list, but is the thing that challenges me in the very best kind of way.  That my teaching really allows my students to be empowered, be engaged, be passionate.

Before I give others all of me, I must make sure that I have something to give to my students.  That I take the time to get their lessons right.  That I take the time to make it work for them before I share.  That I take the time to make the time to be present when I teach and not think of the world that lies beyond.  Because in our room, room 235D, I am not the teacher of the world.  I am not an author.  I am not a speaker.  I am not the creator of the Global Read Aloud.  I am the teacher of those 7th grade students that show up to English every day at Oregon Middle School.  And that is the very best thing for me.

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, Dream

Mind Your Skype Manners – Tips for Better Skype Calls

For the past many years, my students have Skyped with classrooms around the world as we have tried to let others into our class.  We have shared our love of books through the Global Read Aloud, we have guessed their location through Mystery Skype, and we have asked questions as we did market research for projects we are doing.  Skype is a part of our classroom and I would not want it any other way.  But every year I have to remind my students how to act while Skyping, to mind their Skype manners as we proceed.  Not because they are poorly behaved but because for some, this is the first time they have worked with others in this way and there are things they may not be aware of.

So what follows are our tips for minding your Skype manners.

Make your purpose meaningful and clear.  We not only discuss how we will be Skyping but why and what the expected outcome should be.  This small discussion allows my students to see the potential of the experience they are about to have, rather than just roll with it and assume it will be great.

Have roles or questions prepared.  For Mystery Skype, each of my students has a job that they have picked and are held accountable for, for other Skype calls they have prepared questions in advance.  They write them on notecards and hand them to me and I hand them back when it is time to ask it, at the end we always leave time for extra questions to be asked that have popped up as we listened.

Have a way to introduce yourself.  I usually give students this job and some time to prepare something about our class.  This also serves as a reminder of what the purpose is of the call as they restate that.

Brief the audience on body language.  I have a wide lens camera when we Skype which means a lot of the kids can be seen in the background.  We therefore discuss what our body language should look like and also what is visible on camera.  The students know that if their shoulders are slumped or head is down, even though it is just because they are realizing, it may send a message of disinterest to others.

Mind your tone.  My 7th graders are pretty funny but sometimes their sense of humor does not translate well via Skype.  We therefore always a have a discussion of tone and the words we choose before we Skype.  A gentle reminder is often all that they need to be aware of how they sound and to speak in a way that suits our audience.

Introduce yourself always.  The students always start out by saying their name and then maintaining eye contact throughout.

Stay while listening.  Often the natural reaction of a student is to ask their questions and then sit down, however, we think it is important to stay and listen to the whole answer then thank the speaker.

Give them a task during besides just listening.  I have had students doodle during a class, take notes, or even have a backchannel on Todaysmeet.  This is not just to share our learning but to focus students in.  Even the most exciting Skype call can wear a kid out, so having them do something while they are listening helps them stay engaged and will make the call more meaningful.

Debrief.  After the call we tend to just move on, yet, part of the magic of Skype is discussing what you learned.  After our Mystery Skypes the students debrief in an attempt to get better.  Other calls can be debriefed via conversation, small group aggregation of information and then crowd sourcing information into a Padlet or Google doc.  Do something after the call to acknowledge what just happened rather than just move on.

Finally, don’t be afraid to end a call.  I have only  had to end a call once in our years of Skyping but I am so glad I did.  My students were trying to be funny but were really coming off as rude.  I simply told the other teacher that due to their behavior we had to end the call.  We then discussed as a class what to do better next time.  It was a great lesson for the kids, particularly when the tables were turned a few weeks later and they felt the other class was being rude to them.

If you are looking for great Skype opportunities, join the Skype in the Classroom site or become a member of the Global Read Aloud Facebook page, you can post requests on both.

 

Filed under: being a teacher, collaboration, global, skype, student voice

Would You Like to Be Our Readers?

As part of our epic non-fiction picture book project, we are looking for students to share these books with.  The books have been created in Google slides so you will not need to print anything or send anything, just read them and fill out a form.

If you would like to receive some of our finished picture books to give feedback on and your teach 4th grade or younger, please fill out the form.  Picture books will be shared at the end of December and you will have until mid-January to provide the feedback.

Filed under: being a teacher, collaboration, global

Our Epic Nonfiction Picture Book Project Take 2

For the past few years, my students have written nonfiction picture books for younger audiences around the world.  Last year, I decided to share the lesson plan to serve as inspiration for those who wanted it, and this year I thought I would do the same.  While the foundation is the same, the process has been tweaked a bit for a more meaningful experience for the students.

The goal of the project is rather simple; create a 15 to 25 slide/page nonfiction picture book meant for a 2nd or 3rd grade audience on anything you wish to write about.  Throughout this project we have been able to successfully marry tech tools with writing, as well as use Skype, Padlet, Twitter and other interactive tools.

Why this project?  Because within it we have been able to work on:

How to take organized notes in a way that works for them.
How to write a paragraph and all of the myriads of lessons that are attached to that.
Grammar!  Spelling!  Punctuation!
How to find legal images.
How to cite sources, including images, books, and websites.
How to uncover reliable sources (yes, there is a place for Wikipedia in our research).
How to search the internet better.
How to conduct market research using Skype to ask 2nd or 3rd graders what they want to read and how they want to read it.
How to rewrite information in our own words.
How to do design and layout on a page to make it inviting.
How to create good questions.
Exploring our own interests.
How to write assessment rubrics.
How to work as a peer mentor group.
How to monitor self-engagement.

So a few details about the project:

This is a 3-week long project, anchored by a 10 or so minute mini-lessons every day and then work time the rest of class.
Mini-lessons have centered around how to take notes ( I showed them 3 different ways), how to research well, how to write paragraphs, how to rewrite information, and anything else we have had to address.
Students were able to ask questions to 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms via Skype to do market research, and incorporate that feedback into their project.
I am using this blog and Facebook to find classrooms that will assess the final product.  If you would like to be one, please fill out the form at the end of the post.  Those that sign up to give us feedback, fill out this Google form.
Students create their books in Google Slides for easy access for all (we check out Chromebooks), as well as easy design and layout.

Major Changes for this year:

The addition of Google Classroom.

This year we have been using Google Classroom to post tools, create the project, as well as use as a gathering point.  This addition has made it much more manageable as far as giving students the information they need, as well as seeing where students are.  If you have not looked into Google Classroom, this is a great project to use it for.

The Peer Mentor Group.

Students are in peer mentor groups as of today.  These groups are meant to be support groups that also help hold each other accountable.  Students gave me three names; a friend they know well, someone they kind of know, and a name for someone they would like to know.  I then made the groups puzzling out their requests.  Groups are between 2 and 4 people are will be used almost every day as an informal check-in.

The shortened timeline.

Last year we did this project for 6 weeks and although the students stayed fully engaged, we shortened it to 3 because we realized we could achieve the same deep engagement with a shortened product.  It also means the students are using their time better because they know every minute counts.

The actual lesson plan:

Expectations:

Finished product should be a 15 to 25 page book, created in Google Slides,  that not only includes 4-5 or so “chapters/sub-topics” but also has a glossary, table of contents, works cited, front and back cover, as well as an about the author.
Font size of text should be at least 20.
Students will use at least one print research material and supplement with reliable internet sources.
We will use the website Easybib.com to cite all of our sources which will be done in conjunction with tech tools.  Cross collaboration is a great idea here.
We will spend time in class researching, writing, as well as sharing our work.  Students should be able to finish this in class if time is spent wisely.  

Sample:  Will be shown in class and linked to here.

Modifications/Support provided:

Some students will be invited to work in small groups with me and/or support teachers.
Graphic organizers and templates can be provided for those who need to follow a format.  To access them, please go to this Google presentation and make a copy as needed.

Mini-Lesson Materials:

Every day, we will focus on a mini-lesson meant to bolster the skills and needs of the students.  The following mini-lessons will be taught (in order):

Exploring NF picture books; what are their text features and why are they important?  Template for this discovery can be found here.
What do you want to teach the world?  Narrowing down topic and finding research materials.  Brainstorming research questions to guide their reading.  
Who is your audience?  What do we know about 2nd and 3rd graders? Preparing for our market research Skype call.  Creating a Padlet with what we think we know about 2nd and 3rd graders reading preferences.  An example can be seen here.  Students also meet in their peer mentor groups to share their topics, their questions and what they are excited about.  
Skype call to classrooms, during the call students will take notes for themselves and afterwards we will update our Padlet with what we know now.  Research time reading their books.
Taking 3 column notes in notebook or Google docs.  Example template can be found here.  More information on this type of note-taking can be seen here
Taking notes on notecards and providing graphic organizers for the notes.  (I glued 6 envelopes into Manilla folders and then laminated them many years ago.  These work well for students because they can use them to organize their notes in sub-topics and can write on the folders using dry erase markers.)
Using Diigo as a way to take notes (refresher from Tech tools).
Unscrambling a paragraph – parts of a paragraph  (example taken from here)
Fill in the main idea and conclusion – found here
Informal to formal paragraph – found here Alternate is writing a sample paragraph
Teach to your partner, checklist can be found here
Table of contents – what does it do, what does it need?
Glossary – what does it do, what does it need?
Self-assessment, peer edit if they want to and review, checklist can be found here
Turn in 

That’s it, pretty much.  Feel free to modify/adapt/share.

If you would like to receive some of our finished picture books to give feedback on and your teach 4th grade or younger, please fill out the form.  Picture books will be shared at the end of December and you will have until mid-January to provide the feedback.

 

 

Filed under: being a teacher, collaboration, global, Literacy, MIEExpert15, picture books, projects, Reading, skype, student choice

Dear Administrators – After the Observation

 

For many years, I have been told that I am a great teacher.  In fact, the first time I was told that was my second observation as a brand-new teacher.  Ironic considering I did not feel great at all.  I was told that I knew what I was doing, that it seemed like I was on the right path.  And while it certainly made me happy to have gone through my observation unscathed and even with a compliment, it also confused me.  How could I be a great teacher if I was so new?  How could I not have things to work on in the classroom?  How could this be the epitome of great?

So for years, I always hoped for feedback that I could use.  For questions that would make me grow.  Sometimes ideas were shared, most of the time they were not as administrators were overwhelmed with even more things to do.  And so I found my own professional development.  I tore myself apart trying to figure out what I needed to work on.  I reached out to others so that I could grow.  But I always hoped that one day I would work for an administrator that would push me as well.

Last year, was my first year as a 7th grade teacher, and my first observation left me sleepless and nauseated.  After all, it was pretty clear to me (and the world) that 7th grade was so far out of my comfort zone and was my biggest challenge yet, and there was so much for me to still learn.   I didn’t know what to expect, I didn’t know what would be observed that I may have missed, I didn’t know what would be said after.

So it was with great anticipation I went to my post-observation meeting with my principal.  Anticipation because I longed to be given advice, to be pushed to reflect, to not just be told the good things but to find a path to grow.  And I was not disappointed.  While my principal pointed out the great, she also asked me to reflect.  She gave me ideas that I could try for things she had seen that I had not.  She left me articles and emailed me blog posts as she tried to support my growth.  That was the first time in 7 years that someone had done that for me.  That was the first time that someone said; yes, you have room to grow, even if you are good, and here are some ideas.

So to all of you incredible administrators out there, to all of you who observe.  Please push us.  Please guide us.  Please tell us the great, but then also please tell us the things we need to improve on.  Give us articles that may help, blog posts, videos, take the time to help us reflect and grow.  Make it as big of a deal for you as it is for us.

Stay current yourself so that you can pass on the information to others.  If you have never taught a grade level or subject that you have to observe, please learn about it.  Do not assume that your experience will be enough.  Please become knowledgeable so that we can use you as a mentor.  Be a role model when it comes to learning and growth and share your knowledge freely.  My principal, Shannon Anderson, is the epitome of lifelong learning.  She is not afraid to admit when she does not know something, but she will always jump right in with you to find out.   And she is not alone, I know others like her, but I also know some that are not.

I know I am asking a lot.  I know that administrators have so much to do already, and yet, the role of observer and mentor is one to be cherished, one to be nurtured.  To have the ability to influence someone else’s professional growth is not something that should be shoved to the bottom of a much too long to-do list.  Instead, make it your passion, realize the potential influence you can exert and use that power for good.

Being told what to work on was not a slap in the face, not when done correctly, instead it was a chance for me to re-evaluate practices that I had forgotten about.  To reexamine some things I thought I had figured out.  It was a chance for me to learn. A chance to grow.  A chance to not just be great but be better.  And better is what I strive for every day.

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: administration, aha moment, being a teacher, being me, principals

Great Middle Grade Books to Give As Gifts

Oh the middle grade book, one of my favorite categories of books because of the diversity there it be had.  No wonder, this continues to be the most participated in category for the Global Read Aloud.  This year brought amazing books to share with students or to read quietly.  No wonder, there are so many of them I would love to give as gifts.

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin has shown up on many end of year best lists and there is a reason for that.  With Suzy’s tale of how to survive after an unexpected death, this is a must read for many people.

From Amazon:

After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting-things don’t just happen for no reason. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory–even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy’s achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe…and the potential for love and hope right next door.

The graphic novel is a powerful one as evidenced by several of the suggestions on this list.  Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson continues the tradition of creating relatable stories with powerful characters.  I disagree with Amazon, this books is not just for 10 year old girls.

From Amazon:

For most of her twelve years, Astrid has done everything with her best friend Nicole. But after Astrid falls in love with roller derby and signs up for derby camp, Nicole decides to go to dance camp instead. And so begins the most difficult summer of Astrid’s life as she struggles to keep up with the older girls at camp, hang on to the friend she feels slipping away, and cautiously embark on a new friendship. As the end of summer nears and her first roller derby bout (and junior high!) draws closer, Astrid realizes that maybe she is strong enough to handle the bout, a lost friendship, and middle school… in short, strong enough to be a roller girl.

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Another graphic novel for the list; Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm.  This is the graphic novel of the year in my eyes since it gave us teachers a way to start hard conversations in our classrooms about addiction and a family in crisis.   Don’t let the format deceive you; this is powerful reading.

From Amazon:

Sunny Lewin has been packed off to Florida to live with her grandfather for the summer.  At first she thought Florida might be fun — it is  the home of Disney World, after all.  But the place where Gramps lives is no amusement park.  It’s full of . . . old people.  Really old people.

 

Luckily, Sunny isn’t the only kid around.  She meets Buzz, a boy who is completely obsessed with comic books, and soon they’re having adventures of their own: facing off against golfball-eating alligators, runaway cats, and mysteriously disappearing neighbors.  But the question remains — why is Sunny down in Florida in the first place?  The answer lies in a family secret that won’t be secret to Sunny much longer. . .

I never loved the original babysitters club, I was always drawn to much darker books when I was young, but I love the graphic novel versions of them.  Raina Telgemeier’s re-imagination of Ann M. Martin are fantastic for any child that loves graphic novels.  And again, this is not “just” a girl book.

From Amazon:

Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey are best friends and founding members of The Baby-sitters Club. Whatever comes up — cranky toddlers, huge dogs, scary neighbors, prank calls — you can count on them to save the day. Baby-sitting isn’t always easy, and neither is dealing with strict parents, new families, fashion emergencies, and mysterious secrets. But no matter what, the BSC have what they need most: friendship.

Any fantasy lover, young or old, should read the amazing Circus Mirandus by debut author Cassie Beasley.  It is is whimsical, magical, and deep.  The best combination of book in my opinion.

From Amazon:

Do you believe in magic?

Micah Tuttle does.

Even though his awful Great-Aunt Gertrudis doesn’t approve, Micah believes in the stories his dying Grandpa Ephraim tells him of the magical Circus Mirandus: the invisible tiger guarding the gates, the beautiful flying birdwoman, and the magician more powerful than any other—the Man Who Bends Light. Finally, Grandpa Ephraim offers proof. The Circus is real. And the Lightbender owes Ephraim a miracle. With his friend Jenny Mendoza in tow, Micah sets out to find the Circus and the man he believes will save his grandfather.

The only problem is, the Lightbender doesn’t want to keep his promise. And now it’s up to Micah to get the miracle he came for.

Pam Munoz Ryan does not need to prove her master storyteller status and yet she keeps writing books that do just that.  Echo is an incredible book  that can be loved by mangy ages.

From Amazon:

Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica.

 

Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each, in turn, become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. And ultimately, pulled by the invisible thread of destiny, their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo. 

It is cause for celebration whenever Katherine Applegate releases a new book and Crenshaw is, indeed, a wonder.  If you had told me that I would fall in love with a story that centered around poverty and an imaginary cat, I am not sure I would have believed you.

From Amazon:

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There’s no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.

Crenshaw is a cat. He’s large, he’s outspoken, and he’s imaginary. He has come back into Jackson’s life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?

 

This list would be incomplete without Fish In A Tree  by the talented Lynda Mullaly Hunt.  This book, which was an official Global Read Aloud choice for this year, is one that is guaranteed to start conversations and have readers connect with it.  I have loved it with my 7th graders but have heard children ages 8 and up loving it.

From Amazon:

Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions.  She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.

I would never have guessed that Ada with her club foot would stay in my heart as long as she had, but the book The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is one that remains with you long after it has been read.

From Amazon:

Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.

 

So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

Jennifer A. Nielsen is another author that I will buy and read all of her books, sight unseen.  She consistently deliver high interest well written pieces that kids of many ages will love.  Her latest book, A Night Divided, is no exception.

From Amazon:

With the rise of the Berlin Wall, twelve-year-old Gerta finds her family suddenly divided. She, her mother, and her brother Fritz live on the eastern side, controlled by the Soviets. Her father and middle brother, who had gone west in search of work, cannot return home. Gerta knows it is dangerous to watch the wall, to think forbidden thoughts of freedom, yet she can’t help herself. She sees the East German soldiers with their guns trained on their own citizens; she, her family, her neighbors and friends are prisoners in their own city.

But one day, while on her way to school, Gerta spots her father on a viewing platform on the western side, pantomiming a peculiar dance. Then, when she receives a mysterious drawing, Gerta puts two and two together and concludes that her father wants Gerta and Fritz to tunnel beneath the wall, out of East Berlin. However, if they are caught, the consequences will be deadly. No one can be trusted. Will Gerta and her family find their way to freedom?

Creepy, crawly, and oh so good, The Nest by Kenneth Oppel is a book that I book-talked only to have it checked out of my classroom library since then.  Not a week goes by where a students does not ask where this book is.

From Amazon:

Steve just wants to save his baby brother—but what will he lose in the bargain? Kenneth Oppel’s (Silverwing, The Boundless) haunting gothic tale for fans of Coraline, is one of the most acclaimed books of the year, receiving six starred reviews. Illustrations from Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen.

For some kids summer is a sun-soaked season of fun. But for Steve, it’s just another season of worries. Worries about his sick newborn baby brother who is fighting to survive, worries about his parents who are struggling to cope, even worries about the wasp’s nest looming ominously from the eaves. So when a mysterious wasp queen invades his dreams, offering to “fix” the baby, Steve thinks his prayers have been answered.

All he has to do is say “Yes.” But “yes” is a powerful word. It is also a dangerous one. And once it is uttered, can it be taken back?

Ooh’s and aah’s erupted when I book-talked The Marvels by Brian Selznick to my 7th graders.  He doesn’t need much introduction beside a reminder of what else he has written.  The students already know that his book will be worth their time, and I agree.

From Amazon:

The journey begins on a ship at sea in 1766, with a boy named Billy Marvel. After surviving a shipwreck, he finds work in a London theatre. There, his family flourishes for generations as brilliant actors until 1900, when young Leontes Marvel is banished from the stage.

 

Nearly a century later, Joseph Jervis runs away from school and seeks refuge with an uncle in London. Albert Nightingale’s strange, beautiful house, with its mysterious portraits and ghostly presences, captivates Joseph and leads him on a search for clues about the house, his family, and the past.

For fantasy fans comes this great new series with the first book Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands.  My only complaint is only that I have to wait for the sequel.

From Amazon:

“Tell no one what I’ve given you.”

Until he got that cryptic warning, Christopher Rowe was happy, learning how to solve complex codes and puzzles and creating powerful medicines, potions, and weapons as an apprentice to Master Benedict Blackthorn—with maybe an explosion or two along the way.

But when a mysterious cult begins to prey on London’s apothecaries, the trail of murders grows closer and closer to Blackthorn’s shop. With time running out, Christopher must use every skill he’s learned to discover the key to a terrible secret with the power to tear the world apart.

For those who like a magical mystery, the Jackaby series by William Ritter is sure to hit the spot.  The first two books have been great and I cannot wait to see where the crazed, yet amazing, Jackaby takes on next.

From Amazon:

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary–including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain the foul deeds are the work of the kind of creature whose very existence the local authorities–with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane–seem adamant to deny.

This is the book I handed to a reader who had yet to finish a book this year.  This is the book that made that reader want to read just one more page.  This is the book I need more copies of because we all have those readers that do not want to read.  House Arrest by K.A. Holt is a must read.

From Amazon:

Timothy is on probation. It’s a strange word—something that happens to other kids, to delinquents, not to kids like him. And yet, he is under house arrest for the next year. He must check in weekly with a probation officer and a therapist, and keep a journal for an entire year. And mostly, he has to stay out of trouble. But when he must take drastic measures to help his struggling family, staying out of trouble proves more difficult than Timothy ever thought it would be. By turns touching and funny, and always original, House Arrest is a middlegrade novel in verse about one boy’s path to redemption as he navigates life with a sick brother, a grieving mother, and one tough probation officer.

Filed under: being a teacher

The Best Gifts Are Books – Some Gift Ideas for the Picture Book Lovers

Picking my favorite gifting picture books is hard!  After all, there are so many incredible ones to choose from.  These are for any adult or child that needs a great read.  Some are silly.  Some are serious.  All can be used in the classroom if you are a teacher like me who is obsessed with using picture books with your students.  They are all gorgeous and will make your reading life better, guaranteed.

A sweet story about the power of an imaginary friend and how having someone no one else can see can become a problem.  I love the book We Forgot Brock by Carter Goodrich because of the friendship it portrays.

From Amazon:

Phillip and Brock are best friends. Everyone can see Phillip, but only Phillip can see Brock.

A night at the Big Fair is all fun and games until Phillip gets sleepy, heads home, and forgets Brock!

Brock misses Phillip. And Phillip misses Brock. Will they reunite? With the help of another pair of pals, they just might. Because even imaginary friends get lost sometimes. Finding them is part of the adventure.

How can your imagination save the most boring story?  I love the message of Battle Bunny written by Jon Sciezka and Mac Barnett, illustrated by Matthew Myers.  This book is guaranteed to make people smile.

From Amazon:

When Alex gets a silly, sappy picture book called Birthday Bunny, he picks up a pencil and turns it into something he’d like to read: Battle Bunny. An adorable rabbit’s journey through the forest becomes a secret mission to unleash an evil plan–a plan that only Alex can stop. Featuring layered, original artwork, this dynamic picture book celebrates kids as storytellers.

I have been a loud fan of Bob Shea’s for a long time.  After all, he is the genius that wrote Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great so I had to get Ballet Cat The Totally Secret Secret.  It is laugh out loud funny.  And the best part is that I can completely relate to the story and so can most people.

From Amazon:

Ballet Cat and Sparkles the Pony are trying to decide what to play today. Nothing that Sparkles suggests–making crafts, playing checkers, and selling lemonade–goes well with the leaping, spinning, and twirling that Ballet Cat likes to do. When Sparkles’s leaps, spins, and twirls seem halfhearted, Ballet Cat asks him what’s wrong. Sparkles doesn’t want to say. He has a secret that Ballet Cat won’t want to hear. What Sparkles doesn’t know is that Ballet Cat has a secret of her own, a totally secret secret. Once their secrets are shared, will their friendship end, or be stronger than ever?

Wild About Us by Karen Beaumont is a beautiful book in many ways.  The illustrations done by Janet Stevens pop off the page and catch your eye, but the message of the book is what really got me.  We all have things that we can pick apart, but what we do with those things is what matters.

From Amazon:

Warty Warthog may have warts and tusks, but he likes himself that way! Join him as he celebrates all of his animal friends and the attributes that make each one unique. Whether it’s Crocodile’s toothy grin or Kangaroo’s huge feet or Leopard’s spottiness, each animal is different. Wouldn’t it be dull if all the animals at the zoo—and all the people in the world—looked alike? A joyful picture-book celebration of everything that makes us individuals!

It is a celebration in my life whenever the talented Ame Dyckman comes out with a new picture book and Wolfie the Bunny was definitely a cause for celebration.  This book about assumptions and what they can lead to has not only made my students laugh out loud, but more importantly, has led us to question our own assumptions about others.

From Amazon:

The Bunny family has adopted a wolf son, and daughter Dot is the only one who realizes Wolfie can–and might–eat them all up! Dot tries to get through to her parents, but they are too smitten to listen. A new brother takes getting used to, and when (in a twist of fate) it’s Wolfie who’s threatened, can Dot save the day?

Orion and the Dark by Emma Yarlett is stunning. The story about a boy who is afraid of the dark is sure to elicit conversations about our fears and what we can do to conquer them.  This is a book my students keep reaching for in the classroom and that I have used with my own children as they tell me they are afraid of the dark.

From Amazon:

Orion is scared of a lot of things, but most of all he’s scared of the dark. So one night the Dark decides to take Orion on an adventure. Emma Yarlett’s second picture book combines her incredible storytelling and artwork with die-cut pages that bring the Dark to life.

The beautiful story of Last Stop On Market Street by Matt De La Pena is one meant to spur conversation about our lives, our assumptions, and how we view the world.  But the illustrations?  They tell an even richer story, one that I cannot wait to discuss with my students and my own kids, many of whom have never ridden a bus or even been in an urban neighborhood.

From Amazon:

Every Sunday after church, CJ and his grandma ride the bus across town. But today, CJ wonders why they don’t own a car like his friend Colby. Why doesn’t he have an iPod like the boys on the bus? How come they always have to get off in the dirty part of town? Each question is met with an encouraging answer from grandma, who helps him see the beauty—and fun—in their routine and the world around them.

The North Star by Peter H. Reynolds is one of my favorite picture books ever written.   This is the final book I read to my students every year as I hope it inspires them to take a risk and find their own path in life.

From Amazon:

It is often said that life is a journey, and it’s true. But sometimes it’s hard to know which path to follow when signs point in so many directions. In this beautifully illustrated book, Peter H. Reynolds once again encourages readers to observe, to wonder, and to consider diverging from the well-worn path — to pursue their dreams. Originally published more than ten years ago, THE NORTH STAR has had a profound effect on its many readers. This edition, featuring all new art, celebrates the book’s own voyage connecting people around the world. It has inspired classroom activities, a musical, and countless thoughtful journeys.

I love Billy’s Booger – A Memoir by William Joyce for many reasons; the narrative is great, it is great as a teaching book on story arc, and it has boogers in the title, which is sure to hook many readers.

From Amazon:

A young lad who would rather draw than do math, spell, or gargle finds the perfect outlet for his always-on imagination in this manifesto to creative joie de vivre, featuring a book within a book, from the brilliant minds that brought you The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.

Billy loves to draw. He draws on books and on his homework and even on his math tests—he might not get the answer right, but doesn’t it look swell sitting in a boat at sea? His teacher doesn’t think so, and neither does the principal. But the librarian has an idea that just might help Billy better direct his illustrative energies: a book-making contest!

Billy gets right to work, reading everything he can about meteors, mythology, space travel, and…mucus? Yep, his book is going to be about the world’s smartest booger, who stays tucked away until needed—say, to solve multiplication problems, or answer questions from the President. Billy’s sure his story is a winner. But being a winner doesn’t mean you always win.

Boats for Papa is a picture book by Jessixa Bagley that I immediately fell in love with.  The story does not tell us where papa is, nor why the mother does what she does, and yet every child (or adult) that reads it seems to come up with their own story.  An inspired story that leaves us thinking.

From Amazon:

Buckley and his Mama live in a cozy cabin by the ocean. He loves to carve boats out of the driftwood he finds on the beach nearby.

He makes:

big boats

long boats

short boats and

tall boats,

each one more beautiful than the last, and sends them out to sea. If they don’t come back, he knows they’ve found their way to his papa, whom he misses very much.

This amusing story of what really happened to a sandwich creates pretty funny conversations with kids.  The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Beach is one that makes me giggle every time I read it aloud and then leads to heated discussions of what exactly did happen to that sandwich?

From Amazon:

By now I think you know what happened to your sandwich.

But you may not know how it happened.

So let me tell you.

It all started with the bear . . .

 

So begins Julia Sarcone-Roach’s delicious tale of a bear, lost in the city, who happens upon an unattended sandwich in the park. The bear’s journey from forest to city and back home again is full of happy accidents, funny encounters, and sensory delights. The story is so engrossing, it’s not until the very end that we begin to suspect this is a TALL tale.

Finding Winnie by Lindsay Mattick and illustrated by Sophie Blackall made me cry, which even surprised me.  I grew up aware of Winnie the Pooh but not immersed in the world as many others, and the tale of the inspiration behind the stories really struck a chord with me, as I suspect it will for many others.

From Amazon:

In 1914, Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian on his way to tend horses in World War I, followed his heart and rescued a baby bear. He named her Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg, and he took the bear to war.

Harry Colebourn’s real-life great-granddaughter tells the true story of a remarkable friendship and an even more remarkable journey–from the fields of Canada to a convoy across the ocean to an army base in England…

And finally to the London Zoo, where Winnie made another new friend: a real boy named Christopher Robin.

Another book that is great for deeper level conversations as students try to decide why that skunk keeps following the main character.  My own kids were mesmerized by the story, which says a lot considering they are hardly ever sit still.   I have many of Mac Barnett’s and Patrick McDonnell’s book and love having The Skunk as well.

From Amazon:

When a skunk first appears in the tuxedoed man’s doorway, it’s a strange but possibly harmless occurrence. But then the man finds the skunk following him, and the unlikely pair embark on an increasingly frantic chase through the city, from the streets to the opera house to the fairground. What does the skunk want? It’s not clear―but soon the man has bought a new house in a new neighborhood to escape the little creature’s attention, only to find himself missing something. . .

Shhh!  We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton has been read in my house countless times, preferably repeatedly.  Every time my kids laugh out loud and then tell me what is going to happen.  The funny thing is the same thing happened in my classroom.  

From Amazon:

Four friends creep through the woods, and what do they spot? An exquisite bird high in a tree! “Hello birdie,” waves one. “Shh! We have a plan,” hush the others. They stealthily make their advance, nets in the air. Ready one, ready two, ready three, and go! But as one comically foiled plan follows another, it soon becomes clear that their quiet, observant companion, hand outstretched, has a far better idea.

Just seeing the image of the cover of I’m Trying to Love Spiders by Bethany Barton makes me laugh.  This incredible non-fiction picture book that doesn’t scream non-fiction (not that there is anything wrong with non-fiction) is the perfect gift for the person who hates spiders.

From Amazon:

The Official Spider Test.

What do you do when you see a spider?

a. Lay on a BIG spidey smoocheroo.

b. Smile, but back away slowly.

c. Grab the closest object, wind up, and let it fly.

d. Run away screaming.

 

If you chose b, c, or d, then this book is for you! (If you chose a, you might be crazy.)

For all you history lovers  Tricky Vic – the Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower by Greg Pizzoli is a masterpiece.  A page-turning read that makes you shake your head in wonder.   This is a picture book for all ages.

From Amazon:

In the early 1900s, Robert Miller, a.k.a. “Count Victor Lustig,” moved to Paris hoping to be an artist. A con artist, that is. He used his ingenious scams on unsuspecting marks all over the world, from the Czech Republic, to Atlantic ocean liners, and across America. Tricky Vic pulled off his most daring con in 1925, when he managed to “sell” the Eiffel Tower to one of the city’s most successful scrap metal dealers! Six weeks later, he tried to sell the Eiffel Tower all over again. Vic was never caught. For that particular scam, anyway. . . .

I Yam A Donkey by the incredible CeCe Bell.  Why this book?  Because it is laugh out loud funny while teaching grammar.  My 23 month old picks this book up every day asking us to read about the donkey.

From Amazon:

Even frustrated grammarians will giggle at the who’s-on-first routine that begins with a donkey’s excited announcement, “I yam a donkey!” Unfortunately the donkey’s audience happens to be a yam, and one who is particular about sloppy pronunciation and poor grammar. An escalating series of misunderstandings leaves the yam furious and the clueless donkey bewildered by the yam’s growing (and amusing) frustration. The yam finally gets his point across, but regrettably, he’s made the situation a little bit too clear . . . and the story ends with a dark and outrageously funny twist.

Ben Clanton’s Something Extraordinary is just that – extraordinary.  Once again a simple story unfolds leading us to rich conversations about imagination and how it can color our world.

From Amazon:

Amazing things are happening all around you. You just need to know where to look—and this whimsical picture book is the perfect place to start.

Have you ever wished for something extraordinary? Like the ability to fly? Or to breathe underwater? What if you could talk to animals?

It’s fun to wish for amazing things. But take a look around, and you just might find that the most “ordinary” things…can be extraordinary.

Waiting by Kevin Henkes is a quiet masterpiece that kids of all ages can realte to.  What I loved the most were the different reactions my children had to the book and how they kept reaching for it over and over.

From Amazon:

Five friends sit happily on a windowsill, waiting for something amazing to happen. The owl is waiting for the moon. The pig is waiting for the rain. The bear is waiting for the wind. The puppy is waiting for the snow. And the rabbit is just looking out the window because he likes to wait! What will happen? Will patience win in the end? Or someday will the friends stop waiting and do something unexpected?

The incredible story of the first enslaved poet, George Moses Horton, unfolds in this picture book by Don Tate.  Illustrating a piece of history I had never encountered Poet:  The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton is a must add for anyone that loves poetry.

From Amazon:

In the nineteenth century, North Carolina slave George Moses Horton taught himself to read and earned money to purchase his time though not his freedom. Horton became the first African American to be published in the South, protesting slavery in the form of verse.

The Only Child by Guojing is a wordless picture book that will leave you speechless.  Beautiful.  Mesmerizing and one that you want to read multiple times.  

From Amazon:

A little girl—lost and alone—follows a mysterious stag deep into the woods, and, like Alice down the rabbit hole, she finds herself in a strange and wondrous world. But… home and family are very far away. How will she get back there?

If you have not discovered the brilliance of the Crayons series then this is a great way to start.  The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers is great for home and the classroom, with its beautiful illustrations and laugh out loud crayon stories, this will surely be read many times.

From Amazon:

I’m not sure what it is about this kid Duncan, but his crayons sure are a colorful bunch of characters! Having soothed the hurt feelings of one group who threatened to quit, Duncan now faces a whole new group of crayons asking to be rescued. From Maroon Crayon, who was lost beneath the sofa cushions and then broken in two after Dad sat on him; to poor Turquoise, whose head is now stuck to one of Duncan’s stinky socks after they both ended up in the dryer together; to Pea Green, who knows darn well that no kid likes peas and who ran away—each and every crayon has a woeful tale to tell and a plea to be brought home to the crayon box.

To the Sea by Cale Atkinson is a beautiful tale of a young boy who feels lonely.  When he meets a lost whale his life changes.  Simple, deep, and powerful.

From Amazon:

Sometimes Tim feels invisible at school—until one day, when Tim meets Sam. But Sam isn’t just any new friend: he’s a blue whale, and he can’t find his way home!

Returning Sam to the sea is hard work, but Tim is determined to help. After all, it’s not every day you meet a new friend!

Awake Beautiful Child by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Gracia Lam should be a mandatory baby gift.  As the mother of 4 myself, this left me thinking just how lucky I am.

From Amazon:

New York Times best-selling picture-book author Amy Krouse Rosenthal teams with award-winning artist Gracia Lam to tell the sweet, simple story of a young child’s typical day—from morning to bedtime. Like the title, each scene is described in three-word “ABC” phrases, such as “All Begins Cheerily” and “Always Be Curious.” Secret “ABC” scenes hidden throughout the artwork—as a secondary “seek and find” game of sorts—encourage multiple readings and reward close-looking.

So which books did I miss?  Which picture books will you be giving to the picture book lovers in your life?

Don’t miss the post on which YA books to give this year as well.

Filed under: being a teacher, books, Literacy, picture books, Reading

The Best Gifts Are Books – Some Ideas for the YA Lovers

I do not think I have ever hidden the fact that I love books.  Anyone who knows me (or my children) picks up on it rather quickly.  So books as gifts is only a natural extension of my love for them.  Finding the perfect book to give to someone is a bit of an obsession of mine.  So this year I thought why not share some of those books that I will be giving to others.  I am sure I am not the only one searching for that perfect book to give.

I thought I would do one large post with all of my ideas but realized that it would be much too large, so this is simply the first post.  Here are my favorite picks for the YA lover in your life.

A great new series starts with An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir.  Love, action, destiny and a story that makes you want to read just one more page.  I only have one copy in my classroom, it has a huge wait list.

From Amazon:

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

 

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

 

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

 

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

This is the book every person over the age of 12 should read in America.  All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds is the book that we need to have some of the toughest conversations, but those conversations are the ones we need to have.

From Amazon:

A bag of chips. That’s all sixteen-year-old Rashad is looking for at the corner bodega. What he finds instead is a fist-happy cop, Paul Galluzzo, who mistakes Rashad for a shoplifter, mistakes Rashad’s pleadings that he’s stolen nothing for belligerence, mistakes Rashad’s resistance to leave the bodega as resisting arrest, mistakes Rashad’s every flinch at every punch the cop throws as further resistance and refusal to STAY STILL as ordered. But how can you stay still when someone is pounding your face into the concrete pavement?

But there were witnesses: Quinn Collins—a varsity basketball player and Rashad’s classmate who has been raised by Paul since his own father died in Afghanistan—and a video camera. Soon the beating is all over the news and Paul is getting threatened with accusations of prejudice and racial brutality. Quinn refuses to believe that the man who has basically been his savior could possibly be guilty. But then Rashad is absent. And absent again. And again. And the basketball team—half of whom are Rashad’s best friends—start to take sides. As does the school. And the town. Simmering tensions threaten to explode as Rashad and Quinn are forced to face decisions and consequences they had never considered before.

Another first book in a new series, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas kept me up way too late needing to read just one more page.  It has all the ingredients needed for a great fantasy YA.

From Amazon:

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin–one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin–and his world–forever.

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman is for the serious reader that has patience to stick with a deep book.  For those that do, they will find an incredible story that will haunt their thoughts many days after the last page was read.

From Amazon:

Caden Bosch is on a ship that’s headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench.

Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior.

Caden Bosch is designated the ship’s artist in residence to document the journey with images.

Caden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head.

Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny.

Caden Bosch is torn.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard reminded me of many books but it was in all the good ways.  This book with its page turning action kept me reading long into the night and has kept my students reading as well.  You know it is a great book when it is never to be found in your classroom library.

From Amazon:

Mare Barrow’s world is divided by blood–those with common, Red blood serve the Silver- blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own.

To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard–a growing Red rebellion–even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt is also a book that is never found in our library even though I have 3 copies of it.  Every time a student finishes it they come and tell me that it is the best book.  I believe it.  Orbiting Jupiter is one to remember.

From Amazon:

The two-time Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt delivers the shattering story of Joseph, a father at thirteen, who has never seen his daughter, Jupiter. After spending time in a juvenile facility, he’s placed with a foster family on a farm in rural Maine. Here Joseph, damaged and withdrawn, meets twelve-year-old Jack, who narrates the account of the troubled, passionate teen who wants to find his baby at any cost. In this riveting novel, two boys discover the true meaning of family and the sacrifices it requires.

With the release of the final book in the Lunar Chronicles series, Marissa Meyer has secured her spot as one of my favorite authors.  Winter is a masterful conclusion to a riveting series that even self-proclaimed sci fi haters love to read.  That says a lot about the power of the series.

From Amazon:

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend–the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Confession:  I have yet to read this book but just received an email from a student that had not read a book this year.  Until she read Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff  in one night.  That is enough recommendation for me.

From Amazon:

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

      The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than a speck at the edge of the universe. Now with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to evacuate with a hostile warship in hot pursuit.

     But their problems are just getting started. A plague has broken out and is mutating with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a web of data to find the truth, it’s clear the only person who can help her is the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.

 

 

Dumplin by Julie Murphy filled a void I didn’t know I had in my classroom library; books that feature a self-proclaimed fat girls whose mission in life is not to become skinny.  Hallelujah.  Great book for anyone to read that needs a reminder that being ourselves is good enough and who wants a great story.

From Amazon:

Dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom, Willowdean has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American-beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . .  until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.  

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

 

 

Walk on Earth A Stranger by Rae Carson took me by surprise, I did not think I would like this book.  But with its riveting story of Lee, a girl with a secret, trying to make it to the California gold rush I had to see if she would make it.  I was happy to see that this is part of a trilogy.

From Amazon:

Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety?

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon was another book that took me by surorise and just how much I wanted to keep reading.  I just book-talked this book to my students and have not seen it since.

From Amazon:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

 

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

 

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

 

 

This list would not be complete without Need by Joelle Charbonneau.  This masterful page turner is sure to make even your most reluctant readers read late into the night.

From Amazon:

Teenagers at Wisconsin’s Nottawa High School are drawn deeper into a social networking site that promises to grant their every need . . . regardless of the consequences. Soon the site turns sinister, with simple pranks escalating to malicious crimes. The body count rises.

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black started my reading year off right with its tale of love, murder and the inexplicable that surrounds us.

From Amazon:

Hazel and her brother, Ben, live in Fairfold, where humans and the Folk exist side by side. Tourists drive in to see the lush wonders of Faerie and, most wonderful of all, the horned boy. But visitors fail to see the danger.

Since they were children, Hazel and Ben have been telling each other stories about the boy in the glass coffin, that he is a prince and they are valiant knights, pretending their prince would be different from the other faeries, the ones who made cruel bargains, lurked in the shadows of trees, and doomed tourists. But as Hazel grows up, she puts aside those stories. Hazel knows the horned boy will never wake.

Until one day, he does….

Which books did I miss?  Which books are you buying for the YA lover in your life?

Stay tuned for the best picture books and middle grade novels to give this year!

 

Filed under: being a student, being me, books, Literacy, Reading

When We Fail A Child

This originally appeared on The Guardian’s Education Blog

He was dragged into my classroom, clutched firmly by the arm as if he would try to escape. “I don’t know what you will do with him, but we have given up,” I was told. “He is done with school.” I extended my hand to the mother in front of me, told her my name, and welcomed her and her son into my class. It was the first day of school and my first introduction to Peter*.

For the next five minutes Peter stood in front of me while his mother told me all the things he needed to work on. She told me how she was ready to give up and hoped I could fix him – but she wasn’t holding her breath. With every word she spat out, his shoulders slumped further and his eyes stared more intently at the linoleum floor. I smiled, and did my teacher talk, soothing the ruffled feathers as best as I could. Then I thought to myself: “This year will be great. I will make a difference. Wait and see, he will love school again. I will fix him.”

I had every intention of keeping my promise, but I didn’t. I tried to connect with Peter. I tried to make him participate, to find his voice, to fall back in love with learning. But when he did not do his homework, or messed about in class, I followed my rules for punishment. He lost recess, pizza privileges and had to speak to the principal on many occasions. When he did not conform, I punished him. When he did not work, I gave him Fs. After all, that was what teachers did when a child didn’t follow their rules; they handed out the consequences whether they made sense or not. At the end of the year, when he was suspended on the very last day for yet another bad choice, I knew that I was not meant to be a teacher – or at least not the type of teacher that overrode her own common sense to conform to what society thought good teachers did.

I realised that the nine-year-old me would have hated everything about the classroom I had created

So that summer I found the courage to change the way I taught. I realised that the nine-year-old me would have hated everything about the classroom I had created. I would have been the child with the failing grades and the marks against them. I had to change. I had to create a classroom that I would want to be a student in, that I would want my own children to be a part of.

When we started the new year, I threw everything out. I got rid of my punishment system – no more lost recesses or phone calls home in the middle of class. Instead we would have a conversation and I would ask my students why they acted the way they did, rather than just assuming I knew. I got rid of almost all homework and made a deal with my students that if they gave me their best during school then they could have their after school time back. If they worked hard in class then we could learn what we needed to.

I limited grades, pushed back against classifying students by letters, and instead invited my class to reflect on their own learning, to take control of how they needed to grow and what they needed to do to get there. We discussed when assignments were done and we set goals. And slowly, my students started to ask why they were doing these things, if we could change what we were doing, and whether they could try something new. I said yes, instead of no, and then tried to be the very best teacher I could be.

I won’t lie, it was hard. It still is because every year, I am honoured to teach a new group of students who ask me why I teach this way. Every year I help students realise that they have a right to a voice within our classroom, that their voice matters and that school should be a place for them to thrive, not just survive.

But the system fights us every step of the way – school is made of boxes to define our students. My district is doing everything we can to break those boxes and tear down the notions of what it means to be a traditional school, and to truly make it about students again. We want to make school about curiosity, discovery and about each child, not just each teacher.

A few years ago, I saw Peter again. He had grown up and was no longer the kid with the slumped shoulders. I asked him how he was and he told me just fine. He had switched districts, but he liked his new school better. “I am sorry.” The words slipped out before I could catch them and he stared at me, confused. “I am sorry for not being a good teacher to you,” I said. He stared at me and then finally said, “No big deal, you tried.” And I thought to myself, yes, I did, but it does not matter how hard we try if the path we are on is wrong. And that is why I changed the way I teach. That is why I try to give the classroom back to my students and make school about the kids.

*Name changed to protect his 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: aha moment, Be the change, being a teacher, being me, mistakes

A Much Needed Reminder

For the month of November, I have seen all of the practiced thankfulness.  The posts on social media sharing what we are thankful for, the handwritten notes passed from person to person, the drawings and cards sent home from classrooms.  November, it seems, is the month that reminds us just how good many of us have it.  And for that, I am truly thankful.

Because we have it better than we think.  At least, most of the time.  We have it better than we realize.  Many of us are surrounded by people who care about us.  We have the things that give us a good life.  We have jobs that even when they are tough center around the love of learning.  We get to work with children.  We are lucky, even when we forget it.

As I sit in my heated house, with the lights on, with food in the fridge, and new outfits for the kids, I cannot help but be humbled by all that we have.  By all that we take for granted, and not just today, but every day.  My kids are safe in our neighborhood, they have access to great schools, they are loved and protected by their family.  They are given access to a life that many children around the world, and even here in my very own country, can only hope for.

So I hope this Thanksgiving will be a reminder to be more thankful.  To see the good in the bad.  To realize that even on our toughest days there is still love around us, there is still happiness.  That sometimes the things we get so caught up in really should not be worth our time.  That the things that upset us pales in comparison to what others go through.

So  I give thanks to the little things.  And strengthen my commitment to not remember that we are the fortunate ones.  That we live privileged lives.   Even on our bad days.

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: aha moment, being a teacher, being me