Slice of Life - First Graders - #sol14

Slice of Life is hosted by Two Writing Teachers on Tuesdays.  For the month of March, we are posting a slice daily.
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To celebrate the end of reaching two weeks of Slice posts, I am going to share another story about first grade readers.

This past week, I have spent the majority of my time at one of our elementary schools.  It has been a lot of fun experiencing the energy of a school community again.  Being at the District Office can have it's benefits but I miss seeing the students on a regular basis. 

As part of the project I am working on, I have been spending a lot of time listening to first graders read and talking with them about what they just read.  Since most of these students do not know me, I have taken advantage of the walk from the classroom to where I am working with them.  One of my questions has been to ask them about their favorite book(s) that they read recently. I learn so much from their answers - about them, their language skills, and also who they are as readers.

Yesterday, I received this book talk and recommendation from a child for the book below.  She was very persuasive about why she liked it.

I told her I would check it out and then I wrote on a sticky note the following recommendations for her (click on any book cover for more information):

Franny K. Stein by Jim Benton

Araminta Spookie by Angie Sage

The Trouble with Chickens by Doreen Cronin

I heard later from her teacher that she had very proudly and excitedly shared the sticky note with her.  Yes, I smiled.   

Next week is spring break, but I am excited to return to the school site after break to one of the classes to partner with the classroom teacher on a reading comprehension pilot that we are testing out. At the same time, I am  excited about how I might be able to continue my book discussions with some of these students.

Now it's time to put some bins together with books to share during my visits.

Slice of Life - Confident Readers - #sol14

Slice of Life is hosted by Two Writing Teachers on Tuesdays.  For the month of March, we are posting a slice daily.
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For the past several months, I have thought about the characteristics of confident, aware readers.  Is it something innately unique to these readers or can teachers and parents foster it? I know many of my Nerdy Book Club friends foster this regularly in their students, but how do I share those tips most effectively with teachers who may just be starting on this journey?

My personal experience with this started with my niece (well I call her my niece) who just turned 13 years old. I have been reading with her since she was a baby.  At the beginning of first grade, she could read Cam Jansen mysteries and by the end of first grade she had moved onto Nancy Drew.  After a long car trip, she came home and asked if I knew how Cam Jansen and Nancy Drew were alike. I smiled and asked her to tell me what she was thinking about.  She quickly rattled off several similarities.  I was curious and flipped the question. So, how were they different?  It took her a little time to think about it but she was spot on with her responses.  I loved watching her develop a passion for reading. 

At the end of 2nd grade, I gave her Among the Hidden by Margaret Haddix Peterson.  She read the book and then we went out for frozen yogurt for a two person book club.  This was only the first of many books we would discuss over a cup of frozen goodness. If you were wondering if Among the Hidden was too advanced for a barely 8 year old, I wondered that too.  However, when I asked her if she got the whole "two children rule", she made a comparison to China's one child law.  She also could discuss the class system in the book and make connections beyond the book.  I loved when she recently wrote Peterson saying that Among the Hidden was the book that turned her into a reader. I can also see how her current love for adventure and dystopian novels originated with that first novel.

Over the years, we went on to share books, attend author events, and discuss what we are reading.  I love getting a text from her when she finds a line in a book and just has to share.  I chuckled when she finished The Hunger Games and frantically texted me looking for Catching Fire.  And smiled when she created an instagram page (or whatever it is called) around The Book Thief book & movie.

Last year, she fell in love with Gareth Hind's graphic novel of The Odyssey.  I think she literally read it 20 times.  I tossed her the copy of Hind's Beowulf graphic novel just to see what she would do.  She returned it to me with the comment that "she just wasn't ready for it yet".  I was excited that she was able to know what she was or wasn't ready for. Recently, she read Gris Grimly's graphic novel of Frankenstein, and I wouldn't be surprised if she picked up the original Frankenstein at some point. She had clearly become a confident and aware reader. I noticed this again recently when she read Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  I was curious what she thought especially since I know she isn't that thrilled about all that "romantic stuff" yet.  She told me she liked the book and then indicated she just skipped "those scenes".  I smiled.  I was definitely proud of her. She knows herself as a reader.

Today, I met a first grader who reminded me of my niece.  She could tell me what she liked to read.  Not only was her reading level commensurate with her comprehension level but she could verbally and in writing discuss what she read. I found myself writing down book recommendations for her and watching as she put them in a safe place to take home to mom.  Sadly, I will not be able to follow her reading journey, but I do hope there will be those around her that will share book recs and go out for a frozen yogurt to talk about a book and continue to support her reading journey.

How are you encouraging and supporting confident, aware readers? Love to hear your stories.

Slice of Life - Listening to First Graders Read - #sol14

Slice of Life is hosted by Two Writing Teachers on Tuesdays.  For the month of March, we are posting a slice daily.
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I started and deleted 3 attempts to write this slice.  Sometimes I am hesitant to post my thoughts. However, I am really running out of time. So, my post is going to be short and sweet.

Sometimes, I get to take a step out of my busy schedule and spend some time with students.  and I very much miss the daily interactions with students. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to listen to six first grade students reading and responding to comprehension questions. On some level, I really love first graders,  They enjoy working with you 1:1 and they can be quite entertaining.  Additionally, if you have not worked with first graders, you may not realize how diverse they are in their ability to read.

As I listened to them read and talk about what they read, I realized just how diverse they were.  One student read beautifully with expression and more.  He said he was reading Harry Potter at home.  However, he really struggled to talk about or verbalize what he read.  Another student was not as strong or fluent an oral reader, but he was able to discuss what he read with great accuracy and understanding.  As I listened to him, I found myself impressed with how articulate he was and he was supposedly an English Language Learner. 

When I listened to another student, I had to refrain from laughing.  He had a tendency to skip the endmarks and pause at the end of the line. No wonder he said ugh when he read "tasted with your tongue a butterfly".  It really read "....tasted with your tongue. A butterfly...".  Another student whispered certain words, even when he said them correctly, since he did not confidently know the words. 

There were more examples from the day, but I just wanted to share a few of my highlights. If you have not read with a child lately, go find one and read.

Slice of Life - Clydesdales vs. Thoroughbreds - #sol14

Slice of Life is hosted by Two Writing Teachers on Tuesdays.  For the month of March, we are posting a slice daily.
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On Sunday, a friend of mine ran and finished the Los Angeles marathon.  This goal was apparently on her bucket list.  A little over ten years ago, another friend ran the L.A. marathon as well and has since run many more half marathons as a means of keeping fit.  A third friend and I were talking about these two friends and running.  We were proud of their accomplishments, especially since neither were gifted with a natural runner's body.  They trained hard to reach their goal and should certainly be proud of what they did and continue to do.  As we were talking, I joked that in some ways all four of us were created more for endurance than speed. Slow and steady not lightening fast. 

Sometimes though, I dream I was a thoroughbred. Agile, fast, sleek, spirited.

And then I wake-up and realize that I am a Clydesdale. Sturdy, broad, strong, steady.

Though one is not technically better than the other, just different, I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be a thoroughbred.  Work horses are very much needed. They have purpose and meaning. However, in my mind, we tend to take our work horses for granted.  Do we spend more time fussing over our thoroughbreds bestowing attention and prizes on them while assuming our work horses will always be there? Fast and sleek may win sprints and short distance races. Strong and sturdy can go the long haul.

There is an element of humor in this post, and the horse comparison can only be taken so far, and yet, the real life application is very present. Are there students or teachers that we take for granted because they are steady and dependable? We go to them when we need something done because of their work ethic but maybe overlook them at other times? Every student in our classes and every teacher or administrator on our staff need to be treated at times like they are as important as a prize winning thoroughbred horse.  There are times when we need the personality and spirit of a race horse to mix things up and to sprint towards that finish line. However, most growth and learning in individuals and classrooms comes over time and requires perseverance and strength.  And it is in those moments when I know I have worked slow and steady and with great strength that I have celebrated some of the greatest accomplishments of my students.

Well Clydesdales may not have the same pizzazz as a thoroughbred, they certainly get cute commercials:

Slice of Life - International Women's Day - #sol14

Slice of Life is hosted by Two Writing Teachers on Tuesdays.  For the month of March, we are posting a slice daily.
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Created by Sarah & Catherine Satrun

Saturday was International Women's Day.  On Sunday, I saw the "We Are All Wonderwomen!" image on faceback and went in search of the original source.  Before I continue with what I want to say, I would like to acknowledge the women who created the image and to state that no harm or infringement is intended by sharing it here.  Sarah Satrun , a Chicago-based artist, along with her twin sister Catherine created this smash-up parody of the Dove Ad and Wonder Woman.  (Note: If you are interested in purchasing this print, the Satrun sisters have an Etsy page with the image available for sale.)  Thank you Sarah and Catherine for a great image.

Last Sunday, my Slice touched upon Women's History Month and Women Mentors.  Throughout the month, I am going to circle back to this topic.  In this year that I am trying to reconnect with meaning and purpose, part of that means trying to figure out who I am as a woman both professionally and personally. 

In 2010, Sheryl Sandberg, COO Facebook presented a TEDTalk on Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders:


In March 2013, her book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead came out.  Sheryl Sandberg's TEDtalk follow up - So we leaned in...now what?


As I was listening to Sandberg's talks, I was struck by a few things.

First, as women, we need to ask what would we do if we were not afraid?  I think there are many times that as women we step back because we are afraid of how others will perceive us and we prevent ourselves from taking chances that would allow us to do or accomplish those things that we desire.

Second, we need to stop underestimating ourselves. I love this section from her talk Why We Have So Few Women Leaders.  I think it captures the attitudes of many women in many different situations.

And most importantly, men attribute their success to themselves, and women attribute it to other external factors. If you ask men why they did a good job, they'll say, "I'm awesome. Obviously. Why are you even asking?" If you ask women why they did a good job, what they'll say is someone helped them, they got lucky, they worked really hard. Why does this matter? Boy, it matters a lot because no one gets to the corner office by sitting on the side, not at the table, and no one gets the promotion if they don't think they deserve their success, or they don't even understand their own success.- Sheryl Sandberg

Finally, we need to ban the word bossy.  To quote Sandberg, the next time we hear someone say that a little girl is bossy we need to respond with  "That little girl's not bossy. That little girl has executive leadership skills."  I am not advocating rudeness or bullying type behaviors by any means whether it be by women or men.  However, I have seldom to never heard a man in business or a professional setting be referred to as aggressive.  The term used is assertive.  A woman does the same thing and she is aggressive.  We need to change the lens in which we view behavior and then change our language.

Recognize and celebrate the women around you.  They come in all shapes and sizes and different personalities and abilities.  They are daughters, sisters, girlfriends, wives, mothers, grandmothers, friends, and colleagues. They are incredibly strong, and have an amazing capacity to love and feel.  Celebrate that we are all Wonderwomen!