Wordsift

When you get a chance, check out wordsift.com. Users input a group of words and this site scrambles them into a visual. Along with a series of visuals, it connects you with other sites containing valuable information about your chosen words. Sounds like an interesting place to begin a study group or inquiry project.

Making Text Meaningful - Using Writer's-Reader's Notebooks

So how do avid readers begin to process and store the information they read? Often it is through writing. I'm often asked the question in my 6 Traits sessions, "How do I help my students become better writers?" My recommendation is first to have students read, read, read. Reading and writing are joined at the hip. Students develop their writing skills when they consistently read great books by outstanding authors! Teachers should regularly orally read passages from mentor authors. The more exposure students receive and the more they practice their own reading - the stronger readers and writiers they become.

A second step to this process is taking copious notes. A writer's-reader's notebook can aid in this process. According to Linda Rief, author of Inside the Writer's-Reader's Notebook, notebooks allow students to learn, change, and deepen their thinking and insights. Truly, if we are trying to develop lifelong learners, our students must acquire tools that will take them deeper into texts as they progress through life. So how do you make meaning from text? Anybody out there keep a notebook when they read?

The Book Whisperer - or is it a SHOUT?

Recently I began reading Donalyn Miller's, The Book Whisperer, Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child. Though I haven't finished it yet, I have truly been inspired by her method of teaching. Our ELA team has been talking about reading/writing workshop as the up and coming buzz words, and Donalyn shares her successes in a completely independent student-centered reading program. She claims that students have four needs as readers: role modeling, time to read, CHOICE, and access to books.

The first day of school every year she has what she labels a "book frenzy". Students spend as much time as needed pulling out books and getting opinions from Ms. Miller as well as other students. This activity emphasizes the prominence that reading will have all year in her classroom. It sets the tone for her class.

Not only that - her reading requirement for every student is to successfully read 40 books during the school year. That's right - no typo there - 40 books! Her concept - kids who read on a regular basis become better readers! Imagine that! Research shows that students in remedial settings read roughly 75% less than their peers. (Richard Allington, 2006). Just like the old saying, "the rich get richer while the poor get poorer"; so it is with our struggling readers.

Check her out on her blog - http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/book_whisperer/.

Finding Peace in the Chaos

Well most of us PDS"ites" are wrapping up the end of a few absolutely crazy weeks. Many of us jumped into new trainings - requiring additional research, while others extended our current modules. At the end of a crazy day, I found myself retreating to the bath tub - having some much needed "soak time". At times like these, it's so important for us to take care of ourselves.

In the midst of this craziness, my back decided he wasn't happy about all this lifting, bending, twisting and turning. Two weeks in a row I found myself visiiting my favorite chiropractor. After much snap, crack, and pop - I was on the mend. The doctor told me that in order to get through these few weeks, I needed to have complete bedrest when I wasn't "on the job". Now that was a tall order. The justifications of why I couldn't do that began. And continued. And then finally after much self-talk, and conversations with God , I knew that I really had no choice. I called and cancelled all evening activities for two weeks. I put my feet up. I didn't cook. I took in a movie. I read. I rested. And rested. And I'm a different person today because of it.

The older I get in life, the more I realize that I am responsible for my own peace and well-being. Nobody else can accomplish that for me. And sometimes that requires making decisions that may inconvenience others. But I'm worth it. How about you? How have you taken care of yourself during these hectic weeks?

Discovering Your Niche'

How does one know when they've discovered their niche'? Recently I've had the opportunity to coach a middle school teacher. We are working on lesson plans for the fall, and how to use "reading and writing workshop" as the vehicle to disseminate the curriculum. Along with my coachee, I've again discovered the love of teaching and learning! We laugh and share and it's through those warm moments - a genuine connection is formed - a wonderful bond. Trust is enabled and suddenly the boundaries are limitless. Time passes by so quickly during a session - it's almost as if we slipped into a time capsule and we're oblivious to everything around us. Training is awesome, but there's nothing like that warm personal contact with another human being - nothing like the feeling of making a difference in someone's life. To find your niche' is sort of like finding a new sense of freedom; a new lease on life. Somehow I think I've discovered my niche'. How about you - what's yours?

Is the "Personal Touch" Disappearing??

Think about our interactions daily at work, in retail establishments, at home, and anywhere else you might travel each day. Maybe I'm just an extreme "interpersonal" freak, but I see a lack of meaningful, personal interaction in our society today. Employers are not as committed to their employees, and vice-versa. Been to a fast food place recently? Often, you are talked at, instead of talked to, much less with. What about families - children have computers and televisions/video games in their bedrooms. Where's the warm fuzzies that only a family can give, receive, or share?

Society is different today - past paced and convenience-driven. The exciting world of technology and the many "things" we can use to replace people on so many different levels are starving the driving need we all have as individuals for the personal touch we receive from others through presence and communication.

I'm reading a book called, "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs. Even though I don't knit, my heart is warmed by the personal connections that literally flow between the characters. It reminds me that although the very blog I'm typing now can generate a response, it can never replace that personal contact one feels when in the good company of a spouse, family member, friend, or co-worker.

Challenge for the week: Go give someone a warm fuzzy. Let them know how much you appreciate them and how important they are. Don't leave without giving them a hug. We all need a personal touch now and then. Let it begin with us.

TAKS Blues Diminished

A few of us gathered for the TAKS Monitoring Blues Brunch yesterday. Great food and fellowship! Many TAKS tales were shared and the conversation shared was warm and refreshing. Laughter was heard, and gently each of us was rejuvenated and somehow more prepared for the task ahead (TAKS Monitoring). Attitudes were uplifted. How nice it is to have human contact without distraction.
Who would have known that we would wake up to flooding across our great city this morning? After slipping on a pair of jeans and tennis shoes, it occured to me that it had been raining all night. I turned on the news only to discover that Paul Revere MS was in the worst hit area. In fact, I probably could not even exit the Sam Houston Tollway. Guess I won't be walking the halls today - prehaps tomorrow.
As I reflect on the sudden change today - I consider how many times I actually do accomplish what I set out to do each day. What are those obstacles that keep us from reaching our daily goals?

Technology or Literacy Issue?

While studying for my master's degree, I encountered lot of reading material about twenty first century learning. AFter surfing Route 21, I am completely convinced that acquiring my master's degree later in life certainly came with fringe benefits!! BTW - 50 rocks! Anyway- back to the blog -one of the resources I refer to (Teaching with the Internet Grades K-12: New Literacies for New Times by LEu, Leu, and Coiro) regularly poses the controversial question: Is learning how to use the Internet a technology issue, or a literacy issue? Has anyone out there flipped through the yellow pages lately to get a phone number? Have the sales of Key Maps possibly diminished now that competitors like Mapquest and Google maps have , shall we say, become the more convenient way to find a route? In less than a second thought - we could agree that the times are telling us that learning how to use the Internet is a literacy issue.
On another note, the authors conducted a study which concluded that the Internet contained more content related to the skills and strategies on state assessments than appeared in school textbooks. Well duh - this is probably no surprise to most, however, the elephant in the room is the biiiiiillions school districts spend on new text book adoptions. Did someone say HISD is starting the review process for a new ELA textbook?? How about them tamales?

Could it be that exercise really does affect our brain? After all we learned in Brain Rules, I decided it was worth giving it a try! It has been my habit throughout my career years, (and that would be farily significant at this point!) I have never taken the luxury of a break. There's never time for a break - too much work to do, too many deadlines to meet, too many expectations of myself! It simply was not part of my daily routine.

That changed in mid-January of this year. I began to take heed to Mr. Medina's brain rule # 1: Exercise boosts brain power!. It sounded good - made great sense, but surely I could prove him incorrect! I began to plan a walking break whenever I was on campus mid-morning and mid-afternoon. This indeed was a 10 - 12 minute power-walk. At first I felt very guilty - how could I do this on HISD time? Then I consoled myself my reminding myself that full-time employees are actually granted a break in the morning and in the afternoon. My husband works at Fluor, and they REQUIRE all of their employees to take a 15 minute break in the morning AND afternoon. We're actually doing HISD a favor - by increasing our productivity level!

Well, my little mid-day sprees soon became a habit. I return to my seat feeling amazingly energized; ready to take on the world! My energy level is greatly elevated and my mind is cleared. The stress is reduced, and my productivity level is on the rise! I discovered that I actually improved my ability to "get things done"! Of course, a great little side benefit is the loose-fitting clothes and several pounds disappearing around the waistline!

I encourage everyone to try this - it would be awesome to see you out there in the corridors! Boost your brain power today!

Hello C&I Friends,

Some of you are already familiar with the website, readwritethink.org. Recently I was doing some exploring and I am amazed at how useful this site is not only for ELA folks, but for all the content folks! One of the absolutely coolest pull down menus is called Student Resources. Here there are a myriad of activities and strategies to build literacy skills across the content areas. There is another tab called Calendar; this pull-down allows one to learn about historic events that occurred on each day of the month. What a great way for history teachers to focus on meaningful events! I have found that often I am so busy in trainings trying to make it through the agenda that I neglect to pass on these websites to our teachers. It's time to make a concerted effort to get great websites into the hands of some of our most important people in the district - our teachers! Btw - I'm playing with the site - hope you like my "friends photo" LOL!

No Educator Left Behind

It seems that technology is currently a theme weaving amongst the memebers of our team. I was truly inspired by our GT team's presentation last Friday. I could hardly wait to set up my own blog site.

A day hardly goes by that educators don't hear the state initiative "No Child Left Behind". As I reflect on the necessity of educators brining themselves up to speed with technology skills, a new slogan comes to mind - "No Educator Left Behind". It is our responsibility to not only update our own skills, but to bring our Digital Immigrant friends on board with us, whatever it takes. I have committed to taking one small step everyday to use technology in such a way that will enhance my creativity and make a greater impact on those I touch. Today I created a blog site. I look forward to hearing about your technology tidbits as we grow together professionally!