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Catching Up on Professional Reading

8/20/2013

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This summer I was finally able to get to some of the professional books that were part of my ever-growing reading stack. Two standouts for me were Word Nerds: Teaching All Students to Learn and Love Vocabulary by Brenda Overturf, Leslie Montgomery, and Margot Smith, and Assessment in Perspective: Focusing on the Reader Behind the Numbers by Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan, both published by Stenhouse Publishers.

Vocabulary is a big part of the new Common Core standards, but in many classrooms it continues to be taught in isolation. Students may learn words for a weekly assessment or for the length of a unit of study, but they are quickly forgotten. In Word Nerds, the authors skillfully show teachers how they can not only use direct vocabulary instruction, but also embed the teaching of vocabulary across the day so that students truly own the words. As they say:
        Students need time to explore new words, play with them, and connect them to concepts they 
         already know. Words without a meaningful context
remain random.
The organization and step by step procedures outlined in Word Nerds serve as a helpful guide to teachers without being formulaic. The book is full of classroom snapshots, allowing the reader to listen in on instructional conversations and get a true sense of what that kind of dialogue might sound like. By taking us into their classrooms, Brenda, Leslie, and Margot give a clear picture of what scaffolded instruction looks like, and how operating as a classroom community can boost student achievement.

As soon as I began reading Assessment in Perspective, I knew it would be an important book for teachers. In the opening pages, the authors included a quote from Lucy Calkins that I always had pasted in the notebook I kept on the students I worked with:
    Assessment is the thinking teacher’s mind work. The intelligence that
guides our every moment as a teacher.

Often when we think about assessment these days we think about numbers and data. Teachers are often asked to look at data, or to bring their data to a progress monitoring or grade level meeting. But what does that actually mean? By sharing the stories from their classrooms, Clare and Tammy remind us that there is so much more to looking at numbers. They explain how one piece of data is not enough, and to get a true sense of what is happening with a student, we must look at more  - formal and informal data, including observational notes of students in different contexts. Also through their stories, they are able to show teachers how to take an assessment stance in the classroom, so that everything they do and observe informs instruction.

            Recently, I viewed an exhibit of art work by Jerry Pinkney at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Painted on the floor at the entrance to the exhibit hall were these words from the illustrator: “There is something special about knowing that your stories can alter the way people see the world, and the place within it.” Story is powerful, and by choosing to use story to explain their ideas, the authors of Word Nerds and Assessment in Perspective have given teachers the opportunity to reflect on their classroom practices and perhaps see them a little differently. I highly recommend both of these books to both new and experienced teachers.

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New Friends

8/10/2013

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Picture
Somehow I knew the day would come.  My tubs and shelves of books could not take one more. Something would have to give. So last spring I packed up some of my old friends – wonderful books who would serve teachers well in their classrooms or find their way into the hands of an eager young reader or writer; books that could serve a better purpose than sitting on my shelf for long stretches of time. Although it was difficult to bid farewell, I had many new friends waiting for a spot in my collection. The wonderful thing about books is that there are always new discoveries to make! For this year’s 10 for 10 event I have decided to introduce some of my new friends. All of these books were published in 2012 or 2013. I thought just choosing ten might be easier with the field narrowed in such a way, but it was still difficult.

Thanks Kathy and Mandy for hosting this event once again. I can’t wait to make more friends as I view everyone’s picks!

Annie and Helen by Deborah Hopkinson, illus. by Raul Colon. This book is more than just a biography of Helen Keller. The author’s use of primary source documents in the form of excerpts from Annie Sullivan’s letters to her friend in Boston make it Annie’s story as well.  Readers can easily understand how important these two women were to each other. It is a celebration of courage, perseverance, and triumph, and exemplifies what it means to be a teacher.

Bear Has a Story to Tell by Philip C. Stead, illus. by Erin E. Stead. This heart-warming tale is a wonderful example of how important friends are, especially in helping us tell our stories.

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, illus. by Oliver Jeffers. Thanks to Stacey Shubitz who introduced me to this great new book! All the crayons in Duncan’s box write him letters of complaint, but by using his imagination he finds a way to make them all happy again. Wonderful examples of persona writing!

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, illus. by E. B. Lewis. A touching story of friendship and the power of small acts of kindness.

Forest Has a Song by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater, illus. by Robbin Gourley. Through a series of poems, the author takes us on a visit to the forest. We can chat with a chickadee, listen in on a tree frog proposing marriage, feel the squish of moss on bare toes, and much more.

Penguin and Pinecone written and illustrated by Salina Yoon. Another friendship story that shows the give and take of love and how distance between loved ones can be overcome.

Rocket Writes a Story written and illustrated by Tad Hills. Now that Rocket can read he wants to write. This delightful follow-up to How Rocket Learned to Read is the perfect way to introduce young writers to the writing process – finding inspiration, drafting, the power of a good conference with a teacher, revising, and sharing.

Sorting Through Spring by Lizann Flat, illus. by Ashley Barron. This interactive book skillfully combines math with nature in a playful and interesting way. Readers are challenged to find patterns, make reasonable predictions based on probability, and interpret data as they learn about animals and plants. I can definitely see kids returning to this book again and again to make new discoveries.

A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant, illus. by Melissa Sweet. I included this book in the 10 for 10 nonfiction event in February, but felt it needed to be on this list, too. Together with the exquisite collages of illustrator Melissa Sweet, Jen helps us learn of the struggles and successes of Pennsylvania artist Horace Pippin. The text offers many lessons for young writers and includes excerpts from some of Pippin’s notebooks.

Unspoken told through the illustrations of Henry Cole. This wordless book offers a heartfelt story about the Underground Railroad. When a young girl encounters a runaway slave, she must make an important decision. This book would be a great tool for teaching inference and character development.


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