Weekly Writing Prompt [Lonely Contemplation Led]

This sentence starter is melancholy just like last week's writing prompt, that can definitely begin sad, but perhaps encourage a peripeteia? (And use it as an opportunity to teach a literary term!) Peripeteia is an unexpected or sudden turn of events.

About the prompt: it was another phrase I couldn't resist using before tearing the entire page apart for a rosette as part of my book art.

Weekly Writing Prompt [Melancholy marked him for her own.]

When an author uses personification in this way, it brings my imagination to life. I begin to visualize what this looks like, imagine the scene as my own, and attempt to relate to it in some way. How sad is this illustration? Giving life to the idea of melancholy - turning melancholy into a character - a character who does something tragic: marks someone for her own. Can you imagine being this person whom Melancholy marked? What would daily life look like?

I cannot remember which book or story I cut this phrase out from, but I hope the statement itself spurs imagination and allows for an awesome classroom discussion.

My connection: The Book Thief where the author Markus Zusak, writes Death as the narrator.

A Valuable Lesson on Empathy

I am slowly pursuing my Reading Specialist degree. My current class is Diagnosing and Correcting the Struggling Reader and thus far, it has been fascinating! I'm learning so much and adding many tools to my teacher-tool-box, but the last three weeks have been daunting. We began to learn an early literacy through grade twelve assessment where the training process begins with a 400+ page text book. I rely heavily on the combination of reading, reflecting, visual and kinesthetic learning processes in order to fully grasp a concept or skill. As a result, I'm finding this task overwhelming. After completing a less overwhelming section, my vigor was renewed and I felt encouraged! Yay! I actually finished it and understood it - the.first.time! I felt like a congratulatory pat on the back - or reward of some sort - was in order, instead I found myself learning empathy.

While my job is to help struggling readers struggle less, was I someone who really understood the struggle? 

In math, for sure (I remember crying through all of my math homework). But did I truly understand what it meant to be a struggling reader with zero desire to complete a text of any length? Could I really understand what it meant to struggle through a text and walk away feeling discouraged, and even unintelligent? 

Unfortunately, and fortunately, this textbook accomplished that for me. In our discussion board I wrote, 

This section was a refreshing read after the last few sections of reading that overwhelmed me. The process of assessing seems daunting, yet necessary. I was telling a friend that I’ve had to apply many of the strategies of a struggling reader to this textbook: rereading, rereading, rereading, check for comprehension, visualizing, asking questions, &etc. I am thankful for this struggle because it helped me understand the amount of work it takes to be a good reader; and how easy it is to become discouraged -  while also feeling dense. Like anyone else, if a book or text becomes difficult, time consuming, or uninteresting I lack the motivation and desire to finish it. That’s how I felt about this text, which lead to a light bulb moment for me as a reading teacher: this is how my struggling readers feel every time they attempt to read at all! Empathy is a valuable tool, just like the strategies given under each scenario in section 5!

I am thankful for this opportunity to struggle and I hope these feelings I experienced over the course of the last three weeks are remembered when I struggle understanding the feelings a struggling reader encounters on a daily basis.

I do believe that empathy is a key to success.

Professional Reading [What Really Matters for Struggling Readers by Richard L. Allington]

A common misconception many secondary teachers hold onto is that we need know very little about the reading process. This ideal is false for so many reasons, but the two most important are these facts:

1. In every subject area, reading is required and assigned.
2. In every classroom across the United States struggling readers struggle through this assigned reading.

We cannot ignore the fact that in order to be good at any one thing we need only to be able to read. For it's in reading books and journals and articles that we gain knowledge about advancements, ideas, directions, instructions, information, discoveries, &etc. Albert Einstein once said that the only thing we really need to know is how to get to and use the library. Therefore, if we are ignorant enough to believe that the reading process does not add to our teaching, there is no helping the struggling students in your classroom.

With that very pointed point, there are many books every teacher should read - yes, including secondary teachers - and one of them is Richard Allington's What Really Matters for Struggling Readers: Designing Research-Based Programs. It was required reading for my Diagnosing and Correcting Struggling Readers class, but it is well worth your time. You know it's a good book when my copy contains tabs of unbelievable ideas, quotes, and facts that I do not want to forget:

It is packed full of information readily available to use in the classroom. 

It debunks any misguided thoughts we have on reading intervention programs.

It tackles difficult issues such as standardized testing and Dibel's assessment with researched facts.

It offers research based strategies to help struggling readers that are easy to implement and simple to follow.

Overall this book has motivated me, given me confidence in what I know, built upon knowledge, and gave me the will to fight for what is best for students. 

It is one I will be returning to many times over as I fulfill the desire to become the very best teacher I can be. And I highly recommend it goes on your teacher-tool shelf as well.

Weekly Writing Prompt [The Day I Was the Teacher]

Hopefully I'm back in the groove of sharing weekly writing prompts, professional reading musts, and my curriculum creations! With that, here is a prompt that could be used as a title or a sentence starter!

My Example:

The day I was the teacher I decided to take a nap. I called the students one-by-one to lay their head upon their desk, "Throw aside your homework, forget the assessment, the lesson's a wrap. It's time for a nap." I was tired of their belly aching and whining and rolling of the eyes, so tired in fact that I needed a snooze. And when we wake up, what have we to lose? Fighting sleep is the hardest thing for me to fight, and while I did with all my might, I gave up in round two, and barely made it to my desk before I closed my eyes and enjoyed the view. This is a sad attempt for rhyming, but the reason is super clear: I'm tired. So tired of grading, lesson planning, teaching, guiding, assessing, and loving on all of you.

Elementary Plant Seeds Unit

At this point in my life I am designing lessons for my 1st grader rather than the secondary units on English/Language Arts that I am used to creating. Originally, I thought I would look into a curriculum to purchase, but my smart husband made this point: that would be like being a master carpenter and hiring someone to build a fence. His point: my masters degree is in curriculum and instruction, therefore it just makes sense that I create it. His common sense approach is another reason why I am incredibly thankful for this man. I am so glad I took his advice, it has been fun designing and doing these lessons with my own child.

Objective

Introduce plant basics while learning the value of the Scientific Method: observation.

Lesson Format

Each particular lesson I create follows the 4MAT method - a learning and communication tool that takes into account the different ways students perceive information, learn, process and share what they learned. Each activity is purposeful and hands on; there are very few worksheets.

(Download your FREE 4MAT lesson plan template HERE.)

Length

This unit took us 4 weeks to complete, however, it can take as long as you wish. There is quite a bit of time on observation, so the amount of time you take to complete these particular activities is entirely up to you and the time you have or need. 

Cost

$8. This is the decision process I struggle with the most. This took me hours to complete and I did try it as a one-on-one lesson successfully for 4 weeks. If you purchase it, you are not even paying for my time, but my hope is that if you like it, you give it a high rating and encourage other teachers to purchase it to make up for that. The other side of the coin is this: teachers are always purchasing items for their classroom from their own pocket. I know $$ is short and do not want to overcharge.

How to Purchase

Follow this link to Teachers Pay Teachers: 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Plant-Seeds-4091638

Be sure to like my page or follow me via email or Facebook!

Fluency Rubric [How I Helped Struggling Readers Gain Confidence & Become Fluent Readers!]

There are three aspects of a reading program that struggling readers need: comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency. Integrating those three ingredients proved difficult as I faced junior high struggling readers who lacked confidence, motivation, and a positive outlook. As a result, their temperament in all of their classes was not constructive or positive. They were not successful students because of their inability to read assignments or textbooks. That frustration carried over to all aspects of their school day and homework experience.

At first I was at a loss as to how to help them without causing further frustration. I began with read-alouds showing them how to think as they read, but also providing opportunities for them to see success with elementary principles without being elementary in the presentation and activities. That's when I introduced the fluency rubric and self evaluation.

The rubric principle is a simple one, but it's objective is amazing: to give clear guidelines. I quickly realized that even after practicing and practicing and practicing a poem to be read aloud (for example), the students needed to understand the expectations more clearly - hence this rubric. We went through this rubric multiple times - checking and rechecking for understanding. Modeling expectations over and over and over again. And it took quite a few run through's before they were ready to implement this assessment with their own presentations, and when they were ready (they literally knew the expectations like the back of their hand) - the results were amazing. The more they read (and saw success reading) the more they wanted to read! I took it up a notch with Poetry Performance Parties - complete with snacks, presentations, and games if time.

Visit my TeachersPayTeachers or TeachersNotebook stores to purchase the rubric and self-evaluation along with a detailed explanation of exactly how I implemented it for $2.

Weekly Writing Prompt [The day we lost the championship...]

The first thing that comes to mind with this prompt is a YouTube video I found super motivating,

When I combine the two, my response looks like this,

"The day we lost the championship was the day I became more motivated than I have ever been. I never, ever want to feel this way again. I let myself and my team down. I didn't use my time wisely. I slacked conditioning drills. I could go on, but when I reflect on our loss as a team I realized that we lost the championship because I was out of shape, I didn't take practice seriously, I didn't work with my teammates and now all I feel is disappointment. As the captain of the team, my attitude transferred to my teammates; therefore, we were out of shape, we didn't take practice seriously, we didn't work together, as a result we are all disappointed. We were so close! But we were outworked and as I watched their captain, I learned something invaluable: the cost of leadership. I will never, ever allow myself stupid excuses again. If I'm going to lose at something - even after giving it all I got - fine, but I will not lose because of my failings in practice, in the off season, and because I failed as a leader. If we lose again (the key word being if) these words will never come out of my mouth again, I wish I would've given it all I had, all the time, and encouraged my teammates to do the same. Words are important, but my actions spoke volumes and I am so glad I have a second chance to apply what I learned. I am beyond pumped."

Weekly Writing Prompt [Cast one longing lingering look behind?]

This week's writing prompt is a question prose: Cast one longing lingering look behind? I took the phrase from a book of poetry. It's an excellent question to ponder, and it's one we do ponder without really thinking about it. In every situation humans are notorious for looking back when one says good-bye, we look back and rehash mistakes, regret, and the like, we look back at people or things we miss or think we miss. We cast longing looks behind, but should we? This particular questions makes me think of that quote, "One cannot drive into the future looking in the rear view mirror." With that, should we ask this question: cast one longing lingering look behind?

That is one way to write about this prompt. Another way a student could run with this is by writing a  narrative, which is the route I chose for my example,

Example 1: 
"She sat in the passenger seat, clinging tightly to her husband's hand. She did not want to leave the comfortable life they had led for the last ten years. She loved their home, their friends, their church family, their community and yet, her husband had a goal, a goal he'd been working toward for a decade. A goal she'd been working alongside him in order for this day to happen. The day they'd leave to pursue the unknown. She couldn't help but cast one longing look behind her as a solitary tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away not wanting her husband to see it, knowing that this decision was for the best. Best for him and best for her children. Despite knowing it was best, her heart ached and longed for the life they just left behind. With one longing glance, she took a deep breath and set her gaze forward. She set her mind on courage, determination, perseverance, and hard work. She was bound to make this dream come true and cast no more longing looks behind!"

Example 2:
I found myself aching to cast one longing, lingering look behind me. Should I look? Would I linger? Would I long for what could have been? What might have been? This question ebbing back and forth at my soul would not leave my mind as I continued to walk away. If I looked, would it show weakness? Would it show a change of mind? If I didn't look, would I regret it? Would it show my resolve? The debate within stung my eyes and made my head pound. I felt like I needed time to weigh the pros and cons of this simple question until finally a quote I remember him telling me rang loud and clear, "you cannot drive into the future looking into your rearview mirror." That statement was etched in my mind with every step I took forward. I would not look, nor linger in the past. That person is gone and I felt made new! My steps became lighter and more free as the heavy question faded away and my eyes fixed ahead - leaving the ache of the known behind. Instead of lingering around what I left behind, I began to long for the unknown. Hope grew within me. My tears continued to fall, but a smile slowly etched across my face. I would not cast a longing look behind.

I picked one of my wedding pictures to give more ideas. A bride looking back on her wedding day could pose allllllll kinds of problems or interesting ideas...

Picture taken by Beth James at Studio J Images.

Why the multiple pictures?
Hopefully one of the pictures gets brains rolling in a direction to help spur ideas. The first and last picture I took, and the wedding picture is of me on my wedding day, taken by Beth James at Studio J Images (which I have never looked back). I took the first picture because the ice build up on our vehicle was rather remarkable. Since the picture didn't really capture the effect I was seeing, I put it to use here.

The picture with the book is where this particular writing prompt idea originated: My life revolves around books. I read them constantly. I teach struggling readers. I teach the value of life-long literacy. (In my "free time" I even craft with them! Check out my work here: Rebecca's Recycled Readers) I value the written word and hope to pass on this love to others, even if it means saving work from the dumpster or recycling center's shredder (which is where the owner of this quote was doomed). As I was tearing apart pages for my book art, I couldn't help contemplating this question. I hope it gets your brain rolling as it did mine.

-ang, -ing, -ong, -ung Endings

My kindergartener had a hard time mastering the -ng endings. Due to her struggle I created this activity to help her master the -ang, -ing, -ong, and -ung endings.

The overall objective of this mini-lesson is for students to master these endings while practicing basic fluency, comprehension, new vocabulary, and being introduced to present and past tense.

I was trying to think through a way to have one story revolving around all these endings and decided to create one little story in the past and present tense to help my kindergartner master those ending sounds while also introducing the tense concept. It was a big success! I'm excited to share it with you because it helped her master these endings.

If your student was introduced to the -ng endings and is struggling as well, I recommend using this supplementary tool.

Follow either one of these links to purchase the product:
Teachers Pay Teachers
Teachers Notebook 

Weekly Writing Prompt [The Day I Met My Hero.]

Today's writing prompt could either be a sentence starter or a title, or both. It could be something that really happened or a day the student has only dreamed about. With this one there's a few options.

My example:
The day I met my hero was my last day on earth. The day I met my hero was the day I took my last breath. The day I met my hero was the day I said good-bye to this life and entered the next. It was the day my faith became sight. The day I met my hero was not a sad day, but was a day of rejoicing, because the day I met my hero was the day I witnessed first hand what I had only read about - that to be absent from the body is to present with Christ!

Weekly Writing Prompt [The Day I Was Jack Frost.]

ELA teachers have a plethora of writing materials out there to help students get their brains rolling. I love thinking of new and innovative ways to get a student's brain ready to write. One way I do this is through simple phrases. Simple phrases help clear the cob webs. Sometimes the hardest part is just starting, so when that first piece is written for you, I find it easier to run with it, fabricating an entire story or poem just because I took the time to let my brain fashion something out of another something.

Today's prompt was one of those ideas that came to me when I saw the simple phrase: "The day I was..." You could insert any number of possibilities into this blank, "The day I was __________." Jack Frost came to me on a blustery day, but many others came to my mind like,
"The day I was Mickey Mouse."
"The day I was Mother Earth."
"The day I was a millionaire."
"The day I was married and widowed."
"The day I was an astronaut."
"The day I was the teacher."
And I'm sure you could come up with many, many more.

My example:
"The day I was Jack Frost I was in a dangerous mood. My heart was cold as ice and my very breath was brutal. I could freeze a heart with just my scowl and my stare was brutal. My inner turmoil was so intense that icy vehemence encompassed me, radiating to all who walked in the same room. I was cold down to my core and I couldn't stop shaking. A cloud hung over me. I was right on the verge of blowing at any time, to let the cold pour out of each and every pore and fiber in me. To besiege and attack, I was not satisfied with a gentle fall. I wanted to harass from all sides, making others has cold as I felt."

Professional Reading [The End of Molasses Classes by Ron Clark]

This is one of those books that every teacher should read for professional development. There are 101 reasons why, but for the sake of time I'll only chat about a few of them and encourage you to read his book - be inspired!

Ron Clark offers example after example as to why we should never, ever have excuses for not making things happen. Each story he shared hit my heart effectively - inspiring me as a Christian, wife, mother, teacher, friend... that no matter what I do, do it well (and as he said, do it with wild abandon). My all time favorite quote that I do not want to forget,

We could be here all day with my favorite sections and quotes, so for the sake of summary these were some of my favorites:

• Don't destroy a dream.
• Not every child deserves a cookie.
• Define high expectations.
• Uplift each other.
• Listen.
• Give all that you've got.
• Get to know your students in nonacademic settings.
• Be selfless.
• Making excuses won't make it happen.
• Be excellent.
• Create moments.
• Love learning.
• Treat students as they were your own.
• Push innovation - beyond your imagination.
• Know names. (This is something I am terrible at remembering. I had the hardest time getting names to stick (until they did something naughty). So I found this particular section super convicting.)
• Use music.
• Know your students.
• No matter your circumstances - don't let moments pass you by.
• Make learning magical
• Do good - get good.
• Live fearlessly.
• Love what your students love. (I once went skeet shooting with a student and found a book on the topic, because I could not get the kid to read at all. I knew that I needed to know something about one of his interests in order to get him interested. That's one of my own examples of this one at work. Also, I found that I really enjoyed it and I'm pretty good at it!)
• Create lasting traditions.
• Create a culture for learners and love. (For the first two weeks we focused on expectations and loving one another. I did 2 weeks of bully training found here: Teachers Notebook and Teachers Pay Teachers
• Create a community environment.
• Encourage students to encourage each other.
• Use chants, kinesthetic learning, and music. 
• Stress the value of a strong work ethic.
• Realize the power of gratitude and appreciation (I've been working on a unit for that since October of this year and the more research I do on the power of gratitude I could go overboard on exclamation points for this one!)
• Set the bar high for parents, too!
• Ask the hard questions - "What do you want this school to be?" (They have to be prepared for the hard answers, if they want greatness, they must put forth greatness themselves!)
• The staff must love one another. "[The staff] knew that through loving one another they would really be helping children. When the kids come to our school they see nothing but a team of individuals who want to be at RCA and how love one another." p.261 I have been part of some amazing teams of teachers and I know when we work together for the success of the student, success doesn't seem unattainable. However, I have been part of some pretty terrible teams that fought and disagreed on everything. When attitudes stink and respect thrown out the window, the environment tanks. No one wants to be in that kind of environment and it's nearly impossible to create a positive learning environment.
• Build a powerful network and work hard to keep those people, "I tell teachers and schools that want to receive donations that they must realize it's all about building relationships and having the patience to start small, show appreciation, and then take the proper steps to increase the donation." (p.306) and the one question he always asks possible donors is one worth writing down, "What would you like to see from RCA in order to get your foundation to a point in the future where you might consider a gift for us?" (p.314)

Now these may seem like "duh" no brainer principles, but it takes a tremendous amount of effort to actually apply them day in and day out. Thankfully his book is full of excellent examples, shared alongside his fallibility. When he shared his failures, followed by his reflections and hindsight, I found him very relatable and thankful for his willingness to share those mistakes and what he learned from them.

If you're like me and find this list overwhelming you must know that from beginning to end two qualities were abundantly clear as he built a successful school: tremendous work ethic and to simply care. Everything on that list stems from those two characteristics. Resolve to work hard and care for your students and your co-workers. When you do those two things that list will just work itself out!  

One of my favorite parts of the entire book was the section for parents. Seriously, every parent in today's day and age needs to read this book. His knowledge and experience and expectations will help you do your important job well. Read it. This particular section is only a little over 40 pages long, a big whoop for all that this will rouse within you. Let me give you a pretty wonderful, motivational  example to wet your appetite,

"Currently at RCA, more than half of our school is scoring over the 90th percentile in math, and I can say, with full confidence, that it is largely due to the role the parents are playing in the preparation for the tests throughout the year." p.256

Teachers, why is parent involvement so important? I'll let Clark answer that with this amazing truth:

"The key is to open the doors of your school to the parents, to invite them in, and to make them feel like a part of their children's education. Once you have done that, it becomes so much easier to work with them on issues that are standing in the way of their child's success, and it makes dealing with any parent issues so much easier to handle." p.259

Another favorite topic (okay, I have many) is his discussion on a teacher's worth, a teacher's education, how much they should be paid and why, and his view on tenure. I think it's worth reading, considering, and joining the debate. I won't give all those details away, GO READ THE BOOK!

His vision for education is one to get excited about. Someday I'd like to visit, but for now it was wonderful seeing it through his eyes in his book.

"Our purpose is to create new and innovative ways to educate children and share our findings with others in a professional development setting." 

Weekly Writing Prompts [Shining in the Middle of the night.]

When I have a crazy week followed by another crazy week, I spend a week playing catch up! That's three weeks gone and I find it incredibly frustrating. Our craziness began the last weekend of January. Our dog Quigley had been sick for weeks on end and he took a nose dive that Friday night and had a horrible night Sunday into Monday. It was heartbreaking. In the end we had to let him go. His liver failed and we have no idea why. That week was a difficult one with two weekends of visiting family and then extra babysitting needs from some individuals in our church. I finally feel like I'm (temporarily) back on top of things. I say temporarily with confidence knowing that something else will come up eventually to upend my blogging schedule! That's life as a wife and mother of little people, not to mention life with family and friends, and as I recently found out... that's life as a pet owner.

With that said, here is the weekly writing prompt:

I tear apart books that were thrown into the recycling bin and create all kinds of book crafts. One thing I thoroughly enjoy doing is taking words and phrases to create my own poetry (more on that at another time). I also take favorite sections of books and poetry for students to use as inspiration in their own writing.

This particular section was taken from Lewis Carroll's poem titled, "The Walrus and the Carpenter" which offers an intriguing idea with which to write. Once the writing is complete I encourage you to read the poem in its entirety and ask students to share their own writing with the class: The Walrus and the Carpenter.

Here is my example if that is helpful for you:

The sun was in an ornery mood that day. Tired of being predictable and following rules. Tired of the same old duties day after day. After thousands and thousands and thousands of years of his obedience, he decided to allow himself one day of fun. He laughed at the chaos that ensued and thoroughly enjoyed the Earth's surprise. For Mother Earth didn't know what to do and became quite cross. Tossing her waves, causing her mountains to quake, compelling eruptions, and brewing storms. She was in a fury! The more Mother Earth gave rise to her anger (in the most unbecoming ways) the louder the sun laughed and the more he fanned the fire. One by one the planets attempted to help. Mercury felt too close to both of them, reluctant to take sides. Venus tried a lovey-dovey approach, which only agitated them further. Mars sided with the sun angering the Earth even more. Jupiter argued with Mars, thinking Mother Earth's anger was justified. Saturn rolled her eyes and told the sun to, "Put a ring on it already!" Uranus was a butt to everyone. Neptune was too far removed and wanted to stay out of it - completely. But when he was unable to, he was all out of orbit! One by one the sweet stars twinkled a bit of kindness and each act changed each of them slowly, but it was enough to calm things down. As time elapsed, the stars were seen as wise. For one alone may not have changed the course, but together - with each small act of kindness - eased anger, hate, and pride.

Your turn...

An Idea To Cultivate a Love of Learning From One Mom to Another (For teacher's too!)

My "Professional Development" book of the month is Ron Clark's The End of Molasses Classes: getting our kids unstuck: 101 extraordinary solutions for parents and teachers. So far this book has inspired me as a mother and a teacher - to step it up a notch (or 2, or 3, or 101). 

One of the ideas that I had to share was of a mom who found creative places for her children to study before a test. She listed all kinds of places that offered free admission and adventure to enjoy as a family and study the material learned for any particular lesson or unit (Clark included letters from parent's throughout his book, this idea was from Mrs. Nesmith, mom of Cameron, class of 2012, in chapter 31, Show them how to study; don't expect it to come naturally). I love that idea! As a reading teacher who began each year discussing and writing about a student's favorite place(s) to read - I took this mom's idea and made it my own. 

Before I go there (and encourage you to do the same) let me explain. I used this prompt (Where is your favorite place(s) to read your favorite book?) for two reasons:

1. It helped me determine my readers from my non-readers. Readers have favorite places to read. Non-readers typically have no idea this is even a thing.
2. It helped me cultivate a love for reading. As favorite places are discussed, written down and shared it always amazed me how quickly readers and non-readers alike got lost in their own idea of a favorite place. And eventually grew into this delightful bucket list of places they'd like to visit and read a book! As the year progressed, and their love for reading grew, they were able to talk about their favorite place to read. Encourage students to find a drink... grab a snack... pick a book about your favorite thing to do (for example, where I'm from, most boys picked hunting)... go to your spot... and enjoy. I loved hearing how they'd get lost in this place.

As a mom who wants to cultivate a love for reading in my own children, I couldn't wait to take this mom's idea and run with it! The idea of taking my girls on adventures - with a book - appealed to me on so many levels. I'm making it a goal to go to new places with snacks, drinks, and a book. Explore, learn and see something new, make memories and take the time to enjoy a book too. My brain is rolling... there's an old abandoned church out in the middle of a field I would like to see (bring a blanket, snacks, and books!), hiking trails with marvelous views (bring snacks and a book!), go to the Tin Roof Sundae (enjoy ice cream and - you guessed it - books!), the possibilities are endless and the result is memorable reading excursions. 

And that in and of itself is amazing.

Did you know that the majority of my non-readers or struggling readers had no memory of their parents reading to them? They also hand no positive memories or experiences that included books or stories. Be that parent who provides memorable moments surrounded by books. The most amazing gift you can give your children is wonderful memories surrounded by books and learning. Also, be that teacher who provides memories surrounded by books! Especially if your students possess zero memorable moments with books, make sure you give them one (or a hundred). Cultivate a love for reading beginning with the things and places they love the most! 

Parents and teachers, I'd love to hear how you pulled this off. Please share!

4 Reasons to Like Emily Dickinson's Poetry

I have written before of my love for poetry. It is one of my favorite forms of literature and creative writing. There is freedom to write down your thoughts as they come to you and joy when you find the right word to finish a thought, or rhyme, or create a witty play on words. Reading and relating to other poets, however, is even better. Poetry is inspirational. Emily is one of those poets I enjoy even more after reading about her. I can relate to Emily in so many ways. It wasn't until reading the introductions, editor's notes, and forwards to Emily's poetry books that I learned to enjoy her poetry all the more!

Never ever skip those pieces before or after reading a book. It adds depth and makes the book come alive in a completely new way! This is what I would've missed had I not taken my own advice...

1. "She rejected conventions, cared for no set technique, no formulas of versification, no fastidious rhyming." (Ellis, M., Pound, L. and Spohn, G., A College Book of American Literature, I, The Later Nineteenth Century, p.9) 
2. It is said that the effect of her poetry is "gayety, joy, and utter independence." (Ellis, M., Pound, L. and Spohn, G., A College Book of American Literature, I, The Later Nineteenth Century, p.10) That statement is true when you read the subjects of her poetry: nature, everyday life, and her love for her family.
3. Very little of her writing was ever published and the only reason they ever made it to the printing press was because they were found (by accident) after her death. She did not write with an intention to be published. She wrote for the pure enjoyment of it and for her family to whom she sent little notes and poems across the yard. Her humility is remarkable.
4. This is Emily's own test for poetry, "If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know it is poetry. If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know this is poetry." I love that test! If it were for no other reason than that particular statement, I would love Emily all the same.

Here is one of my favorites,

This would also make a wonderful writing prompt!

Weekly Writing Prompt [Write me as one that...]

Poetry is one of the most inspirational places for me to visit. Sometimes it's one or two lines that catch my eye, or the moral or theme that twangs the heart strings, or the overall idea the author is trying to convey speaks to my soul, or the innumerable clever word choices, play on words, arrangements, rhymes - they all transport me to the wide world of words.

Here is one line that makes an excellent beginner phrase for a student to finish and expand upon, taken from a book of prose sitting in the recycling bin. Breathe new life into it by writing a story or poem to get creative juices flowing...

Think about it, if anyone were to write about you, what would you want them to write?

My example:

Write me as one that passionately lives.

Lives by faith alone.

Saved by grace alone.

In Christ alone.

According to Scripture alone.

For the glory of God alone.

Write me as one that lives for Christ,

Dies to self.

Lives for His glory

And not my own.

Write me as one that loves God

And loves others.

Who serves Christ 

by serving others.

Write me as one that laughs at the time to come;

that trusts in Christ,

that delights in His Word,

that longs for His face,

that worships Him as King,

that fears nothing, because nothing is outside of His control.

Write me as one that passionately lives.

Write me as one that lives for The One.

Write me as one of His.

- Rebecca Lowery

I have many more phrases taken from poetry that I'll be sharing these next few weeks. Plus a writing lesson that I cannot wait to share with you - for free! Stay posted...

3 Supplementary Reading Tools I Use With My Kindergartener

Before teaching my 5 year old, I was a 7th and 8th grade reading teacher. I was hired to fill a position in a Title 1 school that did not have a curriculum and the school possessed limited resources. Needless to say, it was a tremendous learning experience.

Still, I have learned more as a teacher-mom than I ever did as a junior high teacher. Being a parent challenges and excites more than any other job. When she hits milestones or when I get to witness light bulb moments, I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be apart of her reading journey! It's definitely had ups and downs, but compared to teaching a classroom of failing, struggling, angry-at-the-world, pre-teen readers I am enjoying this process immensely.

I'm sure I'll share more of this journey as the years progress, but for now these are the resources I use to supplement our reading curriculum:

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Mobymax.com is a free resource for teachers and homeschoolers. There are lessons for every subject area imaginable. It's easy to use, and while my daughter enjoys doing a 10 minute phonics lesson on the computer, she's also learning valuable computer skills. Win, win. There are many reasons to love this website, but I love this independent learning tool to gauge growth and offer practice, practice, practice in a different place/voice other than mom.

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The Pyramid Reading Game is a super simple activity that my emerging reader finds quite hilarious and fun. She ponders each sentence as it progresses and I enjoy hearing her think alouds - asking why, connecting, laughing. And as she practises CVC and sight words she's also working on fluency (voice inflection with punctuation, speed, accuracy) and comprehension. Every day she wants to do more than one. This is the general idea:

The

The dog

The dog ran

The dog ran to

The dog ran to me to 

The dog ran to me to hop

the dog ran to me to hop on

The dog ran to me to hop on my

The dog ran to me to hop on my lap
The dog ran to me to hop on my lap and

The dog ran to me to hop on my lap and lick

The dog ran to me to hop on my lap and lick my 

the dog ran to me to hop on my lap and lick my hand.

I added the -ck and -nd ending blends to this one and she does so well reading it that the next set of pyramids I create will have more 4 letter words.

Buy 25 of them (just CVC and sight words) for $2 at my Teachers Pay Teachers or Teachers Notebook shops.

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Bob Books are a series of simple readers that encourage and motivate emergent readers! My daughter was so thrilled when she read her first book on her own that she wanted to jump on the opportunity to learn the words in the next book in order to read it too! How could I say no to that?! I've heard the argument, "aren't they just memorizing the book?" Isn't that what reading is? Memorization? You memorize the sounds each letter makes, you memorize sight words like "of" (phonetically - uv), you memorize new word meanings, and commit to memory the alphabet, sight words, cvc words, & crazy rules like, i before e except after c (unless it's words like weird). Reading is the act of training your brain to remember the letter sounds to recognize words automatically (ahem, memorization). If my child can memorize a word in one of these Bob Book's and then turn around to recognize it in another book, well then the books are doing their job! Plus, it's motivating her to want to continue to read! Those are all things worth accomplishing! In fact, she is so excited about it that she shows off her reading skills to daddy as soon as he walks in the door and to anyone else willing to listen to these "enthralling" (wink, wink) reads.

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Sometimes we spend so much time arguing about where to start, what resource to use or not use, that we miss the big idea: what works with one student may not work with another. And there is no absolute right or wrong way to teach a child to read. Are you teaching them the letters and the sounds they make and how to apply that knowledge when they open a book? Are you introducing them to a variety of text? Reading to them? There are countless resources out there that I'm sure will be wonderful supplements to your reading curriculum (if used as they were intended to be used). These are the resources I use and see success with and they are great for parents and teachers alike. I hope, if you decide to use them, that they offer the same results we have experienced.

P.S. The first two sources I wish I would have known about when I was teaching struggling readers the art of reading. Both would've been extremely helpful and I would recommend either of them to teachers struggling to teach struggling readers to read.

FREEBIE! [6 Trait Writing Rubric]

Every author uses the 6 traits of writing to create a piece full of detail wonderful ideas that are clearly spoken, organized well, convey compelling meaning, while using correct conventions, sentence fluency, and intriguing words or phrases. This rubric exists to help teachers grade a student's writing, while giving students clear and precise expectations. 

Tips:

• While grading, ask yourself, "Is it more 5 than 4, or 4 than 3, or more 2 than 1? etc." 
• To help answer this question I begin underlining what the student accomplished in his/her work under each category so that I can go back and see which has the most underlined qualities. 
• Be sure to go through the rubric together as a class. 
• Grading previously done work helps students master what is expected in good writing.

Students need clear expectations and teachers need precise guidelines to gauge writing and create creative, clear, and focused writers. This rubric helps accomplish just that.

Download the PDF file for FREE at...

Teachers Pay Teachers

Or 

Teachers Notebook 

Weekly Writing Prompts [One Word, Set 2]

Set two invokes memories worth writing about, or feelings worth expressing, or experiences worth sharing!

Example:
I will never forget my first memory of being unwelcome. I was only in 5th grade, but the details are still vivid twenty-plus years later. Thirty minutes on a school bus was already uncomfortable. It wasn't the crowded space or the stuffy environment that introduced me to the heartbreak of being unwanted, unwelcome. It was two girls with whom I shared a seat; thinking, hoping, we were friends. Not long after sitting down, they tried pushing me off. With all their heaving, they were unable to make me budge. I planted my feet, bound and determined to remain despite knowing I was not welcome, not wanted as their seat-mate or their friend. I remember being heartbroken when I got off the bus, not letting the tears fall until I walked into my room. Through the years these girls did their best to make me feel unwelcome in many, many ways; but this memory has been burned into the mind's eye - once haunting me - now imparting wisdom and gratitude as I invest in welcoming friendship.

See the first set of One Word Prompts here.

Pyramid Game for Beginning Readers [CVC & Sight Word Recognition]

I am an ELA teacher, with a master's degree in curriculum and instruction. My specialty has always been in reading. It is by far, the most vital of all subjects. If a student cannot read he/she is doomed for all other subjects. One cannot be a scientist, mathematician, historian, or be proficient in any subject or profession if reading is not mastered.

Most of my student teaching was done in a reading classroom, and then my first 5 years of teaching was with struggling 7th and 8th grade readers. During this time I learned so much about finding and fixing holes.

Most of the time struggling readers lacked basic comprehension skills (i.e. visualizing while reading) or didn't understand what your voice does when it hits certain punctuation, or did not immediately recognize most sight words, or, or, or, or, or...

And the majority of these students who struggled did not have memories of their parents reading to them as children. Typically the parents of these students did not excel in school, therefore having the attitude that education was not important. This attitude was passed down to their children, who also lost the will to try because of multiple years of failure.

The solution was pretty simple, yet extremely difficult. I had to find simple ways for them to be successful, thus gaining confidence. With success and confidence comes a desire, the want-to, a new found interest. We used short non-fiction passages, we read poetry over and over again, we practiced readers theatre, I did a lot of think-alouds, and saw success.

Since becoming a mother and teaching my own kindergartener how to read, I've learned so much more! Still, those same concepts apply to my progressing reader, as to those struggling readers: repetition, fun/interesting passages, think-alouds, &etc. give success, which gain confidence!

Now that she automatically recognizes short vowel and consonant sounds and is well on her way to memorizing 20+ sight words, she is ready and able to begin reading and writing sentences! Aside from being a proud teacher-mom, she is super excited! One of her favorite warm-ups is the pyramid game. Each day we do a new one and she enjoys progressing through each line to finally read the complete sentence.

This is a great activity for parents to do alongside their emerging reader, or a wonderful warm-up for teachers to begin the day, or for homeschool teachers looking for a supplemental activity to begin any reading lesson.

It consists of nothing more than consonant-vowel-consonant and sight words. The more success she has, the more she wants to do. I'm sure that once we make it through this set, I'll be providing more. Until then, enjoy the 25 pyramids given for $2 by following these links:

Teachers Pay Teachers

Teachers Notebook 

Weekly Writing Prompts ["Funny Then - Not Now" OR "Funny Now - Not Then"]

How frequently in a lifetime does one reflect on an event and think - that isn't funny anymore or that is hilarious now! I can think of one time in particular when I thought it would be hilarious to splash a groom's face with a cup full of water during the reception. As a child, I laughed and laughed, thinking it hilarious. As an adult, looking back on that event makes my stomach curdle. It definitely isn't funny anymore!

I could expound on either of these prompts for quite a while...