The problem isn't that I'm a good teacher, or even a terrible teacher. The problem is some days I appear to be a twit who's been let loose among children.

Sylvia Ashton Warner

Maybe I was feeling a bit cocky, maybe I was just too tired to think straight. But in the rug area after the 2:30 p.m. read-aloud, I had an inspiration. "Boys and girls, it's been such a great day, and I can't wait to give Mrs. McLure a wonderful report about your behavior and learning. You know what would make the day perfect? Let's leave the room even cleaner than we found it. Let's all tidy up the classroom before the bell rings in 15 minutes and you need to go home." The room was a disaster, with piles of yarn and paints from the morning art project still out, books and crayons scattered across desks, and even a lone green sock hanging off the edge of the rocking chair. I figured I might save myself 30 minutes of cleaning after school by enlisting the kids to help. Everyone whooped enthusiastically and started scurrying around, emptying wastebaskets and picking up stray bits of paper on the floor.

A few minutes later I ran to the back of the room to take care of an emergency involving a rumble by the classroom bathroom, some water, and many, many soap bubbles. I mopped, scolded, cajoled, and finally returned to the classroom library area, just as the bell for the end of the day was ringing.

There, dumped in the middle of the rug, were books. Hundreds and hundreds of books - every basket and shelf emptied from the classroom library. A tow-headed sprite explained, "We're sorting all the books by color. It'll be way neater than before." There was one small basket of books, all red, sitting lonely on the shelf.....which was as far as they had gotten in their execution of the plan.

A blur of backpacks, lunch boxes, hugs goodbye...and minutes later every child was gone. I sat in the middle of the classroom for a quiet moment, wondering yet again if brain surgeons or beauticians ever had days like these. Then I rolled up my sleeves, and spent the next four hours rearranging the classroom library back into some semblance of order. It was full dark outside by the time I finally left the school with the janitor.

Of the many humbling experiences I've had working with children over the years, this was one of the most instructive. First, I never again completely turned my back on a soap dispenser in a classroom when I was in charge. Second, I realized yet again that children have very different ways of sorting and organizing information than we do. It's no wonder we spend so much time helping students understand genre and text features and styles and their own quirks as readers. There are so many ways to sort through books to find what you want or need to read, but they aren't readily apparent when you're six...or even sixteen.

This week, we've got some to help teachers match kids to books. Plus more as always - enjoy!

Brenda Power

Editor, Choice Literacy

www.choiceliteracy.com

Free for All

From the Choice Literacy Archives, literacy coach Carol Wilcox has two sons in middle and high school who aren't avid readers. In considering their needs as visual, action-driven readers and writers, she creates a dozen practical literacy activities linking books, drawing, writing, and the arts. These are all great activities for early in the year to get to know students and connect them with books:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/413.cfm

If you're beginning to explore video and audio resources on the web for teachers and students, the free video and audio podcasts from Reading Rockets are a terrific place to start. Features include video and audio chats with favorite authors, as well as advice from education experts and videos of best practices from classrooms:

http://www.readingrockets.org/podcasts/

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Katie DiCesare thinks through the many ways children can be overwhelmed by the book choices available in classrooms during the first weeks of school. She considers how regular routines like read-alouds and creating baskets linked to student interests support children who may be reluctant to make choices on their own:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/683.cfm

With all the things teachers could focus on in their observations of students, what are the key behaviors to look for in assessing literacy growth and development? In "Looking for Evidence: 7 Questions," Ruth Shagoury notes the questions she uses to focus her observations and assessment of student comprehension of texts:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/681.cfm

Franki Sibberson helps her students see many possibilities for independent reading and book choice in this week's video on selecting books and setting goals:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/682.cfm

Thanks for your positive response and suggestions for our new feature, Choice Literacy Clusters. Keep 'em coming - the more we hear from you, the better we'll be able to tailor the site to meet your professional development needs. This week's cluster is on writer's craft, with readings, video, and suggestions for professional development activities from Aimee Buckner, Franki Sibberson, Suzy Kaback, and Ruth Shagoury:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/684.cfm

That's all for this week!