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Franki Sibberson
Franki Sibberson has worked for nineteen years as an educator in many different roles - teaching children in a variety of elementary grades, assisting struggling readers in an intervention position, guiding literacy programs K - 12 in the central district office, and leading workshops for teachers at the state, regional, and national level. This year she has taken on a new role as a Curriculum Support Teacher in Dublin, Ohio, splitting her days between a grades 3/4 multiage classroom she shares with a colleague, and classroom visits and discussions with colleagues focused around literacy issues. Her writing for Choice Literacy will explore this new work and the reflections on learning and literacy it provokes. Franki is the co-author with Karen Szymusiak of many books and videos on teaching reading in the intermediate grades, including Beyond Leveled Books, Still Learning to Read, Bringing Reading to Life, and Making the Most of News Magazines.
Franki also writes regularly in the blog she shares with Mary Lee Hahn, "A Year of Reading." You can access the blog at: http://readingyear.blogspot.com/
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If You Like Captain Underpants:
Related Books for Students (BOOKLIST)
Franki Sibberson
I have found that there is often one book that hooks a child on reading. Children may know how to read other books, they read other books...but they aren't hooked. Then they read a book or series that they fall in love with and they can't stop reading! It is what we hope will happen for all of our students. I always feel extra lucky when kids have fallen in love with a book in a series. I know that when this happens, they are likely to read all of the books in the series without stopping, and they are set for awhile in their reading lives. . . . more
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Making Time for Literacy Chit-Chat to Support Book Choice
Franki Sibberson
I have come to know lots of my friends' children from quick conversations on the telephone. When I call to chat with a friend, usually one of the children in the house answers the phone. For those friends who I call several times a week, this adds up to lots of very short conversations with these children over years and years. Even though I only have very short conversations with these children, I have so many of them over time that they add up and I come to know them well. . . . more
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Just Because It's Skinny, Doesn't Mean It's Easy: Matching Books to Transitional Readers in Grades 2-4
Franki Sibberson
I buy a LOT of books for my classroom library. But, there are also many books that I won't buy! My husband has a lot of trouble believing I reject many books when he sees our bills from the local children's bookstore, yet I know that I am very picky about the books that I add to my classroom library. Lately I have been on the lookout for new chapter books for transitional readers. No matter which grade I teach, I know I will have at least a handful of children at the transitional stage of reading in my class. . . . more
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Novels in Verse (BOOKLIST)
Franki Sibberson
This year several of my students got hooked on novels in verse. A novel in verse is a short novel that is told in a series of poems or verses. The books have become popular quite quickly - I have students who have read every novel in verse that is available in the classroom. . . . more
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Reflections on Our Year of Read Aloud (BOOKLIST)
Franki Sibberson
Read aloud is a key time in reading workshop with my grades 3 and 4 students. We all sit in a circle on the floor, coming together as a community to share a book. Since each book takes approximately a month to read, I have to choose wisely. I have to know my students well, and choose books that will help move us forward as readers. . . . more
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Books to Get Us Ready for Summer Vacation
Franki Sibberson
When spring finally arrives, I am always excited to find books that make the transition to summer seem so much quicker for my students and me. This year, I have found some great books to help me lose myself in the world of summer. These books are in a variety of genres that are great to read all year, but they are a special treat when summer is just around the corner. . . . more
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If Boot Camp Was Standards-Based
Franki Sibberson
As I move into my fourth month of fitness boot camp, I can't help but reflect on my time there so far. The initial shock to my body is past, and I now find getting up at 4:45 every morning a bit less daunting. . . . more
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Rethinking a Study of Nonfiction Writing
Franki Sibberson
I have always done a study of nonfiction as part of our year in writing workshop. This study of nonfiction writing seems critical for students in the upper elementary grades, because we know that they will need good nonfiction writing skills throughout their schooling and lives. In our district, writing literary nonfiction is a focus unit for our fourth graders . . . more
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Beyond Matt Christopher (BOOKLIST)
Franki Sibberson
Thank goodness for Matt Christopher! I can't imagine how many boys are avid readers because of his books. Every year, I have readers, mostly boys, who become obsessed with reading the great sports novels by this author. Over the last several years, I have tried to find books by other authors that these same readers could enjoy--books to stretch their lives as readers, building on their love of sports reading. I have watched these readers over the years, and eventually, they decide to move on from Matt Christopher. But they never give up Matt Christopher completely. Instead, they read sports books in other genres and by other authors, always going back to a Matt Christoper title now and then. . . . more
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Fitness Boot Camp Helps Me Understand Struggling Readers
Franki Sibberson
Reflecting on the first week of fitness boot camp, I am realizing some things about how and when reading workshop works for all students--especially for those who struggle. I have been more patient with some of my students' behaviors during this time as I reflect on my own feelings and behaviors in the midst of boot camp. Here is what I've learned that I hope impacts the way I teach my own students. . . . more
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Enhance Your Classroom Poetry Collection: Great New Titles
Franki Sibberson
I have found that a good poetry collection supports students' literacy in a variety of ways. When shopping, I look for books that have poems that would be fun to read aloud, poems with great language, poems that will allow us to study poet's craft, and more. The fun in poetry shopping is that I am never sure what I might find! Because we read poetry each Friday morning, my students are always excited about new poetry books. Here are some of this year's poetry purchases . . . more
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Sales Clerks and Literacy Leaders
Franki Sibberson
As a literacy leader I run the risk of being too much like the hovering saleswoman or the missing saleswoman. Knowing the level of support that each colleague needs and wants at any given moment is an important part of my work with them. It's recognizing what a teacher needs that will make us the most effective. . . . more
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An Assessment Notebook That Works for Me
Franki Sibberson
I have been looking for the perfect assessment organization system since I started teaching over 20 years ago. I remember my excitement when I heard about others who were using address labels to take conference notes, then transferring those to a child's individual folder. But when I gave it a try, I found that I never actually put the stickers into the appropriate folder. Instead, these pages of disorganized stickers piled up. . . . more
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Strong Girls (BOOKLIST)
Franki Sibberson
I have become more committed to finding good books for my boys over the last few years. So much has been written about the crisis in boys and literacy that I want to make sure that I have books that will hook them as readers. I have found great resources such as Jon Scieszka's website www.guysread.com. But, with the focus on boys and literacy, I do not want to forget the girls in my classroom. Not only do I want to have good books for them to read, I want to make sure they have lots of girls to read about who are strong female characters. . . . more
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Reflecting on the First Six Weeks of Word Study
Franki Sibberson
Going into word study with a different plan is always a little scary. With the first six weeks of school finished, it feels like it is time to see where we've been and what I've learned. This year, I am working hard to make sure that my word study work makes a difference. Rather than going through the motions of studying patterns, sorting words, etc. I am making sure that every lesson connects in some way to students' reading and writing. And I want them to know that too. . . . more
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