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The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy June 27, 2009 In the Beginning The newsletter is on its annual two-week summer hiatus while our tiny staff races around the country for our June and July workshops. While we are on break, I thought you might enjoy a peek at the very first issue of The Big Fresh, from August 2006.  There were 88 subscribers when we launched (amazing how many people will sign up for a nonexistent publication!). . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy June 20, 2009 Always Under Construction Too often we equate disruption with change in schools. We know change that endures takes time, but that knowledge often goes out the window when someone in authority becomes enamored with a new program or assessment or professional development scheme. Continual disruption, with little choice on the part of the people involved, can't possibly be a good thing. . . . more Expanding a School's "Reading Culture" Ellen McEvoy I read to the 3rd grade class every Monday, and I've taken to asking them, "who did some reading this weekend?" Usually the response is about 50%. When I asked this after spring break, one boy told me that "We don't have homework during break!" When I pointed out that I never have homework, but I read every day, he seemed to think that I am, at the very least, rather odd. . . . more Rethinking the Study of Nonfiction in the 21st Century (BEYOND GADGETS SERIES) Franki Sibberson Years ago, I attended a workshop in which Regie Routman asked us to list all of the reading that we did over the last week. As we all worked and then reflected, we realized that most of the reading that we did on a day-to-day basis was nonfiction. So much of what was read in the classroom at that time was fiction. The workshop was powerful, and made me realize how much nonfiction reading mattered. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy June 13, 2009 Someone is Leaving Someone who brightens your day at work is leaving.  How do I know this? Because if it's June and you work in schools, someone is always leaving. . . . more Big Books and Charts Organizer (VIDEO) Joan Moser In this two-minute video, Joan shares a simple tool teachers can create for their classrooms to keep Big Books, charts, and laminated large materials organized. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy June 6, 2009 Learning from Mistakes What are the lessons here for literacy leaders? We often lump teachers together as one group when we think about their needs, or we consider each teacher as unique. When it comes to what isn't working with professional development, maybe there is a third way to categorize teachers when thinking through logistics. . . . more I Do So Like Green Eggs and Ham Shari Frost I decided that I didn't like the Kindle (a digital reader) before I had even tried it. Then one day, a Kindle arrived in the mail. It came with a note that said, "Keep an open mind." . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy May 30, 2009 Pecha-Kucha I love the idea of forcing big ideas and massive projects into tiny spaces. If you are one of the lucky educators who have long stretches of time this summer to work on looming professional tasks, it's tempting to slot whole weeks for tackling them. And it's just that sprawl that may have you coming up empty when it comes to getting much accomplished. . . . more Organizing for Independence: From Cubbies to Social Groups (VIDEO) Joan Moser In this brief video, Joan Moser talks about how she organizes student materials in "social groups" to avoid the use of desks or cubbies in her classroom. . . . more If We Could Meet Again Shirley McPhillips In summer I tend to break out of a type of linear thinking that defines much of my attitude during the school year. It's a safe pattern of thinking and acting that sometimes dictates my view of where I am and what I'm doing. As teachers, it's easy to get stuck in thinking this way as we puzzle over problems and issues across the year. . . . more Engaged by the World: Maps, Globes, Reading, and Writing with Young Children Kelly Petrin and Ruth Shagoury The most important work I do in the classroom is unseen, and perhaps unrecognized by most: watching the children and noting their interests. What I want is a classroom where children are busy and happy--though "focused," "absorbed," or "engaged" are probably better words because there is a type of busy-ness that is not as productive, when children seem wild or bored. This work is vital because it is when children are actively engaged that they learn (they gain competence and skills). "Interest" or "interesting" is a tricky concept because it might seem like it lies wholly in the activity itself, but I find that it is actually an interplay between the activity and individuals. So every teacher will find that there are some students who are more difficult to get--or keep--engaged. . . . more Not Available in a Six-Pack: Books to Place Alongside Leveled Texts for Our Youngest Readers Franki Sibberson Some of my favorite days in teaching have been when a new reader insists on reading a book aloud to me (and everyone they meet that day) because they've discovered, "I can read this book all by myself!" There is nothing like the face of a new reader who happens upon a text that they can read on their own. Often these children have lots of "little books" or leveled books that they can read. But to choose a book that is not one of the leveled books that they've been introduced to by a teacher, and then to discover that they can read it without any support, is definitely a thrill. . . . more Parenting and Teaching (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) We often learn so much from our own children or children that we know outside of school. This cluster will help teachers examine the important lessons from these out-of-school experiences. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy May 23, 2009 Lone Wolves A couple months ago a literacy coach sent me a question, "What do you do about a teacher who refuses to collaborate with her peers?" Frustrated, she went on to catalog all the things the teacher won't do - follow the grade-level curriculum, participate in team meetings, use the required assessment instruments.. . . . . more Book Basket Idea: Cars and Trucks Katie DiCesare Around this time of year I am anxious to look back at what kids loved to read. I take into account what baskets the students fought over (literally), and the baskets of books that were untouched all year long. This helps me plan what books and baskets I will weed out and which baskets I feel the need to create for the fall. It is one of the happiest parts of my job. . . . more Build Your Summer Reading List (Part 4) We asked some of our favorite literacy experts which books they are recommending to friends, to give us a running start on our summer reading lists. Who better to ask about great books? There is something on the list for everyone. We are featuring this series all month long, with recommendations from over 20 of your favorite authors. You can access the first three installments in the series through the links at the bottom of the page . . . more My Colleague Refuses to Collaborate with Us (LITERACY COACH CONFIDENTIAL) How do you work with a teacher who refuses to be a collaborative part of a team? She does her own thing without regard for other team members. Her students are not exposed to the same curriculum as the other students but she feels they are learning at their own pace. She has a literacy coach working with her but doesn't follow through on any suggestions to improve her teaching. She believes kids will learn when they are ready. Any suggestions? . . . more Expanding the Ways We Preview Books (BEYOND GADGETS Series) Franki Sibberson Our 5th graders are moving to middle school. As incoming 6th graders, they are given a summer reading assignment by our district. As I was looking at the 4 books that they are to choose from and thinking about ways to support them in previewing these four choices, I was struck by the ways that the internet has expanded the ways in which we can preview and choose books. It made me realize just how much my book previewing has changed over the last few years. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy May 16, 2009 Perfectly Persistent This week we've posted some resources for closure activities that celebrate those moments of persistence and patience, as well as the third installment in our series on summer reading suggestions from some of your favorite literacy experts. Enjoy! . . . more The Reading Skills We Use When Searching the Internet (BEYOND GADGETS SERIES) Franki Sibberson Our students are often much more technologically savvy than we are. They have grown up with tools that are fairly new to us. They sometimes teach themselves the skills that they need to know. Children who teach themselves to use a handheld game by just "trying stuff out" always amaze me. Our kids are confident users of many kinds of new technology. However, I have found that even though our students know how to use several tools and how to navigate the web, actually using websites for in-depth research is a bit more difficult for them. . . . more Planning a Year of Study Groups Jennifer Allen I am not sure about your schools, but we are knee-deep in what seems like many initiatives. We are realigning curriculum in all content areas, beginning the process of curriculum mapping as a district, and continuing to follow through on our school goal of improving our formative assessments. There is a lot going on, with each initiative competing for time against others . . . more Author Studies and Visits (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) This cluster is designed to help teachers think through the ways that author studies and visits can support literacy learning. . . . more Build Your Summer Reading List (Part 3) We asked some of our favorite literacy experts which books they are recommending to friends, to give us a running start on our summer reading lists. Who better to ask about great books? . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy May 9, 2009 Mentor Texts When any reader skims through their old writing, they are bound to find the remnants of the phrases, topics, and quirks of the writers they are reading at the time. When you see a first grader painfully writing down every word from a favorite book during writer's workshop, I bet you don't gasp and call them a cheater.You know they have fallen in love with a book, maybe for the first time. . . . more Build Your Summer Reading List (Part 2) We asked some of our favorite literacy experts which books they are recommending to friends, to give us a running start on our summer reading lists. Who better to ask about great books? There is something on the list for everyone. We are running this series all month, with recommendations from over 20 of your favorite authors. You can access the first installment in the series through the link at the bottom of the page. . . . more New Mentor Texts for Word Choice (BOOKLIST) Franki Sibberson Choosing words in writing is a key to effectively communicating ideas. It is part of a conversation we have all year long, no matter which grade I teach. Using great language is an important part of effective communication. I have found that the best way to introduce and extend this conversation is through the use of picture books. Picture books allow me to introduce students to an idea about words in a very short time. These mentor texts serves as the conversation starter that we can come back to again and again during the writing process. These are some of the recent books I have added to my collection. . . . more Planning to Teach with Mentor Texts: Two Examples Karen Terlecky Much has been written in recent years about how teachers should find a couple of good mentor texts that they love, and just use them repeatedly, for a variety of purposes. I've always been a teacher who reads a lot of different picture books to my students, each for a different reason. . . . more Putting Ourselves in Our Teaching (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) This cluster is designed to help teachers think about ways to bring their lives and passions into the classroom . . . and in the process, find more joy in their work. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy May 2, 2009 Learning from Failure How do you get beyond failures in your teaching, and yet still make sure you take the time to learn from them? . . . more Sharing Data with Families at Parent/Teacher Conferences Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan For many of us who teach, the change of the seasons to spring or fall brings glimpses outdoors we love - of flowers newly in bloom, or leaves turning to vivid bright colors. Unfortunately, in many schools the coming of spring or fall also means administering assessments and preparing for 20-30 early morning and/or evening parent/teacher conferences. Work can become unmanageable, as teachers spend many hours interpreting assessment results and culling through piles of completed student work in order to prepare for conferences. . . . more Build Your Summer Reading List (Part 1) Getting recommendations from others is one of the best ways we find great books. We've read so many of our favorite books because someone we trusted told us that it was a great read. This is about the time that we start building our own summer reading list. If we follow our usual pattern, we often spend those first few days of summer reading like crazy. Knowing that we have a whole summer ahead with extra time for reading always feels like a gift. . . . more Learning from Coaching Mistakes Heather Rader Inventors understand that early prototypes inform them best about what doesn't work rather than what does. But what about when prototypes are people? It's difficult for me not to feel guilty about the mistakes I made with students' education in my first few years. In the same way, as a third year coach, I find myself reflecting on my missteps with the first set of teachers that I collaborated with as I was figuring out who I was as a coach. . . . more Using Summer Reading to Expand the Whole School Reading Community Franki Sibberson I have always worked hard to prepare my students for a summer of reading. When I was a classroom teacher we spent quite a bit of time as a class during our last few weeks of school thinking ahead to summer reading. Instead of a log or an assignment, I wanted my students to see summer as an opportunity to get to those books they had been hoping to read, and to see summer reading as an invitation for lots of reading. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy April 25, 2009 When We Were Little As busy as this time is for teachers, you've probably done most everything you need to do for a successful year already with students and colleagues. Classroom communities are thriving, and there's a quiet sense of accomplishment as you close out your professional development offerings for the year. . . . more Making the Case for Literacy Coaches Shari Frost It's that time of year. School districts are examining their budgets for the upcoming school year. Due to the troubled economy, many of them are finding that they are not going to have the money that they need to move forward with all of the currently existing programs. Some school districts may also need to fund newly mandated programs such as tier two and tier three support for Response to Intervention. This, of course, forces them to make cuts, and everyone who is not directly connected to a classroom full of children is fair game. Literacy coaches are usually expensive. Most coaches have years of experience and hold advanced degrees - putting them at the top of the salary range. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy April 18, 2009 Not-So-Fast Forward Many schools resist scheduling events when school isn't in session, because this is our time to de-stress. Yet a small family picnic in July, or an optional study group for teachers interested in a particular topic, can be surprisingly fun - especially if attendance isn't required. . . . more Great New Nonfiction for Elementary Students Franki Sibberson When I scan the nonfiction shelves of our school library, I notice the quality of nonfiction books for children is so much better than it was years ago. Looking at some of the older titles in the library, I see encyclopedia-type text with not-so-engaging visuals. I am so happy that nonfiction has gotten so much better in the recent past. Now our children have so many great nonfiction books to choose from. Current nonfiction is written in ways that engage children. The visuals are diverse and authentic, and the topics are subjects that are interesting for a variety of reasons. . . . more Ecstatic: When Words Shape Thinking Carol Wilcox I'm trying, as best as I can, to get my struggling, intermediate grade readers ready for state examinations without taking too much time away from actual, authentic reading and writing instruction. All year long, we have been working on strategies that make kids better readers and also better test takers, e.g. identifying main idea, summarizing, thinking about text structure, determining importance, visualizing, and inferring, except we mostly do them in the context of real reading and writing. . . . more Creating Data Teams Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan A concern that arises in thinking about the collection and use of data is the number of schools that are assigning the job of "data manager" to their reading coaches/specialists. A good portion of the "data manager" job includes sorting and distributing paper; data entry; photocopying; filling in paper work; and walking around gathering assessments from teachers. We need to ask ourselves, "Are these the right duties for the most knowledgeable teachers of reading in our buildings?" . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy April 11, 2009 Faithful to a Fault Literacy leaders walk a fine line. We've all worked with colleagues who jump willy nilly from creating one splashy event or curriculum overhaul to the next, trying to drag us all along with them. Traditions and annual celebrations matter - they build a sense of community and closure. . . . more Vocabrity: Fun with Words for Middle School Students Katie Doherty As I was watching my 90-year-old grandfather attempt to bend over and make a bridge with his body (Beau Bridges was the celebrity), I realized that this would be a great game to play with my sixth-grade students using our vocabulary words. I tried it out a few weeks later . . . more Teaching Skills in Context (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) This cluster is designed to help teachers think through how to teach skills and strategies in the context of authentic reading and writing tasks. . . . more Fluency Development in the Primary Grades (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) This cluster explores ways to help students develop reading fluency in grades K-3. . . . more Communicating with Families (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) This cluster will help teachers discover new ways to make stronger connections between home and school. . . . more Blogs for Aspiring Teen Writers Andie Cunningham My soon-to-be fifteen-year-old niece wants to be a writer. Since her birthday is just around the corner, I wondered if creating a list of young adult author blogs might be helpful to her. I feel spoiled by what I learn on blogs these days, and the idea of offering her a little window into the world of writing through the web cemented the idea. . . . more Addicted to Twitter: How Did It Happen? Franki Sibberson I have become addicted to Twitter, and this shocks me. I really had no intention of "twittering," and I certainly did not plan on making it a part of my daily life. Yet it really is my new favorite hobby. Now that I am addicted, I have done some reflection on the process I went through to learn how to use this new technological tool. I think my process has definite implications for my teaching. . . . more Using Mentor Texts in Study Groups: Play and Practice Jennifer Allen I often find myself in information overload, with so many new ideas and so little time to play with them. I look forward to monthly study group meetings with my colleagues because we explore new thinking together and bounce ideas off of one another. Study groups have become my playground for learning, the place where we bridge theory and practice. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy April 4, 2009 Why We Love Lists Jen Allen often talks about her love of lists when we do workshops together. How fanatical is she about her detailed lists? If Jen accomplishes something worthwhile she forgot to include on her daily to-do list, she'll add the item and immediately cross it off. Everyone in the room chuckles and nods, because we've all done the same thing. . . . more Literacy Chats with Teachers: Routines and Guidelines (VIDEO) Karen Szymusiak In my school, teachers have monthly "literacy chats" to discuss current trends and issues that arise in our classrooms. These are informal discussions designed to help us build a supportive community as we all work to improve the ways we teach reading and writing. Our focus for this school year was to look at the workshop model in our literacy programs, with an emphasis on reading workshop. As principal, my role includes putting in place structures and routines like literacy chats to help colleagues learn from each other, as well as to develop shared expectations and standards for instruction. . . . more Making a Difference: Examples from Children's Literature (BOOKLIST) Franki Sibberson Last year, my nine-year-old daughter Ana decided that she did not want gifts at her birthday party. She had heard about other kids who had used their birthday party as a way to give back to a cause they cared about. She knew she wanted to do something, but she wasn't sure what. I happened upon the organization The Reading Village (www.readingvillage.org) and shared the site and its mission with my daughter. Since Guatemala and literacy are two things that we care deeply about, we knew that this was the right fit. . . . more Learning from Our Reading Lives (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) The purpose of this cluster is for teachers to reflect on their own reading and learning so that they can use their experiences in their teaching. . . . more Unlucky Lists: Raising Non-Writers and Non-Artists S. Rebecca Leigh In my work as a literacy educator at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, I often walk by a poster at the elevators that makes me pause and think: "Unlucky Arithmetic: Thirteen Ways to Raise a Nonreader." Published by The Horn Book, authors Dean Schneider and Robin Smith on their list "recommend" things like no reading in bed or listening to books on tape - that's cheating don't you know? . . . more Tips for More Effective Debriefing Sessions Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan We do a lot of demonstration lessons in our coaching work. Lately we have been reflecting on how we structure these sessions. We find the debriefing of the lesson to be the most difficult aspect of the demonstration lesson. This type of professional development is not about us being good teachers, it is about a group of teachers sharing a common classroom experience and then reflecting on what happened. Yet the debrief session after the lesson is often awkward for the coach . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy March 28, 2009 Dreams and Memories     Recently my family had dinner in a little Mexican cantina, and I was fascinated by the many dichos covering the walls.  Dichos are proverbs, or pithy cultural truths.&nb . . . more Teaching Inferring Strategies (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) The purpose of this cluster is to help teachers develop strategies for teaching inferring skills to students. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy March 21, 2009 Fitting Technology In Last week I was in the Pacific Northwest for video and classroom visits. I stayed with my friend Joan for part of the trip. I had my own guest bedroom and bathroom at her home, and she couldn't be a more gracious hostess. One morning I pulled out a towel from the pile in the bathroom closet, and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw what was behind the towels. I pulled out the entire pile to get a closer look. . . . more The Power of Rereading (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) This cluster is designed to support teachers in using rereading for a variety of reasons to support student growth in literacy. . . . more Punctuation Study with 3rd Graders Mandy Robek I have a confession. Punctuation minilessons have never been my favorite thing to teach . . . until now! My students come to third grade aware of punctuation marks, and are able to use many of them correctly. However, the above quote from Carl Anderson and watching my current group of students made me realize there's a lot more to punctuation. As an adult, I use punctuation without putting too much thought into it. I began to wonder if my students really understood when to use punctuation. Did they realize punctuation decisions are part of crafting writing? . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy March 14, 2009 Spring Break It's mid-March, which means it's time for our most popular newsletter of the year. Welcome to the Spring Break edition of the Big Fresh, where we highlight the favorite sites beyond Choice Literacy featured in the Big Fresh over the past year. You voted with your clicks over the last 12 months - these were the links you visited most often when they first appeared in the newsletter . . . more Towards Thoughtful Strategy Instruction Shari Frost I think it's about to happen again. Education is famous for wide swings of the pendulum. From code emphasis to meaning emphasis, from whole class to small group… and then back again. The "experts" find "the true answer" or begin to express doubt about or criticism of a widely accepted practice. Before you know it, everyone has jumped on the bandwagon. It's the lead article in all of the professional journals. It's the keynote address at conferences. Publishers rush to get out new materials. School districts scramble to write new curricula. Educational consultants offer new workshops. Teachers struggle to change their instructional practices. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy March 7, 2009 Sarcasm in Classrooms One of my most vivid memories from my first year in college is of walking down the hallway in the dorm, Pink Floyd's album The Wall blaring from every other open door. Everyone's favorite anthem on it was "Another Brick in the Wall." These lyrics always jumped out at me: . . . more Beyond Gadgets: What Does It Mean to Be a Literacy Teacher Today? Franki Sibberson I have been doing a lot of thinking about what it means to be a literacy educator at a time when the ways we read, write, and access texts are changing so quickly. With all of the new tools and the talk around "21st Century Literacy," I know that reading books and other texts are not the only ways to be literate. . . . more Better Conferring (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) This cluster is designed to help teachers improve their conferring skills. . . . more Sarcasm Is a Useful Teaching Tool--NOT Heather Rader Technically, sarcasm is defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as "a cutting, often ironic remark intended to wound" and "a form of wit that is marked by the use of sarcastic language and is intended to make its victim the butt of contempt or ridicule." From its Latin and Greek roots it means "to bite the lips in rage." These words: wound, victim and rage suggest that the speaker has poor intentions. On the contrary, I don't believe any teacher gets up in the morning and says, "I'm going to go be a negative influence in the lives of children today." Not at all. So why do teachers use sarcasm with kids? In our conversations here is what they tell me . . . more A Coach's Perspective: Is Sarcasm in Style This Season? Heather Rader This isn't the first time I've encountered sarcasm in the classroom and while these are fifth graders, I've heard it all the way down to classrooms of five-year-olds. Like a Magic Eye picture that begins to emerge as I relax my focus, I see a positive correlation between teachers who are resistant to coaching and also struggle with classroom management. A commonality I've found among teachers struggling with classroom management is the element of sarcasm in their classrooms. . . . more How Do We Talk with Parents About What It Means to Be Challenged in Reading? Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan When we meet with the parents of young advanced readers, we begin by using data to show just how much their student knows as a reader. We want the parents to know that we have spent time learning about their child and that we recognize their child's particular strengths . . . more Assessment in Writing Workshop: Considering Students Katie DiCesare Because of time constraints, I decided to approach this cycle of reflection using a conference approach. I asked students to choose three pieces in their writing folder they were proud of and to talk to me about why. We discovered strengths, and then decided to set a goal for what next to practice. After randomly sitting with two writers on Friday, I have loads of information for my own reflection. I am using this information to write my summaries on report cards, to help me communicate to parents during conferences, and to guide my planning for writing workshop. Below I share briefly shared how each conference played out. . . . . . more Choosing New Books for Comprehension Strategy Studies with Young Children Andie Cunningham and Ruth Shagoury The books I have chosen for reading comprehension have been amazing journeys that we've taken as a class. I thought I would use the books just to help to learn about comprehension, but they have b . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy February 21, 2009 Small Beauties I read the book and thought about the hardships so many children and families are facing right now, and how literature can provide little moments of hope, even as it takes students' minds off the challenges of the day. St. Patrick's Day is reduced to shamrocks and leprechauns for most of us, if it's mentioned at all in the midst of the spring testing stress in many districts. But there are remarkable stories to be told about the Irish, with lessons of resilience which might resonate this year more than others for some children. . . . more Challenging Advanced Young Readers: Harder Texts Aren't Always the Answer Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan As we work with primary grade teachers during reader's workshop, many ask us how to challenge the advanced readers in their classrooms. These young students learn to read quickly and quite naturally -- in fact many were reading before they entered kindergarten. Teachers sometimes find themselves struggling to challenge these students in a developmentally appropriate manner. How do we facilitate these students' continued development as readers while concurrently allowing them to embrace the joys of being 5 and 6 year olds? . . . more Where Am I?: The Power of Wordless Photo Books for Preschoolers Melissa Kolb With pre-kindergarten learners, it is essential to help them see the connections between themselves and the experiences we structure for them. To help with this, we often photograph our children during experiences like field trips to a local park, visits from librarians or dance specialists, or visits from our local Zoo. Seeing photos of themselves and their classmates engaged in these experiences provides a springboard for recall and discussion, promoting social emotional growth, as well as language development. . . . more Expedition Mondays: Launching the Week with Nonfiction Andrea Smith Expedition Monday is our weekly journey in search of nonfiction resources. As a class we share a definite objective: we want to discover and celebrate nonfiction resources that could make a difference in our thinking. As 21st century learners, both digital immigrants (me) and digital natives (the kids), we enjoy exploring the media ecosystem that surrounds and shapes our learning lives . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy February 14, 2009 Before the Happy Ending Are you a fan of the Academy Awards? I love movies and a good competition, which is probably why I become a little obsessed with the Oscars this time of year. Truth be told, it's not uncommon for me to sneak out of work a little early on Fridays just before the big event for matinee viewings of the top contenders. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy February 7, 2009 Gorillas in Our Midst Researchers Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris did a famous experiment some years ago. They asked their research subjects to perform a simple task - watch a video of a group of students passing basketballs, and keep a silent tally of how many passes were made. . . . more Picture Books for Shared Reading Katie DiCesare This year I moved to a newer school which is still accumulating resources. I have been challenged to beg, borrow and . . . well I haven't had to steal (but I've been tempted) Big Books. My colleagues have been very generous sharing their resources, but kids need to have books used in shared reading available to them every day, all year long. Without the Big Books I am used to, I have been forced to find alternatives. . . . more Keeping the M (VIDEO) Melissa Kolb In an age of standardization, when even preschoolers are expected to perform flawlessly on literacy tests such as letter naming and recognition, it is important for early childhood teachers to stand firm in the belief that each child learns uniquely and individually. This is an ideal I strive to live by as I work with youngsters. Our Head Start classroom includes children who range in age from three to five, and who speak a variety of languages. All of our children come from a background of poverty, and many have a range of identified disabilities. To teach them successfully, it is necessary to teach them individually. Sometimes, this means that I have to resist the pressure to push children toward production of perfect outcomes. The leading edge of learning for a child can be the feeling of success they achieve when they are engaged in a literacy process, whether or not the outcome of that process is technically correct. . . . more Hail to the Chief: Children's Books for Presidents Day Shari Frost Many Chicago literacy coaches are still on a post-inaugural high, and decided that they were going to celebrate Presidents Day in a big way this year. Since they are literacy coaches, the first order of business was to put together good text sets. They combed school and classroom libraries, cashed in their book club bonus points, and even spent some cold, hard cash to acquire books. Here are the sets that they put together . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy January 31, 2009 Clearing the Way When I think of the colleagues I've valued the most through the years, many times the relationship was cemented when they or I dropped our plans, rolled up our sleeves, and helped each other through one professional storm or another. The challenge is knowing when it's a true crisis that requires setting aside plans for a colleague. There is always someone on staff who is perpetually frazzled, waiting till beyond the last minute to accomplish anything. They have muddled through life assuming someone will always be there to rescue them. We break our routines for them at our peril. . . . more Our Living Minute: Integrating Nonfiction Study into Morning Meetings Andrea Smith When I began writing my learning community goals for this school year, I wanted to expand students' opportunities for reading, writing, and sharing nonfiction resources. I had noticed over time that students and teachers were always willing to share discoveries and recommendations for new fiction and poetry, but nonfiction seemed to be overlooked. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy January 24, 2009 Signed, Sealed, Delivered If you're looking for a terrific way to break the routine of a staff meeting, study group, or predictable opening activity in a college course, consider letter writing. In all my years of teaching adults, it was my favorite workshop activity - hands down. Nothing brought out more congeniality and sense of community than writing letters. . . . more Book Clubs and Literature Circles (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) This cluster is designed to help teachers establish routines and choose books for use in book clubs and literature circles. . . . more Organizing Coaching Work Areas and Libraries (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) This cluster is designed to support literacy coaches think about ways to use the limited space they have available to support their work with teachers. . . . more Better Meetings (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) This cluster is designed to support literacy coaches, specialists, and grade-level team leaders in facilitating effective meetings. . . . more Books that Invite Thoughtful Conversation in Grades K-2 Franki Sibberson One of the favorite parts of my new job as a school media specialist is that I get to read aloud to primary students again. There is nothing like seeing the faces of young children as they listen to a great book. . . . more The Joy of Letter Writing: An Integrated Unit for Intermediate Students Mary Lee Hahn Here's when the fun really started. After a short silent brainstorming session, students shared some of their ideas: a business letter of complaint from a deer to a hunter, and another from a polar bear to all the humans about global warming. A business letter of request from a dog to a cat, requesting cats stay away from dogs so dogs would not be tempted to chase them. A friendly letter to the video game character Mario, and another - a letter of apology - from the cartoon character Jerry to his archenemy Tom. . . . more Previewing Nonfiction Franki Sibberson Most of my own nonfiction reading is connected to my life as a teacher. My professional reading of books and magazines about literacy education takes up much of my nonfiction reading life. Last week when I was talking to students about the ways they choose nonfiction, I realized that I preview nonfiction in different ways than I preview fiction books. There are so many books on teaching that I have to think long and hard before I choose to read a professional title in this area. I spend a great deal of time previewing the book before I decide it is one that I want to buy. . . . more "What I Know Now" Workshop Activity Cindy Hatt In my work with literacy specialists in our school district, I am always searching for discussion frameworks that will support reflective conversation. The group, made up of 16 individuals, usually changes slightly from year to year with the addition of a few new members as teachers return to the classroom or retire. Consequently, there are always some members with years of experience, while others are new to the role. . . . more Teaching Reading Skills with Wordless Picture Books Franki Sibberson Reading visual elements of texts is not easy for me. I am not a visual person. I cannot see the undertones in paint colors. I buy most of my outfits straight from the mannequin, confident that they must match if the salesperson put the pieces together. I do not often notice when a friend gets new glasses. Because of my own struggles with reading and interpreting visual cues, I have never known quite what to do with wordless picture books. To me, words are at the heart of any story. I never had the patience to "read" the illustrations in a wordless book in order to make meaning. . . . more Mentor Texts for Urban Students Shari Frost The next time I visited Victoria's classroom, I made a point of looking through her basket of mentor texts. I also examined the mentor text collection in the coach's office. The coach had the same kind of books that Victoria had in her classroom. The boy had a valid argument. The basket was filled with books that took place at the seashore, in the mountains, and along scenic country roads. The characters in the books were collecting seashells, picking berries, and watching baby turtles make their way to the sea. There wasn't one book that reflected urban children's experiences. . . . more 5th Grade Grandfather Jennifer Jones I have a student that I see daily for reading intervention, Lanie. She is in third grade and has been retained, so technically she is a fourth grader. Her vocabulary is weak, and conversation skills are average. She struggles to decode text, her working memory is lacking, and she does not hear sounds. . . . more Teaching Inferring with Picture Books: Partner Shares after Read Aloud (VIDEO) When my students are given the opportunity to share their thinking after a read aloud it does several things for their learning. First and foremost, kids listen to each other. They would much rather hear the opinions of their friends and peers than those of their teacher! Allowing them time to chit chat about their thinking and share their own ideas, and yes, sometimes stories, allows them to open up and form a real community of learners. . . . more Inferring Read Aloud Part I (VIDEO) Katie Doherty Using picture books to teach strategy instruction is not only popular; it works. When my 6th graders see me pull out a picture book during the first week of school and "make" them hunker down on the floor, I hear a lot of groans. This is not a "middle school" thing to do. When I hear these groans I simply tell them the Truth According to Doherty: picture books are meant to be seen. That can't happen if 32 students are spread throughout the room at all angles. In my experience they get over their "picture books are soooo 5th grade" preconceptions fairly quickly as they settle down and all of a sudden start to genuinely enjoy the books we read together. . . . more Conferring Close-Up: Test-Taking Strategies Part II (VIDEO) Andrea Smith Workshop teachers provide time and opportunities for listening to classmates' questions and comments. Sentence Observations, a common word study practice, routinely turns students into language detectives, readers studying the work of writers, asking how and why strong writers grab our attention with their craft. The routines of sharing questions and sentence observations can also help students prepare for tests. Just as students studied a variety of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry throughout the year, test questions can also be studied examples of text. . . . more The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy January 17, 2009 To Build a Fire Much as we keep trying to make the relentless testing fit into our classroom landscapes of workshops, inquiry, quality literature, and authentic learning, there's not really much of a match. Whatever we do to prepare students for timed exams - from treating tests as another "genre," to holding schoolwide pep rallies to up everyone's enthusiasm for #2 pencils and bubble sheets - there is no getting around the nagging sense that too much of testing these days is about survival. . . . more Data Cards: Assessment Profiles at a Glance (VIDEO) "Data Cards" are ingeniously designed to allow an entire grade-level team to look at the reading levels of all students in the grade. In this four-minute video, "The Sisters" (Gail Boushey and Joan Moser) explain how they work. . . . more Coaching Teachers One-on-One: Tools, Structures, and Strategies (CHOICE LITERACY CLUSTER) This cluster is designed to support literacy coaches in their one-on-one work with teachers. . . . more Characters We Love (BOOKLIST) Franki Sibberson When I think about matching students to books, I want my students to find books for a variety of reasons. I know that finding favorite series and characters is key to a child's development as a reader. I spend lots of time sharing books with my students that have characters that they can read about in other books. I know the excitement they feel when they discover a new book about Fancy Nancy or a new book that has just come out in the Magic Treehouse series. As readers, many of us do this. We look forward to catching up with characters we love. . . . more Moving from Data to Practice Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan Data is now being used by many different constituencies and for many different reasons in schools. Districts are reporting data to state or federal agencies to meet grant requirements; school committees who want to evaluate the effectiveness of curriculum, programs or interventions; principals who want to monitor the progress of their school; curriculum directors who want to determine areas for professional development; and teachers who want to inform their instruction. Too often districts are duplicating efforts, trying to provide slightly different versions of similar data to all of these sources. The paperwork seems endless and overwhelming. . . . more More