February Book Trailer of the Month!

I have wanted to read this book for awhile. This teen-produced book trailer made me want to read it NOW!

Happy Reading!

Audible.com

Quick Post:

Subscribe to Audible.com and start downloading audio books for wallet-friendly prices (many new titles for $12-15). They make your commute bearable and build your audio library. If you use it once, you'll be hooked. Just make sure to buy a whole stack of CD-Rs!

Happy Listening!

Word Walls - Not Just for Decor Anymore

Went to an interesting Word Study professional development today. The presenter talked about the right and wrong ways to use Word Walls. Below are some of her timely suggestions.

How to make Word Walls work for you:

• Add words gradually
• Make words easily accessible (i.e. not behind computers, eye-level for comfortable viewing, etc.)
• Use colors for confusing words
• Choose words judiciously
• Provide opportunities for on-going review
• Make kids accountable for recognizing and correctly spelling these words

These tips made me realize that my homely little Word Wall needs to be spruced up a bit. How about yours?


Below is an website with ideas on how a Word Wall could look and where you could squeeeeeeze one in your room.

http://www.santarosa.k12.fl.us/reading/wordwall.htm

Happy Reading!

Kindles, NOOKs, and e-Readers

I heart Amazon.com! I just love them and I love my Kindle. I am a book lover. The moldy smell, the rough edges, the crinkly warning sound as you open a hardback too far....Ahhh, I love it!  I never thought I'd be one of "those people" with a Kindle. Now I have one and you'll have to tear it from my cold, dead hands before you can take it from me (even then I might decide to haunt you for the fun of it).

Now that I have one, what do I do with it in my classroom? We have several in our media center, but we have a problem. The connundrum is that every Kindle is tied to an Amazon account with an active credit card. So how do we use them effectively without having a million dollar bill from some kid going on a book spree? Do we just use them for the staff? Encourage kids to buy their own? I don't know, but I want to solve this issue. It's keeping me up at night. What's the good of having the technology if you can't safely use it in your classroom?!?!?!

Google Reader

If you don't have a Google Reader, then GET ONE! These days it is almost impossible to keep up with all the cool blogs and information that is available. Put it all in one spot. It's like one stop shopping (without the Wally World greeter)!

Hello again...

Yes, it has been quite awhile. I do enjoy posting, but I often forget - a lot. Here are some things that I've been doing since my last post:

Reading (of course)
Starting a new book blog using eChalk
Reading blogs
Attending the NCTE conference in Orlando
Stalking authors that I met in Orlando
and so on...

I hope to add more to my blog in the upcoming days and weeks. I think it's time to kick the tires and light the fires!

Happy Reading!

The Simply Joy of Read Alouds

I love read alouds. I like doing the voices. I enjoy sitting in my comfy chair with a picture book or novel in my hands. I especially adore the moment I hook those cynical middle school kids with my cadence and a simply wonderful book. You can literally SEE the instant you have them addicted. I was reading Chrysanthemum to my eighth grade reading lab kids last Thursday and they were just enthralled. I remember a moment last Thursday when I looked out and saw them just enraptured with their chins on their hands as they sprawled comfortably on my rugs. Every eye was on me as I turned the pages. I thought, “Wow! This is what teaching reading is supposed to be like.”


We used the book as a springboard for a discussion on characters. The kids were very successful on the characterization discussions, activities, and essay that followed. I attribute their achievement to their intense connection to the read aloud. More and more teachers are realizing that all children – even inherently suspicious middle school kids - enjoy being read to on a regular basis. The read aloud experience is pleasurable, of course. However, it can serve multi-fold purposes if teachers plan ahead (just a little) and create mini-lessons around read alouds. I have seen first-hand how the connection to a book read aloud can make all the difference. Try it!

Happy Reading!