A couple cool things to share today!
First, I have been loosely following the Book Whisperer Read-Along since I already read the book earlier this summer. When I read it, I was SO excited about it, but I wasn't sure how to adapt it to primary-aged students who aren't reading chapter books yet. When I read that we could submit our questions to Donalyn Miller (the author and original Book Whisperer), and that she'd pick some to answer, I decided to go for it and ask her!
And she picked my question to answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow!!! This seriously made my day yesterday. And now I have put a hold on Debbie Miller's Reading With Meaning so I can get some more awesome ideas for this upcoming school year.
Second, last week I learned about Mrs. Bainbridge's classroom website, where she shares a TON of resources for teachers! I'm all over her holidays around the world unit - she even included a passport and suitcase template for free! Amazing.
Anyway, she just started a blog and is sharing even more ideas. Right now, she is having a classroom theme giveaway through Teaching Oasis. She's giving away one theme pack. You should totally go check out the theme packs. They're all made with Thistle Girl graphics and they are super cute!
The first day of school for me is almost a month away - August 16! ¡Ay, caramba!
What a great book for you to have read before you start teaching. I wish I'd read it before I started 13 years ago. My teaching would have been completely different. If you are teaching in a multiage school and classroom it's the perfect thing to do so that you can then work with small groups of kids.
ReplyDeleteHave you checked out The Daily 5 by the Sisters? It's a great book as well and would help you with how to get the students working independently. They have another book called CAFE which is what and how they teach reading strategies to the students while they are working on Daily 5. I would highly recommend it. All three books go quite nicely together to create a fabulous literacy program for reading. I've got another book on writing but I don't want to overwhelm you.
Good luck in August.
www.msbrownsgrade2class.blogspot.com
Hi Jill
ReplyDeleteThe writing book I was referring to is called, "No More, I'm Done" by Jennifer Jacobson. It was a fantastic read. She has a lot of great ideas and reasons why kids should write everyday. Her examples are based on the 6 Traits of writing but she does tell you that other programs can be used.
She also provides you with a lot of great ideas on conferencing with students and what it should look like and sound like.
Let me know what you think when you read it.
April
Thanks so much for the recommendations! I'll have to put a hold on that from the library!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the awesome shout-out on your post! :)
ReplyDeleteChristina
http://bainbridgeclass.blogspot.com
http://www.bainbridgeclass.com