What Will You Be Reading This Summer?

Lori, over at Conversations in Literacy, wrote a post about what she will be readign this summer!  I am sure there are a few blog-book clubs out there, but to be honest, I just can’t keep up with them.  They usually start while I am still in school and then I feel guilty for getting behind…so I think it is best to just work at my own pace.

Here’s what I’m reading this summer:

Lucy Calkins Units of Study for 3rd Grade - My district adopted Calkins this year and it was a rough start.  These books are PACKED with lesson models and resources.  I don’t think we even scraped the surface with what we were able to try due to the sheer volume of content and change to our program.  My goal is to REALLY read through the units and block out some long-range plans

Oh, Daily 5, how I missed you this year!  I bought the second edition of the book and especially wanted to update my math system.  I have yet to read it !   I team taught this year and had a couple student teachers and a variety of other circumstances that changed how I typically do things.  I found that my classroom just didn’t work the way I wanted it to this year and my instruction and management suffered in my opinion.  I am returning to D5 next year, as I found that my classroom just didn’t “work” without having it firmly in place.  Sometimes, what works works and change is not necessary.  You live, you learn! 

I have wanted to read this book FOREVER!  I saw the author at a workshop last year and loved the premise.  It is very similar to the Calkins apporach for writing and I am excited about finding some new ideas.

This is ANOTHER book I bought this year and have not even cracked yet!  The premise is that centers are great, but what is realistic.  Again, looking forward to expanding my thinking.

These are the professional books I really want to read this summer.  I could add a dozen or so to the list, but that would stress me out, so I won’t!

Money Saving Monday–Professional Development

If you are like me, you are a professional development addict!  I love to learn new things – especially when they are taught by other professionals practicing in the field.  Plus, at least where I am, professional development counts in your professional review.  Unfortunately, if your district does not offer staff development opportunities or you are looking for something beyond what your school does, you are going to pay big bucks for it. 

I have found 2 really good sources for free professional development resources.  The first is for professional reading. Stenhouse Publishers offers free previews of new texts that are being published.  This is a fantastic way to preview a professional resources, get some great ideas, and decide if you would like to own it – goodness knows I usually end up buying the book because I enjoy a good-old paper version that I can sticky note and highlight to my heart's content.  You just need to join the site to access the previews of the books.  Click on any book available and you will at least see a chapter, but many have the full text.

The second is edweb.net.  This site offers free webinars to educators. Once you are signed up, you can register to “attend” a webinar that is scheduled or you can review webinars that have already been presented.  After a short quiz, you can print out a certificate that indicates you have attended a 1 hour session.  Love putting these in my PD binder and learning some new things!  Check out the calendar on the website to see the upcoming webinars!

 

Check out these great resources for some professional resources and development!

Teacher Training!

Today I attended a local series of workshops that are presented each year by a local reading association.  I LOVE being part of the local professional development movement!  There is nothing like getting together with other teachers and listening to the expertise that exists within our own professional ranks.  I always leave feeling energized, rather than the overwhelmed and defeated feeling I have after district organized PD.  No data to analyze or numbers to crunch. No scrambling to figure out how to fix everything.  Just pure ideas and great practice. 

The first session I attended was on guided reading – specifically Jan Richardson’s Next Steps book.  (This is a great book!  It takes Fountas and Pinnell and adds an update twist.) I enjoyed reading this book a couple years ago and was ready for a refresher in guided reading.  I have always been a strong believer of the power of guided reading, but it is always great to refresh your thinking and learn from someone else’s approach! 

What I took away from the training (before I left to set up my session):

• You should be able to pack A LOT into your  reading groups – vocabulary work, running records, reading strategies,conferences.
• Each group should be a solid 20-40 minutes – I’m stuck with 20, but I wish I could do 30…
• Conference with one student from each group on Tuesday,Wednesday, and Thursday.  Monday is for introducing a skill, Friday for wrapping it up – I want to add The CAFÉ back into my work.  Why have I unintentionally fazed it out?
• Keep a calendar on the cover of each group folder to schedule conferences.

My Goals:

• Make efficient use of my limited time during GR groups.
• Get more organized with my materials.
• Begin conferencing again…
• Revisit Jan Richardson’s book.

I went on to have a lovely session on integrating literacy into the content areas.  It was a fun new presentation and I had great feedback and ideas to add to the presentation.  I easily filled up my hour without even opening my online links or hooking up my iPad to demonstrate the apps I shared.

I plan to support some of my presentation on the blog as soon as I have a few minutes to convert things over. 

Do you have local organizations or groups that do staff development?  I am convinced that we need to be our own strongest supporters!

Summer Reading List

I'm joining Marie from The Hands-On Teacher in First for a summer reading list linky party. 

Ahh!  Summer!!! Reading!!! Two words that are allowing me to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  This year has been kicking my butt folks!  I am plain ole’ wiped out between teaching and college. I am hoping that I will be able to completely enjoy my summer by taking my required summer class in the first summer session – which means two nights a week while I am wrapping up this year…and practicing for a class play!  I’m doing it, but man am I tired!

I was not able to keep up with my monthly reading plan – best of intentions, you know… I have been so swamped that to pick up anything that requires thinking and is not critical has been beyond me.  Bad reality TV and YouTube videos have been been my down time – I can’t even muster the mental thinking to play Bubble Witch or Candy Crush!

My summer reads are books that I had on my list for my monthly reads.  I am limiting myself to 3 professional books since my goals have been a bit bigger than my reality lately

Ahh personal reads!  So many books so little time!  How about making that dent in my 500+ kindle books (I love freebies).  No, really, I have a bunch in mind:

Yep, I’m a YA fiction and historical fiction lover.  At least, that is what I am currently into.  I am halfway through Insurgent and want to finish the series before watching the movies, but I own all three books.  I finished City of Bones before the movie and own all the others, just haven’t gotten around to reading them. I am halfway through Dragonfly and Amber – have been for about 2 years and just couldn’t keep up with it.  There are 8 - 800 page books in the series and a couple spinoffs – so, so, so good, just heavy!  I have heard amazing things about The Bronze Horseman – very daunting text, but sounds amazing. I have never read anything by John Green – oddly I usually prefer female authors. However, the movie trailer made me cry instantly and I think I need to read the book before the movie

Well, those are some lofty reading goals, but hey, a girl can have goals! I would be satisfied to finish up the books that I am halfway through! I can’t wait to see what others are planning to read!

As we are approaching summer vacay here in NY, I am planning to use a couple fun items to end the year:

My students always love making their Journal Jars!  This is a fun activity where students create a jar full of journal prompts an decorate a journal for their summer writing. Click on the image to pick it up on TPT!   

We also make watermelons to decorate our hall!  They share all of our wonderful plans for the summer. I also have a product on TPT to make this a quick and easy activity.  Click on the image to pick it up!

Happy almost summer!