Teaching Resources

Next week, Mr. Sneaker leaves for a business trip the US, so he will be stopping in OR to help me with some aspects of my relocation (like trying to get a car!). It would be nice if I could get around while I am there like I do here--with my two feet--but sadly, I will need a car because it is a 20-25 minute drive from my campus to my new elementary school and the public transportation takes for-ev-er. Since I pretty much have 30 minutes from the time I am finished working to the time I need to be in class for my doctoral courses, it just would not work to use public transportation (or bike or walk like everyone does around here in Gemany). Because we are trying not to make my time back in the states a costly endeavor, Mr. Sneaker is looking into vehicle options for me, so I will have something to get me from point a to point b while I am there. We'd like to have an idea of what we can get because once I arrive I will need to kick it into gear and get ready for the school year, so I won't have a ton of time to shop around for something to drive.

So, since he is going to Portland, I get to send some things with him to drop off at a friend's house so that I will have those items when I move in August. Since I will be traveling alone in August, I can't bring that much stuff, so we are spreading it out and moving some stuff now. I am thinking of sending winter clothing, coats, scarves, hats, shoes etc. because I won't need any of those things between now and August. That's not to say we won't have more cold, rainy, very non-summer-like weather between now and then, but I need to send something.

I have posted before about how I am so torn with regards to my collection of books that I have here that I really want to have access to once I am teaching Kindergarten back in OR. I have pretty much decided that most books can be found in libraries, so although that means having to be a bit more organized and making frequent trips to the good old library, I will be okay leaving most of my picture books behind. I did pick out some particular ones that are for instructional purposes that I know I would not find at a library, but I have significantly narrowed my pile.

My cute little coin books are coming. My character development books are coming too.

And my collection of simple decodable/sight word books are coming because it's hard to find texts like these in the real world of literature, yet this kind of book is important to have around so my little friends can practice words they know and can read a book from start to finish.

Then I started thinking about my teaching resource books....another dilemma! These types of books are ones that I refer to continuously for planning, teaching, and also for completing all of my papers for class that require links to research and best practices. It's not likely that I would find them at a library and I want to have them permanently while I am there rather than for only a few weeks at a time. I took a little inventory of all the books that I have (which by the way are organized by theme on my bookshelves) and made a list of the ones I am pretty sure I can't live without.

• Reading with Meaning by Debbie Miller
• Growing Readers by Kathy Collins
• The Daily Five by Gail Boushey & Joan Moser
• 6 + 1 Traits of Writing: Primary Grades by Ruth Culham
• Un-Standardizing Curriculum: Multicultural Teaching in the Standards-Based Classroom by Christine Sleeter
• Readers and Writers with a Difference by Lynn Rhodes & Curt Dudley-Marling
• (and of course my new book) Letter and Picture Sorts for Emergent Spellers-Words Their Way

It's not a ton of books, but the weight and space that they require adds up. I also have to make sure that I bring along my Boardmaker software and my portfolio containing all of my important documents. It is so hard to narrow everything down and I am really glad I left most of my teaching materials and supplies in storage back in OR. It will be fun digging through our unit to find the stuff, but at least I know my classroom won't have to be entirely empty and void of fun and interesting learning materials!

What are you favorite "teacher books"?

What resources have given you aha moments?

What personal items (i.e clothes, shoes, purses etc.) would you sacrifice (if you were me) in order to bring more books?