Are you really surprised?

Yesterday while perusing the selection of books that the International Reading Association offers, I came across a book that I just had to have. 

(Hence the post title...bought yet another teaching book? who me?)

The Essential Guide to Selecting and Using Core Reading Programs

Peter Dewitz, Susan B. Leahy, Jennifer Jones, and Pamela Maslin Sullivan

I have been narrowing down my ideas for what I might like to do for my doctoral research because over the course of this year and next year I have to write a lot of papers for a lot of different classes and it behooves me to have an idea of what question my dissertation will be investigating because all of the work that I put into all the "small" papers ( and that is relative because the small papers are about 30 pages) can lead to the final ginormous dissertation if I play my cards right (meaning I need to have my act together and choose a topic now so I don't end up having to do a ton more work down the road!).

I decided that I am really interested in investigating scripted reading programs with a  multicultural lens to see if these programs hold up to the principles/values of multicultural education that speak to the importance of connecting to students' background knowledge and engaging students in learning through instruction that is meaningful and pertinent to their lives.

 Tangent ===> I have some opinions about scripted programs that are percolating and I am still processing how I feel about them. I welcome the idea that the lessons are research based and incorporate the big five components of reading instruction, yet I feel as though when it comes to great literature, providing students with enough time to actually engage in reading and writing, and addressing the needs of students from diverse cultural backgrounds, perhaps these programs do not make the grade. Not to mention, they can be quite mind-numbing for teachers because they include a "teacher script" as if we would not know intuitively what to say without the special blue font that dictates word for word what we should say, "think aloud," and ask the students. Like many other things in life, I feel like scripted programs have their place, yet good instruction requires a balance of the research based, sequential, skill-focused lessons and the natural teaching that comes naturally to great teachers. 

What's your opinion on scripted programs? Necessary or nuisance?

======>end tangent

 (what a cute little reading components umbrella!)

Anyway, I was excited to come across this book because upon glancing at the table of contents, it appears as though it will be very informative with regards to the idea I am toying with using. There are chapters on the history of core reading programs and how they are created in addition to chapters that talk about how each type of reading skill is taught in this type of program. It sounds pretty interesting and I think that reading this book will give me a better idea of whether or not my research idea is feasible.

When I went to purchase the book, I saw that the IRA is offering a free webinar presented by one of the book's authors. I have never participated in a "webinar" before and I honestly don't quite know what it is, but it sounds pretty cool and I think that it allows me watch a presenter from the comfort and privacy of my own home. (These days I am all about professional development in my pajamas.)  And similar to my routine wee-hours-of-the-morning class, this webinar begins at 2:00 am in Germany because it is being presented from the US at 8:00 EST. I have always considered myself a morning person but this is getting crazy! The webinar is on Friday morning, so the good news is that I won't have to go to work afterward.  I figure I will get up, enjoy some learnin', then go back to bed. No biggie. I still have to wait and make sure my registration was confirmed because there are only 100 spots and I don't know if it has already been filled.  Here is the link in case anyone else is interested. If you're on the west coast it's still pretty late but 11:00 is better than 2:00! 

Have you ever attended a webinar?

If so, do share!

Group Project

Welcome to my sharing circle...today's topic...

Intimidation.

 
I am so stressed out about the project that I am currently working on with two other members of my politics and policy class. I realize there is no reason whatsoever to be feeling this way, yet I can't help it. I think I have always struggled with group work.

When I was in school, I was often paired with people who simply didn't care about school (and grades) as much as I did. I was the member of the group doing more than her share to ensure that the group work reflected the quality that I wanted it to. I guess I was under the impression that others in the group would bring me down...not because they weren't smart, but because they didn't put in as much effort as I did. I can even recall getting really frustrated about some group work in grad school because other members of the group did not even read the required material.

I feel like I am good at working with others, cooperation, and collaboration, yet when it comes to an assignment, suddenly the stakes are higher. I am trying to be less attached to my obsession with getting A's because I realize that throughout most of my schooling, despite the fact that I earned A's, I don't think I truly learned and internalized as much as I should have. I am trying to exist in this doctoral program with the attitude that I am learning a ton and if my grade is not an A that is just an indicator of an area where I need to learn some more and where I need to continue growing. So far, I have gotten A's in all of my courses, yet this politics and policy is the first time where I have felt entirely out of my element quite often. The tables have turned and I am no longer the one in the lead.

Since I am skyping in with the actual class instead of just skyping with my adviser, I am getting to know the other members of my cohort that are supposed to serve as this amazing support system as we all go through the program together. I have missed over 2/3 of that bonding time, so I don't have the same level of connection with the other members of the group. I feel part of the group, but it's not the same to be a face on a screen rather than an actual body in the classroom. Since most of the classes consists of guest speakers and group discussions, I have not had too much interaction with specific members of the group on a more personal or small group level...with the exception of this current project.

I was paired with two people who are fantastic. They are well spoken, intelligent, motivated, passionate, and full of ideas. They are constantly asking questions as I sometimes struggle to just sort out the information that was presented. Now, rather than feeling like I am doing more than my share in an effort to compensate for others, I feel like they are having to compensate for me!

Bottom line...I am intimidated! 

I know that I am doing well in this program and I was selected for a reason, but up until this term, I was pretty much getting through it on my own which allowed me to to focus entirely on my learning, my understanding, and my work. Now that I am in class and working on a project with other members of the group, I have gone to this place of comparison and intimidation. I have started to doubt whether or not I have enough experience to be doing this now and whether or not I have a broad enough perspective on education to truly "get" everything that we are learning about. The group as a whole is pretty young, but I think I am the youngest. I feel like I am Elle Woods amidst the high brow elite of Harvard Law School. Everyone seems to be so sure and confident and they seem to know exactly where they are going with their ideas and research. I am feeling unsure and nervous that my skills and educational knowledge do not compare.

My group is working on a policy change paper involving the issue of high school dropouts. Both of my partners work in secondary/higher education which leaves me the resident non-expert on our topic. When we got together to discuss, they discussed programs I had never heard of and I had to ask for help in locating the proper resources for my part of the paper. I don't want to be this way, but I am in this self deprecating place where I am convincing myself that I am not as worthy a member of our team as they are. I am frustrated that despite many compliments from others about my technologically enhanced role in the class that I can still feel so small in comparison to my larger than life superstar colleagues.

Despite these feelings that I am trying to shake, I am realizing that working with people who have entirely different experiences than I have does not diminish me and the path I have taken, rather it provides me with a fabulous opportunity to learn from them and gather knowledge in many different areas. I don't claim to be an expert in anything, yet if we were doing a project involving students with special needs, ELL students, or elementary aged students, I would have tons to share. I am intimidated because I don't know everything they know, but that is the point.


We learn from people who know what we don't. 

Maybe in this situation I am not the one getting to help someone else make learning gains and fantastic realizations, but that's okay.

Most often it is the situations that make us feel most uncomfortable that truly stretch our character and help us come out stronger on the other end. I have felt confused, uninformed, and overwhelmed at various point during this class, yet I will guarantee that when I am all done with my program it will stand out as one of the classes in which I learned the most. Policy and politics are not areas in which I know a lot, yet through taking this course, I have really broadened my perspective on education as whole and I am happy about that.

I am happy with the final result of the piece I have written and I am sure my team members will be too. I am tired of my main focus being on feelings of inferiority because it doesn't get me anywhere.  Recognizing that when something is difficult it means I am learning and broadening my understanding is more in alignment with the person and educator I want to be.

Do you compare yourself to others?

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?

Words Their Way

Yesterday I got my copy of Letter and Picture Sorts for Emergent Spellers.

Of course I have not had time to read through everything, but so far I really like what I see. I will definitely be using this as a resource for activities in my Kindergarten class next year and I can just imagine my little friends gaining a lot from the activities.

So far I don't have any dislikes, but here are some things I like:

• The book is three hole punched and has perforated pages which makes it easy to create a handy dandy spelling binder with easy access to making photocopies.
• The book contains useful assessments that are reproducable along with organized scoring sheets for keeping data on student scores and progress.
• There are lots of themed pictures (animals, foods, fruits, shapes) that can be sorted in a variety of ways. This is great because it allows multiple uses for one set of materials. 
• Each themed sort is accompanied by a Literature Connection list that relates the themes to real books that are fun and interesting for kids (I have been working on a paper about the unintended negative consequences of using scripted reading programs and I think one difficulty I have with them is the mundane reading selections that are just not interesting, so I am always excited to be able to incorporate real literature...that is a whole other post though!)
• Many common rhyming poems/songs are included on pages that are very conducive to using along with a document camera/projector. This is appealing because it's time consuming to write all songs and rhymes on chart paper, but the large print and pictures make these pages good for projecting or enlarging. 
• Each chapter starts with good teacher information that explains how the activities can be used.
• Most importantly, these materials look like they are great for learning and they look fun and age appropriate for young learners!

I am excited to read more and learn more about using Words Their Way. 

I finished A Wrinkle in Time this morning as I was waiting for my skype class to start. The group went to see a speaker on campus and class was supposed to start 50 minutes later than the normal start time. I set my alarm for 3:30 instead of 2:40 and I waited...and waited...and waited for the call...

Class ending up starting at 4:45 instead of 3:50 so I was waiting around in the wee hours of the morning for quite some time. At least I had time to get some reading done, so I finished Wrinkle and started The Secret Garden. I read this book when I was younger and I remember buying the most beautiful edition at the Scholastic Book Fair at school. It was such a pretty book, I am sure I still have it somewhere packed away at my mom's house in CT. As I read, I remember the story and I am enjoying it. 

After reading the entire Wrinkle book, I still feel like it is just not a favorite for me. I felt like the ending was too abrupt and even though there was a climax to the story, it just wasn't that riveting. Oh well, they can't all be magical!

When I got home from work I took a nap from 12:30-4:45. LONG nap! I didn't mean to sleep that long but I guess I was really tired and in need of a good sleep. That probably means I will have trouble getting to sleep tonight, but Mr. Sneaker is arriving home from Paris, so it will be fun to stay up late and catch up!

Let's Talk TV

 Warning: If you can't handle a little Bachelorette trash talking or if you haven't yet watched the finale of TBL...read no further!!!

Last night two of my girlfriends came over to enjoy a fabulous dinner of soft tacos with lots of fresh toppings including avocado, black beans, corn, cilantro, green onions, and salsa (prepared with love by yours truly) and then we watched the premier of The Bachelorette. At several points during the two hour reality tv session, I thought to myself how I could never ever subject myself to being on a show like that because the over the top corniness of the men is ridiculous to me. Not only were this group of 25 "amazing" men that Ali was "so excited" about not all that good looking, but none of them seemed to be anything that I would be looking for (ok you know I am married and obviously not looking for a man, but even if I were a single girl on the prowl none of those bozos would be what I was looking for!). Ok, there were a few guys who were pretty attractive and who seem like good guys, but there were too many over the top attempts to get Ali's attention and the whole idea of a single person pretty much testing 25 strangers in order to find love over the course of a 6 week period after which he/she entirely anticipates getting engaged is just getting sickening and it's getting old. Yet....of course I will continue watching, because the nature of reality tv is like that of a train wreck--you just can't stop looking.

My friends and I all agreed that we much preferred Ali's "look" from when she was on Jake's season of the Bachelor. She was cute and fresh in a girl next door kind of way who portrayed her love of the color yellow over and over. Last night, we thought it looked like she had extensions in her hair (anyone else notice that!?) and her black dress just did not seem her style (not that I know her, but you know what I mean). I hope she finds love, but I am becoming a Bachelor/ette skeptic....they seem to have the same darn things happen over and over again...such a coincidence!

Ok, enough sarcasm. Let's get down to business....Who did you love & who did you hate?

If you click on the word "slideshow" you can view all the guys who received roses to refresh your memory!

Slideshow'The Bachelorette': Snap Judgments on Ali's Top 17

I totally thought that Jonathon the weather man

was this kiddo all grown up....

Do you remember him as Michelle Tanner's little pinching friend on Full House? 

And the little kid who said Girls have a (you know) and boys have a (you know) in Kindergarten Cop.

Do you see the resemblance?

Well, it's not him, but it was a funny to think that he grew up and went on a reality show to find love.

So far I don't have any favorites....Not feeling any of the guys yet at all!

***

In other reality tv news...I set the alarm for 5:00 this morning so I could get up and watch the Live finale of The Biggest Loser. Another show that I just don't love with as much umph anymore. I liked the cast this time, especially Sam, Sunshine & Oneil, but I didn't get as emotional over their weight loss journeys and transformations as I have in the past. I can remember watching a previous finale while doing some time on the elliptical at my gym back in OR and crying with tears coming down my cheeks because I was so overwhelmed with how the contestants looked. This time, eh, not so much.

Go Michael!

Michael obviously did an amazing job and changed his life forever--which is great to see!

I am still a big fan of the show, but I have liked previous seasons better.

Were you happy with the winner?

Did you think that Michael and Ashley were going to announce a relationship
(because I did!)

speaking of spelling...

Several of your comments from my post about spelling the other day mentioned that you have used and really like Words Their Way. The third grade teachers I have worked with this year use it, and from what I can see, I really like how it offers differentiation and great learning activities to go along with weekly spelling lists like sorting words according to a rule and finding other words not on the list that follow a particular rule.

I navigated my way over to my home away from home (Amazon!) and searched Words Their Way and boy did a lot of books come up! There are tons. From what I could read in the descriptions, it was hard to tell if there were grade suggestions that went with the books or not, but I decided to get Letter and Picture Sorts for Emergent Spellers because it sounds like it will be appropriate for Kindergarten and for ELL students of which I will be seeing a lot of next year!

At school today, I tried to take a deeper look at the book that my third grade teacher friends have and I was honestly confused by it. I only had a few minutes to glance at it, but I wasn't expecting so much text. I guess the word lists come from the CD-ROM and the book is more literature about spelling? Not sure. Also, in the front of the book there were all these materials pictured which looked like there are materials that can be purchased or that there is more of a curriculum to buy rather than just a reference book. If anyone is familiar with this program I would really love some more info. I have seen it in action, but only at the upper elementary level and I am curious what it looks like with younger kiddos. I know that the spelling that goes along with our adopted reading curriculum is not great, so I was thinking maybe it would be fun to use some Words Their Way activities for centers next year, so I want to learn as much about it as I can. The materials looked cute and looked more Kindy appropriate than just lists of words that need to be cut because they appeared to be colorful and durable, not disposable.

In any event, I am sure the book will be interesting to read because I want to soak up all that I can to prepare for teaching Kindergarten.

A Magical Read!

I said I wasn't going to post in detail about the books I am reading from the 100 children's novels list, but this one merits a little post action! 

I finished The Phantom Tollbooth yesterday and I can't believe I went this long as an avid reader, lover of books, and teacher without knowing about this story! It was so good! The creativity of the author impressed me over and over as I read through it. It truly made appreciate the little things in life that I neglect to consider on a daily basis, like the beautiful sights and sounds that make up our world. I went on a hike after finishing and I really reveled in the beauty of nature specifically because I read this story and it made me really happy that the story stuck me so much. I love reading, but it's not often that I put down a book and think--wow! This was one of those books for me. LOVED IT!

Summary from the back cover==> When Milo, an uninspired ten-year-old drives his toy car through a magical tollbooth and into the enchanted Lands Beyond, he begins a remarkable journey through the Kingdom of Knowledge where he discovers that life is exciting...beyond his wildest dreams!

This book is full of plays on language creative characters like the princesses called Rhyme and Reason who are banished by their quarreling brothers King Azaz of Dictionopolis and the Mathematician, ruler of Digitopolis. It's so creative and incorporates so many funny sayings and idiosyncrasies of language, I can't even explain it! I almost feel like it's more appropriate for adults than kids--or at least it has lots of little parts, somewhat like many cartoon films, that really connect with adults more so than kiddos. As I read, I felt like many "life lessons" could be taught with this book and I imagined having great conversations with kids, yet I think it's definitely a story that needs to be discussed and not just read. I think, depending on the age group, there would be many things kids would not quite get. I would love some input on what grade level(s) teachers have read this with or that it could be appropriate for. Maybe I need to read it again! It struck me a great tool for teaching ELL students about language, yet the language concepts are somewhat complicated, so it would take some explaining.

I really just love the message and how the main character goes from being a bored, un-enthused kid to a kid who recognizes the excitement and adventure of life. I tried searching for it on amazon and all of the copies were from private sellers. This is probably one you will have to hunt down at the library, but it's SO worth it if you have not read it yet. Go! Go now!

I also started reading A Wrinkle in Time, which I did read as a fifth grader (and can't remember (remember my comprehension issues?!)), but so far I am not completely loving it. Although I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter series, which is of course very magical and mystical, this book, which contains some similar elements, is just not doing it for me so far. I won't say I hate it, but I have enjoyed others on the top 100 list a lot more. I will definitely give it a chance and finish it before making a final judgment. What do you think about this one? Did you like it?

I also want to start The War Against the Poor, which my professor recommended, but it doesn't exactly look like light reading.  I feel like I have been reading so much lately, but mostly just for fun, so I need to get started on some meaty issues pretty soon! I also have a 150 page document for politics and policy waiting to be read....ugh!

...and I got an email from a man who created a software program called SpellQuizzer who read my post about spelling and asked me if I wanted to review his product and do a giveaway so that one lucky reader could win a free software license. I was interested (and excited to be asked to do a product review!) but unfortunately this software is for PC's and I have a Mac (well, it's not unfortunate that I have a Mac, but unfortunate that I can't review the software). I emailed him back and said that I would mention the software and see if any of my readers would be interested in a free trial in order to do a product review. We can arrange a little "guest blog" and still provide the chance for another lucky reader to get a free license. So, if you are interested in getting a trial and doing a review, please leave me a comment or email me and I will connect you with the software creator to get the free trial. Thanks!

Let's talk spelling

I spent some time today read this book.

If you click on the link you can preview the first chapter on amazon.com.

At first I thought it was going to be really informative, but overall I was somewhat disappointed. It was an okay read, but probably not worth the €15 I spent on it. 

Likes: 

• Includes a great list of suggestions for parents who want to help their kids with emergent reading skills. (i.e. read and enjoy lots of alphabet books, read and enjoy nursery rhymes, poetry, and lots of books with rhyming patterns, and be sensible about invented spelling and do not expect your first grader to spell like an adult)
• Clearly identifies 5 stages of spelling and provides "kid written" examples of each and emphasizes that kids go through these stages at different rates/paces. 
• Provides tips and strategies for helping kiddos at each stage of spelling development. 
• Recommends using a Franklin Speller-- Here are a couple of their products
• Spelling Corrector Plus (less expensive version) 
• Elementary Dictionary (pricier version)
•  Includes thoughts on what types of spelling lessons/programs are "bad." (i.e. having kids write words over and over, alphabetize words,  and lessons that include words that are too easy/too hard for particular kiddos)

Dislikes:

• Although clear info is included on different spelling stages, the author associates these stages with grade levels in a way that I think is not entirely developmentally appropriate (even though he claims it is). I feel this needs more clarification, so I will include his stages and grade level associations to back up my opinion. 
• Stage 1-Experimenting with writing and the alphabet=Kindergarten
• Stage 2-Demonstrating phonemic awareness=Kindergarten & beginning of first grade
• Stage 3-Spelling words by ear=middle of first grade
• Stage 4-Spelling words by eye=end of first grade & second grade
• Stage 5-conventional spelling =second grade and up

• He gives the example of a few words like school (says it's a third grade word) and night (says it is a third grade word) which I would have expected my first graders to know how to spell by the end of the year and I had a group of readers who were considered behind first grade level. If they were able to correctly spell those words based on their exposure to them in our reading lessons and knowledge of sound spelling, I have a difficult time agreeing that they are third grade words! Those are just two examples, but after examining the spelling placement tool he included that parents can use to determine what level their child is at, I felt like many of the words in the second and third grade lists belonged in first grade (at least according to what I taught and what my kiddos were capable of doing by the end of the year in first grade).  I would also argue that even in first grade we expected our students to learn conventional spellings for lots of words including sight words whose sounds don't match up with their letters (ie. the, what, said) so that stage should not correlate with second grade an above. (I will say though that the author acknowledges the fluidity between stages, so it's possible he would agree that sometimes first graders spell conventionally). I would just want to point out that as a teacher, my expectations are high even in first grade and I would rather have high expectations than uphold that it's not developmentally appropriate for students to correctly spell silent e words until third grade. Yikes!
• Some of his third grade words were: spring, helps, farmer, bones, saved, roof, fine, bell, say, part, like, brown, hope, much, & egg. 
• Given the strong phonics program we used (Fast Track Phonics), my students would be able to sound out all of those words phonetically based on the sound spelling patterns they were taught. I personally think that if those words are considered appropriate for third graders, the instruction is not doing its job because third graders can handle a lot more than that from what I have seen this year in my friend's class (she uses Spell Their Way which differentiates spelling based on student performance on a pretest). 

•  Despite the inclusion of a chapter that discussed a certain student with a "spelling disability" and a section mentioning the "spelling gene" when talking about the whether or not students can visualize words, there was no mention of dyslexia. I believe his discussion of an inability to visualize words and poor visual memory directly link to dyslexia, yet there was no discussion of this particular disability at all. When the author mentions that some kids just aren't born with the "spelling gene" he neglects to truly relate this to the fact that kids who have significant trouble spelling often have specific learning disabilities that should be addressed at school and through their instruction. He equates not being able to spell with not being able to sing and I think spelling difficulties should be taken more seriously because they do affect student achievement.
• With the exception of including a list including: ask someone, look it up, use technology, & get professional help, there were no good recommendations about how to help students who struggle in spelling through instruction. (This is a resource aimed at parents, so perhaps that is why). I still would have liked to get a better understanding of what I can do with my instruction to help poor spellers. The author did emphasize the importance of teaching spelling in Kindergarten and first grade because breaking the code of the alphabet and learning about sounds in words help kids become readers, yet he gave no opinion on types of spelling instruction (aside from what is bad). I feel it is very important for Kinder and first grade teachers to use a good phonics program in order to teach letter sound correspondence, phonemic awareness, sound spelling patterns, rhyming & word families etc) and I would be interested to see where this author weighs in on that since his expectations for developmentally appropriate spelling and mine were so different.

 Overall, I would say that it was worth giving this book a read because I actually like coming across information I don't agree with 100% because it allows me to think critically and really formulate my own opinion. I don't think it's worth buying though...maybe try to find it in the library if you want to read it!

How do you help kiddos that have trouble spelling?

How do you teach spelling?

Do you have a favorite phonics program?

Are you a technie?

Yesterday during my skype session with my class, I got to admiring how many different ways we were incorporating technology and it amazed me. Earlier in my teaching career, if you asked me how I would use technology during a lesson, I most likely would have said that I would use a video related to the subject matter. While instructional videos certainly have their place, based on my experience  participating with my doctoral cohort in OR from Germany, I have come to appreciate some much cooler technological helpers. 

If you are a regular reader, you know I skype with my class on Thursday mornings from 3-6 am, individually with my amazing professor once every other week, and sometimes with a different class that meets a few weekends during the term. Sometimes the time of day isn't completely convenient, yet I am continuously baffled by how cool it is that I am seeing and interacting with people so far away. I see the familiar classroom that I sat in for so many hours during my master's program, the familiar parking garage in the background where I always struggled to find an open space before class, and the familiar street corner that I crossed Diet Coke and snack in hand on my way to class so many times in the past few years. Usually the technology is flawless we rarely experience "technical difficulties." In a wrap-up session last night where we had to comment on what we liked most about the term, one of my classmates actually commented that she learned so much from having me skype in because it really opened her mind to different uses of skype for the classroom.The best thing about skype is that, unlike many other forms of technology, it's free!

Last night, as I struggled to view the document we were talking about and my skype window at the same time, I realized that I should try utilizing my extra screen. This is the setup Mr. Sneaker hooked me up with and I had never used the second screen for skyping because I was afraid it would disconnect my skype call. I decided to try it out and it worked. Check out this awesomeness...

I was able to see my class (but I didn't take a pic when we were actually in session because I thought they might think I was a bit crazy) and the paper we were discussing at the same time. 

Crazy

Awesome

Fabulous

One of the class assignments last night was to create a poster with both pluses and wishes from this term and another with pluses and wishes for our entire first year in the program. Everyone there got butcher paper and markers and they displayed their papers on the wall to share. I quickly grabbed my colored markers (is it a teacher thing to have colored markers ready and available on my desk?) and I made my poster. When I was finished, I quickly slapped my pages on the scanner and then sent the scanned images to my teacher so he could project them on the screen for everyone to see. Once again, the distance was not a barrier! 

Finally, when each person was sharing the pluses and wishes from his/her list, my professor recorded their comments with his flip camera so he could have the feedback to share with the doctoral committee. I also have a flip camera and have used it to record a presentation that I sent to my class earlier this year. It is so easy to use and has a USB port that pops out so you can connect it directly to a computer. I have used my flip in the classroom to record my students reading for fluency and then immediately plugged it into the computer, uploaded the video, and projected the video onto my big screen for them to see. They LOVED seeing themselves and it was so easy to do. There are so many fantastic uses for this camera in a classroom setting because of the ease of use. You can provide instant video feedback for students because it takes just a few minutes to upload the video! 

 

I was able to view videos on my big screen because I got a document camera and projector through a technology grant at my previous school. I used those two treasures for everything! The cool thing about the document camera is that rather than making overheads, you can use original documents and you can project anything up on the big screen. Math manipulatives, student work, books...you name it. These babies are expensive, but through a district grant resource they were

free to me!

Also, I have not gotten the chance to use one yet, but all of the classrooms in the international school where I work recently got Smartboards. From being in various classrooms, I have been able to see the variety of uses and I am really impressed. I know there are different types of interactive whiteboards and I am not knowledgable enough about them to know the ins and outs of comparing and contrasting them, but I do know they are all cool! I was shocked to find out that every classroom at my school was going to get one because they are quite costly and they are not as likely to appear in public schools in the US.

Smartboard

Promethean Board

InterWrite Board

All of these things really help to make learning come alive for students and it is so exciting and fun to incorporate them into lessons. The drawback is that technology tends to be expensive. Especially with horrible budget cuts that are occurring in many districts, it is not likely that funds will be spent on items such as these. I always recommend Donorschoose.org as a great way to obtain teaching materials that you/your district cannot afford.

How do you use technology in the classroom?

What is on your techie wishlist?

***

In yesterday's post when I mentioned a few show finales, I completely forgot to mention how excited I am for the premier of the new Bachelorette this week! After her behavior on the Bachelor, I am not really sure how I feel about Ali because she was mean to some of the girls, especially Vienna, yet really sweet to Jake. I am interested to see what her true personality is, but I tend to think I will like seeing her as the Bachelorette. The best part is that three of my friends come over to watch, so I am excited to have our weekly girls nights like we did during the Bachelor season!

 

Are you excited for the Bachelorette?

What do you think of Ali?

***

PS Thanks to Jen for sending me the link to this cool video about teaching with technology. Take a look! Pay Attention

Books, Papers, and Finales...oh my!

I am happy to report that the sun has found its way back to Germany! Finally, it is warm and bright and not cold and rainy! I am very pleased with this change because I was getting a major attitude about the foul weather despite the fact that it's May and almost June! I expect good weather during these months! Although last year we were visiting Germany on my birthday at the end of June and it was very cold and yucky out. Being a June baby, I always expect supreme birthday weather and the chill was not to my liking. This year, we will be in California for my bday, so I am planning for lots of sun, a fantastic pedi, and some sushi. Can't wait! Whoa, birthday tangent...can you tell I really get excited for my birthday?

This is what I am staring at right now!

On the flip side, I am not happy to report another follower has bitten the dust. Followers are dropping like flies! I think my mention of steering clear of posts about everyday life and sticking only to teaching is turning people away. I guess I need to spill some more interesting dirt about my ever so fascinating life....so, I have decided to take a week long trip to Abu Dhabi with my three best girlfriends where word has it I will run into my ex and deal with conflicted feelings over having married the man that he hates...oh wait...that is Carrie Bradshaw....

In real life....

Mr. Sneaker is enjoying himself in  lovely Paris and sent me a cute photo of himself in his new sunglasses asking if I like them. I love my husband! Last night my friend Jill came over and we enjoyed a pint of Ben & Jerry's Half Baked which was purchased at our local gas station mart for 7 Euros. Yes, people, that is equivalent to $8.80 for a pint of ice cream, but American products can be spendy like that and are totally worth it every once in awhile. I mean, how good is Half Baked! There are brownie chunks and cookie dough chunks! There is actually still 1/2 of the ice cream left and Jill said I could have it because she left this morning for a trip since we have a long weekend. Can you guess what I am having for dinner tonight? 

I finished my errands early this morning to leave the rest of the day open for paper writing and reading. 

These are my latest teacher reads.

My professor mentioned The War Against the Poor during my skype session and I totally ordered it from amazon during class while I was still skyping...nerd alert! I have been waiting for My Kid Can't Spell for about 3 weeks now, so I am excited to read it. It's actually pretty thin, so I bet I can finish it in a day. Hopefully that means it is concisely packed with fantastic information to solve all of the world's spelling problems....

 I'll let you know!

I am also hoping to get some page time with this book I am currently reading off the top 100 children's novels list. 

So far, it's pretty cute.

This is where I will be chilling for the remainder of the day until it is time to skype with my class later.

It is actually almost too sunny and I can barely see my screen due to the intense brightness shining down on me, but I am not going to complain about that I will enjoy every moment of uncomfortable squinting. 

Notice that a full day of school work requires Cola Light. 

Actually, what day doesn't? That whole idea of giving it up...not successful!

***

Also, I just have to say

Holy Grey's Anatomy finale!

Did you watch?

Were you gripping your seat?

Crying?

Experiencing heart palpitations?

...or was that just me?!

I am really excited for The Biggest Loser finale on Tuesday and will probably wake up at 5 on Wednesday morning to catch it live from our California streamed Tivo. I voted for Jaris and I hope he makes the final three! I think I am rooting for him to take the whole thing, but I am mostly excited to see all of the contestants since they have been home. I am very interested to see John and James (the twin brothers), Shay from last season who is coming on to show her continued weight loss, and Sunshine!! (I really thought she was going to make it to the end). Who are you rooting for??

Ok, time to get some work done! Have a great Saturday.

400th post

400 posts on Sneaker Teacher!!

Starting out with many posts that didn't get too much action because there weren't many followers back then. In honor of all those posts that barely got viewed, I thought I would link of to a few of the very first ones...

Very first post : Back to School

Lifelong Readers

Kid Writing

Hug Haven

I think my blog has changed a lot since I first began writing it. Sometimes I like the direction is has taken, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I wish I had more great kid stories to share or more creative teaching ideas. This year, it has been hard to write posts like that because my teaching role has changed. I am looking forward to some fun posts starting in September when I start Kindergarten!

Thanks to all you readers who take the time to read my posts. Thanks for the comments. Thanks for caring!

Books & Proudosity

Yesterday I finished Charlotte's Web (some good examples of true friendship in that book) and The Giver. The Giver was a bit odd, but I could see how it could bring up some good discussion if used with students who are old enough. I also kept thinking to myself that I would love to hear what kids had to say about Templeton the rat. He comes across as such a selfish character, yet when he points out all the ways he has helped the others out, you realize he really did do a lot for others...yet do you want to have the kind of friend who feels the need to point out what a good friend they are??? Interesting character for discusssion!

I now have the next group from the list which includes:

• The Secret Garden
• The Hobbit
• The Phantom Tollbooth 
• The Westing Game
• Anne of Green Gables (I got a copy with LARGE print and it's so funny, but I feel like that will make it seem like it goes by faster than the tiny print in the other copy)

I have a three day weekend because there is a German holiday on Monday and Mr. Sneaker leaves tomorrow for a week in Paris (lucky!), so in addition to writing a paper this weekend, hopefully I will have lots of time to read! Would you be super impressed if I read all of those books in one weekend? Don't put it past me! If I didn't have the paper to write, I bet I could finish them all, but considering I have not even started it yet, I am thinking it will take a good chunk out of my weekend. I heard a rumor that we might actually see some sunshine this weekend, but I can't exactly picture it given that it has been SO long since I have felt a warm day or seen the sun shining in the sky!

I also have to share that I did some reading assessments with an elementary friend today and I am so freaking proud of her progress (hence the word "proudosity" in the title--that is like being proud times 10!). This friend of mine has dyslexia and makes a lot of visual errors when she reads, easily confusing words with other words that look similar. She had a solid self correction rate today and the best part was that even though she felt the book was hard, she answered all of the questions correctly and gave insightful answers to the critical thinking questions. Yay! Since we use the leveled readers from ReadingA-Z for assessment, I asked her if she wanted to try a more challenging level and she actually scored better on the harder one! We didn't get through all of the questions, but she made fewer mistakes and self corrected once for every two miscues instead of once for every 6 on the previous book. She has gone from level L to level O and she scored so well on O that it would be her independent level, so her instructional level would be even higher. She is such a sweetheart and has been one of my favorite students to work with this year. Yes, she struggles, but she is so motivated and sweet and really tries her best. Sometimes I feel like she remembers more about the stories than I do!

I am off to take my Thursday afternoon nap since I was up this morning at 2:30 for my skype class. I am skyping with my professor again tonight to go over my idea for the paper I have to write, which relates to my idea of research I might want to do for my dissertation. I hope he likes the idea because I am pretty happy with it. Also, I am visiting a dentist for the first time since moving here at 4:00 today and I am not too excited about it. I need a new mouth guard because I am a teeth grinder at night and my guard broke recently. I am not really looking forward to getting fitted for another mold, but I can feel myself clenching my teeth and grinding at night and that is not good. My dentist in the US said that teachers are often grinders because of the stress involved in our jobs. I believe it! 

PS I am craving peanut butter like nobody's business today!

What are you craving today?

Have you ever been to Paris? 

 I haven't, but I definitely want to go at some point while living in Europe. I am jealous of hubby's travel, but in June I get to go to Rome for my friend's bday!!

Was it something I said?!

I noticed that I have lost two followers this week...yikes! Maybe the lack of posting while in Amsterdam resulted in bored followers! Obviously my posts are mostly focused on teaching, which only applies to a certain group of people who are actually interested in teaching and education, but I am guessing that most of you who follow are teachers or individuals interested in education and what I have to say about it, therefore once you start following you enjoy what you read and continue to come back for more...I sometimes post more about everyday life and the results from the poll I did a few months ago indicate that those posts are interesting to you guys, but I tend to like to keep the focus on teacher talk. Every time I see that number of followers drop, I get a little case of hurt feelings, wondering why someone would decide not to follow...was it something I said? Am I boring?  Although temporarily puzzled with rejection, I do feel that I am happy with what I write about, so I won't take it personally. I blog to be a better teacher and to hopefully inspire other teachers, and that is not everyone's cup of tea. But, if you happen to have any warm fuzzies to want to throw my way about what you do like about Sneaker Teacher, by all means.... :0) Everybody loves a good compliment every once in awhile!

So, back to the teacher talk...I have seen several of my fellow education bloggers (It's Not All Flowers and Sausages, Organized Chaos , and Elementary, My Dear, Or Far From It) post about this list of the top 100 books (novels) that every kid should read that is floating around. Mrs. Mimi over at It's Not All Flowers and Sausages has decided to read her way through the list and blog about it, in a somewhat similar fashion to Julie & Juilia (not really!) but I just saw that movie and I wish I could blog about something important enough to get a book deal out of it, which is exactly what happened to Mrs. Mimi and her super funny blog, which is just one of the many reasons why I envy adore her! Another reason I love Mrs. Mimi so much is because I am completely on the same page with all of the ideas she has or things that she does which she professes as self proclaimed nerdism in it's highest form. I am quite a big nerd at heart too, hence my love for post its, to do lists, color coding, and BOOKS! She is a teacher nerd after my own heart!

Now, I am not out to copy her idea, but after reading several of her posts about great books, I decided I wanted to give the list a go as well. I am not going to post summaries like she is (I will leave that to her and her extremely witty and charming writing skills), but I am probably going to mention which books I am currently reading and how far along I am on the list. Reading 100 good novels for kids...let the adventure begin! Yesterday I printed the list (which you can view if you click on any of the links above), and I highlighted the books I have already read, which include the Harry Potter series, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Holes, Matilda, Tuck Everlasting, The Golden Compass, Bud, Not Buddy, and The Witches. I have read most of those several times, so I am considering them doneso! Then I went to the library and got A Wrinkle in Time (which I read in 5th grade and can't remember at all), The Giver (which I read probably in HS and can't remember at all), and From the Mixe-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (which I read in 4th grade, loved, but could only vaguely remember). Do you notice a trend? I don't know how I made it through school with straight A's all those years without any of my teachers picking up on the fact that I have pretty bad reading comprehension! It wasn't until I became a teacher and taught reading to first graders that I really became a better reader myself. I am happy to say I am now experiencing improved comprehension!

After work yesterday, I read and finished The Mixed-up Files....I love how, as an adult, I can read a book that would have taken my elementary school self weeks to read in just one day--not even one day--more like one afternoon. After crossing that off the list, I began Charlotte's Web (which believe it or not, I don't think I ever read as a child!). I am almost done with that as well, although I still have the tissue requiring end to get through! Next up will probably be The Giver. I am hoping to get through the list by then end of summer and thankfully the library at my school has most of these titles. I have to read like a mad woman until school lets out because from mid-July to mid-August, when I return to Portland, I won't have library access, which will cut into my reading time! For some people, the thought of reading all these books would be daunting and completely not interesting, but for my nerd self, it is exciting and I am going to love every opportunity to slide my yellow highlighter over each title that I have completed!

14 down, 84 to go!

Holy Resource Batman!

Despite then fact that I had a fantastic time in Amsterdam and reveled in a four day weekend, I found myself really looking forward to getting back into my regular daily routine and schedule. I love having fun, but it's also important that I eat well and exercise and those things seem to fall to the wayside when we travel. Because I try to eat healthfully most of the time normally, I really go haywire when I travel and just enjoy without any guilt. It's tough to return home though because I usually am not happy with how eating whatever I want makes me feel and I crave exercise and healthy food. Unfortunately, we arrived home from our trip on a Sunday, which meant the stores were closed, so the fridge remained empty until I was able to shop after school today. Because I shop several times a week here and the produce is so fresh (which means it spoils quickly), I tend to let the fridge empty out before we go away for a weekend. I was enamored with my cart full of healthy fruits and vegetables and I cannot wait to dig into a nice big green salad for dinner tonight. I started my day off with a little butt kicking from Jillian and that felt really good! Hopefully I will get a run in or hit the gym later as well. This week needs to be exercise in HIGH gear after all these goodies!

***

Today I discovered a really great resource that I just have to share! Check it out! It's a visual picture dictionary! This is such a fantastic tool to use for language and vocabulary development. I always strive to have good visuals to use with my ELL students and this seems to really fit the bill. Along the left margin there are themes you can choose from, but you can also search a specific word and view images.

This site offers:

• 20,000 terms with contextual definitions,
  developed by terminology experts
• 6,000 full-color images of a wide variety of objects
  from all aspects of life

and you can:

FIND words organized around major subject fields, corresponding themes or individual objects.

SEARCH ideas to quickly locate words or consult pictures to read clear, up-to-date definitions.

VIEW thousands of highly realistic illustrations and detailed diagrams created by skilled graphic artists.

DISCOVER a visual world of information of immense scope and depth

When I taught first grade, we did a science unit on amphibians. We would always create a diagram that showed the different parts of the frog, so I searched "frog" to see what came up.

Check it out!

Next year in Kinder, we will study butterflies...

Aren't these amazing images? I am in love! I also use Boardmaker a lot in order to show images, yet those images are cartoons and not realistic pictures or photographs. There is so much potential for using this site and these great images!

http://visual.merriam-webster.com

Enjoy!

How could you use the Merriam Webster visual dictionary in your classroom?

Amsterdam

Mr. Sneaker and I had the most amazing four days in Amsterdam! From the moment we arrived, it was non-stop fun with our friends Jesse and Michelle. We went to the Van Gogh museum, took a boat ride through the canals, rode bikes all around the city, enjoyed lots of amazing food, and played lots of games of Farkel.

I seriously need to do some healthy eating this week and lots of exercising, but I don't regret a minute of the fantastic time we had!