Reading, Writing and Chocolate: My three favorite things ...

Summer Reading

2015-06-04T16:50:00.002-05:00

I LOVE SUMMER!

If I could insert a happy dance right there I would.

Every summer starts the same way, I have HUGE reading plans, but very little reading gets done. This summer, I am not going to let that happen.

I do have some professional reading ready, but my pleasure reading is going to be #1 on my list. My question is, what do I read?

I am starting with The Promise by Ann Wiesgarber. This book was suggested to me by one of my librarian friends. I started it today. Crossing Borders by Sergio Tronsco is my next read. This book of essays sounds fascinating.

I am still looking for at least one more suggestion. What are you reading this summer?

Sunrise Sunday Summer Reading Goals

2015-05-17T09:18:00.000-05:00

Don't you love alliteration?

As I start planning for the summer, I'm taking a serious look at my summer reading. I intend to use my iPAD's Kindle app for travel. This allows me to pack tons of books and magazines without the bulk, but I have no idea what to read.

Which brings me to the purpose of this blog. How do I find the perfect summer reading material? I'll be reading for work, so I have several white papers ready and waiting for me. I'm not sure what my fun reading should be.

Any suggestions on a great series, or a secret guilty pleasure read? The only thing on my Kindle for this summer is The Girl on the Train.

Monday's EdTech Musings

2015-05-11T12:08:00.000-05:00

As summer is just around the corner, I'm focusing on my own professional learning. Here are a couple of interesting articles I've found that I'm really liking right now. If you are reading something amazing please share in the comments.

EdTech Supports Brain Drain - This EdSurge article my Matt McDonald focuses on Personal Learning and how it helps keep students from falling behind during the summer!

EdTech Focus on K-12 IT Blogs - So much information on some amazing blogs that I can not even start to tell you how amazing this is! Check it out - it might take you all summer just to get through them all!

Finally - as we get close to summer, I know many teachers feel this way!

Let me know what you think I should be reading this summer!

Doris

Resolve to Read

2014-01-01T09:00:00.000-06:00

As an educator, I recognize the importance of reading, not just for myself but for our children. After all, studies have shown that reading builds both vocabulary and cognitive thinking skills. Also, children who are poor readers when they enter 3rd grade, are more likely to drop out of high school. (read more about that here)

Years ago, I made a resolution, not to make resolutions. In 2014, I've decided to change that. It's amazing how easy it is to sit down and share a book with a child, but how often we just can't find the extra few minutes to do it.

This year I ask everyone to take a few minutes to read to a child.

For those of you who need other avenues to help promote literacy, check out Barbara Bush's Foundation for Family Literacy website. You can also follow the Foundation's Twitter feed here.

Happy New Year!

The worst of all injustices is to fail to teach kids how to read.

— Barbara Bush Fndn (@BarbaraBushFdt) December 31, 2013

Elf on the Shelf - Lesson Plan Ideas

2013-11-29T10:59:00.001-06:00

So I recently mentioned on Facebook that I wanted to buy my dog Carly an Elf on the Shelf. I mean, these things didn't exist when I had kids, so now am I too late for the fun?

Then, I found myself doing what I always do, planning class lessons that surround the Elf idea. There are so many teachable moments. For example, teaching voice with the elf would be a blast. Expository writing from the Elf's point-of-view. Would the elf be able to write a persuasive paper arguing the best holiday song of all time? Or even, and this is what I REALLY would love, an online journal, kind of a newspaper-thing, with the elf's exploits as it moves around during the holiday. The elf becomes a roving reporter using his/her voice to help explain happenings around a school or community. The elf could interview other elves. The elvish commentary would be a blast.

Wow possibilities are endless.

Teacher Friends - How many of you use an "Elf" in lesson plans? The more I think of it, the more I'd love to write a few plans and see them in action.

And for those of you who think that using the elf is only for elementary school, try a research paper on popular cultural happenings that help young children grow their imagination. What about the evolution of the Christmas Elf. How Santa get his elves?

What about my math teacher friends - I mean can we develop a holiday shopping list for the elf to purchase gifts. Have students do a virtual shopping trip. This would help students learn addition, subtraction and budgeting. Could the elf bowl with gum drops and peppermint sticks as a way to teach angles?

If students have tablets or Flip cameras, they could teach the Elf math. (What a great flipped lesson!)

Social Studies - I personally love the history of Santa and his Elves, learning about the customs of other cultures, or how they celebrate is always quite an interesting study. If I taught Psychology, we would have to look into why children need fantasy. Have students make lessons that incorporate Museum Box using the history of Santa and his elves, or even sightings of the elves. You can track Santa over Norad and look at the route he takes around the world.

I can't help but wonder how Santa and the elves dress depending on the culture. What a great compare contrast project.

Science - How many jumping jacks does an elf have to do to work off a SMORE? Build a launch pad for Santa's Sleigh! Calculate the calories that the average elf eats everyday.

ELA - the writing possibilities astound me. I'd have an online elf blog for sure. I'd use the elf to teach voice, mood and tone. Of course, we could have the elves write about their adventures and tell stories. Older students could write stories for younger students, and for those kids who don't celebrate Christmas, than they could pick another character and write from their perspective. For example, if you prefer not to use an elf, many of these ideas would work with Flat Stanley.

If you use the Elf in your lessons, (or something like it) please share it in the comments or on Facebook. I'm curious how many teachers are grabbing the teachable-moment of The Elf on the Shelf and running with it!

For now, I am off to purchase Carly an Elf. Purely for professional reasons of course!

Nerdy Book Club: Check out the Nerdy Book Clubs book finalist list.

I'd be remiss to say Happy Sunday to my fellow Sunday Saloners! I also want to celebrate the end of hurricane season! I've got to admit, living on the Gulf Coast makes this time of year a little nerve racking! It is always great to see the end of the hurricane season.

Have a wonderful week!

Doris

Book Books and More Books

2013-11-12T15:34:00.000-06:00

Reading Rut Alert! Have you ever done this to yourself? I'm an avid reader, and I love reading for pleasure, but at times I realize I've been doing too much work reading and not enough fun reading. Alas, this is my reading rut!

This week I realized I'd fallen into my reading rut when I check my Goodreads page to find my last 4 reads were all work related. Now, don't get me wrong, I love my work related reading materials, but it's not the same as getting caught in the world of fiction.

At midnight last night, Neal Shusterman's book UnSouled came out. I have been super-excited to get this book. So today I hope to get home from work, grab my Kindle and get to reading just for the fun of it!

Have any of you ever gotten into a reading rut? If so, how to you get yourself out of it?

What should I read this summer?

2013-06-28T09:24:00.000-05:00

Has this ever happened to you? You read and read, and suddenly you become a picky reader.

I feel like I'm there. I mean, I want something to read, just can't find anything that sounds appetizing.

My must-read for this summer was Dan Brown's Inferno. I've read it twice now. I admit it was great the first time, good the second. I also had some professional reading that I had to take care. Thankfully, that is now out of the way. So, what's next?

I'm looking for suggestions, so if you've read something, or know of something coming out soon, please let me know.

Recent Reads:

Ask The Passengers by A.S. King

One of the reasons I knew I'd love this book is because I can relate to wondering about passengers in planes. There were times when I would lay on my back and watch the planes overhead wondering where they were going. I'd think about the passengers and make up little stories about where they were going.

Astrid takes this a step further when she starts asking the passengers questions. Sending them her love and good will, many times the passengers seem to benefit from this unknown gesture. For Astrid, the need to send her love is strong as she is hiding a secret. She is gay.

Unable to seek the advice of a Type-A mother or a pot-smoking father, Astrid turns to her own methods to give her love to strangers who can accept it but not control it.

This is a great book. While this book is centered around a gay character, the book is more about accepting who you are and realizing how to help others love you unconditionally. Astrid is a well rounded character with a depth of emotions and thoughts, I really felt like she was a person and not a black and write description on my E-reader. I related with how Astrid wanted to share her good thoughts and love with strangers because of the fear of the unknown. This is what makes this book outstanding.

Writing Projects:

Hopefully I can let you guys know soon about my most recent writing project. Barbi (one of my besties and my cowriter) and I are focusing on getting representation right now.

Have an amazing 4th of July!

Doris

Bout of Books Read-A-Thon

2013-05-12T08:45:00.000-05:00

As the school year winds down, I've come to realize that since January I've read almost entirely work related non-fiction. Not that there isn't validity in reading non-fiction, but sometimes one just needs a little escapism. When my friends Amanda and Kelly decided to start their Bout of Books read-a-thon, I knew this was just for me!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 7.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog.

For me, I'm focusing on reading what I love. I have several new YA novels sitting in my iPad just waiting for a reader. This week, I'm tossing aside work related reading to focus on reading one YA book and one anticipated novel. One YA book I've been holding captive in my iPad is City of Ashes, the second of the Mortal Instruments books, was written by Casandra Clare. I've had this book in my "to read" list for years, this week it's getting read! (she has great educational resources on her site for all of my teacher friends)

My second novel to start this week is Inferno. I've pre-ordered and it will download into the Kindle App on my iPad at midnight on the 14th. I love this series and can't wait to read the new installment. I won't finish this new novel by the end of the read-a-thon, but I'm looking forward to committing the time to dive in a start reading!

Secretly, I would love to be Robert Langdon living out all of these super-cool adventures.

So those are my reading pleasures for this week. Do you have any specific books you are going to tackle this week?

Doris

The Not So Great Gatsby

2013-05-11T13:31:00.000-05:00

I have to admit a prejudice. I normally don't like it when a favored book is made into a movie. I feel the imagination is much more vivid then what can be seen on screen. I'm admitting this because before you read my review of Buz Luhrmann's adaptation of The Great Gatsby, you should know where I come from.

(Spoiler alert - Don't read on if you don't want to know)

You have been warned.

First, Luhrmann has a reputation for taking on great literature and tweaking it to be something new and edgy. I was torn at how I felt about this upcoming look at Gatsby. Would it be amazing? Would he bring in a new interpretation like he did with Romeo and Juliet? Would it be a disaster? While Moulin Rouge' wasn't great, I really liked the modern interpretation of Romeo. I walked into the theater hopeful.

Before I talk about what I didn't like, there were a few high points. The costumes, while not completely authentic to the time period, were very well thought out. Here are my sticking points; the use of polyester for some of the hair/clothing pieces ( Polyester was invented in the 40's); while the roaring 20's was a wild time in our history, the truth is that it was tame compared to some of the costumes of the movie; finally, Tiffany and Company Created the jewelry which I liked but I felt it was over the top. Most costumes were spot on, so overall I thought this was a plus of the movie.

Now, if you know me, don't pass out here. Leo was pretty good at playing Gatsby. (GASP) There I said it. I don't tend to be a huge Leo fan, but he was less stiff then Redford in the 1974 adaptation and DiCaprio was able to display the intense character that is Gatsby. There were a couple of places he seemed forced, but I think that was because of his direction and not his acting. Overall, I felt him as Gatsby. Maybe he's growing on me, maybe he's a fan of the book, but this is the first time I've actually liked him in a role.

So - to the not so great parts of the movie.

The cinematography, which I felt had potential to be great, was lacking. I am not sure why this had to be in 3D. While there were a couple of places that it might have enhanced the movie, it was more of a distraction then a real effort to add depth. The party scene was so flashy I found it visually annoying, the words swirling on the screen distracting, the car scenes seemed out of focus and blurry. There were times when the movie seemed cartoon-like.

Wile Leo was great as Gatsby, I was disappointed in most of the other actors. There were scenes early in the movie that felt more like a high school acting troupe then highly paid actors. I didn't like Carey Mulligan as Daisy. To me, she didn't have the chemistry that she needed with DiCaprio to really make Daisy work. If I'm supposed to believe these two people were once madly in love, well she didn't do that for me. Daisy is also supposed to be a jewel. Cold but flashy - I just didn't get that from Mulligan.

While I was not disappointed in his acting, I didn't like the way Nick's character, played by Toby McGuire, was portrayed. As the narrator, I am supposed to trust Nick's view of the story. By turning him into an alcoholic, I feel like the character has lost his ability to be a reliable narrator.

So, if you still want to see the movie - check it out. My suggestion is, skip it and wait for it to come to the dollar cinema.

Doris

(Look below for reads of the week)

Fun Reading - Just finished Eleanor & Park (review coming later this week)

Work Reading - The Skillful Team Leader

Currently Reading - A Separate Peace

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

2013-04-10T14:12:00.003-05:00

Today I attended my first board meeting for the Children's Services Board of Galveston County. I was honored to be asked to serve on this board. I've spent my life working around children, now I have the ability to help those who don't always have an adult to advocate for them.

April in National Child Abuse and Prevention Month. You can learn more about ways to help support our most innocent citizens here. Today we tied blue ribbons on the trees around the county courthouse. Our goal is to help promote awareness. There is much we can do to help those who can't help ourselves, we just need to take a look around and do something.

If you don't know where to start, check out Pinwheels for Prevention. This Nationwide organization works to ensure the healthy development of our children. This organization focuses on advocating for the existence of a national policy framework and strategy for children and families while promoting evidence-based practices that prevent abuse and neglect from ever occurring.

Currently Reading: Wonder Boys

100 Books in One Year Challenge

2012-12-31T09:43:00.000-06:00

One of the greatest gifts I give myself every year is reading. I find that reading opens my mind to new ideas, gives me amazing opportunities to experience new cultures and allows me to escape the humdrum of the day to day grind.

As a reading teacher, I also know that reading in front of a child is one of the single most influential ways to help your young student achieve. Now with audio books, reading can happen in a car or on an electronic device, you can take the book anwhere.

My fellow-blogger and amazing author COREENE CALLAHAN (@coreencallahan) is hosting a 100 Books in One Year Challenge.

No, I'm not crazy - and neither is she. (She's like an award winning author and everything!) While the goal seems a bit daunting, the overall enjoyment is worth it!

Join us reading and posting about books. Just pop over to Coreene's blog and read about the details! If you want to follow the books I'm reading you can do so on GoodReads here.

Have a safe and Happy New Year!

On Monday

2012-12-16T09:35:00.001-06:00

My dear colleague, Kylene Beers, has given me permission to share her posting. Her writing is so poignant for today, that I'm simply going to provide a link.

For my fellow educators - tomorrow is Monday. Let us all say a prayer for our all of our children and for each other.

On Monday

Sunday Reads: Casual Vacancy, Tech Tip of the week and Banned Book Week

2012-09-30T09:22:00.000-05:00

This has been a busy week with little time for reading. The one thing I wanted to stop and assure that I did this week was to read Rowling's new book. As a HUGE Rowling fan, and as a Senior Staffer on The Leaky Cauldron, I am going to admit that I went into this reading bias. Anything that Rowling does will be washed with the beauty of the kind and amazing woman she is. I tried my best to look at this book as something that was not Harry Potter and was not supposed to be anything like Harry Potter.

No matter what happens, it is so difficult not to compare this book to Harry Potter. Rowling herself told Ian Parker of the New York Times that she had a lot of "real world material in her" and she wanted to write about that. This book is real world.

First, Rowling is masterful at creating a fantasy-world and making it seem real. Yet her strength, in my opinion has always been the depth of which her story was conceived. The "back-story" of characters, their family and their history has been the one thing that sets her apart from others.

In Casual Vacancy, there is that depth, yet it seems to be rather one sided. Since this book is a politically minded dark comedy, I knew that I'd get the sense of the author's political slant. As a reading teacher I would tell my students that the author is a central character in the story because he or she wrote it. Yet I felt that Rowling's political views were heavy handed in the story. It is actually my only criticism. I would have liked to see both sides of the political spectrum written with the same depth. The story came across "lopsided" in my opinion because I felt I knew one faction well and the other seemed to be very one dimensional.

*Kind of spoilerish below as I reveal plot elements- so don't proceed if you don't want to know anything about the book before you read it*

First, it's dark. Very dark, but also very real. Casual Vacancy takes a look at the events in Pagford. Early in the book, one of the central characters drops dead. What follows is lust, greed, drug addiction, adultery, child abuse and teenagers coming of age.

The book focuses on two opposing political factions and their desire for power. Yes, the plot is real. There are no magical books, house elves, enchanted candy stores or wonderful old wizards who you should trust with everything, This story focuses on events that could happen.

Casual Vacancy is a great read if you are fond of dark stories that focus on political intrigue and abuse. I felt the character development was a bit lopsided, but overall it was a good story.

It is not a fantasy - so don't purchase the book hoping that Harry will save the day. In the real world, there isn't a hero who swoops in on a broom to save us.

We have to save ourselves.

I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

My Teacher Tech Tip of the Week:

Edmodo

Edmodo is a social networking platform for educators. It gives you the opportunity to experience a Facebook like interface but with the privacy needed for students.

I've encouraged teachers to consider using this Web 2.0 tool to allow students to interact with others in outlying districts or to create social media sites for literary characters! Because it is so much like Facebook most students don't need help with the site, they just need access to it.

Banned Book Week:
Banned Book Week Starts Today - Banned Book week is when we take time to celebrate our right to read!

My banned book of the day suggestion, has to be Harry Potter!

The ALA's Frequently Challenged books list is here. Take a stand this week, read a book on this list and celebrate your right to read!

My Previous Banned Book Celebrations:
Why I Read Banned Books
Check Out Banned Books
Banned Book Week on The Leaky Cauldron
Banned Books: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Banned Books: Huckleberry Finn
Banned Books: The Chocolate Wars

Sunday Readings, Wanderings and Technology

2012-09-16T08:42:00.000-05:00

Allergies hit in full force this week. Needless to say, I feel that my sinus cavity is revolting and trying to push its way out of my forehead. This to shall pass ...

Great Classroom Read:

Kate Messner has always been one of my favorite authors. First, she's a teacher, so she totally gets kids and writes what she knows they'll love. She also thinks about the teacher when she writes the book. She provides materials for the classroom, suggests cross curriculum ideas and her books are filled with great words that kids need to know.

Capture the Flag is quickly becoming my favorite Kate Messner novel. Written for the 3 - 7th grade student, the book could work with students who are older because the content is engaging, or as a read aloud to younger students.

The plot revolves around a group of kids who are stuck in Washington, D.C. due to a major snowstorm. They learn that the America Flag that inspired the song "The Star Spangled Banner" has been stolen and realize that the culprit must be snowed in as well. What follows is an adventure that highlights great moments in America history while engaging the reader in an action filled 240 pages.

The cross curricular tie ins in this book are so amazing, that it would make a great school-wide read. One of the great things about novels produced by teachers, is she created her own discussion guide. (seriously this woman is amazing!)

Professional Development Read:

A while back I read DON'T Teach the Canaries NOT to Sing as part of my Principal Certification Class. After the whirlwind read of graduate school, I placed it on a shelf to look over later and kind of forget it was there. I was reminded of the awesomeness of this book when it became the book study we're doing at CFHS.

Simply stated, this book is about creating a school culture. Culture doesn't just happen, it is created by the staff. This book offers great ideas on how to assure that your campus is one with a friendly, we love having you here kind of vibe! The type of campus that your students will love as much as the staff loves to be there. If you are in education, or if you are not and want to borrow some ideas for your business, this book is a great start.

Tech Tip:

Do you like the idea of texting parents announcements but you know you can't share personnel info with them? Would you like to tweet with students but you don't like the" publicness" of Twitter. Then try Remind101.

Remind101 allows you to send one way communication to parents or students to remind them of tests, project due dates, upcoming events on campus or anything else that I can't think of right now. Imagine being able to text all 180 of your students' parents to let them know that Science Fair sign up is next week, or that report cards will be out soon. That is what Remind101 does for you. You also don't have to share your phone number with parents.

It's also FREE!

You simply set up the account, share the login information with your parents and then approve them to receive your texts. They can't reply back to you, so you don't have to sit around waiting to answer questions, it is one way communication that allows you to remind them of things.

I'd like to say that I found this awesome resource, but actually Bridgett, my wonderful friend and Tister found it for us. (Did I mention that she is awesome?)

TCEA is right around the corner. I've heard from a few people that you are going. In the next two weeks I'll post what I'm going to see. I'd love to see and hear everything, so I am hoping a "share the wealth" action will happen. I'll share the best of what I hear with others!

Have a great week, happy reading! Please feel free to share great books or tech tips with me. I'm always looking for input.

Doris

Dewey's Read-A-Thon

2012-09-09T07:10:00.000-05:00

After an insane summer I'm back on my blogging habit. For those of you who know me in real life, you've heard the tribulations of my son, his car accident and my surgery. For my blogger friends this summer was slightly insane and filled with hospitals and surgeries and the fogginess that comes with it.

Needless to say I am SO glad this school year is upon us.

First, Dewey's Read-A-Thon is just a few weeks away. This year's celebration of reading is October 13th.

This is a day when I like to take a few hours and just read. As an avid reader, I find that this day refreshes me. It helps me remember why I love the beauty of our language and the story teller that lives within us all. (It is also an excuse to eat cupcakes all day!) You can read more about the readathon here.

I'm currently working on my schedule of books for the day. I'm open to suggestions!

On another note, I'll be speaking at TCEA in February. Many of my blogger-buddies follow me for Instructional Technology Tips. I'll be posting more details about my upcoming presentations soon. If you are going to be at TCEA let me know, I'd love to schedule a few meet ups!!

I'm super excited to be presenting on our Flipped Classroom experience. I promise our presentation on Social Media in the school community will be both fun and enlightening. If you are there - let's chat!!

Currently Reading:

Don't Teach the Canary Not to Sing

I began reading this as part of a class I'm taking, but it is also our school book study. I've really enjoyed the format and appreciate the information. School culture is so vital to the educational process. If you are in education you should read it. I've learned much - and I'm looking forward to finishing this book and incorporating much of what I've learned into my practice.

Enjoy the week!

Doris

Book Banning and The Dirty Cowboy

2012-04-22T12:07:00.002-05:00

"Oh Harry, don't you see? If she could have done one thing to make absolutely sure that every single person in this school will read your interview, it was banning it!"

Hermione Granger penned by JK Rowling

This morning, Donalyn Miller, aka The Book Whisperer, sent out a Tweet to many of her library/teacher friends. While this is kind of the norm for our communication, today's tweet was a bit different.

See, there is this really cute, funny and insightful book about a cowboy and his dog. This book and its illustrations are adorable! And while, I always appreciate the joy of hearing one of Donnalyn's book finds, this book is a bit different.

It's being banned.

No, seriously, it's being banned.

Here is the basic plot. A Cowboy is very dirty and needs a bath. He asks his trusty friend to watch his clothing while he takes said bath. After bath, cowboy is no longer stinky and trusty friend doesn't recognize him. What follows is a fun-filled book about the antics of a man trying to convince his friend to give him back his clothing.

Really, that is it. Not a curse word, nobody dies, the dog is well treated, the horse is well treated. Why is this book being banned you might ask? The cowboy is ....

Dare I say the word .....

Naked.

Ok, he's naked but nobody can see anything. There are well placed boots, the dog's tail, not so much as a teeny little hint of anything shows. It's actually quite clever how the non-nudity is handled.

Here is the story in the Lebanon Daily News. (there are images from the book as well)

Here is the author's take on the banning.

Now, don't get me wrong. If one set of parents feels that this book is inappropriate for their child, please don't allow your child to read it. It is a parent's right to decide what THEIR child can read or be exposed to. It is not one parent's right to decide what ALL children can or cannot read.

To remove the book from the school library, from the hands of all children, now this is wrong.

One of the great things about books, is that they teach sus about the world. The Dirty Cowboy teaches us about friendship and loyalty. Today I ordered a couple of copies of the books for the young readers in my life.

After all, according to Hermione Granger, and her very talented creator JK Rowling, the one way to make sure everyone reads something is to to ban it. So, maybe for an author, having your book challenged is a good thing. For a free society, the limiting of what we can read, is not.

To the author, Amy Timberlake, (@amytimberlake on twitter) You go girl! Now your book will be on the banned book list with some very impressive authors indeed!

If you want to read more from some of my banned books blogs, please feel free to click the links below...

Why I Read Banned Books
Check Out Banned Books
Banned Book Week on The Leaky Cauldron
Banned Books: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Banned Books: Huckleberry Finn
Banned Books: The Chocolate Wars

Defending Jacob: Not your ordinary murder mystery

2012-04-22T08:57:00.001-05:00

Defending Jacob by William Landay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In its simplest form, this book is about a murder, than again, it's not about just a murder.

But isn't that what murder is all about? I mean, when someone you know is killed, a little part of you dies with them. Your innocence, your self-control or possibly all that you believed in and felt you could depend on.

In Defending Jacob, the reader feels the complexity of a murder case. It's not cut and dry, there are many victims and your heart breaks for all involved. You are tossed from one set of emotions to the next. Riding the roller coaster, you feel for the parents of the victim and the accused. You wonder, as a parent what would I do, how would I handle this? A mother's love for her child is endless, yet, what happens when you feel your child might be capable of the unthinkable?

This is not my usual genre. I bought it because it was recommended to me, and I could not stop reading it 'till I finished. Landay brilliantly told a story that leaves the reader guessing 'till the end. After I finally closed my Kindle, the book lingered and, dare I admit it, I wanted more.

View all my reviews

Let the Reading Begin

2012-04-21T08:48:00.000-05:00

Dewey's Read-A-Thon is today. While I started an hour late due to an unfortunate incident that involved Carly, an egret and a large puddle of water (don't ask) I start my reading with Defending Jacob.

Not my usual YA read, Defending Jacob is a book that a librarian buddy of mine recommended. I am looking forward to reading out of my comfort zone.

You can follow the Read-A-Thon here. I always get great book suggestions from this event.

I'll update this post with today's reading material. I am taking a short break around 7 for Aggie Muster.

Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Sense of An Ending

2012-03-10T07:23:00.003-06:00

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wonder how well I remember the events from my youth?

This Booker Prize Winner allows the reader to look deep into the life of the narrator and realize that memories are not always what they seem. The book starts with short account of high school events from the point of view from our narrator. Later, after our narrator is in his sixties, the events are reexamined. Not until the very end of the novel are we truly allowed an incite into the author's purpose.

I normally prefer longer novels. I personally think the expanse of time helps develop characters in a way that I prefer. This novel is an exception to that rule. Barnes' ability to develop characters in a short time is amazing. I felt compelled to keep reading, and once I realized my narrator, Tony, was very unreliable, I found myself trying to decide what was really happening.

Our narrator is often told, "You just don't understand!" He doesn't, and best of all you don't 'till you've read the very last line.

I highly suggest this book. While I normally read books for the middle grades, this book might be more suitable for Young Adults to Adult.

View all my reviews

Offer Choice: Share a Story - Shape a Future Campaign

2012-03-04T17:02:00.004-06:00

This blog entry is my contribution to the
Share a Story - Shape a Future 2012 campaign. Our theme is creating a culture of reading.

As a new reading teacher I spent many years trying to help discover the love of the written word. After all, I LOVE to read. If I love to read my students should love to read. It makes sense, doesn't it?

Then, reality hit.

I'd pull out my favorite novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, students were bored. I'd preteach themes, I'd focus on the historical context, I would provide more and more background material of the author to try and enhance the building action. Nothing worked. I knew that I loved these books - surely I'd be able to convince the kids that they should love these books too. If it was my job to teach students to read deeply and with greater meaning, I was failing miserably.

If you are a teacher you know how it feels. You know that this piece is a classic and you want a student to love it as much as you do. You feel the engagement of the student slipping away. What made it worse, is that as I worked so hard to help them read the books I loved, our class environment started to slip.

I was perplexed, but I marched into my classroom sure that I'd get students to love classic literature. It wasn't until I was reading with my son Garrett that I realized what the problem was.

See, and this is an embarrassing thing to admit, Garrett hated to read. Yes, my own child hated to read. I did everything right with him. I read to him, we played when we read, I provided tons of books, but he hated reading.

One day, as we read a short story assigned by his first grade teacher, he said the most profound thing I'd ever heard.

"I want to read about tractors."

I know, it doesn't seem profound, but it really was.

I realized that it wasn't that he didn't like to read, he just hated what he was assigned to read. I had a light bulb moment. I might be teaching Juniors, but they were feeling the same thing he was. They wanted choice.

The next day I created my first reading inventory. I asked students to choose book topics. I found that my students liked to read things like Sports Illustrated, USA Today, and enjoyed topics that I'd never have chosen. I explained to the class that I'd let them have choices in what we read, if they promised to read excerpts from some of the classics that I felt they'd need when they went to college.

It didn't take long before I realized my reluctant readers were reading. Even some of the most adamant about not reading could find something they liked to read when they had choice. I made a rule that I would not offer up any judgement on what they read, instead I allowed them determine their own reading materials. Our reading workshop discussion became more interesting with the variety of discussion topics. Students quickly became more engaged and were more likely to try a book out of their comfort zone if a friend had read it.

It took me a few years to perfect the choice option. I'd look at the reading list provided by the district, choose a couple of books that we'd read together, and give them choices for anything else.

Another added benefit, is that after they realized I valued their choice, they began to value my choices. While they might not have hung on every word of Lord of the Flies, the students were more attentive. I noticed the fluency rates of the students increased as they read more and more. They were reading more, so of course their reading improved. As the years went by, new students became more involved in the classroom discussions. As they read more, I became more practiced at discussing multiple books. We were all learning together and enjoying the journey along the way.

Fifteen years later, research has proven that giving students choice is a great way to increase a student's love of reading.

For me, choice has become the mantra of my teaching. Students are more engaged, our class discussions became more vibrant and purposeful, and a new generation of readers walkout of my classroom.

In the end, we were all learners, teachers and participants in the process.

Stupid Fast is Stupid Awesome!

2012-01-01T20:16:00.001-06:00

One year I had a class of all boys. Seriously, I wondered if I'd made the counselor mad at me, but 32 7th grade boys filled my 3rd period class.

Even my aide that year was a boy.

If I had read Stupid Fast that year would have gone so much smoother. Actually, rearing my three boys would have gone smoother if I'd had read it first. (the link will take you to the Kindle version which is under $2.)

This is an incredibly funny book about change. What change you might wonder? Well, if you are or have ever been a middle school boy, or the teacher of middle school boys, you know!! I loved this book, and really wished I'd have had it to read to the class out loud.

If you are a teacher and want to contact the author his website is here. Geoff Herbach is also a writing teacher and appears to be very open to contact from teachers and classes.

My Goodreads review is below if you want to read it ....

Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wish I'd have had this book the year I taught a class of all boys. Fun book for all kids, does a great job dealing with the awkwardness of change while portraying real kids in a real way. All students will love this highly engaging book. Really great for reluctant readers and a MUST to read aloud just for the class laughs!

View all my reviews

Happy Reading!

Doris

New Year, New Reading Goals

2011-12-31T12:55:00.001-06:00

As a reading teacher, I would routinely have my students set reading goals for themselves. I'd have students take interest inventories, and then with the help of my WONDERFUL librarian (and I have always worked with the best) we would find books that held the interest of each and every student.

My personal reading has long been a blend of things I enjoy, professional reading and books that I knew my students would read. Last year I vowed to read 111 books. While the goal seemed daunting, in the end I surpassed it because I really enjoyed the books I read. Which leads me to the point of the blog today.

What reading goal should I set for myself this year?

I know that I'm ending the year reading The Girl who Played with Fire. Handsome hubby and I saw the movie Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. This compelled me to reread the series. (By the way, DON'T see the new movie without reading the book. The characters are so richly written that I don't feel the movie could ever do them justice)

So - back to my reading goal. What should I read in 2012? Do I just set a numerical goal? Do I read things on the Lone Star Reading list? Do I look at other lists of high quality books?

Book suggestions would be most appreciated.

If you are interested in the books I read in 2011, feel free to check out the list on Goodreads.com. (Link on the widget below) In the meantime, what are your reading goals for 2012?

2011 Reading Challenge

Doris has

completed her goal of reading 111 books in 2011!

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122 of 111 (109%)

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Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T14:08:00.000-06:00

And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.”
— Luke 2:16-20 (ESV)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of my family and friends.

Today, while we're focusing on gifts, money, travel and countless other seemingly important things, let's remember. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of a baby. This baby grew to teach us much about the world and how to live in it, yet his greatest gift was the promise of an eternal life with him. God bless you and your family this holiday!

Sunday Salon: How to Cross items off you to-do list.

2011-12-18T07:58:00.004-06:00

I am off work 'till after the "Winter break." (We call this Christmas break, but don't tell anyone. It is not P.C.!)

So I have two weeks off, a huge holiday gathering at my house in less then a week and I am totally unprepared. I made a list!

I've done nothing on it - but said list has been made!

Of course, if you are my Facebook or Twitter buddy you know I've posted on facebook, tweeted, read, played with Carly the wonder Yorkie and ate peanuts, but not a single holiday item has been crossed off my list.

So - here is my list of things to do ...

Trim the tree (I wonder where that term came from)
Bake cookies (but don't eat them)
Plan an overnight outing with our friends John and Johnna (yeah they have like the same name)
Shop for - well everyone
Clean
Give Carly the wonder-Yorkie a bath (stinky girl)
Make Cake balls for thirty (and again don't eat them)
Work on lesson for teachers on themeatic connections of good vs evil
Make three pecan pies (and once again DON'T EAT THEM)
Write (seriously Barbi - I'll do my part I promise)
Read next novel for the year because I promised myself I'd read this one book before the year ended
Make cherry tarts (BUT DON'T EAT THEM)
Write my reading round-up post

So, yeah I'm procrastinating. Anyway - cool things from this week.

#1 Son graduated and is pursuing gainful employment and his CPA. Handsome hubbies favorite phrase is that he is now off our payroll! YAY! I wish I could say that I was no longer hearing the sucking sound of my money going to Texas A&M, but son #3 will be there in the fall.

Reading: I'll post my year-in-round up after Christmas, but these last two weeks I've been reading Erik Larson and loving him! I read The Devil in the White City this week to help prepare a thematic flood for a group of teachers. How I missed this book when it was published I don't know. It's wonderful! This is an accurate historical account of the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. It is stunningly written.

I enjoyed it so much I wanted to read his newest book In the Garden of the Beasts. Again, so well written that you must read it. I've provided links so you can check it out if you wish.

I'm warming the oven for cookies and plan on taking handsome hubby for some fun bonding over shopping. (You will hear him whimpering I'm sure!)

Since I won't post again 'till after the holiday, have a good one and Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it!

Adding to my Must Reads for Teachers List

2011-12-10T11:01:00.002-06:00

I met my goal of reading 111 books in 2011. It's funny, because as much as I was focused on the goal, once it passed I didn't feel as excited as I thought I would.

Go figure!

Now I am silently celebrating, and contemplating what my reading goal will be next year.

Must Reads for Educators

Most educators read research based books pretty regularly. Keeping up with current research is so important to our own professional growth. I always read books and gather a few great ideas, but occasionally I stumble on a book that I feel most of us should read.

I'm adding two books to this list .....
Readicide
I am in an online reading of Kelly Gallagher's Readicide. (Link provided in case you want to check it out) Everyone should read this book. It's such a great discussion on what is happening to our students today. It's important, not only for teachers, but for parents to understand how vital it is for children to learn to love reading and to recognize the value to our society. I've read this book many times, each time I pull something new from it.

I like this book because it takes a realistic view of testing and test prep and explains what this does to our students, yet it doesn't lay blame on the feet of our teachers. It is important to focus on what is happening in our schools and fix it. This book does that.

Understanding Poverty
Another book everyone should read is Ruby Payne's A Framework for Understanding Poverty. While this is a book meant for educators, this book really helps us understand where people come from and how our expectations are not always valid to others.

For the Fun of It

I just finished reading The Scorpio Races. You can read about it on Goodreads. (Link below)

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

View all my reviews

I'm working on my end of the year book summary. Look for it after Christmas, in the meantime - Happy Reading!

Doris