Skip to main content

Beginnings

I had good intentions.
I was going to blog at the end of the summer.
And, then again after the first day of school.
And, finally, at the end of the first week.

 But, none of that happened.

 These last two weeks - one for teacher PD and working in classrooms, and the other, our first one with students - have been so incredibly busy that I've had precious little time for reading or writing. Despite the fact that this summer was somewhat unusual because I didn't do as much reading and writing as I normally do during the summer months, it was still much better than these past two weeks. In addition to the typical start-up load of going back to school, I now have a longer than normal, albeit temporary, commute. This means I have precious little time for much of anything that isn't essential.

 Nevertheless, today is a new day. 
A fresh start. 
A second chance. 

 As I look out the window of my bedroom I am greeted by brilliant blue skies, majestic mountains, and two volcanoes - Cotopaxi and Atacazo.
Cotopaxi 

We can only see a bit of the top of the volcano pictured below, so we don't know if this is in fact the volcano we are seeing. However, this is my husband's best guess from looking at maps of volcanoes in Ecuador.   

 
Atacazo

So, I take a deep breath and recommit to making time...no, I recommit to setting aside time to read and write so that I can continue to be a model for my students - someone who reads and writes on the way to becoming a better person and a more effective teacher.

 My students and I have already started on a routine of independent reading and read aloud. They are beginning to expect this routine and are starting to plan for what they're going to read. As they get into the habit of reading and writing at home, I am excited about the possibilities of what our classroom will look like once we've got a full reading/writing workshop up and running.

 So, here's to beginnings. 
They offer us another chance to get it right.
To connect with others.
To make a difference for my students.
And, if I can make just one connection, then I'll know it was all worth it in the end. 

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Reading Strategies Book - Chapter 12, Supporting Students’ Conversations – Speaking, Listening, and Deepening Comprehension

The strategy lessons highlighted in Chapter 12, Supporting Students’ Conversations – Speaking, Listening, and Deepening Comprehension, in The Reading Strategies Book by Jennifer Serravallo are critical to students’ engagement and comprehension, as well as their ability to write literary essays, or even book reviews, summaries and reflective pieces about books. If students aren’t able to talk about books in a way that is invigorating and joyful, they will be less likely to develop an interest in growing ideas for writing about books. In her introduction to this chapter, Jennifer Serravallo, reminds us that when conversations go well, children are inspired by what they read and are motivated to keep reading. However, when conversations fall flat, then kids get bored and tune out. How do we avoid this situation and teach kids to  have  focused conversations about books?  The answer is easy: teach kids  strategies to help them develop effective conversa...
Post a Comment
Read more

Partner Reading and Content, Too Routine (PRC2)

I'm a hoarder. There, I've said it. I try to deny that I'm a hoarder but it comes back to haunt me every time I move houses, or pack up my classroom at the end of the school year. I have old articles, lesson plans, handouts, folders brimming with teaching ideas, past issues of profesional journals. I hardly throw anything out though I've learned to be more selective over the years. My one rule of thumb, and I really try to stick to this, is that if I haven't used or referred to something in a year, then it's time to toss it into the recycle bin. One exception to this rule (you knew this was coming, didn't you?) is past issues of journals from professional organizations. However, with the ability to locate articles online through my professional memberships, even this exception is becoming less and less useful, which brings me to the topic of this blog post. I am currently reading a copy of The Reading Teacher from 2010. I've clipped a cou...
Post a Comment
Read more

Rewards and Punishments

I'm always surprised and disappointed when educators I respect support the use of rewards and punishments to control student behaviour. Whenever I feel like my students are "misbehaving" or not behaving as expected or agreed, it's usually because I'm "misbehaving" or not behaving as expected or agreed. Sound odd? Perhaps, but think about this for a minute. When something goes wrong, i.e. not according to plan, it's usually because the kids have responded in unexpected ways to what I'm teaching or presenting to them. Unless I'm prepared to handle these contingencies I can lose focus of the lesson and the children. I find that the best way to deal with these "disruptions" isn't to control behaviour through carrots and sticks but rather to take a deep breath and think about what may be causing the problem. Often the cause has to do with one or more of the following: how I've presented the lesson (it's confusing, ...
10 comments
Read more