A Teacher's Ruminations

Every year I struggle with how to organize reading workshop. Even though I've been teaching for over 25 years and not new to workshop teaching, each new group of students makes me rethink the reading workshop. How do I help students set up their notebooks? How do I make sure students are using their notebooks in meaningful ways? How do I allow for lots of reading time? How do I structure my individual conferences with students? What do I teach? How do I assess students in a workshop format? I also rethink my focus lessons so that I can maximize my time with students. And, I particularly struggle with invitations vs. requirements. So, I read professional books, talk to other teachers and reflect on my practice. Recently I read Donallyn Miller's The Book Whisperer  which provides readers with an intimate look at this author's well-though out reading workshop format. Now, I am diving into  Notebook Connections  by Aimee Buckner. You may be familiar with  Notebook Know...

I am an orphan. But not in the typical way we think of an orphan. I mean, I have a mother and a brother. I had a father. I grew up with them, spent time with them, and we spoke often on the phone once I moved away from home. I've never lived close enough to drop by whenever I wanted to. And, maybe that was the point Yet, I feel  like an orphan. I am Matilda. How many times have I read Matilda  by Roald Dahl with my children and/or seen the move? Yet, it was only during a recent viewing that a bell went off in my head, loud and clear: I am Matilda. And, like Matilda, I was born into the wrong family. Is that even possible? I mean, after all, Matilda is a creation of Roald Dahl's very amazing imagination. Yet, every time I think about it, I can't help but confirm this fact. I am an orphan. Maybe that's why I never felt comfortable or accepted in my own family. I was never treated as carelessly by my family as Matilda is treated by hers, but I never felt unders...

As I visit classrooms during the Reading Workshop time, I witness practices that are counterproductive to supporting students' reading habits. I made up the following two lists to sort this out in my head and to use when I work with teachers. What NOT to do during Reading Workshop: interrupt independent reading to talk to students about an assignment. sit at your desk to catch up on paperwork or to answer emails. give kids 10 minutes of independent reading one day and 45 minutes on another day . Make it consistent so students can plan for their reading. abruptly stop kids' reading without a warning . Instead, allow them to find a logical stopping place before transitioning into a new activity. treat independent reading as a choice among many . Independent reading should be something everybody does on a daily basis. always tie reading to a "project" and a grade. use the independent reading time to go to the library . This should be reserved for another t...

I noticed that if I am proactive and act "as if" I am entitled to this or that resource or tool, then it will happen. I just need to state my case. Is it about being confident even when you don't feel confident? Probably. Does it work? It sure does! Somewhere, a long time ago, I read about taking this stance with students with the promise that they would rise to the occasion. And, guess what? They did. If a student has a reputation for getting into trouble, for example, you might address the issue by saying something like, "I know this is not like you. You are not the kind of person that does this." Act as if. It will produce great results! I noticed that by taking care of things right away, I am less likely to have items pile up on my "to do" list. In fact, my "to do" list can be an always diminishing entity. Although this is common sense, I don't put it into practice. Instead, I end up on a tight deadline. My new resolve is to bask in...

Angela Maiers, in this TED talk , recommends that we take note of what we notice. And, by taking note, I think Angela means taking the time to appreciate everything that happens every day. There are many noteworthy things to notice and we need to take the time to appreciate that which we notice. For me, this means naming the noticing and writing about it as a way to reflect on it. Writing serves as a reminder that things matter, people matter, and that what I think about all of this matters a lot. Yet, I notice so many things but I rarely take note of anything. Writing about what I notice sometimes feels beside the point. Ostentatious. Unimportant. Too much work. But, I know that the act of writing, no matter the topic, gets me to writing that really matters. I also know that for this to happen, I need to establish a regular writing habit. Daily is best, even if it's just for 15 minutes at a time. And, I have to protect that time at all costs. Surely I can find 15 minutes every...

This year, the ESL team has decided that we need to provide more push-in rather than pull-out support for our ESL students. In my case, this means that I will be pushing-in to grades 6 and 8 during their language arts, math and social studies times, and pulling-out some grade six beginner students for an extra hour of language arts, four times a week. Last year we gave our beginner students an average of two hours of pull-out support every day; they never attended their regular language arts class. Yesterday was our first day under this new regime and I loved it! I can't say we'll be team teaching for sure because that requires close planning time, which we've had some of, but we're definitely moving to a co-teaching situation where I'm not an observer but rather another teacher in the class. For some students, who don't know me, this is not what they signed up for but I think it will be a win-win for all involved. My biggest dilemma will be how to work with...

I am currently enrolled in a course through the  ATN-LEAP Learning Employment Aptitudes Program  called Leadership and Communication. This week we were asked to reflect on a series of questions about what it means to be a leader. I have posted these here in the hopes of getting a conversation going. I would love to hear what you have to say on these issues. • What does leadership mean to you? Leadership is a quality I try to cultivate in myself and others. As an educator, I can think of no one else who is better positioned than the classroom teacher to be a leader. I associate leadership with professional autonomy. I also think of leadership as a complimentary attribute of ethical and moral behavior. Leadership, to me, is about doing the right thing because it will benefit the greater good.   • What is a leader? A leader is someone who can identify a problem and has the courage to act, in some capacity, on that problem.  A leader may not necessarily be the...