Take a look at this interactive word wall!  First graders in this class are frequent visitors to the board during their writing workshop to take high frequency words such as "because" out of the pocket and back to their desks.

Book Suggestion

If you were alone on a desert island (with your students) and you could only have ONE book as a resource...I'm just sayin'...It COULD happen!  This would probably be your BEST choice!!  For anyone who wants to sharpen their teaching skills.  Check it out!

Quotable

"Every effort must be

made in childhood to

teach the young to use

their own minds.  For

one thing is certain: if

they don't make up

their own minds,

someone will do it

for them."

-Eleanor Roosevelt

Book Introductions for Early Readers

When introducing a new book to your early readers, it's important to make the introduction effective.  An effective book introduction will set your students up for success with the reading of the book. The following elements of book introduction will help ensure success for you and your students.

1. Read the title and tell the basic premise of the story in one or two sentences.

    "This book is about..."

2. Make connections.

    "This book reminds me of..."

    "Think about a time when..."

3. Make predictions.

    "Look at the front cover and tell me what you think might happen..."

4. Guided picture walk.

    Use the language in the text.  Locate unusual vocabulary.  Stick to the story line.

5. Grab the readers attention!

    "I'm curious! Let's read to find out what happens..."

And remember...Our goal is to coach students so they can read a variety of

texts at their particular level. Our goal is not to "teach the book."

Happy Book Introductions!!

Open Your Mind

You can learn to keep an open mind and be optimistic about what you can accomplish!  Even in the teaching climate in which we find ourselves, where test scores are so "important" and you are being asked to do the "impossible" and being pulled in more directions than you thought possible.

I promise!  You can do it.

But it's gonna take some work. Instead of falling into the pattern of defending your beliefs and ideas, try taking the approach that anything is possible. Consider what your school district, superintendent, principal, or instructional coach has to say.  Even if your initial response is to laugh in their FACE!  Step back.  Consider the possibilities.  Get creative.  Is there a way to make things work?  Could you possibly be missing a piece of the puzzle?  Is it possible to change your view?

I'm not saying that you should always change your mind.  Don't become a wishy-washy "wet noodle." Just be open to CONSIDERING another point-of-view.  No fair PRETENDING to be open.  Really take a stab at it!

That's my challenge for you today!

BTW, ever heard of the book, Mindset, by Carol S. Dweck, P.H. D.?
It speaks to this topic quite well!  Check it out. Literally!  Or buy it.
Or at least go to the web site and take the quiz to find out about your
own mindset!

http://mindsetonline.com/testyourmindset/step1.php

Speaking of Blooms...

Have you thought about your questioning strategies lately?

As teachers, we have no problem asking questions.

Sometimes we rapid-fire questions at an amazing rate!

Stop and think, though...

How much time are we spending crafting these questions?

Are they designed to encourage critical thinking?

Are they planned in advance or fired off the top of our heads?

Do we give the students time to form thoughtful responses?

How's your "wait-time?"

As a reflective teacher, this is certainly worth pondering.

Bloom's Taxonomy

Bloom's Taxonomy was first published in 1956, and guess what?  It hasn't gone out of style yet!
Must be something to it, huh?  Following are some visuals you might like:

Now I'm going to create something!  Have a wonderful day.