The Empowerment of Rereading a Text

As I finished a three-meeting book club last evening where we chatted with author Colby Sharp about his and Donalyn Miller's book Game Changer...and then as I completed a multiple re-read of To Kill a Mockingbird last night, the topic of empowerment of re-reading a text tugs gently. 

I cringe a bit when I recall my response at times when students have asked if they could reread a book...then the memory clears as I recall that non-reader wanting to read Gary Paulsen's Hatchet for the tenth time...and the second time that year.  Know that kiddo, do you?

Then, I recall the students who wanted to reread the Harry Potter series...and how much fun we had diving back into several of those books during lunch and meeting Harry and all his friends at a different stages in our lives.  Fun...and totally different books! 

This semester, I again reread To Kill a Mockingbird with my sophomores.  Such a powerful book.  Always engaging with current events...ever since the first time I taught the book 20+ years ago.  Why?  Will we never learn from history?  I am getting very close to being able to answer that definitively...with, no.  No, we are not learning...not as much as we should, at least.

In Game Changer, the authors, too, encourage rereading a text...and encouraging students to do so after some time has passed.  Fun listening to them meet their "friends" again on the pages of novels that remain dear to them.

Another reread I am currently enjoying is Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest.  A powerful book full of nuggets, this one speaks to me again.  I am also enjoying the discussions centered around this book with my Bible Study Gals, as this is the book they chose to read and discuss for 2019.   

So tell me, what book have you reread lately?  Or a novel you would enjoy diving into again?

Happy reading!

Trying Something New!

I love National Poetry Month!  Don't you?

This year, I want to try out another Kelly Gallagher idea (have been hosting a faculty book club for years...and last week, my student read on of his students' Article of the Week) and host a Poetry Tournament...with brackets...and one winner by the end of April. (Pic of Gallagher's here...on Twitter.)

My Plan?  To create the first round of brackets during March Madness and host the competition in April.

Gallagher divides his brackets into Spoken Word v Written Word.  I like that.  Plus, YouTube is huge, so some students will enjoy finding a poem for us to consider placing on the bracket.

Still brain-storming...but as March is quickly approaching...the storm is brewing more intensely! 

Thoughts?  Please share!

Sharing the Blogging Love

Tomorrow afternoon, I will be awarded the opportunity to share the love of blogging with some literacy pals across the state of Arkansas.  Fun!

Why blog?

• to reflect...on my day...on methods utilized...on what did not go as planned.  This is my favorite reason for blogging.  Whether anyone ever reads my thoughts, 
• to model...good writing...bad writing...horrible-no-good-oh-my-word writing.
• to connect...with other bloggers...other literacy teachers...just connect!

Where do I blog?

• Personal Blogs
• Treasure Chest of Thoughts
• Book Reviews
• My Prayer Walk
• Class Blogs
• English 10
• English 11
• Teacher Cadets
• Secondary Methods

Why so many blogs?

Rather than throw all my thoughts into one pile, I attempt to organize and separate the areas of my life:  school, books, church, classes.  This makes finding a post so much easier...yes, if I would label every post that would help, also!   NOTE TO SELF:  Work on labeling!

Now to finalize plans for meeting and greeting with these literacy leaders...who are about to add blogger to the many hats they already wear!  :)

Creating, Thematically

This year, I have three preps.  One prep is for 11 students...another one is for five students.  Much work to create for just one class...but I do enjoy creating thematic units.

The texts for the English 11 class are two short works and the novel The Awakening...just have to have to say that of all the works that a junior could be exposed to...this would not be one of my choosing.  I am going to focus on the shorter works and grant a request of my class:  that we learn about mythology. 

I hesitated, for I already has an idea for a thematic unit.

Then, the two thematic topics collided.

To be continued...

Keep It Classy

This was my classroom...then, on a Wednesday morning, we all received an email that overhead lighting must now be used...due to research.  I have many thoughts and responses to this research, but out of respect to the position that presented this edict, I will refrain...and, instead, will focus on my students and peers and their responses and how my new theme came about, for honestly?  Drinking lemonade is not my favorite drink of choice in December, but lemonade we must make.

While on hall duty, a peer first noticed the email and read it aloud.  Thankfully, I had already heard that this was going to occur, or looking back, I am not so sure how I might had reacted.

I chose to slip into the job mode...not this-is-my-passion mode.  I turned off the lamps and turned on the overhead lights and began to listen to the responses to "What is going on?"  "What?"  "This room is just sad, Mrs. Gillmore."  "I don't even want to be in here anymore."..and on...and on...slipping into a funk that just did not have to be.

For nearly a decade, we had "lived" in this room with lamps, a room where everyone, in all that time, had been so complimentary, except for two, regarding the culture I had created within those four walls (have I mentioned how much of my own money I had spent?!).

On the Friday morning, two days later, while perusing Facebook, I came across a friend's painting of an ornament with a red vintage truck inside it, and the idea was birthed:  we just had to keep on truckin'.  I shared this idea with my husband who, before second hour, had gone to town and purchased the first of a dozen or so trucks he would purchase for my new brightly lit classroom.

As I shared this idea with my classes, they listened intently, for few, if any, liked our current situation, and then the excitement began to grow as several offered to bring cars and to create artwork that could be displayed.  I concluded by explaining that sometime life hands us lemons; then, we have to choose to turn sour or to make lemonade.

That weekend, I painted this...and "trucked" it to class on Monday.  A young lady gave me my first Christmas present...a red truck.  The next morning, a young man was waiting at my door with a "loaner."  Another brought a ziplock full of matchbox cars that his class turned into ornaments and placed on the tree.  Later, I received a text from a teacher friend who lives across the state; she and her sons wanted to donate five trucks to our new theme.  As the season rolled along, I was gifted several objects with the red truck theme.  Love it!

No, I did not have time to re-make my classroom...nor the energy...nor the money...but...I also could not afford to not invest in my students and the culture within our classroom.  Nearly, all my classes are predominantly male, and many of the females (like myself) love the red vintage truck theme...so a win-win!

My favorite lemonade is strawberry lemonade...but...strawberries are out of season...but only for a few short months.  And...frozen strawberries are not bad, at all.

Therefore, in Cafe 16, we have chosen to keep on truckin' and to keep it classy...for I do appreciate the classics!

Literacy Conference x 46

For the past several months, the Conference Committee has spent numerous hours preparing for two days for the 46th Annual Arkansas Literacy Association's Literacy Conference...that flew by in the wink of an eye.

The long story?  This was to be the last literacy conference. Declining registrants. Exorbitant overhead costs.  Little (if any) profit.

The short story?  The people showed up.  Registrant numbers increased.  An energy exuded from all.  Not one negative comment. True!

The end result:  "This just can't be our last conference."  "These people love getting together face-to-face."  "Let's talk about how we can make this happen..again."

So chat we will!

Why did this change happen?

Penny Kittle was the General Session keynote.  They loved her.  Her love of literacy and books was just contagious.  Oh!  I do remember a complaint...they wished she had talked longer.   :)

I traveled to the conference with a bit of dread in my heart, knowing this would be the last.  Then, I heard the numbers and hope arose....and continued to rise.  Yay!

There's this thing about hope.  Hope keeps one going when all seems hopeless.

This thing called hope...feels good!

Looking forward to what the future holds for this conference...for what number 47 will entail.

On a sub-note...just a slight switch of topics:  If you are not involved in a professional organization, please consider doing so.  I listened to one of our board members chat and reminisce about how this group was the reason she became a literacy leader and how she had watched this organization develop such skills in other leaders, including our current president, who planned and organized, who stood and spoke, who has grown into a tremendous literacy leader.

This group of ladies inspire me, motivate me, challenge me, change me.

In all we do, we work as a team, empowering one another.  Just a precious thing.  Truly.

Gillmore Tech Tips in 30

This year, every student in grades 6-12 has his/her own Chromebook.  Just.  So. Sweet.    I am so enjoying how much time we are saving as they open up this tech tool, and we instantly go to work.  Yes!

In one class's time, we may use Google Classroom, Forms (and the charts displaying their responses), Slides, Docs, Blogger, and our class website hosted on a Google Site.    No time to get bored!

Now, that routines are more established, beginning tomorrow, I am going to begin hosting Gillmore's Tuesday Tech Tips to share what I do know...and learn more along the way.  My concern remains that our teachers were not prepped enough for this 1-to-1 journey we are taking year, so I offered to host a 30-minute session for teachers after schools on Tuesday (just have to love the alliteration...Tuesday's Tech Tips...:).

Schedule of Topics

• Week 1:  How to Drive Google Drive - Go...Slow Down...Stop!
• Week 2:  How to Control Your Drive = Folders!  Adding to...deleting...taking away...moving around...
• Week 3:  Google Forms...how to use that data attached...how to use as a formative assessment...and...
• Week 4:  TBA! 

This share time begins tomorrow.  We shall see if the teachers are interested!

Now, to begin building a resource or two...:)