Just a CLASSic

Today, I was at Office Max.  I noticed the lady in front of me was buying a whole lot of folders and erasers among other things. After pausing for a second, I asked her if she were a teacher.  She got a little glint in her eye and explained that she was.  In fact, it was her first year of teaching. At that moment, a rush of emotion came over me.  So many things were running through my brain that I wanted to tell her and to give her advice about her first year of teaching. I managed to get out what grade and school and a good luck before her transaction was over.  She left, and my mind was still whirring. So I figured it was time to write this blog post that has been buzzing around in my mind for so long.  Now just a warning, compared with some of my other teacher friends, my first year of teaching was exceptionally harder than theirs was because of my location and my administration.  However, through it all, I did learn some valuable lessons....

I'm going to step away from my usual children's books and review a book written for adults.  It made me to understand myself better and to better help my quieter students. My sister gave me  Quiet  and told me that I should read it.  Why?  Well quite simply because it is a book about the power of being introverted, of being quiet, of being observant.  And well, I have a tendency to be introverted, quiet, and observant. I greatly enjoyed reading this book.  One of the first things that I noticed is that Susan Cain makes a point and supports it thoroughly with research and anecdotes. Each chapter is well-drafted without rambling (a tendency that I have noticed in several non-fiction books...why did the author feel the need to include  that?) . Being a solid introvert, I loved reading about how my brain works in comparison with extroverts.  While extroverts are better multi-taskers, introverts are better at deeper, more meaningful thin...

Ah, it has been a while since I have written.  No, I'm not on break (not yet at least; we have one more full week and a half week), but I just spent a day grading papers so writing this is my reward. I read the Witch of Blackbird Pond several months ago, but the book has stuck with me.  In fact, it has been one of my favorite books that I have read these past few months, and as you probably noticed, it is also a Newberry Award winner and so a classic. Typically, if I just heard the title without picking up the book, I probably would not be eager to read it. However, the 6th graders at my school read this book, and the teacher told me that it is a historic fiction piece about the Salem Witch Trials.  A historical fiction novel?  I love historical fiction! In fact, I love history. I did not realize that though until high school.  In elementary school, when the teacher would announce social studies, I groaned inside.  For me, social studies was a b...

Can you imagine my excitement when I read that the 2015 Newberry award winner author was from Virginia (also Cece Bell, the author of one of the 2015 Newberry Honor books is also a Virginia resident--but we'll save that blog post for another time--It was a great year for Virginia authors!)? Can you imagine how much my excitement grew when I read that Kwame Alexander was from Chesapeake? In fact, he went to a high school that rivaled my own.  Pretty cool, right? Of course I had to read his book, Crossover .  I was excited to pick up my own copy and to read it to bask in the glory that is my hometown.  Part of me was worried though.  What if I hated the book?  How would I tell people about reading this book by a hometown author....but I didn't really like it? Well I think you have made the inference by now (we have been working on inferences with my fourth graders so I try to bring them up whenever possible) that I would not be writing this blog if I hat...

One of my biggest concerns as a teacher is that I am able to find books that appeal to all people.  One of the questions that I often ask my guy friends is, "What books did you enjoy as a child?"  I recognize that boys' interests are different than girls' interests, and I want to make sure that I am not shutting down anyone's excitement to read.  One of my guy friends recommended The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke.  I dutifully put it on my to-read list. When I finally picked up the audio version of this book, I was thrilled to discover that it takes place in Venice, Italy.  Not only had I heard many wonderful things about Venice, but I was planning a trip to Italy that would end in Venice.  I eagerly began the book, but had to put it on hold as I experienced Venice for myself.  I actually got to immerse myself in the sights of the Grand Canal, the islands, and the gondoliers that are all in this charming book.  Of course, after being there, the...

It has been over a year since I have written a blog entry.  I guess sometimes life gets a little busy.  Please do not think that this is the only book that I have read since then.  By no means at all! I have read so many wonderful books--children's books, teaching books, books about life.  I just have not found (or made) the time to record my thoughts on a book.  It is amazing though what four snow days can do. Since it has been a year plus since I last wrote, here is a quick update. Over the summer, I spent one final summer as a camp counselor at the camp that I have been working at for the past four summers. Through it all, I would say it was my favorite summer both in the connections that I created and connections that I further developed and in the children that I got to work with week after week.  I miss it--working there and interacting with the people daily. If you have been following this blog, you'll remember that I was in a teaching pr...

These past few weeks, I have been enjoying winter break.  Well in a way.  Most of the time my mind has been racing with the upcoming semester when I will be student teaching and taking over a class. I am very excited, but yet a bit nervous too.  I have read countless blogs giving advice about classroom management or project ideas.    From all the teachers that I know (including two of my own elementary school teachers), I have eagerly asked for any advice that they could possibly give me. Also I have been spending quite a bit of time thinking about where I would like to teach next year, whether that means scouring the district's websites or filling out applications or updating my resume...again. However, in the busyness of everything, I have had a few quiet moments to read a good book. This particular book, Because of Winn-Dixie,  I actually read out-loud as my mom and I were traveling up to see the rest of my family.  It is a very qui...