Summer Reading: Unmistakable Impact

I finished my first professional development book: Unmistakable Impact by Jim Knight. I would be lying if I said it was easy reading. I struggled through it and I'm not sure why.

It wasn't that it didn't have anything to offer, because it did. Maybe I was trying to focus "too hard" on it. I'm trying to "glean" as much information as I can from anywhere about being a good instructional coach.

Before I even finished the first chapter I told my husband: "Now I remember why I don't want to get my doctorate right now!"

Again there was A TON of good information in this book...A TON, I mean look at all the notes I took.

As a reader I've always struggled with college level texts that included a lot of citing and notations...this book is FULL of them. For me it makes the reading/comprehension choppy and doesn't flow well.

I found myself skimming and reading the "cliffs notes" (to sum it up sections) at the end of each chapter.

By no means am I telling you not to read this book...it is a good book! Just make sure you have time, limited distractions, time, and a place to take notes!

Here are a few of my own "cliffs notes" :

Because this isn't my book (as mentioned before)...I think I'm going to start a three-ring notebook with sheet protectors that will contain these sticky notes, articles I enjoy, etc. I'll keep you posted and put pictures up showing this.

Hope your summer reading is going well!

Summer Reading List

My summer reading list continues to grow and I feel as though my progress is slow, but I'll make it (does someone want to watch my 5yr old for a week while I go on a binge reading).

Here is a glimpse of some of the things I'm reading.

But I also have a "fun" reading list that keeps taunting me!

Right now I'm reading Unmistakable Impact, I'll do a book study update when I get done!

So I'm one that has to mark my passages and make notes...it's a comprehension strategy I teach AND practice, seeing that this book in on loan to me from my new principal I solely have sticky notes.

This afternoon while I was trying to read a few pages my daughter brought me a stack of her books, complete with her own sticky notes!

Of course being the teacher mommy we went through each book and I had her tell me why she put the sticky note on that particular page (can't ever start too early)...she did awesome!

This page was because of the cowgirl boots (she wears hers every chance she gets), and of course the beautiful dresses!

So, what is on your summer reading list?

Off The Grid and A Bit Of A Change

Summer started, FINALLY and we hit the road for a little off the grid camping trip! It was great, and a nice "reset"...wish the weather was a little nicer though.

Our little cabin...enough to keep the wind and drizzle off!

Hanging out! (keeping each other warm)

The one walk we got in before the weather turned yucky!

Next item on the list...if you follow me on FB I teased you with a little picture and a status update: Wait didn't I just do this?!?!? Change is coming!

I guess I've left you hanging long enough...

I have accepted an Instructional Coach position at the middle school (right down the hill)!

Needless to say my 5th graders were thrilled, then disappointed because I'm not actually going to be in a classroom with them. But excited once again because they get to see me all the time!

In Georgia we were extremely fortunate to have all different types of Instructional Coaches in each building (Math Coach, Literacy Coach, Technology Coach, etc.), however in a smaller school district most buildings have one general Instructional Coach.

I'm excited for the change and ready for the challenge....ready to grow and learn (I have a lot of learning to do!). I've already started reading some great books, that I'll share with you over the course of the summer.

I hope that this will allow for some great blog posts and a larger view of what is happening in our little school district.

So bring on the questions and comments :)

Keeping Them Engaged...EOY

So today is June 1st and I am writing lesson plans! This just doesn't feel right, but I've been told it will feel great in August when I'm not having to write plans. I think this is a harder adjustment, because come the end of May we are ready to be done, and let's face it...so are the kids. But come August, at least for me, I'm ready to start. All the school supplies that come out, the pretty new book bags, and everything!

I think one of the greatest challenges in teaching is those last few days, maybe even weeks of school. Especially when your state testing has been completed! Those kiddos think "we are done" (and maybe the teachers do too).

This year I turned to one of my FAVORITE websites of FREE lessons...yep FREE. If you have not already discovered ReadWorks.org then you better head over and check it out! I've been using it for about two years now, and can't get enough of it!

I usually use it for their question and answer passages ( LOVE LOVE LOVE the Science and SS ones), and for small group instruction (able to get passages on my student's levels), but I decided to try and use it for one of the novel studies.

I have read Watson's Go to Birmingham 1963 to my class before, but I wanted to keep them a little more engaged. So I decided to use the novel study from Read Works that goes along with the book. I LOVE it! The students do too! I have used all parts of it, and it was a great platform to get my creative juiced flowing as well. Just search Watson's Go to Birmingham 1963 when you go to the Read Works site.

The opening lesson was about identifying historical terms in text, and how they effect the story. I have a few pictures of the charts we made with this lesson. The second lesson had to do with how a character's past effects the present and their actions in the text.

In the lesson: Identifying historical terms in text, I gave the students different historical terms that they had to put into categories: Past, Present, Future. After discussing their choices and where they placed the terms, I then gave them the same terms and had them put them into new categories: Recent, Old, Very Old. It was very very interesting to see where they put some of the recent historical terms...and how they determined what Recent, Old, Very Old meant...according to their standards, I would have fit under the category of Very Old.

We have also been using our Google Maps App to learn about Flint, Michigan (one of the settings in the book), how long it would take to drive or even walk to Birmingham, Alabama. Then I went "old school" and bought them a few interstate road maps (you know the ones you have to fold back up when you are done), they really enjoyed looking at the different interstates and highlighting the trip the Watson's took!

So if you haven't checked it out head on over to Read Works!

Finally in a previous post I mentioned a book that I had read to my class: Rebels of the Kasbah. It is an amazing book! We were lucky enough to have the author come and visit our 5th grade classes, thanks to our awesome media specialist. He was such a great person to have come talk with the students. Check out the Red Hand Adventures website and our pictures from his visit!