Window / Mirror Reading

As I read books this summer, I tried to also make Reading Notebook Pages to practice showing my thinking I tried a new structure based on the idea that a book can be a mirror and allows me to see myself in it and a book can be a window into a world unknown to me. This is based on Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s writing about Windows, Mirrors and Sliding Glass Doors HERE. The last book I read allowed me to record my thinking using both the window and mirroe structure. If you haven’t read Vincent and Theo by Deborah Heligman, I highly recommend it!

I am proud of all the reading I was able to accomplish this summer. I made this reading log and graph to show all I have read since the pandemic began on March 13th:

This format allows me to reflect on volume, genre and author identity. I read 28 books in 5 months. This equals about 1.5 books per week. It could be more. However, I have found my pandemic reading focus to bit strained so I will give myself some grace. Going forward, maybe I’ll aim for 2 books a week. When I made the target graph, I assumed I would read a variety of genres. But I should just admit it. I love HF and RF and I am starting to like NF more. I tend to read YA but keep nudging myself to include adult books, too. Going forward, I think I will leave off Mystery and Fantasy on my next bullseye. They aren’t the genres that I’m into right now. I do want to read more poetry, so I will keep it on the target. As for reading with a diversity lens, 15/28 books were by non-white authors. I will continue to be aware of the author’s identity and choose books by authors different from me.

FInal note: This edutopia article offers ways to incorporate the Sliding Door – maybe that is my next step! How did my perpective change because I read this book? What might a sliding door notebook page look like?

My Reflections – TCRWP Summer Writing Institute

From July 31-August 4, I had the pleasure of learning from Lucy Calkins and her staff developers at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project during their Summer August Writing Institute.

Each day I got to sit and be inspired by a different Keynote Speaker.
Day One – Lucy!!!   I wrote about it HERE.
Day Two – Katherine Paterson; Day Three – Daniel Beaty; Day Four – Carmen Agra Deedy and then a bonus, Kwame Alexander was in NYC relasing his newest book. I wrote about all this HERE.

Each day I spend 2 hours in a small group advance section learning with Mary Ehrenworth who got me to generate LOTS of story ideas and take two of them through the writing process and share one at the publishing party on Friday. I wrote about it HERE.

Each day I also spend 2 hours in a small group advance section learning with Hannah Arlone who got me to understand the power of Mentor Text in writing workshop. I wrote about it HERE.

I feel so grateful to have had this week! I now am reading and rereading my Units of Study kit books, especially the Guide and the Pathways book with fresh eyes, ready to be as strong a cheerleader and coach as ever for my students as Lucy, Mary, and Hannah were for me. I’m motivated to stand on their shoulders and guide my students to be the best readers and writers they can be. Then, they will read and understand how to live and will write to change their world.

Thanks to TCRWP. You helped me make a plan for this upcoming year.
Specifically, I will work on these three things.

I WILL..
1. grow strong partnerships in my classroom, providing them with lots of talk time and helping all to realize that they need to be a strong partner because I can NOT be the only teacher in the room.

2. work to make my classroom library look more like a bookstore, enticing readers to pick books to read and then also use these books to mentor them as writers.

3. use Pathway progressions with students to help them set goals to grow their reading skills.

What are your 2017-18 goals as a teacher?