Month: February 2021

This is a “must have”, five star book, newly released in February 2021. Carole Boston Weatherford presents the historic tragedy of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 in a picture book appropriate to young readers. The book details how Greenwood, Oklahoma, was a community where the train tracks divided the Black and white communities. The Black… Continue reading The Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Floyd Cooper

It still surprises me how when problems arise, unexpected opportunities follow. I would think at my age, I'd anticipate the silver linings on the other side, but somehow they still sneak up on me. Over these past weeks, my class needed a few tips on navigating some tricky social situations. After trying many different moves,… Continue reading Day 65: A Little Humor Goes A Long Way

“When the music started, I tried dances I’d never seen, and games I didn’t know. You want to meet Danbi! Danbi is a little girl, new to her school, and new to the country. She's nervous and isn't sure what's expected of her. But, “When the music started, she tried dances she’d never seen, and… Continue reading Danbi Leads the School Parade

Featuring Bo the Brave, by Bethan Woollvin   Read Them Again...And Again Featuring Bo the Brave, by Bethan Woollvin Are you a parent who has ever said to your child; You seriously want to read that book again? You’ve read it 1,000 times!! Or, maybe you’re a teacher who has been told by another teacher;… Continue reading Read Them Again…And Again…And Again

As a reading teacher, I hold picture books that affirm the benefits of reading close to my heart. Reading such books aloud to my students provides opportunities to discuss why reading is important and the ways in which it can be transformative. How to Catch a Clover Thief is one of my new favorite books… Continue reading How to Catch a Clover Thief by Elise Parsley

Truth be told, I have not read many graphic novels, and I am making an effort to expand my reading life in that way. The graphic novel collection in my classroom library has dwindled over time. I have lost many beloved titles to former students. The bin that we do have always seems to be… Continue reading Graphic Novel Detectives

Pre Pandemic, my literacy instruction followed the Readers Workshop model.  Reading journals were essential to the success of my instruction.  This fall I worked with my friend and fellow blogger, Ann Williams to create this journal to support her fourth graders with reading instruction.  While this journal has worked well for Ann’s fourth graders, we… Continue reading Reinventing the Reading Journal

Many teachers and students are missing that familiar sense of normalcy. Well, thankfully, the time-honored tradition of the 100th day of school is just around the corner. Jamie Harper's, Miss Mingo and the 100th Day of School is a must-have title for this special day. In addition to featuring the various combinations of 100 such… Continue reading Miss Mingo and the 100th Day of School

As a staff developer, I taught the pre and post on-demand assessment process in the Teachers College Units of Study formally. On day one of the unit, students wrote in the genre we were going to study and on the last day of the unit, students wrote a final piece. Then they used a checklist… Continue reading Day 60: A Little Informality Goes A Long Way

In this year of pandemic schooling, it can feel like there is bad news all around us. Covid-19, political turmoil, social unrest - I have sometimes struggled to conduct class discussions that acknowledge all that we are going through but at the same time don’t lead us to despair. I feel the need to have… Continue reading No Voice Too Small : Fourteen Young Americans Making History

As Black History Month continues, and as we strive to include the work of Black authors and illustrators in our curriculum year round, I encourage all teachers, families, and kids to find a moment to explore Magnificent Homespun Brown by Samara Cole Doyon. As readers navigate the first few pages of this beautiful book, a… Continue reading Magnificent Homespun Brown by Samara Cole Doyon

The Old Truck By Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey In a world where anything old is easily discarded for a new or improved version, The Old Truck by the Pumphrey brothers is a breath of fresh air. This is a simply told story of a truck that worked "long" on a farm and then "grew… Continue reading The Old Truck by Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey

Most Days and Most People by Michael Leannah Truth be told when I thought of writing about this book and it's Companion, Most People, I considered the social emotional toil this year has taken on all of us, educators and students alike. I consider the hopeful yet believable message of both of these delightfully crafted… Continue reading Most Days and Most People by Michael Leannah

This book Is closed to our heart: it’s the rendition on an a old time favorite with a Caribbean twist. The children loved it because it takes place on their Island , Martinique, it’s not mentioned by name but they could recognize some of the traditions . The manicou, an animal present in many folktales… Continue reading Cendrillon A Caribbean Cinderella by Robert D San Souci illustrated By Brian Pinkney

Like all teachers, I have my educational passions. Social-emotional learning and global awareness have always been my passions. This past year, with all that is going on in our county and the world, I made it a personal goal to educate myself as much as I could on anti-racist teaching practices. I want to ensure… Continue reading Using Antiracist Baby for Antiracist Teaching

Connecting with families during COVID-19 is tricky at best. There are no daily interactions and no face-to-face contact unless I meet with a family over Google Meet. Families and caregivers do not come into the building or the classroom, so they have very little information about what happens each day. To help families understand what… Continue reading Day 54: Connecting with Families

words by Matt de la Peña and pictures by Christian Robinson The first time I heard this story, I was at the January Teachers College Reading and Writing Project Supper Club. Matt de la Peña was the featured guest, and he read the book aloud for the very first time to all who were in… Continue reading Milo Imagines the World

by Lorna Gutierrez and Polly Noakes Gutierrez and Noakes capture all that’s altruistic and absolute about childhood. “Dare to trust” “Dare to inspire” “Dare to see when others don’t”. Children are generally unadulterated, and able to see the good in what adults often see as a sea of darkness. Children are generally more uninhibited, and… Continue reading Dare to Dream Big