Building a classroom community and establishing relationships with students is the primary goal of all teachers. Helping students establish relationships with each other that evolve and grow is also a goal for teachers. I tell my students on the first day of school that we will learn to be a family together, that it will… Continue reading The Whatifs
Month: February 2022
Migrants by Issa Watanabe
As I write this post it is hard not to tear my mind away from the current events rocking the world. The specter of global military conflict rises again. With it, the unspoken acknowledgement that for every bomb dropped, people with no tangible stake in its ends are displaced from homes, workplaces, communities, and memories.… Continue reading Migrants by Issa Watanabe
What the Kite Saw, written by Anne Laurel Carter and illustrated by Akin Duzakin
No one is guaranteed peace. Yet, could it be that peaceful days become expected and routine for some of us? In What the Kite Saw, Anne Laurel Carter and Akin Duzakin transport us into the unfamiliar realities of daily life in a warzone. Told from the perspective of a young boy, readers of all ages… Continue reading What the Kite Saw, written by Anne Laurel Carter and illustrated by Akin Duzakin
For the Love of Reading
I am always looking for books to read aloud that serve multiple purposes. Even if a book is great it often won't make the cut because there never seems to be enough time. But... I had only one goal when I chose to read I Don't Want to Read This Book by Max Greenfield to… Continue reading For the Love of Reading
My Sister, Daisy
Based on a true story, Adria Karlsson provides a gentle introduction to gender identity with a focus on positivity and acceptance in her debut, MY SISTER, DAISY, with illustrations by Linus Curci. This is the perfect book for parents or educators looking to have a conversation around gender identity and pronouns. Told from the perspective… Continue reading My Sister, Daisy
Omar Rising
by Aisha Saeed When the system is broken, you have to rise up!" Every 5th grader in our school loves engaging with Amal Unbound as an interactive read aloud. We were so excited when Aisha Saeed published her companion novel, Omar Rising, this month. Omar was first introduced to audiences through his friendship with Amal… Continue reading Omar Rising
Thank you, Elly Swartz!
In Massachusetts, it is the first day of February vacation. I woke up at 8:32, in a panic that I was late for school. My brain quickly reminded me that it is Saturday. Phew! For the next week, I will enjoy sleeping in without alarms, sipping some extra coffee and enjoy reading a book or… Continue reading Thank you, Elly Swartz!
Meena’s Mindful Moment
For most of my life, I've had a restless energy inside of me, and I haven't known what to call it. In fact, this energy has been so present at times that when I was in my twenties earning my Masters in Education, my cohort members jokingly gifted me a bell made out of an… Continue reading Meena’s Mindful Moment
Friends Are Friends, Forever by Dane Liu
Friends are Friends, Forever, by Dane Liu is a sweet story of Dandan and her move from Northeastern China to the United States. The story traces how she says goodbye to her good friend Yueyue, sharing their Lunar New Year’s Eve tradition of making paper snowflakes, and how she introduces that tradition to her new… Continue reading Friends Are Friends, Forever by Dane Liu
This Is Your Time by Ruby Bridges
Last year, our school had the opportunity for all elementary students to Zoom with Ruby Bridges, the civil rights icon who was the first Black student to integrate an all-white school in New Orleans. My students, who were second graders at the time of our Zoom call, are still talking about it. They frequently bring… Continue reading This Is Your Time by Ruby Bridges
Only My Dog Knows I Pick My Nose By Lauren Tarshis and Illustrated by Lisa Bronson Mezoff
Only My Dog Knows I Pick My NoseBy Lauren TarshisIllustrated By: Lisa Bronson Mezoff Last week, I attended a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion meeting that a group of parents, from the school that I work for, was holding. It was a lovely meeting and the best word I could use to describe it was human.… Continue reading Only My Dog Knows I Pick My Nose By Lauren Tarshis and Illustrated by Lisa Bronson Mezoff
Usha and the Big Digger
Usha and the Big Digger by Amitha Jagannath Knight, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat, is a picture book in the Storytelling Math Series by Charlesbridge Publishing. In this story, sisters Usha & Aarti look at the night sky, but each sees something different. Usha sees a big digger; whereas, Aarti sees a big dipper. And more… Continue reading Usha and the Big Digger
Inside Cat by Brenden Wenzel
When I choose to write about Inside Cat by Brendan Wenzel, I thought this was another Caldecott for the author of They All Saw a Cat, the 2017 Caldecott recipient. While Inside Cat was passed over for the award, this book carries some big thinking in its few words and limited subject. As cat remains… Continue reading Inside Cat by Brenden Wenzel
The Boy Who Loved Everyone, by Jane Porter
A book about love - the perfect book for this time of year! The Boy Who Loved Everyone, by Jane Porter, is the story of a young boy, Dimitri, who is a preschooler. Dimitri goes to school and he tells everyone he loves them, but he doesn’t always get the response he expects. Some kids… Continue reading The Boy Who Loved Everyone, by Jane Porter
Letter Writing
Dear Readers, I promised an update regarding last month's endeavor, and am happy to report that it was a success. My kindergarten class has spent the last three weeks writing letters to the greater community, friends, and family. What a wonderful experience. In response to our preschool information night for families, we invited Kindergartners to… Continue reading Letter Writing
Amah Faraway by Margaret Chiu Greanias and illustrated by Tracy Subisak
One lived in Taipei. One lived in San Francisco. The conversations among my third graders began immediately when I shared the cover of this book. “My grandma lives in India, and we video chat with her every day!” “I have one grandma in England and one in China!” “We Zoom with my grandparents every Saturday.”… Continue reading Amah Faraway by Margaret Chiu Greanias and illustrated by Tracy Subisak