Day 25: Inventory Days Part 2: The Writing Inventory

     Here are some useful questions to discover struggling writer's writing history. While these questions appear easy, make sure you or your students/children dig a bit deeper and discover what it really means to be a "good," or even a "struggling," writer. Remind them that everyone starts somewhere and just because something is difficult now, doesn't mean it isn't worthwhile or worth practicing. 

1. When you are given a writing prompt how do you approach it? 
1. I look forward to it
2. I don't know how to begin
3. I'm sure I will fail
4. With a feeling that I can kind of do it
2. What would you consider a writing strength? Even if you currently believe you are lacking it. 
3. What would you consider an area that you could improve in your writing?
4. Describe one of the most interesting writing assignments you have ever been a part of or heard of and why did you find it interesting? 
5. What is the worst or worst type of writing assignment you can recall being a part of?
1. Why was it so terrible? 
6. Do you keep a journal or diary? Have you kept one in the past?
7. What is "Good writing." 

And Remember: 

Just like the different types of cooking, there are many different flavors of writing. Just because you or someone you know struggles with essay writing doesn't mean they will struggle with personal writing or graphic writing or any of the other forms of writing. We all have talents and skills we are proud of and simply need to find our own recipe for success. 

Day 24: Inventory Days Par 1: Reading Inventory

    Reading is one of the most valuable things we as educators/parents can instill within our students/children. As our students/children begin to develop their reading skills, it is imperative that we understand where their attitudes when it comes to reading are formed and how to best foster a pro-reading attitude within our struggling readers.

In order to get a better understanding of your students or child's reading skills, start by asking a few questions about their reading history. Try asking questions like:

1. When you were younger or even now did/ does your parents or someone else read to you or tell you stories of any kind? If so what was your favorite or one you particularly remember?
2. What fairy tales or childhood stories can you remember or recite? 
3. Are their currently books or magazines that you have access to at home? Who reads them?
4. Do you see others reading? Parents? Grandparents? Brothers or sisters? 
5. Did/do you watch TV? If so, have you watched educational segments such as Animal Planet, Sesame Street or any other educational based programs? 
6. What other kinds of shows do you tend to watch on TV or the internet? 
7. Has anyone ever given you a book as either a present or a reward? 
8. What are some of your favorite childhood books?
9. What are some of your favorite books now?
10. Can you remember a teacher that taught y/ou how to read that you particularly enjoyed? What made their way of teaching so enjoyable?
11. When did you stop being read to at either home or at school?
12. Did you ever have to read aloud at school? How did this make you feel? Did others struggle or seem embarrassed? 
13. Are there pressures from either family or friends to not read? In what way do you feel pressured? 
14. Do you have a favorite time or place to read?
15. What was your favorite and least favorite story you ever read or had to listen to? 
16. Do you or your parents buy books regularly? 
17. How do you feel about reading? 

By talking with struggling readers and discovering where the root of their discomfort lies, we can transform reading from a scary and difficult endeavor to an enjoyable and worthwhile activity. 

Look for part two "The Writing," on 12/3/2018.

Day 23: The Age of the Sensory Break

    Greetings my loyal followers. For today's blog, I wanted to briefly mention another aspect of teaching that seems to come up frequently in staff meetings and during professional development days but seems to be missing from your college curriculum. I am of course talking about how to deal with living in the age of the sensory break. 

    Today's students live in the in a fast passed world that never seems to sleep and because of that, they are less inclined to sit in a seat for long periods of time even when fully engaged and invested in the topic at hand. Even during clubs and activities, things students are passionate about, they need to get up and move every twenty minutes or so. These breaks allow students to decompress and reset before getting back to whatever activity or lesson is in front of them. 

    While these sensory breaks pose a problem for the future workforce, they seem to be almost mandatory for keeping a healthy and functioning classroom. So current and future teachers, its time we break out our yoga pants and start stretching because teaching just got a whole lot more active. I don't know about you, but I rather lose five or ten minutes having the class get up and move than complete a whole lesson where only one or two kids were focused enough to follow along. 

Day 22: Star Wars Pajamas

      A few weeks ago I posted a video called To This Day by Shane  Koyczan, that discussed some of the major themes of bullying and the effect it can have on young kids throughout adulthood. I have used this video several times to discuss the ramifications of bullying and have found that it tends to leave my students speechless for several minutes afterward. Today I wanted to share another one of Shane Koyczan's speeches known as The Crickets Have Arthritis. I do not want to get into to much detail, because nothing I could possibly type would give it justice or even come close to the thoughts and feelings it produces. 

     Just remember five days from now your life will be the same and the little things that seem like mountains before you are actually just bumps in the road. We are too quick to complain about our lives and see only the things we do not have and do not appreciate the beauty that comes with simply pulling feathers out of pillows or appreciate the weird girl in our family until its too late. 

Day 21: Not Just For Babies

    When you think back to when you were a kid what memories come to mind. Do you think about freshly baked cookies cooling in the kitchen, family gatherings around a fire or waking up early on Christmas morning to glistening freshly wrapped presents?
    For some of us, these childhood memories are punctuated with stories. Think about it... mom or dad would sit at the end of the bed, reach over to a collection of books we were too young or in some cases too lazy to read ourselves and transport us into a different world of polished and beautifully illustrated characters. For a moment we were flying beside Peter Pan or Falling down the rabbit hole to Wonderland and at that moment we were truly happy.
    Below I have included a few of my must-haves for both young readers and for those young at heart to include among their collections. In today's society, it is too easy to let our children fade into technology. Never stop making connections and share with them the beauty and wonder of a  goodnight story.

      "This story of only 338 words focuses on a young boy named Max who, after dressing in his wolf costume, wreaks such havoc through his household that he is sent to bed without his supper. Max's bedroom undergoes a mysterious transformation into a jungle environment, and he winds up sailing to an island inhabited by malicious beasts known as the "Wild Things." After successfully intimidating the creatures, Max is hailed as the king of the Wild Things and enjoys a playful romp with his subjects. However, he starts to feel lonely and decides to return home, to the Wild Things' dismay. Upon returning to his bedroom, Max discovers a hot supper waiting for him."

    "A young boy, lying awake one Christmas Eve, is welcomed aboard a magical trip to the North Pole . . .

Through dark forests, over tall mountains, and across a desert of ice, the Polar Express makes its way to the city atop the world, where the boy will make his Christmas wish."

     "In a great green room, tucked away in bed, is a little bunny. "Goodnight room, goodnight moon." And to all the familiar things in the softly lit room—to the picture of the three little bears sitting on chairs, to the clocks and his socks, to the mittens and the kittens, to everything one by one—the little bunny says goodnight."

     "The book follows the lives of a female apple tree and a boy, who develop a relationship with one another. The tree is very "giving" and the boy evolves into a "taking" teenager, man, then elderly man. Despite the fact that the boy ages in the story, the tree addresses the boy as "Boy" his entire life."

     "Knocked from her mother’s safe embrace by an attacking owl, Stellaluna lands headfirst in a bird’s nest. This adorable baby fruit bat’s world is literally turned upside down when she is adopted by the occupants of the nest and adapts to their peculiar bird habits. Two pages of notes at the end of the story provide factual information about bats."

Day 21: Too Darn Cold

     As we move closer to the darker time of year we begin to slowly fall into a pit of depression. The little things that usually wouldn't get under our skin, start to have an effect and students quickly begin to realize that toes are meant on one side of the line and a withering stare awaits anyone that disobeys that law. The one thing I have noticed that always lifts the human spirit is of course food. So for today's blog, I want each of you out there to share a recipe. A recipe that no matter what is going on in your life pulls you out of that funk. Whether that be homemade cookies or a holiday spiced drink, share the holiday cheer. Better yet why not start a teacher cookbook at your school and have everyone join in the fun. Remember hanger is a real thing and you can prevent a needless detention or walk to the office simply by having a hearty bowl of chili with your friends.

   For my own contribution, I offer up my homemade Chicken and Herb Soup. Bon Apatite.

Chicken and Herb Soup

1. 1-2 chicken breasts cut into slices
2. Half an onion 
3. Twenty baby carrots cut in half 
4. Olive oil
5. Spring mix or herb mix salad (remove cilantro) 
6. Three medium potatoes 
7. Two 32 ounce cartons of chicken stock 
8. Garlic (minced or whole)
9. 1 box of noodles (I like to use penne)
10. Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning to taste  

Optional: 

1. One to two stalks of celery 
2. A can of tomatoes 

Directions: 

1. Slice chicken breasts into evenly sliced strips and combine with salt, pepper and olive oil. 
2. Place chicken and seasonings into a pot on medium heat.
3. While your chicken is cooking cut your carrots, potatoes, and onions - stirring the chicken every few minutes till its cooked all the way through. 
4. Place your vegetables, chosen salad mix, and red pepper flakes into the pot with garlic (to taste)
1. Here is where you can add any optional ingredients that you like.
5. Combine ingredients by gently folding them together. 
6. Add chicken stock and bring to boil. 
7. Bring down the heat and let the soup sit until all the vegetables are soft - poke with a fork to test.
8. Either add the noodles directly to the soup and let them cook naturally or make the noodles separately and leave out with a little olive oil to be added later (this way the noodles do not become soggy. 

Chicken and Herb Soup by Sean Winstead 

Day 20: Rambling about Reading

    So today I wanted to begin by discussing what World-renowned author and teacher Kelly Gallagher has referred to as readicide. Mr.Ghallagher’s 150-page book and years of research proves that our young people are simply not reading and that while poverty, English as a second language and electronic entertainment have played a role in this decline, it can also be tracked down to how schools are disregarding the pleasure of reading for the almighty test.

   As a newly appointed special education English teacher, I look around my classroom at the peeling book shelves, filled with the oddest assortment of books imaginable and can’t help but notice that not a single one of my students even glances their way. And I have to ask myself why that is?

   So the shelves are filled with books two and five of a series or yes we have four copies of animal farm and maybe that one book covered in dust is stuck shut with bubble gum, but they are still worth reading right?

   The sad fact is reading is hard and students are looking for something to capture their attention and hold it without all that messy work, similarly to how video games and television shows sooth the mind after a long day at the office. They want something authentic and real to them and simply have not been taught or have had the opportunities to truly engage in reading. And who can blame them, when administration and parents are pressuring schools to prepare their children for placement tests such as SATS, NWEAS and other standardized tests that tell very little about a student’s knowledge or skills. Reading just isn’t a priority.

   For those few teachers that are able to squeeze a book into their daily agendas – they are forced to have students annotate with sticky notes, doodles highlights and a host of other markings as evidence that their students are not wasting their time by sitting and reading. And while this activates are beneficial to devilling deeper into a text for the struggling reader it creates a more unappealing and daunting task.

     So what do we do?

     We as teachers do what we always do and we adjust. Make reading a priority in your classroom. Create blogs and other assignments that engage young readers with things they love, bring back SSR and free choice reading and most importantly teach students about the world around them. Bring in newspapers and magazines, teach them to be critical and knowledgeable members of society and do not accept that there is no budget for high interest’s books for your classroom. Talk to the principal, superintendent school board and community and find ways to get books in your students’ hands and do not for a second think there is less value in books like harry potter or Michael Vey.

Let’s do our best as educators and readers to help our students find a joy in reading. 

Day 19: Holo-What?

    A holocaust can be defined as either the, "destruction or slaughter on a mass scale, especially caused by fire or nuclear war," or the "Jewish sacrificial offering that is burned completely on an altar," but more importantly refers to one of the darker times of human history. From around 1931 - 1945, thousands of individuals fought and died for Adolf Hitler's vision of a perfect world. Hitler's crusade was for a world free from, "gypsies, Jehovah's Witnesses, homosexuals, blacks, the physically and mentally disabled, political opponents of the Nazis, including Communists and Social Democrats, dissenting clergy, resistance fighters, prisoners of war, Slavic peoples, and many individuals from the artistic communities whose opinions and works Hitler condemned," and most importantly Jews, who he blamed for the loss of the first World War. 

   While this time period led to the deaths of millions of individuals ( 6-million Jews and roughly 5-million non-jews), today's youth only have a cursory knowledge of this time period, if any at all and until recently I in many ways was the same. Below you will find a list of books that tell the story of the Holocaust that are must-reads for both adults and reluctant readers. Included here is also a link to the National Holocaust Museum's website, where you can find additional information, lesson plans/activities and other helpful resources.  Remember history is studied so it doesn't repeat. While it may feel like this period of time is better left forgotten, ignorance is not the key to a better future. 

      "She was a young German Jew. He was an ardent member of the Hitler Youth. This is the story of their pareallel journey through World War II. Helen Waterford and Alfons Heck were born just a few miles from each other in the German Rhineland. But their lives took radically different courses: Helen's to the Auschwitz extermination camp; Alfons to a high rank in the Hitler Youth."

      "The Burden of Hitler's Legacy is Alfons Heck's incredible story of serving the Nazi regime, and the bitter disillusionment he suffered as the Germany he loved was battered into oblivion. Only in the waning days of World War II, did he begin to learn of the terror and cruelty that would come to characterize the Nazi reign. And only after years of soul-searching would he begin to accept the role that he had played. This complelling story complements and expands on Heck's autobiography, A Child of Hitler, in which he describes his childhood and life as a member and high-ranking leder of the Hitler Youth. The final chapters of the book introduce us to Heck's relationship with Helen Waterford, author of Commitment to the Dead and a survivor of the Aushwitz death camp. These two met in 1980 and formed a truly unique partnership. Heck and Waterford gave presentations side-by-side to audiences at more than 300 colleges and universities. The final chapter repeats many of the questions audiences would ask and Heck's answers. His openness provides much insight into the how's and why's of the Holocaust."

      "In this starkly candid account of one boy's indoctrination into the Hitler Youth, we see a side of Nazism that has been little recorded. This autobiographical account is a rare glimpse at World War II from a German boy's viewpoint."

     "The author was born into a life no one would wish for: a Jew in Germany with Adolf Hitler rising to power. This autobiography describes life before, during, and after the Holocaust. The author shares her personal journey, leading us towards understanding."

x

Day 18: What do You Mean a Difficult Student is Challenging

     Working with difficult students can be challenging. Finding ways to entice and excite a student that wants nothing to do with school can feel like an insurmountable task. They sit and brood and do everything within their power to derail the classroom, even when the rest of the class is engaged and interested in what is going on. That being said, great teachers are known for doing the impossible and chipping away at even the most difficult students hard and standoffish exteriors. So today's blog is about you, the great teachers. In the comments below please tell me how you engage the unengageable. How you not only lead that stubborn pony to water, but actually make it drink (and remember you can't hold its head underwater). Whether it's through exciting activities, such as the line game I mentioned in a previous post or through getting to know the student, how is it that you make them excited about learning and life.

Day 17: Age is Just a Number

     Working in the education field has shown me what it means to be a member of the digital age, more so than growing up with technology ever has. Today's youth are in many ways developmentally stunted, due to the ever-increasing availability of technology and increase access to the internet. Young adults have lost their ability to be shocked and/or in many cases their innocence due to the wealth of information at their fingertips. Today's youth have access to any subject they could desire to know about is at the tips of their fingers and yet they spend hours watching mindnumbing videos or researching inappropriate and at time gruesome events, texts or streams. However, what harm does this access have on our youth?
    Research has shown no indication that young adults that play/watch violent video games and movies are more violent than any other member of society. In fact, some research has actually shown that people who enjoy such activities do so as a form of catharsis (while others disagree). This being said, however, there is a definite change in young adult mental and physical ability/ages due to such activities. Today's youth seems to be mentally older due to their access to the internet, but lack the developmental skills in order to appropriately sort and understand what they view. This discrepancy has made it difficult for both teachers and parents to teach young adults the differences between right and wrong due to the internet providing them with whatever knowledge or entertainment they could ask for in a more easily digestible format. In many ways, education and parenting have become more about capturing kids attention and less about the actual education due to this increase in available information.

       So my question is: Should we allow young adults access to technology and the internet at such a young and developmentally critical age or is there a better way? I am not saying that all education should be left up to teachers, but there has to be a better way to teach our children about the world around them than plopping them in front of a screen and hoping for the best (you have all seen parents in stores and restaurants do this, just to get a moment of peace). Considering it another way, you wouldn't expect someone to know everything about a job on their first day (even if they had worked in the field previously), so why do we expect our children to make safe and healthy choices when it comes to the internet without first giving them the tools and knowledge to succeed.

Day 16: A Classical Moment

 
    A classic is considered to be a work of art that over a period of time can still be considered of the highest quality in its field. While classic literature is by no means everyone's cup of tea, we can learn a lot from the writing styles and thematic choices authors made in the past. While books today might be considered more kid and user-friendly, due to the high action and at times more approachable vocabulary, the classics are a work of art. When these books were first written, authors were the most highly educated of the masses and as such their novels, became something made for the higher class or elites. While these books are still somewhat written for the highly educated, here are a few of my must-reads for anyone interested in this genre of text.

"Don Quixote is a middle-aged gentleman from the region of La Mancha in central Spain. Obsessed with the chivalrous ideals touted in books he has read, he decides to take up his lance and sword to defend the helpless and destroy the wicked."

    "Although convinced that she herself will never marry, Emma Woodhouse, a precocious twenty-year-old resident of the village of Highbury, imagines herself to be naturally gifted in conjuring love matches. After self-declared success at matchmaking between her governess and Mr. Weston, a village widower, Emma takes it upon herself to find an eligible match for her new friend, Harriet Smith."

     "Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. 

Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But then he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television. 

When Mildred attempts suicide and Clarisse suddenly disappears, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known. He starts hiding books in his home, and when his pilfering is discovered, the fireman has to run for his life."

"The story of the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when The New York Times noted “gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession,” it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s."

                                                   

     "The Grimms' Fairy Tales, originally known as the Children's and Household Tales, is a collection of fairy tales by the Grimm brothers or "Brothers Grimm", Jakob and Wilhelm, first published on 20 December 1812. The first edition contained 86 stories, and by the seventh edition in 1857, had 211 unique fairy tales"

Day 15: Making a Mess

    If you are anything like me, the writing process is more of a series of rewriting. Writing is not an easy activity. It is messy and gross and usually leaves the writer physically, mentally and emotionally tired. Writers spend hours, upon hours sitting in front of a sheet of paper or computer screen and at times have very little to show for it and that's okay. Too often young or even veteran writers give up, because of how difficult writing can be, but much like any activity, you get better at it over time. That doesn't mean you won't have writer's block come knocking at your door one cold winters day, but it does mean that over time you come to realize that not knowing what to write or what may come next in your story is part of the fun of writing.

   Too often students and other writers are afraid to get messy with their writing. So what if a plot needs to be changed, a theme is lost or a new character is needed to get your story moving in the right direction, it happens. First drafts are made to be messy and to allow the writer to try new things. So whether you're a veteran writer or a first timer, don't give up on writing. It may be hard, it may be at times a little gross, and you might feel like no one out their cares, but in the end, I promise you its worth it.   

Day 14: The Angry Learner

     Anger is a healthy and normal part of life and no one knows this better than teachers. These days young adults, lack healthy outlets to release their pent-up up frustrations and as such express their anger at times in disruptive outbursts that can halt learning for everyone around them. These angry outbursts have less to do with anything in particular and tend to stem from an inability to self-monitor and communicate their thoughts and feelings.  The challenge then when working with students is being able to feel out the situation and control your own actions and feelings, as well as those of the students around you. 

Here are a few things you can try in order to help your students get back on track and gain healthy coping skills:

1. Intervene early on: Suddenly voices are raised or the room falls into still silence. This atmosphere change can be sudden, but usually, you can tell when something is up after being with a class for a bit. This is the time to act before anything can get out out a hand. talk with students you think are at risk of outbursts, maybe switch up activities or have the student go for a walk with an adult. While not every situation will be avoidable there are usually patterns of behaviors that you can pick up on and diffuse. 
2. 1:1 or small group intervention: While not every outburst is due to a frustration towards school work, it is also not uncommon. Try your best to provide additional support or modifications/ accommodations for those students that need it in order to build academic confidence. While that isn't always possible for every situation, make students aware of when you are available or provide guidance when and where appropriate. 
3. Create an action plan with the student: While you will usually get the standard answer of I don't know, some students are willing to work with you when it comes to creating an educational goal system. Start by asking them why they did what they did and try identifying the causes. Once you and more importantly they have an idea of the source of the frustration, try coming up with a student-driven action plan.
4. Have a private discussion: Sometimes the classroom is not the best place to have a discussion. When that is the case try and get the student to meet with you after class or in the hallway when appropriate. These conversations allow students to feel like their thoughts are being heard, but are also important in keeping with classroom expectations
5. Stay calm: The most important and effective way to handle classroom disruption is to self-model calm behavior.  When handling a frustrated student avoid arguing with them or adding fuel to the fire. Be aware of tone and body language that is non-threatening and allow them to speak, while upholding classroom policies.

     While these five classroom management tricks are by no means effective 100% of the time, they can make a difference to your classroom's atmosphere. If you have any additional tips or trick, please share a comment below and I hope everyone has a safe and productive school year. 

Day 13: Spine-Tingling Topics

   Well, it is that time of year again and so I want to introduce my spooky list of haunted tales for reluctant readers. As we move ever closer to Haloween, many of us begin to gravitate towards the horror side of our DVD collections. However, this holiday season why don't you try on one of these spine-tingling tales that are sure to have you greeting the holiday season in style.
     Horror, as we all know is the genre of fiction that is made to startle, frighten or at the worst of times disgust the viewer. I for one am not huge on the blood and guts brand of horror and thus will not be including them in this must-read selection. That being said, parents and teachers feel free to browse these novels ahead of time if you are afraid they might not be a good fit for your child or students.

Without further ado, let us see what books might interest those reluctant holiday goblins and like always leave a comment if you have any books you would like to add to this list:

     "In the summer of 1982, five friends discover an ancient stone box hidden deep in the woods. They seal inside of it treasured objects from their childhoods, and they make a vow:

Never come to the box alone. 
Never open it after dark. 
Never take back your sacrifice. 

     Four years later, a series of strange and terrifying events begin to unfold: mirrors inexplicably shattering, inanimate beings coming to life, otherworldly crows thirsting for blood. Someone broke the rules of the box, and now everyone has to pay.

    But how much are they willing to sacrifice?"

     "A secret Arctic experiment becomes a frozen nightmare, when a team of scientists are set adrift on an iceberg--with a murderer in their midst, and a massive explosive charge only hours away from detonation."

    "When Poison's baby sister is stolen by phaeries, Poison sets off on an incredible and dangerous journey to get her sister back from the Phaerie Lord. But as Poison travels to the Realm of Phaerie, she discovers that her story - and her destiny - is not in her control and that she will need all her wits about her to survive. A fantasy where the power of story maybe the only thing that will save you, and where imagination knows no bounds."

     "Elizabeth Lavenza hasn't had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered with bruises from her "caregiver," and she is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything--except a friend.

     Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable--and it works. She is taken in by the Frankenstein family and rewarded with a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. Soon she and Victor are inseparable. 

     But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth's survival depends on managing Victor's dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness. "

     "When Reggie finds an old journal and reads about the Vours, supernatural creatures who feast on fear and attack on the eve of the winter solstice, she assumes they are just the musings of some lunatic author. But soon, they become a terrifying reality when she begins to suspect that her timid younger brother might be one of their victims.

     Risking her life and her sanity, Reggie enters a living nightmare to save the people she loves. Can she devour own her fears before they devour her?"

Day 12: The Line Game

     One of my favorite down-time activities to do with students is a modified version of Erin
Gruwell's Line Game. Mrs. Gruwell worked with some of the most diverse and volatile students and over time was able to bring them together through commonality and caring. While I cannot say my teaching experiences even comes close to what she had to go through, I have modified many of her lessons
in order to help bring my students closer together and speak up about topics that they are passionate about.

     The line game is a simple lesson that pits students opinions and backgrounds against each other and reveals what they have in common. All you will need to do is either create a line (using tape) down the center of your room or I personally create stations around the room that say agree, disagree or I don't know and some questions. It is better to start out with easier questions and build up to harder topics as the groups get more comfortable, so start with things like: "Should school require you to take a fruit or a vegetable or simply have those options available for those that want them." As students move about the room to their respected spots I usually ask them why they chose to go where they did, especially those students that moved to the, "I don't know," category.  Students seem to love this modified version, because it tends to create mini-debates about the topics and most importantly there are no right or wrong answers.

    Now I do cation teachers to think before asking certain questions. In my experience this activity has brought my classrooms closer together, but that is because I think carefully about which questions I can and cannot ask and always bounce my ideas off of others prior to doing this day. Some students are more sensitive than others, some parents and schools frown upon certain topics, so use your best judgment when implementing an activity such as this. But like Hilary Swank says in the movie, Freedom Writers, "we can either sit at our desks and read through those work books or we can play a game. Either way we are here till the bell rings." So if your class is struggling to come together due to differences or if you simply want a fun and informative activity to get students excited about learning, I recommend implementing your own version of the line game.

Day 11: Lets Talk History

     I have never been big on American history. So when offered up a choice of historical fiction books as a young adult, I wasn't very impressed with my options. As a student, teachers only ever provided three types of historical fiction: Holocaust./War, Dust Bowl or Civil Rights. Little did I know as a young adult, that there are a vast variety of historical fictions out there. This ignorance stemmed more from my own personal laziness and less to do with my teachers not providing me with a choice (though it surly would have helped). 

      Today I see the importance of historical fiction as both a reading material and as a form of writing. It provides the reader and writer with the chance to see the world from another's point of view and learn about a time through lenses that fiction and fantasy simply cannot provide. But, most importantly its very, very difficult. Students already struggle stepping outside of themselves and putting themselves in another shoes without providing the restraints of time and setting. It simply stumps them, when shown how others lived and survived in the past, but provides them with information that they otherwise see has boring or useless.

So here are my top historical fiction books for the struggling YA reader. 

       Throughout World War II, in the conflict fought against Japan, Navajo code talkers were a crucial part of the U.S. effort, sending messages back and forth in an unbreakable code that used their native language. They braved some of the heaviest fighting of the war, and with their code, they saved countless American lives. Yet their story remained classified for more than twenty years.
But now Joseph Bruchac brings their stories to life for young adults through the riveting fictional tale of Ned Begay, a sixteen-year-old Navajo boy who becomes a code talker. His grueling journey is eye-opening and inspiring. This deeply affecting novel honors all of those young men, like Ned, who dared to serve, and it honors the culture and language of the Navajo Indians.

     Crisscross America — on dogsleds and ships, stagecoaches and trains — from pirate ships off the coast of the Carolinas to the peace, love, and protests of 1960s Chicago. Join fifteen of today’s most talented writers of young adult literature on a thrill ride through history with American girls charting their own course. They are monsters and mediums, bodyguards and barkeeps, screenwriters and schoolteachers, heiresses and hobos. They're making their own way in often-hostile lands, using every weapon in their arsenals, facing down murderers and marriage proposals. And they all have a story to tell.

     It's the summer of 1970. Seventeen-year-old Jean has cerebral palsy, but she's always believed she's just the same as everyone else. She's never really known another disabled person before she arrives at Camp Courage. As Jean joins a community unlike any she has ever imagined, she comes to question her old beliefs and look at the world in a new light. The camp session is only ten days long, but that may be all it takes to change a life forever.

     Set during the year preceding the Easter Uprising of 1916—Ireland’s brave but fractured revolt against British rule—At Swim, Two Boys is a tender, tragic love story and a brilliant depiction of people caught in the tide of history. Powerful and artful, and ten years in the writing, it is a masterwork from Jamie O’Neill.

     Jim Mack is a naïve young scholar and the son of a foolish, aspiring shopkeeper. Doyler Doyle is the rough-diamond son—revolutionary and blasphemous—of Mr. Mack’s old army pal. Out at the Forty Foot, that great jut of rock where gentlemen bathe in the nude, the two boys make a pact: Doyler will teach Jim to swim, and in a year, on Easter of 1916, they will swim to the distant beacon of Muglins Rock and claim that island for themselves. All the while Mr. Mack, who has grand plans for a corner shop empire, remains unaware of the depth of the boys’ burgeoning friendship and of the changing landscape of a nation.

       Life as a ship's boy aboard HMS Dolphin is a dream come true for Jacky Faber. Gone are the days of scavenging for food and fighting for survival on the streets of eighteenth-century London. Instead, Jacky is becoming a skilled and respected sailor as the crew pursues pirates on the high seas.

There's only one problem: Jacky is a girl. And she will have to use every bit of her spirit, wit, and courage to keep the crew from discovering her secret. This could be the adventure of her life--if only she doesn't get caught. . .

  

Day 10: A Stressful Time of Year

     So we made it. The first month and a half have gone by and for many of us that means a bit of breathing room before the holiday season begins. By now classroom expectations have been decided and the first few tests have came and went. Students and teachers are now in the swing of things and the school year is looking pretty good.
    As we move forward into the more hectic time of year, it is important to remember to stay positive and give praise to the little things that students do each and everyday. That is why I would like to start a Positive Notes Jar, in as many classrooms as we can. A Positive Notes Jar, for me is a place for students to share positive interactions they have seen around the school and presents those individuals with either a reward or recognition for those acts.
    This simple and effective way of supporting classroom culture can be done in many different ways, but is sure to have a positive impact and bring a little bit of light to the upcoming darker days (Where did the sunshine go). All you need is a jar or a box and some slips of papers for students to fill out with what positive acts they are seeing around the school. For a more localized Positive Notes Jar, you can use marbles or pom poms and simply keep track of when your class does something positive.

 So come on and lets bring a little positiveness to this stressful time of year 

   

Day 9: Books for YA Readers

   So one thing I deal with almost everyday is a lack of student interest when it comes to reading. We all have listened to someone in our lives tell us how hard reading is or that they just aren't interested in books, but what they are really trying to saying is that they just haven't found the right book yet. 

     I know how this feels, because I was that student. I hid behind a mask of disinterest not because I didn't want to read, but because as a young adult, reading wasn't easy. Looking back on it, I am glad now that reading isn't easy; that reading is something that requires hard work and dedication to pursue and offers itself up only after a period of hours/days to truly enjoy.  That through this you become friends and family with the characters and immerse yourself in their world far more so than any movie or T.V. show can ever boast about and that there is no bigger truth than, "The book was better than the movie." 

     So over the next few weeks I will be promoting some of my favorite must reads for those of you who just haven't found the right book yet. 

FANTASY:

     Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. Yet Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live.When Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he's willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.

     Eli Monpress is talented. He's charming. And he's a thief.  But not just any thief. He's the greatest thief of the age - and he's also a wizard. And with the help of his partners - a swordsman with the most powerful magic sword in the world but no magical ability of his own, and a demonseed who can step through shadows and punch through walls - he's going to put his plan into effect. The first step is to increase the size of the bounty on his head, so he'll need to steal some big things. But he'll start small for now. He'll just steal something that no one will miss - at least for a while. Like a king. 

   

    Nathaniel is a magician's apprentice, taking his first lessons in the arts of magic. But when a devious hot-shot wizard named Simon Lovelace ruthlessly humiliates Nathaniel in front of his elders, Nathaniel decides to kick up his education a few notches and show Lovelace who's boss. With revenge on his mind, he summons the powerful djinni, Bartimaeus. But summoning Bartimaeus and controlling him are two different things entirely, and when Nathaniel sends the djinni out to steal Lovelace's greatest treasure, the Amulet of Samarkand, he finds himself caught up in a whirlwind of magical espionage, murder, and rebellion.


                                                                  

    Originally published in 1968, Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea marks the first of the six now beloved Earthsea titles. Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk. In his hunger for power and knowledge, he tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tumultuous tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance.

    It begins in Chickentown, USA. There lives Candy Quackenbush, her heart bursting for some clue as to what her future might hold. When the answer comes, it’s not one she expects. Welcome to the Abarat, a vast archipelago where every island is a different hour of the day. Candy has a place in this extraordinary land: She is here to help save the Abarat from the dark forces that are stirring at its heart—forces older than Time itself, and more evil than anything Candy has ever encountered. She’s a strange heroine, she knows. But this is a strange world. And in the Abarat, all things are possible.