Lesson Planning that Teaches Thinking

We will be headed into more lesson planning this winter. A new book by Jane Pollock discusses how to revise your plans with and eye toward thinking skills. They back this up with research on the brain toward deeper understanding of the content.   

Book Tasting

Emma Tackett, 5th grade teacher created a Book Tasting, where four students and four books read for a time then discuss their thoughts about the book. WOW! Great idea!

Reorder and SHARE Your Literacy Teaching Priorities on Schoology

In the beginning of January, it's time to think about what to do, what's important in your classrooms? This is the PAUSE that you have to reorder your priorities in your classroom.

Given all the demands, this process is necessary. Teachers have vast knowledge of content, strategies and students' needs. We juggle, plan, fix and adapt. What are we missing? I offer these key questions as you begin your New Year.

1. What's the most important idea about literacy that you want to convey to your students, parents and staff?
2. In what ways do you convey reading and writing as life skill that is enjoyable and useful?
3. How do you celebrate your literacy victories?

Post your ideas on the Teacher Tools Schoology Group in the Discussion area. Access code for 8M5SS-DVGCZ.

Katherine Patterson wrote Bridge to Teribithia. She recommends the following book for Middle grades.

Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Everything Jason writes seems to turn to gold, but I truly love this book about a young boy who, with help from caring friends and adults, turns running from an abusive father into a race toward a good life. It’s a sports story, but it’s also much, much more.

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
While on the subject of sports stories that are much, much more, I can’t leave the subject without mentioning Kwame Alexander’s The Crossover. I have a suspicion that nearly every middle school boy in America has already read it and discovered, perhaps to their horrified amazement, that they were sneakily lured into a love of poetry when they thought they were just reading a basketball story.

Ramie Nightengale by Katie DiCamilla
I don’t have to tell anyone that Kate DiCamillo is a wonderful writer, and I could easily just say, “Read anything she writes.” But I will put in a plug for her latest novel, Raymie Nightingale. It made me laugh a lot, but in the end I was laughing through my tears — my favorite sort of reading experience.