I Got a Kindle!

Yep, I finally caved. I've heard the debates many times. One camp says they have to have their hands on the pages and it's the whole experience - the smell of the book, the feel of the pages, the blanket, the cocoa, etc. The other camp says books are so yesterday. One friend says this is the future of school - all on an ipad. I'm in between. I do love the feel of a good book, but let's face it, the Kindle is so easy to use, and it fits perfectly on my treadmill. It's right there in my purse when I'm stuck in line, in traffic, essentially anywhere. I'm finding I read more, books are more accessible, they're cheap, or free. It's easier to read in bed, with one hand under the covers and no aching thumb from holding the page open.

So, I'm thinking this post sounds a lot like an advertisement for Amazon.com but I don't care. I'm really excited about this. It has even reshaped my philosophy about reading. It's really all about the words. Jesus read from a scroll. Socrates said the world would go downhill with the invention of print, because the words would be compromised. Printed text as we know it has undergone tremendous changes over thousands of years. It will continue to change, but the word still remains the most important, and our interpretations of the word, whether spoken or in text.

Happy New Year!

Blogs are hard to maintain at times. There are so many other things needing attention that blogging takes a back seat. But as I skim over my past blogs I am reminded of some remarkable, or at least mildly amusing points of 2009. Before blogs, we had diaries. These, too, were a little challenging to keep up. Not only was I constantly hiding it in different places around my room, I sometimes couldn't find the key, and though I meant to record every meaningful experience, it tended to be weeks or months between entries. Even when I read them now, the entries don't seem that easy to follow. Why did I say that? Who was that? You get the idea. But for all the difficulty in keeping a blog or diary, it really is a valuable piece of history. I might not have remembered the Jupiter dimestore I haunted on my bike the summer I was ten, and I might not have remembered that at one moment I thought about that new box of crayons smell. So I encourage all to keep those diaries or maintain those blogs, because as messy as it is sometimes, it is our own personal history, and will only increase in value as the years go by!

Something to Be Thankful For

I am thankful for my friend, Allyson. Allyson and her husband Jerod have been trying to start a family for several years. They had looked into adoption, but have been turned down for various reasons, including income and Allyson's diabetes. They considered adopting overseas, but then they found out about the incredible number of children in the United States that are in need of foster care. This was a hard decision, as Allyson had her heart set on a baby. This is understandable, isn't it? We want our children's first words to be, "Mama" and "Dada." But once Allyson and Jerod heard about these children in need, they couldn't get their minds off them. Last year they became foster parents. They welcomed little three-year old Bethany into their home. Bethany has a story, and I won't go into it here, but let's just say that Bethany sees Allyson and Jerod as her own personal guardian angel, and she loves them as much as my own children love me. I am thankful Allyson felt the conviction of caring for these unwanted children, children who through abuse and neglect found themselves alone, scared, and hopeless. Bless you for being this little girl's hero!

Fall Conference Highlights

I just returned from the annual UALR Reading Recovery and Literacy Conference. As always, I need to take a moment to sift through my notes in order to recall some of gems. Karen James reminded me in her session that we need to unclutter our teaching. Children can only take on around 3-5 items in a learning setting. If we are continually talking, explaining, and re-explaining, we're only going to tangle them up. Instead, we need to make our teaching points short, explicit, and memorable. This will enable the child to focus on the most important behaviors to monitor. I guess I have been taught this before, but with adults, as it is with children, it takes 9-14 exposures before we actually internalize learning (Meichenbaum & Biemiller). I will continue thinking about this as I work with learners, both children and teachers. I will also apply this to my own learning. How relevant!

Ahhh, the Smell of New Crayons

School shopping was finished by August 1.
We practiced laying out our clothes, going to bed on time, and getting up early.
We set goals (I'm going to make straight A's).
We made plans for interesting and varied items in our lunch boxes.
So now that school has started, I hope the hype will last.
I hope that by the end of the year, we will feel that this year was a success.
And that every day smells like a new box of crayons.
Happy First Month of School!
Jennifer

Feeling MAPPY??

From Frank Serafini's website on standardized tests as a genre:
"When students are familiar with the tasks required by the tests, they are better able to focus their attention and energy on the content of the test and to demonstrate their abilities. Frank Smith says that a different approach may be required, employing examples rather than instruction, encouragement rather than worksheets and modeling test taking strategies and allowing for discussion rather than direct skills instruction." Read the rest of his article entitled "Standardized Tests as a Genre" at www.frankserafini.com/ShortArticles/StTests.Genre.htm

Spring Break!

I always look forward to Spring Break. For me, it's a break from my schedule and a time to do some spring cleaning. I especially like sifting through books and giving them new homes. My sister-in-law participated in a book club that did this in an unconventional way. To participate, you have to hide a book at some location and give clues to the person who picks your tag. Judy participated, and found her book in Eureka Springs, taped under a bench in a public park. The book was pretty good, but it was the hunt that was the most fun. I might not have the time to go to that extent, but there are some great ways to donate or exchange books that you don't have the room for. Here's a local link:

http://yellowpages.aol.com/book-stores/mo/springfield/