Weekly Newsletter!

I just finished up my Weekly Newsletter and thought I would share it with you. This is the first year that I have committed myself to doing a weekly newsletter and so far I am very happy with my choice. I like having the extra communication with my student's families and I hope that it will encourage parent support in the classroom and at home.

Here is a peek at what my newsletter looks like.

November 2nd newsletter, including my hubby's clipart!

Each week I update what we are focusing on in our classroom and our weekly spelling focus. My favourite part of the newsletter is the "Dear Families" component. In this section I have the opportunity to share important information with parents that otherwise may not be communicated. This week I shared about our home reading program, and how we are ordering more books...yay!!

How do you choose to communicate with your student's families?

Do you write a weekly newsletter?

 If so, what do you include in it?

I look forward to reading your comments and ideas!

 

Lauren

The Book Whisperer Book Study

The Book Whisperer

Chapter 7: Letting Go

The Final Chapter

This week marks the end of a seven week book study some fellow Canadian bloggers and myself have been participating in. Each week we have been posting our thoughts on The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller. I have enjoyed the book and am so glad to have had the chance to share my thoughts and ideas with all of you.

 My previous post:

 Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3/4 

& Chapter 5/6

Chapter 7 filled me with mixed emotions.
I felt relieved, saddened and motivated while reading this short chapter. 

I was relieved to read about the accomplishments of Donalyn's students. Not because I was worried about the students but because it helped to put things in perspective for me. Sometimes the challenges of starting a new school year can be overwhelming. I found that reading about the gains her students made was a great reminder of what can be accomplished in a year.

I felt saddened when reading how those same students returned to her classroom years later voicing their frustrations with their current school experiences and teachers. Stories of how students weren't being given time to read books that interest them, how their current teachers neglected to take them to the library and how they spent more time completing reading comprehension questions than actually reading at school. 
Understandably, Donalyn was moved to tears after hearing these experiences. Thinking about the negative experiences that our students will encounter while going though school is disturbing. Donalyn chooses not to subject her students to negative experiences, opting not to groom them with for mindless work.

  "We should be seeking to have fully engaged students now". Making sure that their current year is as enriching, powerful and glorious as their year can be.

"Allowing students to choose their own books and control most of their own decisions about their reading, writing, and thinking does a better job of preparing them for literate lives than the traditional-and-ubiquitous-novel units, test practices, and pointless projects."

The Book Whisperer

I am motivated!!

Motivated to provide my students with an "enriching, powerful and glorious year."

Are you? 

Want to read more about Chapter 7,
click the links below to see what the other ladies have to share.
Thanks for reading!

Lauren

An InLinkz Link-up

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November Currently

Wow, I can't believe that November is already here!! Halloween is over and report cards and interviews are now the main focus. On this quiet Sunday afternoon, when I should be doing many other more important jobs, I have decided to link up with Oh Boy Fourth Grade for her November Currently.

What are you Currently up to? Link up below!!

Lauren

The Book Whisperer Book Study

The Book Whisperer

Chapter 5 -Walking the Walk

Chapter 6 - Cutting the Teacher Strings

 For the past six weeks some fellow Canadian bloggers and myself have been reading and posting our thoughts on the book The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller. Today I will be posting my thoughts on Chapter 5 & 6 in order to get caught up with the other ladies.

 My previous post: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, & Chapter 3/4

Chapter 5 made me reflect on my own personal relationship with reading?
I enjoy reading a good book and will often read while on holidays or during summer vacation. But during the school year I rarely pick up a book just for my personal enjoyment. My reading consists of books related to teaching and children's books that I am either reading to my daughter or to my class. Like many of you, my excuse is that there isn't enough time in a day to fit in pleasure reading. But with that said, I agree with Donalyn "teachers do need to be reading role models for our students". 

Sadly, Associated Press released a poll in 2007 showing that the average American adult read an average of 4 book in a year. Teachers are part of this poll, it seems that we are not walking the walk when it comes to doing what we teach. Reading only four books in a year seems rather minimal. I'm not sure how many I have read but I wouldn't expect the number to be much greater than four.

 What kind of a reading role model does that make me?
Is it possible to instill the love of reading in my students and daughter without making reading a priority in my life?

Yes, I think so.

Donalyn states that as teachers it is important that we regularly read with our students and talk about reading with them as well. I figure that even though I may not find the time to read a book for my own personal pleasure, reading to my students and my daughter are high on my priority list.

Reading to my students during recess snack is one of my favorite times during the school day.We have been reading Sea Dog by Dayle Campbell Gaetz, and my students are loving it. Most importantly I am reading this book to them for pleasure! The only expectation of them is that they listed quietly and are open to chatting about the book. 

At home the bookshelf is my daughters favourite toy box!! Reading and looking at books is built into our daily routine. 

 If asked, do you wish you had more time to read for pleasure?
My answer would be...yes!

But do I think that my lack of reading for pleasure will change the way my students or daughter feel about books?

I'm not convinced that I do.

Do you consider your self to be a reading role model for your students/children?
Do you find time to read for pleasure?
I would love to read your comments.

On to Chapter 6...Cutting the Teacher Strings

In the opening paragraphs of Chapter 6, Donalyn writes that over her teaching career, students have told her that  
"reading as it is traditionally taught and assessed actually encourages them to hate reading." 

In this chapter Donalyn examines some traditional language arts practices and proposes alternatives that accomplish the same goals while keeping with the the habits of true readers.

She describes the dark side of whole-class novels, teaching to comprehension tests, book reports, reading logs, round robin and popcorn reading as well as incentive programs. While also including alternatives such as replacing book reports with book commercials and book reviews, which sound far more appealing than the traditional report.

This chapter is thought provoking. It makes me reflect on my experiences with reading in school (many include the practices warned against by Donalyn), what teaching practices I am currently using and what I want my students experiences with reading to look and feel like.

Want to read more about Chapter 6, read more posts by clicking the links below.

An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

Have you missed me?

Wow, it seems like forever since I have written on my blog!! 

Things have been crazy overwhelmingly busy in my world but I am happy to say that I have survived my first crazy week back at school. You see, when schools in BC finally opened up I got to spend three days moving into a new school/classroom and one day with kids and then...I had surgery!! Sooo that ment spending two weeks at home recovering before I was able to return to school and meet my students.

Monday finally arrived and I returned to school!

There's nothing like starting a new school year with an assembly first thing in the am (I didn't even know my students names yet!!), followed by a surprise fire drill in the afternoon. I felt like I was treading water all day, well actually that is how I felt all week.

However, I am very happy to say that I survived the week with a minimal amount of tears (thank goodness they weren't in front of my students) and still had a smile on my face Friday afternoon!!

I am excited about this school year!

I have 20 Grade 2 students and have the help of a wonderful EA.

I am loving my classroom setup this year and I can't wait to share some picture with you in the near future. But for now, here is one sneak peek of my partially set up classroom.

I LOVE the PURPLE!!

 Thank goodness of a long weekend break, as I will be spending most of my day tomorrow sorting through the piles of paper on my desk (from my two weeks away) and also planning for the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned for more classroom pictures and activities from the week.

Lauren