If Michelle were a character in a Western film, she would be…

I am continuing to draft writing for each of these real life writing purposes according to Kelly Gallagher in Write Like This:

Express and Reflect √

Inform and Explain √

Evaluate and Judge

Inquire and Explore √

Analyze and Interpret – ↓

Take a Stand/Propose a Solution

…

Apparently iMAgiNiff is a board game that I missed out on as a child.  It is also an inspiration for an activity in the Analyze and Interpret chapter.  This one seems like lots of fun and would be great analyzing practice as a Morning Meeting activity with my new fifth graders.  It could also be used to reflect on characters in books.

Pose a question for students to answer, explaining their reasoning.  For example: “Imagine if _________ were a character in a Western film.  Which would he be?  a)  Sheriff  b)  Outlaw c)  Deputy  d)  Farmer  e) Stagecoach Driver  f) Barkeep”

…

Since Michelle is hosting the Big Time Blogging Challenge this month, and that is why I have been writing every day, I am going to use her.  Thanks Michelle!

If Michelle were a character in a Western film, she would be the barkeep.

Michelle is a social butterfly and can talk to anyone. She can serve people their selected beverage and make them feel at home.  This is similar to what she does as a literacy coach, she has to develop relationships and make teachers comfortable with her.  She knows when to help and provide support.  She knows exactly when to hold back.

Everyone tells their secrets to the bartender.  People can spill their guts to her and she can keep a neutral expression, not always needing to give an opinion.  Let me tell you, co-plans can be tense!  But, I have heard more than one teacher say that Michelle knows how to stay cool and not take sides.

Finally, when push comes to shove, Michelle is capable of putting people in their place!  Chairs fly, glasses break.   Someone has to put an end to it…

Save

Querencia

In his book Write Like This, Kelly Gallagher shares six real world writing purposes and different ways to get kids to start writing with each in mind.  I’m going to try at least one example from each chapter.  Although this is written with high school in mind, I think most of the ideas can be adjusted for middle and intermediate elementary school.  And the real world writing purposes:

Express and Reflect √

Inform and Explain – Trying this one today!

Evaluate and Judge

Inquire and Explore √

Analyze and Interpret

Take a Stand/Propose a Solution

…

There are so many great ideas for Inform and Explain.  Here are a few of my favorites:

• “You Should Know”  Biographical Paper (“Find an ‘average’ person in your life with an ‘above average’ story.”)
• How does _______work?
• Unwritten Rules  (Inspired by The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian)
• My Favorite Words

 …

Today I am going to try “My Favorite Words.” Christina, this one is for you, my word loving friend! The word I decided to write about isn’t in all dictionaries and I hadn’t actually heard of it until today:  querencia.

Querencia

noun

Definition according to www.merriam-webster.com:  “an area in the arena taken by the bull for a defensive stand in a bullfight”

Origin according to www.merriam-webster.com:  “Spanish, fondness, haunt of an animal, favorite spot, querencia, from querer to want, like, love (from Latin quaerere to seek, gain, obtain, ask) + -encia -ence (from Latin -entia)”

I’m not a huge word person, so when approaching this idea, I searched around a little on Pinterest for words.  (To clarify:  I consider myself a reader and writer.  It’s just that I’m not one to use big words when a simple one to do.  I love stories, words strung together.)  In my search I found this:

 This word alone didn’t stand out, it is it’s definition that struck me.  “the place where you are your most authentic self”  This is a powerful word and got me to thinking about my querencia. Do I have one?

For a very long time, I don’t think that I had a querencia.  I’m not sure I do now.   At this point, my home is becoming a place I am comfortable.  Each new memory, each laugh, erases some of the damage done.  Each smile makes me feel safer.  One day, this home may become a place that I can draw strength, my querencia.

I think the place that I have always been able to be closest to my authentic self is in the presence of children.   Standing among kids, I have always been able to take chances – dance, twirl, joke, and even sing.  I have always drawn strength from my time with them and not needed courage to be myself.

I hope that my classroom can be a querencia for my students, as well.  I hope that my students feel safe, at home, and accepted each year.  I hope that my students have a querencia in their life, but if they don’t – I hope our classroom can be that place for each of them.

Shopping Carts

Most of the chapters of Write Like This are organized by purpose.  In the Express and Reflect chapter, one idea I tried is childhood games.

Today I’m trying “Things I find disturbing…”  from the Inquire and Explore chapter.  The idea is to write a list and then choose something from the list to write long about – Why do you find that thing disturbing.

Another option he suggests is for students to research using the newspaper and find articles that are disturbing to them, research, and then write about that.  However, based on the horrible things I am sure to find in the news this week, I am going to go a little less research-based and more light-hearted…shopping carts.  Here is my flash draft…

Why do I find people leaving shopping carts in the parking lot, not in the cart corral, so annoying?

I have very early memories of sitting in the car hoping my mother would not get back out of the car to yell at the person leaving the shopping cart in the parking lot.  I have other memories of my mother reprimanding people for leaving the shopping cart in the parking lot. 

Oh, and there is that time that my aunt, my mother’s twin, got out of the car. My mom, my sisters, cousins, and I sat watching her chew out some unsuspecting shopper.  Awkward!

I am not the type of person to give a random stranger a piece of my mind.  When I see a shopping cart sitting alone in the middle of the parking lot, I push it to a corral or push it inside.  My son is used to it at this point.  If the person that left it there is still near, a dirty look is all I share. 

As a new mom, getting the groceries and the kid in the car wasn’t simple.  However, I was never willing to leave the cart, so I started parking right next to the cart corrals.  Problem solved.  Try it people!

For some reason, there are never cart corrals near the handicapped parking…What’s with that?  Yet, I once saw a lady that was obviously having trouble walking, push her cart up to the other carts in front and then struggle back to her car in the handicapped lane.  I remember thinking, “If she can do it, why can’t everyone?!”

So, I guess my answer is that putting shopping carts away has been ingrained in me since childhood.  I wonder if one day my son with have the same issue?

What grates on your nerves?

 

New Grade Level…New LC Units of Study

I am moving to fifth grade after three years in third and I couldn’t be more excited!  However, it does require some extra preparation this summer.  It’s nothing that I haven’t done already:  My district adopted LC Units of Study for Writing the summer before my first year as a classroom teacher and I spent that summer reading the third grade units.

Since I know I’m not the only one needing to prepare for a new grade level, I thought I would share how I approach the Units of Study for a new grade level.

1.  I read each Unit of Study book, taking notes on each session.

Yes, I know Lucy is wordy and goes on and on.  The very first unit I read, I read EVERYTHING, which I would recommend if you have never used them before.  However, after that it isn’t really necessary to read each word on each page.  Within each session, the main points are in bold, it isn’t necessary to read all of the dialogue/text after that unless you don’t understand what is being said.

When I take notes, I try not to put my own thoughts or take out what I know won’t work.  I try my best to keep it as it is.  These notes come in so useful because I can copy, paste, and adjust into my plans during the school year.  This has really been a time saver in the long run.  Plus, I am a big picture person and I am more effective if I know what is coming.

2.  I read in the genre, looking for mentor texts appropriate for the grade level.

The units name some mentor texts, but there are so many more out there.  I read as much as I can, after all I need to be ready to write with the kids!

A few additional thoughts…

• During the year, as I am teaching a unit, I read the dialogue that LC includes for each session before I teach it.
• I put in a lot of my own lessons into the LC units, more each year as I get to know the kids, standards, and units better.
• I’m finding that the fifth grade writing units, especially the Memoir one I am working through now, is more “fluffy” than the third grade ones.  Anyone else?
• Don’t be scared of LC or the Units of Study!
• My dog snores…

Save

Virtual Vision Board

 

 

Troy is the most amazing child I have ever met.   I realize that I am biased, but he is special.  I need to remember that regardless of all of the mistakes I have made and will continue to make, he is a good kid.  I want to continue to encourage him to be himself: that creative, unique boy, mismatched socks and all.

A Library!  I want a library in my house!  It needs to have lots of high shelves, filled with books.  And a ladder!  A sliding ladder!  I will have one of these one day!

“I love crazy!”  Do you know where this is from? Frozen.   Toward the end of the school year my co-teacher and I were listening to Disney Pandora when I heard this line.  Immediately I said, “That is what I we need! Well…we each need separate guys that like our kind of crazy.”  (or something like that) And so, I will settle for nothing less than someone who loves my kind of crazy!

OPEN is my One Little Word for 2016.  If you don’t know about this idea, I would suggest looking into it.   It has honestly changed me much more than any resolution I have ever made.

If you are a teacher, you know why this is part of my virtual vision board.  Standing up for what you think is best for the kids isn’t easy, but I can’t stop questioning.

“Be Someone’s Crazy Aunt!”  I think I’ve got this one covered and, coincidentally, I just got confirmation this weekend.  I was at my grandparents house and so was my sister, brother-in-law, and two nephews.  I got up to get something to drink from inside and my four year old nephew took my seat.  So, of course I made a big deal of it, sat next to the chair, and stuck my feet (my bare, stinky, dirty feet) in his face.  He looked at me and said, “You’re weird!”  SCORE!

Use Your Words:  I just finished this book yesterday and it has been so motivational and though provoking.  It is a symbol to keep writing, make time for it.  More posts about this are in progress!

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

“Keep on believing.”

Save

Monopoly

Next year will bring a new adventure for me – I am moving on up to fifth grade.  This means a new curriculum, a new developmental age, and a new group of writers.  In preparation, I started reading Write Like This by Kelly Gallagher.

After the first chapter, the chapters are organized by purpose.  Already, I am trying to figure out how I can blend this with Lucy and my Writing Workshop.

Chapter 2 is focused on Express and Reflect and it is filled with so many great strategies to teach the kids.  I can’t wait to use them during the first month of workshop in August/September:  Bucket List, Neighborhood Spot, Family Photo…

The one that got me writing in my notebook:  Childhood Game.  Gallagher suggests that writers make a list of childhood games and then choose one to write about that “Taught you something  beyond the game itself.”

Here is my draft:

I loved playing Monopoly, but I was never any good until I learned what the word monopoly means – one person owns everything.  Then, I crushed it.

If I landed on it, I bought it (even if that meant mortgaging my properties).  It payed off in the long run. I’ve only lost one time since that realization.

Looking back on it – Monopoly taught me that you can only win if you go all in. You have to put everything you have into something – 120% if you want to come out on top.  No playing it safe.  It gets scary, but don’t give up until you’ve got nothing left.  That ca$h will come rolling in!