Eudora Welty - A Mentor's Mentor

In the late 1980s, my friend and colleague, Laura Benson, recommended One Writer's Beginnings to us at a workshop.  I remember her sharing sections of it and I immediately went to The Bookies for a copy (at that time The Bookies was still in an old bungalow off 6th Avenue... crammed to the brim with books).  

I think it was one of the first hard cover "professional" books I ever purchased and it still has a special place on my bookshelf.  It's the narrative of Eudora's falling in love with language, writing, and story. It's broken into three sections "Listening," "Learning to See," and "Finding a Voice." Based on her lectures, it captures her story of becoming a writer... finding her voice after years of listening and observing those around her.

Imagine for a minute if we used those three section titles as a "curriculum guide"... if we, indeed, took all the complexities we face as teachers and filtered them through what a young girl from Mississippi deemed important as a learner.  As teachers of reading and writing, could we not couch our work in those three areas?  

What if our guiding questions became:

What are the ways my students are learning to listen?

What are the ways my students are learning to see?

What are the ways my students are developing a sense of their own voice?

How?  Why?  So what?

If we simply (or not so simply) helped our students (and ourselves) to "listen," wouldn't we already be one step ahead.  Listen to the rhythm of these words.  Listen to your fellow learners, what did you hear?  Listen as I share this part out loud with you, what do you notice?  Listen to your own understanding, what's floating in your mind right now?  There's something in this piece that I want to try in my own writing, did you hear it?  Listen again. Listen to the pattern of the words, the sentences, the text... what's beating in your heart?  Your mind?    Listening.

Now "See."  See what's around you (write it down).  See what he just did, do you suppose you might have a go with that?  See how that vowel pattern works, are you learning to recognize it?  See how this illustration matches the words the author uses.  Close your eyes for just a moment, what do you see?  When she shared her poem with you, what did you see?  When you share your writing with him, what did he tell you he saw?  Watch me, tell me what you see... now let me watch you and I'll tell you what I see.  Learning to See.

Find a Voice.  Did you hear the way you said that... it sounded just like _____ (insert your favorite author's name)?  You should write about that, it's an important story.  Your thinking is really important, you might recommend this book to someone you think might enjoy it.  You did create a sensory image, how did it help you?  If someone, right now, asked you what you were thinking, what might you tell them?  You know, not many people can capture a moment in time as beautifully as you just did... how will you share it with others?  Finding a voice. 

Listening.

Learning to See.

Finding a Voice.

Listen to Eudora's words as she describes an important discovery she made about books:

It has been startling and disappointing to me to find out 

that story books had been written by people, that books were not

natural wonders, coming up of themselves like grass.  Yet regardless

of where they came from, I cannot remember a time when I was not in 

love with them--with the books themselves, cover and binding and the paper

they were printed on, with their smell and their weight and with their possession

in my arms, captured and carried off to myself.  Still illiterate, I was ready for 

them, committed to all the reading I could give them.  (Welty, pp. 5-6)

That's exactly what I want my students to do, to commit themselves to understanding all that books can give them.  Not based on a number of books they plow through.  Not based on a "level" or a specific genre.  Not based on the number of minutes they read.  Not based on the questions they can answer after a read.  Not based on some mystical "core" description of what a reader is or is not.  Not based on a test.  I want the readers in my care to fall in love with the books themselves.  And perhaps if they listen and learn and see my passion for reading and writing, they will perhaps, in turn, find their own voices as readers and writers.

If you haven't read One Writer's Beginnings, you should.  If you haven't read one of Eudora Welty's works, you should.  If you haven't explored her descriptions of life in Mississippi, you should.  There's something grand about her language, her words, the tempo of her writing.  Her simple southern life gave her writing a complex and varied cadence.  And as you read Welty, you have to keep "Listening, Learning to See, and Finding a Voice" in mind.  Eudora Welty is a mentor's mentor.  

Also read A Darling Life:  A Biography of Eudora Welty by Carolyn J. Brown.  Ms. Brown has captured the life... in words and photographs (many of Welty's own)... of Eudora Welty for a new generation of learners.  This time for young readers and writers.  From her childhood in Jackson, Mississippi to political unrest to her declining years, Ms. Brown captures the journey of Miss Welty stunningly.  She lead a simple, albeit extraordinary, life.  Listen to these words from Miss Welty:

Lately, in my old age, it has seemed to me, when friends meet to hold

a public service to pay tribute to one of their number who has died, that 

without words to that effect ever being said, they are drawing a circle 

around that friend.  Speaking in turn one after the other, joining them 

together anew, they keep what they know of him intact.

Eurdora Welty, Introduction, The Norton Bok of Friendship  (Brown, p. 75) 

I'm thinking we all need to draw a circle around these two books for a bit of time... just to listen... to see... and perhaps find a bit of our voice, both as teachers and as readers and writers ourselves.  To keep Eudora Welty's contributions as a writer intact... read!

Don Brown - What a Writer!

Since beginning All-en-a-Day's Work, I've recommended several of Don Brown's books:  Gold! Gold from the American River, Teedie: The Story of Young Teddy Roosevelt, Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein. 

Don Brown is one of my favorite children's authors.  It could be the subject matter--people starting out as the "underdog," but triumphing in the end.  It could be his writing style--a wonderful mix of nonfiction narrative and the notes he includes in the back of his books.  It could be his illustrations--the simplistic detail that brings each text to life.  It could be the kid appeal--there's not a Don Brown book that I've shared with students that they haven't loved... and haven't asked to read independently.  It could simply just be his brilliance!

In Conferring:  The Keystone of Reader's Workshop I mention several of Don's books when I discuss the idea of strengthening stamina and endurance in young readers.  I think he understands the importance of working hard, exploring passion, and enduring the difficult times that create strength... in character, in life, in learning!  He has an amazing knack of bridging the gap of history with his stories, which are all grounded in the truth of the character's lives that he, indeed, brings to life.  

This week, I spent some time adding to my Don Brown Collection.  Oh sure, I had to dig for some his books, but I found them (although I'd love shiny new copies, many of them are used and well-loved).  Well worth the dig!

My current favorite is Bright Path the story of Young Jim Thorpe.  Jim Thorpe... once the "greatest athlete in the world"... whose story is amazing.  My fourth graders were mesmerized by his accomplishments and he quickly became the topic of study and intrigue among some of my students.  

In Bright Path there are several snippets of writing that my students and I found to be brilliant.  Here's a sample...

Summer or winter, Jim seemed to spend all his time in the

open.  He hunted, stalking raccoons, tracking deer, or snaring

quail in traps made of cornstalks.  He played wild games with 

his friends, too.  His favorite was Follow-the-Leader where Jim

and the other boys swam rivers, climbed trees, and dashed 

among the livestock.

But life wasn't all games and hunting.   

As my young writers were working on their own nonfiction writing, they chose to attempt to emulate Don's magical rhythm, the structure of his sentences, the "But" at the end.  And, in  Don's books, you'll find a similar cadence, the same play with words.  His writing is wonderful.  It's bright!

But what I really love about using Don Brown's work with young learners is the way that he invites us into the lives of famous and infamous people... to share a bit of their story that's real and honest and often humbling.  Human.  It's the humanity in which Don couches his words that makes his books a must have for any classroom library... from the youngest readers to the most seasoned readers.  Each of his books deserve to be held up as shining examples of the importance of lifetime learning... of enduring.. of staying the course. 

My advice?  Start building your Don Brown collection as soon as possible!  He's THAT good.

Book Love - An Interview with Penny Kittle

My colleagues always ask me how I find the time to read professionally.  My answer is, "How can I not?"  It's what keeps me grounded... in learning, in current thinking, in the underpinnings that frame and enhance my beliefs as a teacher.

I often pull Harwayne, Miller, Graves, Fletcher, Ray, Rief, Fox, Tovani, Smith, Keene off my shelve (along with many other important readers and writers who challenge my thinking).  Whenever I need a push, a nudge, a regrounding, a kick in the pants... my old friends are there to greet me, challenge me, and move my thinking forward (or reenergize my core beliefs).

And, I'm so glad I have Penny Kittle on that list as well.  Her new book Book Love: Developing Depth, Stamina, and Passion in Adolescent Readers is a grand read.  In it, she encourages us to think of our students as readers for a lifetime.  Penny nudges us to help students develop the stamina and strategies they need to become readers who read because they want to read.  Using trust as the backbone of her work, Penny emphasizes the importance of becoming a reader who chooses to read and builds the capacity for students to become the kinds of readers who read with purpose and passion.

I am so glad that Penny agreed to let me interview her.  And, I'm glad Book Love is at my fingertips.  It's an important addition to our professional world.  Enjoy our conversation: 

First of all, your acknowledgment page is so endearing.  What was your inspiration for using the photo booth snapshots?

The acknowledgments page came about by accident.  My husband got that filmstrip photo booth strip from my mom laminated as a bookmark on a holiday years ago, and he's used it ever since.  I took a photo copy of it and pasted it in my notebook because I was writing about being five and there was such spirit there in those photos.  I wanted to remember that and write from that place--and my Winnie-the-Pooh stocking hat I'm wearing--I wore it everywhere.  I started writing next to the photos and then it became a place where I was listing all of the people that were helping me get Book Love to print.  Suddenly I just knew--it felt right to include it, since the introduction speaks of my falling in love with books as a small child.  But I wanted to write much more about every person's contribution and tried to, it just wouldn't fit.  No book is written alone--no book that I've written anyway.

In your acknowledgments, you mention both Don Murray and Don Graves.  What would you tell a teacher who asks about their work?

I had been reading books by Don Murray and Don Graves for most of my teaching life.  When my husband was offered a job here in New Hampshire, I remember telling him I'd move because of the University of New Hampshire and the possibility that I could meet the Dons--and Tom Newkirk, Jane Hansen, Linda Rief, Tom Romano.  The Dons wrote many of the most important books I've read about teaching writing.  They were first.  They are the foundation of the writing process teaching we all emulate.

Murray and Graves were best friends for more than 35 years--and spoke on the phone every day after Don Graves retired and moved to the White Mountains (where I live).  Murray created a writing workshop in freshman composition at UNH.  He held individual conferences with his students and showed them what he did as a writer himself (Murray won the Pulitzer Prize while a journalist in Boston).  Graves studied the way young children wrote--from drawings to words.  He had an office down the hall from Murray and the two often spoke about the possibilities of teaching the writing process to young writers.  When Graves wrote Writing: Teachers and Children at Work, it was Murray who helped him find his voice for the book.  That book revolutionized the teaching of writing and established Heinemann as a leader in educational publishing.  The Dons discovered so much together that has taught all of us.  But they also laughed a great deal and were together in the hardest times--Graves conducted the funeral service for Murray's daughter Lee, who died at 19, for example.  They shared their writing almost every day by email and continually pushed each other in writing and in thinking.

It is one of the great gifts in my life that I knew them both so well.  They helped me believe in myself as a writer and also helped in bringing my first book from my notebook to its finished form.  They always welcomed me in--as a writer and a friend.  There were huge shifts in thinking in education because of their work. I hope we never forget it.

In my book, Conferring: The Keystone of Reader’s Workshop, I write a lot about building stamina and strengthening endurance.  Reading Stamina is a huge issue in most classrooms today.  In Book Love you tackle the topic too.  How do you encourage the teachers you work with to move stamina to the forefront of their instruction?

I'm glad you brought up your wonderful book on conferring.  I love that book, Patrick. I've read it twice and bought it for many friends here.  You are a master in the art of workshop teaching.

For years I've been trying to understand stamina in reading in high school.  My students didn't have it.  They didn't practice reading, and they came to me often (much too often) having dodged difficult reading for years.  They Sparknoted their way through English class and waited for content teachers to give them the notes from the textbook, so they didn't read much at all.  One way I help teachers understand this problem is filming my students who share their experiences as readers.  I've also made movies to show what happens when we put idiosyncratic reading lives in a central place in a high school English classroom.  Students are so willing to challenge themselves.  They'll read more than we could have imagined.

I think most high school teachers would say they weren't ignoring stamina, but they believed it could be built by slowly reading hard texts with students.  And I think one kind of stamina is built that way--but it isn't to prepare a student for college reading.  College reading is lots of pages a week and students need to experience that volume before they get there.  Studying difficult texts most often does not build a reading life for a student, either.  None of us do something that is almost always hard enough.

I believe high school English has to have parallel tracks in reading--one track is slow and difficult and often dependent on guidance from the teacher through difficult texts--but the other track should be the opportunity for students to build stamina through finding books that interest and engage them, causing them to read a lot and read willingly.  This isn't casual reading.  It isn't something we can just recommend our students do or pay scant attention to in our teaching and hope that is enough.  We have to monitor their lives as readers and help students reach for more difficult texts they can comprehend and enjoy independently.  It is real work day after day, but the payoff is huge.

One of my favorite chapters is chapter four, “Opening Doors into Reading.”  Maybe it’s all the arches… maybe it’s because I’ve worked hard to develop my own classroom library.  

What do you do to nudge teachers to fill their classroom shelves with books?

Building classroom libraries is a passion of mine.  I make a lot of lists (with students) to recommend to teachers and then I book talk wonderful books everywhere I go.  When I guest teach in a classroom I almost always leave a book behind.  This year I have been building classroom libraries with content teachers.  We have ordered hundreds of books connected to science, math, social studies, marketing, etc.  Now we're booktalking those and kids are reading them.

The last thing I've done is establish a non-profit foundation (booklovefoundation.org) that will provide classroom libraries of 500 books to teachers who apply and are chosen to receive the books by the Board of Directors.  I have big dreams, but it is hard work to pull together.  We are still figuring out lists of books (I have some great helpers there) and shipping and soliciting donations, so it will be a challenge to get our first sets of books out this August as planned, but I'm determined.  I will post updates on Twitter.

Ahh… conferring.  What’s your favorite part of a reading conference?   As you confer, what runs through your mind?

Conferring is the best teaching I do.  It is a daily joy.  It is the opportunity to really listen to what a student is trying to say or what he thinks about a book and then just sharing in that thinking and figuring out how I can move the student a little farther.  As I'm conferring I'm always thinking two things, "Stop talking, Kittle--listen," and "What does this student need?"  Conferring keeps me on the edge because I can't anticipate what will come up and I sometimes don't know the answer--it pushes me as a teacher.  And as Katie Wood Ray said, "It is one of teaching's greatest joys."

I love the term “interdependent readers.”  You clearly have high expectations for learners.  How has your thinking continued to evolve around this idea since you finished writing Book Love?

I love this question... How has my thinking about readers continued to evolve since I sent Book Love to publication?  Right now I am in the midst of two projects in two different classrooms--mine and my colleague's (who teaches 6th grade at one of our elementary schools).  In my classrooms we called it the non-fiction Q3 challenge.  I brought in copies of non-fiction books--about 20 titles in all--and students previewed them and talked about them and gathered in small groups to figure out a title they wanted to read together.  Then I set them up like literature circles with time to create a schedule for reading and time to talk.  It has been marvelous to watch how it unfolds.  In one group they read about 75 pages in and two of the group members were miserable with the book, so they all agreed to change and start over. The students are dependent on each other in ways I hadn't seen yet this year.  It is exciting to be in my room on a book discussion day.

In 6th grade, my colleague got 40 copies of one title so she gave one to each student and just told them to read as far as they wanted to that night.  The next day she organized kids into groups based on where they were in the book and those groups created their own schedules for the rest of the reading.  As they've finished (at different times) they've explored projects they want to do in connection to the book and most are researching things they thought about in connection to the reading.  I love how in both cases how fast or slowly you read is not stopping students from enjoying the reading and learning with other students.

Lastly, we're on year three of challenging my district policy banning goodreads and other social networking sites that revolve around books.  My students have written some compelling letters and this year we're going to break through... I'm sure of it.  My students need connections to readers to feed them during the summer and after high school, interdependent in a larger community of readers.

What’s your greatest hope for the readers of Book Love?

My greatest hope for the readers of Book Love is that they will find ways to open up reading to students--to invite them into a relationship with books that will last for the rest of their lives.  Some of my readers are parents and I hope they will find ways to talk with their children about books beyond just what is required reading at school.  My greatest hope is that more young people will find themselves in books.

What are you most proud of as a reader and writer yourself?  As a teacher?

It's hard to answer this question, Patrick.  I feel blessed, not proud.  Blessed to be a teacher and to still be so inspired by the students I meet each year.  I love that I find books that teach me every month.  I find knew ways to see and understand because a writer had the courage to put it on paper.

As a writer, I just feel grateful that anyone reads what I write.  My writing has brought me wonderful friends and experiences I'll never forget.  I am continually humbled by how hard it is to write.  I am proud that I've been willing to send my words out into the world, though. It has never been easy.  Writing has taught me how to teach, and I know I'm a better teacher because I struggle beside my students.

What’s your current passion, both personally and professionally?

I am working on personal essays--although I'm not sure that's what they're called.  I've been reading Joan Didion and Eula Biss and John Jeremiah Sullivan and David Foster Wallace and studying how they make their essays work.  I've got quite a list in my notebook of big things I want to write about (none about education) and I'm slowly working my way through them in a rambling narrative essay form.  I've found some pretty interesting threads and some real surprises.  I don't have an audience, although I've shared one essay with four people and the others with my husband.  It's writing for me--and it is filled with risk.  I like it.  I feel free of deadlines and expectations.  Sometimes I write things I didn't know I knew.

Professionally, I've made improving my conferences with students a goal of mine this year.  I am filming conferences all the time and trying to learn from what I see and hear.  My students have been very patient.  Conferring is at the center of differentiation in a reading and writing workshop, so it is the right place for me to work.

Why read professionally?  Pick up Book Love or any other professional book and read... think about your own teaching, contemplate the changes that are occurring in education and make a decision about your core beliefs, think about ways to questions the status quo, talk to a friend, blog!  That's why I do it.  And, thank you Penny for helping us better make sense of this wonderful world we call teaching!

Happiness is... Jangles!

Happiness is going out to dinner with your daughter.  Happiness is going to the Tattered Cover after dinner with a long lost gift card burning a hole in your pocket.  Happiness is finding David Shannon's book Jangles: A Big Fish Story on the shelves!  I read the first page, I read the last few pages... and I plopped the book into my shopping pile!  Then I got home...

     "When the sun goes down and the weather's just right, Big Lake gets smooth as glass and a thin mist whispers across it.  That's when you might catch a glimpse of Jangles..."  This book is about the embellished fishing tale of Jangles, the elusive fish, that haunts the fishing minds of every fisherman.  You know Jangles don't you?  He's the fish we all want to catch.  He's the "one that got away."  He's the one who swims through the lakes with fishing lures and hooks decorating his jaws... "They clinked and clattered as he swam. That's why he was called Jangles."

     But in true David Shannon brilliance there's a strange "hook" at the end of the story.  I'm telling you, my jaw dropped when I read it!  Dropped like a lead sinker.

     I can't wait to share this book with my 4th graders.  And if anyone doubts that narrative text isn't alive and well and living and breathing in the hearts and minds of readers, they need to read this book.  As teachers, we need to remember that this kind of writing is breathtaking.  Important.  And, given the spin in today's writer's workshops (you know what I mean), we need to ask, "Is that more important than doing what is right?"

     I'm starting a study of "evoking sensory images" this week and this book has made it onto the planning guide for my study.  THIS is the kind of writing that makes me happy to be a reader and a writer.  

     Happiness is, after all, finding a book you love and can't wait to share... hook, line, and sinker!

Hand in Hand

I've always admired the work of Brian Pinkney.  There's something striking about his artwork with its marvelous twists and swirls, the richness of the colors blended with the black ink... the fact that he often scratches away ink to define his subjects, filling white spaces with color.  He's an amazing illustrator, writer, and collaborator.
     I've always admired the work of Andrea David Pinkney.  Her words are rich and haunting.  I read once that she never leaves home without her writing notebook.  She's a writer's role model.  She has the incredible knack of transforming important ideas into captivating words... topics of great human interest.
     I've always admired the collaborations between this amazing couple.  What I love most about the Pinkneys is their sense of family.  In every interview I have read or in any talk that I've heard, both mention that family is their priority.  They share their family focus with honesty and humor.  For them to collaborate on Hand in Hand:  Ten Black Men Who Changed America is a gift to all of us.  It provides us with an important message about life.
     In the book, Andrea tells the stories of ten men who, through education and learning, overcame the injustices that they faced.  Freedom... justice... equality... honor... those are the themes that resonate throughout this book.  Ms. Pinkney has written ten stunning biographies of black men whose lives have impacted society in a variety ways.  As I read this book, however, her words transcended race as she shared the stories of fortitude, endurance, and patience.  This book is about men who faced adversity with power and grace... and she tells each man's story by focusing on his vision for making his world a better place.
     Each man's story is coupled with a poem.  The biographical poetry that precedes each piece is the perfect synthesis of the story it introduces.  As I read, I found myself moving from poem, to story, back to poem, back to story.  What a wonderful mentor Ms. Pinkey is for writers... the structure of this text will serve young writers well.
     I plan to use this text when my students write biographies of famous Coloradans.  I've been searching for books that create that juxtapose between poetry and biography.  Which comes first?  I'll leave that up to the writer, but what a grand way to write with intention and purpose.  Stunning!
     And, Brian's illustrations are breathtaking.  The portraits are captivating.  As I write this, I'm looking into the eyes of Pinkey's Jackie Robinson and I'm mesmerized.  The catchlight in his eyes.  The slight swirl on his left cheek.  The hint of red on his brow.  Mr. Pinkey's illustrations are magical really.  
     If, like me, you are drawn to the Pinkey's work, you'll love this collection; particularly if you work with older children.  As we celebrate civil rights in America, this collection shouldn't go unnoticed!  Ms. Pinkey writes, "It is my hope that the qualities embodied in the stories of each Hand in Hand man will encourage young readers to build connections that will link them to their birthright of excellence."  The sooner this book makes it into the hands of students, the sooner her hope will come to fruition.  

The Hickory Chair

I loved Gran's smell, and her warm face when 

we played touch-your-nose at the gold mirror, 

and her salty kisses when we sat on Gramps's old army trunk 

 in the attic and listened to the wind sing on the roof.

     I love The Hickory Chair by Lisa Rowe Fraustino and it holds a prominent place in my little collection of books.  There's something profound about the story the author weaves as Louis's relationship with his Gran is slowly revealed... a relationship that goes beyond sight (Louis is blind).  I've used the book during a study of "evoking sensory images" and "drawing inferences."  I've used it during of a study of enhancing endurance and stamina.  It's become one of my go-to books.

     Louis uses his senses and "blind sight" as the story unfolds.  He loves his Gran, "She has a good alive smell--lilacs, with a whiff of bleach."  In the book, Gran dies and her family slowly learns about the things she's left them in her will... everyone except Louis.  In the end, he gets her hickory chair.  He feels as if the woman he loves the most in the world has forgotten him (until the end).  It's beautifully written. 

     The illustrations by Benny Andrews capture the images perfectly.  There's something magical about their simplicity.

     In the end, it's the hickory chair that makes all the difference in the world.  And, this book is a lovely, lyrical well-crafted journey about a relationship that lasts a lifetime and beyond.

A letter found in my files

A few weeks ago, I was looking through a few of my files and ran across another brilliant piece of writing by my friend Lois.  

I've blogged about her before... she was a mentor, friend, and fellow teacher for many years.  Lois died on June 23, 2008 after a lengthy battle with breast cancer.  I wrote about her strength and endurance in Conferring:  The Keystone of Reader's Workshop.  And, not a day goes by that I don't think of my teaching days with Lois, Judy, and Randi (under the incomparable leadership of Laura)... those were the days... thinkers and learners, together!  We mentored one another and asked big questions and children were always at the heart of our work and conversations and inquiry into "What can we do next?"  I yearn for the professional discourse we shared... "all for one and one for all!"

Lois had a masters degree in Gifted Education and an amazing knack of meeting the needs of all children--those who were "dormant" and those who were "highly-abled."  She looked at children as individuals (including her own three children).  She was always reflecting on her teaching.  She was always reflecting on the needs of her students.  She was a writer, artist, mathematician... a teacher's teacher... and constantly honed her craft.  Yet, she was one of the most humble and nonjudgmental people I've ever met... she was shy, until it was time to stand up for a child.  She was not afraid to take a stand.  I admired her courage.

In 1999, she wrote a letter to our "Student Support Team" (at that time part of the pre-referral process) after referring a child for "support" and she shared a copy with me.  In kind, I thought I'd share it with you.  Why?  I find it apropos.  I think it speaks to our need to support the learners in our care.  I find it thought provoking.  I think it's intriguing.  I think Lois was a thinker before her time.  

I'm using this letter as a bookmark in my current professional read.  I've read this letter at least ten times in the last few weeks.  Like Donald Graves, Lois was a teacher whose work will always remain current... the words of great thinkers continue to inspire me.  Please enjoy her words, they speak for themselves!

I think Lois wouldn't mind my sharing it (I removed names and pronouns to make it generic):

January 31, 1999

Dear Members of the Student Support Team:

Even though many of the members are my close friends and respected colleagues, I have found taking a student to this committee a frustrating experience.  In my opinion, issues of timeliness, purpose and respect are important for us all to examine. 

First of all, dealing with this committee has caused extreme delays in getting help for my students.  I submitted three names to the committee two months ago.  You just got around to the first of my students this week.  Now we have another six weeks of "interventions" before the follow up meeting on March 11.  In my opinion, twelve weeks of delay is unacceptable and unnecessary.  Who knows when you plan to begin my other two students?

Secondly, the purpose of my referral was misunderstood.  The student I referred is not failing.  ___ is not failing because of the many interventions (which apparently you do not count as interventions) put in place my myself, by specials teachers, by previous teachers, and by very concerned and conscientious parents.  My point, as stated on the pre-referral form, was that all these interventions should not be necessary for a student who appears to be competent in many ways.  I believe there is something wrong with ___ processing of information and am concerned that the middle school staff will not be as diligent as we have been.  This ___ with so much potential is in danger of getting lost in the system and may give up.  More interventions, while welcome in many situations, were not appropriate in this case. 

Finally, there is the issue of respect.  Brainstorming, in front of parents, such solutions as preferential seating and presentation of directions auditorally and visually was insulting and demeaning to me as a classroom teacher.  If this is necessary for some teachers, parents do not need to be present to hear it. 

In conclusion, the present system for S.S.T. is cumbersome, ineffective and insulting.  Please withdraw the names of my other two students, ___ and ___ from future consideration.  I will find other ways to deal with their problems.  With all the criticism of public education today, we do not need to do this to each other. 

Sincerely, 

Lois

Me... Jane - Patrick McDonnell... Brilliant!

My daughter knows Patrick McDonnell because "Mutts" is one of her favorite comics (and she was happy to learn that there is the possibility of a Mutts movie).  I know Patrick McDonnell because he is a brilliant author and illustrator.  Together, we discovered Me... Jane (check out the video on Patrick McDonnell's site) on our recent shopping spree at The Tatter Cover here in Denver.
     We have enjoyed The Gift of Nothing and Wag! and Art... but we both fell head-over-heels in love with Me... Jane.  Perhaps because it tells the story of Dr. Jane Goodall from a different perspective, beginning with her stuffed chimpanzee named Jubilee and ending with a subtle "to awake one day... to her dream come true."  The text ends so softly and beautifully!  When we read it together, side-by-side at the bookstore, an audible gasp could be heard between us... my sixth grade daughter and I breathing in the brilliance of Me... Jane as we read it "once for our heads... and then again for our hearts." (Conferring, p. 52 - and, thanks to my friend Randi Allison for introducing me to this concept). 
     The book tells us the story of Jane Goodall as I've never read it before... and it's written with rhythm, simplicity, and gentleness.  When you open to the page with the drawing of Jane lying with Jubilee hand-in-hand, the words, "It was a magical world full of joy and wonder, and Jane felt very much a part of it," you, too, will gasp!  Patrick McDonnell takes us on a journey through Jane's childhood that I can't stop thinking about... and I keep wondering, "Are we instilling the same sense of wonder, passion, and inquisitiveness in our own children or students?" 
     I can't get this book out of my mind.  As I started school this week, looking into the faces of 29 different learners, I pondered this book and its message of hope.  Are we, as teachers, doing enough to nudge and encourage the future Janes of the world, given the fact that our world is so ever-changing?  Are we, as teachers, given the time, authentic resources, and freedom to let children explore their passions?  Are we, as teachers, providing enough choice in our classrooms for inquiry to flourish?  And, how can we, in a place called school, do more... esp. when more and more our teaching transactions are dictated by mandates, programs, and achievement pressure knocking on our doors daily telling us what's important and how exactly to teach.  Important to ponder, no?
     For me, it's books like Me... Jane that I need to keep in mind as I begin this school year.  It's the joy that my daughter and I felt when we read this book together that I have to keep in mind as I try to blend the "mandates" with my real purpose as a teacher.  I can't wait to read it to my students... it's going in my "Endurance" basket.  
     Check it out... it's lovely!  As you read it, like Jane, you will feel "your own heart beating, beating, beating."

No One But You

Tomorrow I go back to school.  As usual, I'm pondering the new year a lot.  My mind has been racing for the last week!  I still have about 100 things to do... and a short time to do it.  It seems as if summer just started.  Tomorrow I have a ton of work to do!
      To relax a bit today, I spent the afternoon at one of our local independent bookstores, The Tattered Cover.  It's always such a treat to spend the afternoon shopping with your children, perusing the shelves.  My youngest son and daughter went with me!  We had a great time drinking coffee (and hot chocolate), perusing, and chatting about books.  My son came with us and then I dropped him downtown to join his friends at Tha Myx (His youth group joins them periodically for service events).  It was a great afternoon.*
     My daughter and I found ourselves in the children's department for nearly two hours... just long enough to fill two bags with books.  My son hung out in the music section...
     No One But You by Douglas Wood is one of the books that made it into my overflowing basket.  There was something provocative about the book... from the the cover illustration to the narrative text to the last line, I was hooked.  I was looking for a book to start out the year with... (last year it was Necks Out For Adventure by Timothy Basil Ering.  We used it as our "theme" for the year... rereading it several times and asking "How are we sticking our necks out right now?").
     This book ends, "And no one – no one in all the wide world but you - can feel the feelings in your heart, knowing that someone loves you…and saying words only your lips can say; 'I love you, too.' No one but you."  It's a perfect sentiment, "No One But You!"  As I read through the book, I realized that it's going to be our "go to" book this year.  I'm reading it the first week as we talk about ownership, exploration, and growth.  Who's in charge? "No one but you..."
     I think it's the perfect book to start out the year (thanks again, Candlewick Press for publishing such great books).  I love the text (even though it's not school specific) and the illustrations are amazing.  I can't wait to share it with my students!  

- - - - - - - - 

Thanks for the gift certificate... you know who you are!  It was a special treat even though it's taken me this long to get there!

I'll be blogging a bit about some of my other finds!  Stay tuned.   

Ahh... Van Allsburg!

I've been a fan of Chris Van Allsburg for most of my career.  I remember listening to him as I sat on the floor of The Bookies (our local bookstore) more years ago than I like to count (he looked so "bookish" in his tweed jacket with leather patched sleeves)!  He was one of the first children's authors I saw up close and personal.  I remember my first encounter with his work when my wife, then girlfriend, shared Jumanji with me when we were both in college.  She read it for her children's literature class and we were both in awe.  Since then he's become one of my (our) favorite illustrators and writers (My favorite book is Bad Day at Riverbend).
     What I love most about his work is that he stretches curiosity.  He piques interest.  He expands vocabulary.  He takes risks.  He weaves surrealism into the every day lives of the reader.  He moves beyond ordinary to extraordinary.  He always takes me on a journey of thought and challenges me as a reader.  And his illustrations are always amazing and unique!
     I was excited to see Queen of the Falls!  And, it doesn't disappoint... Once again, Chris Van Allsburg moved be through an exciting journey (leaning on nonfiction this time) as a reader.  In the book, Van Allsburg tells the story of 62-year-old Annie Edson Taylor, who in 1901 becomes the "first" person to go over Niagara Falls!  What else was a "charming" woman to do when her charm school closed?  Make a name for herself.  She becomes the "Queen" after attempting something only the bravest daredevil might consider... what a lady!  It's written and drawn beautifully.
     This is the perfect book to add to your Van Allsburg collection.  I can see using it when we talk about "endurance and stamina" as learners.  I think it shows the kind of persistence, courage, and introspection that learners need to be successful.  I'm so glad Chris Van Allsburg decided to take on this exciting topic with his genius.  I hope it's not the last time he tackles a story like this one.  I remain a fan!

Thanks again, Don Brown!

Another great book by Don Brown.  He's taken his rightful place on to my list of all-time favorite authors.  Gold! Gold From the American River! is just one of the reasons why.

     In this book, Don Brown recounts the time when James Marshall finds a small shiny rock in a stream in California.  The result?  The California gold rush.  

     In this book, Brown recounts the amazing journey of the gold rush and its significance in our history.  He tells about the difficult journey of traveling across the country to find fortune.  He tells the stories of wise entrepreneurs who made their fortune and those whose hard labor made it happen.  Using accounts from archives of actual firsthand accounts, he captures the true essence of this important aspect of our country's history. 

     Don Brown's website says, "Don connects history to student's lives. He introduces them to the struggles of real people, and explores the nature of perseverance and its importance to achievement."  And, no matter the subject, he does just that.

      I first discovered Don Brown's work with Odd Boy Out, one of the books I use to talk to my students about "endurance and stamina" (I write about this in Conferring: The Keystone of Reader's Workshop).  And, with each subsequent book he's written, I've added Don Brown's work to my growing stack of books that show learners why developing endurance is important.

     I love the personal accounts of the forty-niners and their experiences during the gold rush... it was treacherous, arduous, and filled with toil.  The illustrations add to the difficult, often tragic, account of the gold hunters and miners as they encounter difficulties.  And, Don Brown, recounts the story without "glamor," but chooses instead to include the darker tales of this time in history.  

     Thank you, Don Brown, for focusing on major historical events and people... and bringing these stories alive so brilliantly for young reader!

Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic

I just received a copy of Night Flight written by Robert Burleigh and illustrated by Wendell Minor.  It's a beautiful picture book published by Simon and Schuster.  Wendell Minor discussing the process of illustrating the book is definitely worth the watch (click on the title and his name).
     I've always been fascinated by Amelia Earhart's story and this book only adds to the magic!  It's written as a lyrical account of her most famous flight across the Atlantic in 1932.  She became the first woman to cross the Atlantic solo (and was the second person to do so) and her name has gone down in history as one our most famous aviators. 
     I was intrigued by the way the author captured every detail of the flight using such rich language, poetically and purposefully.  Written in mostly third person narrative mode, the text draws the reader into the flight with lines like, "Her stomach churns from the smell of leaking gas," and "Amelia Earhart leans back in the cockpit.  There is an unbelievable stillness inside her."  It's beautifully written.  
     And, Wendell Minor's illustrations are captivating.  Starting from the first page with Amelia's eyes gleaming through the windshield of her red Vega to the lightning that flashes across the sky in the middle of the ocean to the look of worry on her face partway through the flight to Amelia's victorius wave at the farmer at the end of the book, Minor uses color and light to create the perfect sense of what the flight must have been like for Amelia.  I found myself as captivated by the illustrations as I was by the author's words.
     Night Flight will be the perfect edition to my collection of books that show how important "endurance" and "stamina" are to become successful (especially as learners).  I can hardly wait to read it to my students.  Amelia's story is an amazing combination of courage and strength.  And, both author and illustrator captured her story in a unique and beautiful way!