Ahh... Father's Day

Father's Day.  My card today read, "Being a father is not about being Superman.  It's about being there."  Signed by all the kids.  Graham, who arrived home late last night after a week in San Francisco with his girlfriend and is now back at work (and neglected to tell me he was arriving home a day later than originally planned... so I enjoyed two drives to the airport).  Jens, who signs everything "Your jolly good son, Jens!", who is on a week-long youth service project with his pals from church, working with inner-city children.  Anneke, signed in absentia by Lauryn, who is working at a summer camp this summer in the mountains (and learning that treating children with respect and smiles has its rewards) with her best high school friend and her best college friend.  And, Lauryn, who helped me celebrate the day at home (with smiles, stories, and song)... beautifully, I might add.
     After church, we drove to downtown Littleton and ate a great lunch on the patio of Merle's  (of course, Lauryn wanted to do The Melting Pot).  A little window shopping (and stopping in at a book store of course)!  Then it was out to my classroom to sift and sort and pack (yep, working even on Father's Day), two days left with children and it's off to a different classroom.  Then, dinner out (an eating fest today) at Qdoba (father's ate free).  And finally, home sweet home, for presents (clothes, I Love Lucy season four, and a great ring for my right hand) and a needed nap on the couch.  It was grand day and the many blessing of being a father abounded.
     Purchases?  Of course.  I found a great book called Whistling by Elizabeth Partridge (her latest book is called Marching for Freedom).  Whistling is a beautifully illustrated story (the illustrations are quilts) about a father and son camping and the father teaching his son to whistle.  Out-of-print, of course.  Poetic and beautiful!  A true Father's Day find. 
     And, if being a father doesn't give you something to whistle about... well, nothing will!  

Caught My Eye

I

I was drawn to the cover of this book at a recent book fair.  There's something intriguing about its simplicity that made me do a double take.  And, then, I read the first page and I was hooked.  Out of My Mind is a beautifully written book.
     In the book the main character, Melody, draws us into her world... she can't talk, walk, or write.  Although she can't speak, she has a photographic memory and her brain works like a video camera.  Her doctors and teachers think she's incapable of learning, only because they don't know what's actually going on inside her head... until she finds her "voice" using a communication device and is transitioned into a regular education classroom.
     Sharon Draper says, "All great stories emerge from deep truths that rest within us.  But the real truth of a story often can be found in places that not even the author has dared to explore."  In Out of My Mind she creates a character who is powerful, intelligent, and intriguing and sometimes makes us forget that she struggles with a disability.  Without patronizing, Draper invites the reader to understand Melody and her cerebral palsy and from page one you're drawn into the story.  This is a good upper elementary read, dealing with some tough issues.  You can read more about the author on her website.  

Back on the Farm

I ran across Elisha Cooper's book, Farm, and fell in love with the illustrations.  There's something about farm life that intriques me (a small town boy at heart, perhaps). 
     The text in this book is simple and quiet and encompasses all the joys and experiences farm life has to offer in simple watercolor.  There's a poetic tone to the book and its simplicity lends itself to a quiet read.  I love the rooster's name, Breakfast.  And, although a simple read, it provides insight into life on the farm (although those of us who have spent any amount of time on a farm know that farm life is not simple, nor easy). 
     I have a basket of books in my classroom called, "Living the Country Life."  It's a fine collection of cowboy and farm books--poetry, picture books, nonfiction, etc.  There's even a Cowboy Sam or two in the box.  It's my personal testament to my family's history...
     Farm makes a perfect addition to my growing collection!

GOAL!

I was shopping with my wife and daughter to purchase a book for an end of the year teacher gift (as we make that grand leap to middle school).  We've been at our elementary school for 18 years (we open-enrolled our oldest there when he was in Kindergarten) and it's sad for us to even think about leaving (but that's a blog entry for another day).  My daughter settled on Dream: A Tale of Wonder, Wisdom & Wishes by Susan V. Bosak for her fifth grade teacher.
     I, of course, couldn't leave the bookstore empty-handed and I left with Mina Javaherbin's book Goal.  I couldn't resist.  Somehow, even when I'm in the bookstore buying something for someone else, I have to leave with a treat for myself.  And, oh what a gem this book is... my wife made me sit down and read it (I think she wanted it just as badly as I did and so it made its way into our pile).  Check out her website Mina Javaherbin or blog.
     In her debut picture book, the author writes a wonderful story of soccer and its role in the life of a group of boys in a small South African township.  Jamal and his friends play soccer in the streets and win a "football" at school.  They use soccer as an outlet to forget the realities that surround them.  Their federation-sized ball is a prized possession and a group of bullies arrive on the scene to steal the ball.  Jamal's quick thinking and a bit of fancy footwork add a surprising twist to the outcome.  "The streets are not always safe..." is a reminder throughout the book, but the boys find solace in their sport.  The last page is amazing...
     "Left is clear, 
     Right is clear, 
 
     Down the alley, as far as we can see is clear.  

     The streets are not safe here.  

     But we have a plan.  

     When we play, 

     the sound 

     of our kicks 

     on the ball 

     is music.  

     When we play together, 

     we are unbeatable."

I am moving to 4th grade with many of my students next year.  I'm saving this book for the first few weeks of school... as we revisit the idea of "stamina and endurance."  I write about it in Conferring: The Keystone of Reader's Workshop.  I can't wait to begin the new school year.  This book is a perfect addition to my (our) collection!

Pyrotechnics on the Page

Ralph Fletcher's latest book, Pyrotechnics on the Page: Playful Craft That Sparks Writing is now available through Stenhouse (http://www.stenhouse.com).  You can also visit Ralph's website http://www.ralphfletcher.com for other great resources. 


I picked up my copy at IRA in Chicago and this book is an extraordinary read (I read much of it during my flight home and even the turbulence of a bumpy eastern Colorado thunderstorm couldn't tear me away from its pages).  In the foreword Katie Wood Ray writes, "...with this new book, Ralph is poised to teach so many of us once again in a whole new way, and we're going to have a grand ol' time learning what he wants to teach us about playing with language."  It's true.  Like an old friend, Ralph once again invites into his writing and teaching life to explore writing and to bring "play" back into our writing workshops.   

I interviewed Ralph about his book.  It was a pleasure to chat with him about his thinking.  It was just the spark I needed. Enjoy!

Patrick:  I love how you describe pyrotechnics as “deliberate playfulness with language used by writers.”  Tell us a bit more about the title of your book and how you came to develop the term “pyrotechnics.” 

Ralph:  Well, pyrotechnics has at least two meanings. It relates to fire, of course, but it can also mean “a brilliant or dazzling display, as of eloquence, wit, or virtuosity.” To me, pyrotechnics refers to any language that makes us sit up and take notice.    

Patrick:  It’s clear that a sense of play is critical for young writers.  What are some of the practices you see being implemented in classrooms in the name of “writer’s workshop” that send shivers down your spine? 

Ralph:  Nowadays the workshops I see tend to be more scripted. Real choice in writing seems to be disappearing. I see a lot of paint-by-numbers writing. As an author, I receive letters from a class that has read one of my novels. Sometimes those letters all have the same format, and it’s clear that the kids are following a “recipe” given to them by the teacher. 

Patrick:  Throughout the book, you clearly describe your love affair with words.  What are the best ways for teachers to train their ears, eyes, and hearts to notice language at play so that they can, in turn, nudge their students to do the same? 

Ralph:  There are many ways. I think it begins with what Don Graves has said—good writing teachers must be readers and writers themselves. That’s such a powerful idea! So, read a novel and post sticky notes at places where the language makes you ooh and ahh. Share a few appropriate sections with students. Kids need to see us delighting in language that is skillfully—and playfully—used.

Patrick:  One of my favorite chapters in the book is chapter five.  In it, you talk wisely about the developmental perspective of language play.  You challenge us to “romp through the lush and forbidden grass” and to acknowledge that children often know more about language than we do.  Would you speak briefly about the developmental aspect of young writers?  What are your recommendations for teachers who have lost sight of the developmental nature of writing?
 
Ralph:  Skilled writing teachers steer by several stars: what you know about individual kids, what is appropriate for writers at the grade level you teach, and, yes, the writing curriculum. But there are rough developmental levels for young writers, and we forget this at our own peril. Second grade teachers may feel pressured to teach paragraphing in order to get kids ready for the state writing test but, in my opinion, paragraphing is a skill better left to be taught in 4th grade.

Patrick:  You write about play and the essential elements that define play (chapter 12).  When you walk into a classroom, how do you know it is "play-full"?  What do you hope to see and hear when you visit a classroom (both primary and intermediate)?
 
Ralph:  I want to hear laughter. Humor is essential! I want to see writing displayed on the walls that reflects what kids do at that age. Instead of typing up correct (standard) first grade stories, put stories on the walls written in their own handwriting, in their own zany spellings. I want to see diverse writing: different kinds of topics. Most important: when I read those stories I want to hear kids’ authentic voices.

Patrick:  In chapter twelve, you talk about igniting pyrotechnics in the classroom and you share some common principles for promoting language play in the classroom.  How might you further encourage teachers to notice when it is time to introduce a specific strategy or skill and to take the pyrotechnic concept “deep”? 
     Speaking of deep, I often hear teacher’s say, “I want to know how to take students deeper.”  Would you take a few moments to give us your definition of “depth” when it comes to pyrotechnics?

Ralph:  I am the (co)author of Craft Lessons, and Pyrotechnics on the Page has 24 new craft lessons showing kids how they can play with words when they write. I am all about craft, but at the same time I think we have to be careful not to focus too much on craft. Yes, we teach our students various strategies, craft elements, techniques. But at some point the writer should put that stuff aside and just write.
    It’s a slow-growth model. In math we introduce a concept, demonstrate it, give kids homework (to see if the are picking it up), then give a pre-test, then a final test to see if they have mastered the concept. Writing is completely different. We may introduce a craft element in the fall, but the young writer may not really use it until the spring—or even next year!
       So “depth” requires requires kids to have sustained time to write with all the conditions we know are so important for writers: choice, ownership, and supportive response.

Patrick:  In chapter sixteen, you provide teachers with rich and varied craft lessons and you mention that they should “not be taught randomly or as part of some arbitrary preset sequence.”  Don Graves always referred to these one time shots as “cha-cha-cha” curriculum.  What would you say to a teacher who introduces a pyrotechnic craft and then checks it off his/her list and moves on to the next lesson?

Ralph:  I would say: good, you have introduced it. But pay attention to their choice writing (including jottings in their writer’s notebook) for hard evidence that they are actively using the strategy, that it has truly become part of their repertoires as writers.

Patrick:  What do you hope readers will walk away with after reading Pyrotechnics on the Page? 

Ralph:  Paul Overstreet has a country song, “Take Another Run At Our Love,” that has these lines:

    Let’s have a little fun with it, darling,
    Love don’t have to be so serious…

    Grammatical errors aside, I think we all get the point. Instead of “working” on our relationships, we might do better to play at them.  Let’s enjoy each other! And writing is the same way. Writing in school doesn’t have to be so drearily serious, so sanitized, so stripped clean of all the qualities that we enjoy when we read for pleasure: irony, humor, whimsy, musicality, double meanings, etc. 

    Strong writing contains language used in a way that is playful and fun. Kids do this naturally—they really are interested in language—so in this regard writing teachers are already halfway home. Facilitating language play in the writing classroom begins with paying attention to the playfulness with language that is already there in our students’ speech as well as in the world around them.

Patrick:  What project is next for you? 

Ralph:  I have four different kinds of books under contract (yikes!) including a young adult novel, a picture book, and a professional book about using mentor texts with in the writing classroom. It will be a busy year! 

Patrick:  Thanks Ralph.  I can't wait until the next one!

IRA Poem

Outside the glass walls

of the convention center,
the big lake shines
tranquil blue,
almost aqua.
Bouncing buoys in the waves.
Gulls flying.
A ship gliding in the distance.

Inside, near the exhibit hall,
teachers sit in clumps
on chairs,
at tables,
in trios,
in pairs
spreading out on convention carpet
of blue, orange, yellow, and
read.

Read?

Perusing book bags,
Sharing session notes,
Emptying complimentary totes.
Contemplating new learning.

Teachers writing.
Teachers talking.
Teachers sharing.
Teachers laughing.
Teachers packing boxes for shipping;
Wallets empty, minds full.

Glimmering in the distance,
the Chicago skyline glimmers.
Filled with people who learned
To be…

Because of teachers. 

Thank you for the challenge, Mary Lee... this is poem #30...  

Chipotle, in Chicago? Really?

Chipotle on the Michigan Avenue,
Three Tacos, Hard Shells
Chicken
Pintos, No Sauce
Mild Tomato Salsa
A Bit of Green As Well
Light Cheese and Sour Cream
Lots of Lettuce
Iced Tea with Lemon


The perfect Chicago meal...
fine dining, not, but delicious!


Seriously?
I knew you when in 1993
you took over Dolly Madison
on Evans, near DU!
Brought to school by teammate Deb.
Burritos with rice?  Strange then.
Not so strange now!
Really... It's amazing...
Who knew you'd grow up so quickly.

Guess where I ate when I got to Chicago tonight?  Better than a hotel burger, I'd say.  Is it May yet?  These poems are killing me!