Appy New Year!

Saturday, December 31, 2011 1 comment
I have spoken before of the love I have for Apple products.


I love Macbooks, iPhones, iPods, iPads, iTunes, and iPrettymuchanythings.


T and my first graders have also come to share this love! T LOVES playing with our iPad. My first graders LOVE to work on it, too. Not only that, our fabulous media specialist has ten iPads that she lets us borrow if we are on our best behavior. :)  We have our favorites (mostly free downloads) but we all agree on one special app-Artmaker

iTunes says, "Free for a limited time, the Art Maker by Play School app is a fun way for kids to freely create pictures, animated movies and story slideshows using Play School toys and craft items. Kids can add their own audio narration, upload their own photos as backgrounds, and save photos of their art."



Here is how it works:
1. Choose background or upload your own photo.
2. Add details (characters, extras touches, etc.)
3. Make up story.
4. Record story (move characters as you tell story.)
5. Watch your 30 second video!
6. It is automatically saved, so you can watch it again and again OR edit it! 
7. Is there a part 2? Add it to part 1 with the slideshow maker!



This FREE app is for storytelling fun! For T, we are making up stories, choosing settings and characters, and talking while we move the pieces. 
My firsties are thinking/writing their stories based on what they choose and THEN making their movie. They love sharing these with the class!

A, my niece, tells a story here. 

T and I made this one together. 

Artmaker is NOT sponsoring this post! I simply LoVe, lOvE, LOVE it and had to share! It is free, go get it before it is not free anymore! 

What apps are you loving for 2012? 

New To Me

Tuesday, December 27, 2011 No comments
I promise this will not be one of those "year in review" posts...I promise! This is however a post about the books that waltzed their way into my life during 2011 and I am so glad they did! Many of these are not new books or series, but were new to sweet little ol' me.
Do you know Katie Woo?
                                         No More Teasing (Katie Woo)Fran Manushkin, Tammy Lyon

Katie Woo is a first grader and much like Junie B, she has her quirks. Katie's stories are a lower reading level and shorter read. The kids love her! She has adventures that my firsties easily relate to (connections.) She worries over not losing a tooth, someone teases her, she goes a little nuts during the holidays, and so on. If you do not know Katie Woo, make it a point to introduce yourself or your kindergarten or first grade daughter! 


Informational Fun~DK Style
Trip to the Zoo (Dk Readers Level 1)

DK Readers~I know and love. I was not familiar enough though with their level 1 readers. Wow! These are perfect for developing readers as well as preschoolers. T loves the pictures and so do I. My firsties love the easy to follow text and pictures that match perfectly to the words. We are big fans! Level 1 readers include dolphins, rocketships, butterflies, and farms. T's favorite is about construction. There is something for everyone! 



Should I be embarrassed about this? I am not sure. I had never read a Nate the Great until this school year. They sit snuggly in my classroom library, recommended by a peer, but not touched by me....until D. This first grader loves a good mystery! So I marched myself over,  pulled out the Nate basket, dusted it off and read the first of the series. Wow!  I COULD NOT WAIT to share this with D! He loves them! He is currently reading his fourth Nate book! Nate is fun and I am sad I've done without him for so long. Nate will absolutely be on T's to read list! 

Are there more? Oh yes, there are more. Each "new to me" book opens a new door. I share this experience with my firsties and my little guy. I tell them what a wonderful discovery books are. I gleam with excitement as I tell them I found a book I just can't wait to show them. They feel it, too. Donalyn Miller writes about this feeling in The Book Whisperer. The feeling is magical. Start with Miller's teacher read and then check out the others! 

What new to you books did you discover this year? 

The Day After Blues

Monday, December 26, 2011 2 comments
Aaah, the day after Christmas. This day is famous for belly aches and buyer's remorse. In the reader's world though-today is a day of pure bliss! Time to sit and enjoy the books that a sweet loved one gifted you (or maybe you gifted yourself.) Whether it be digital or *gasp* a real book, today is a good day!

T received a few that he is super excited about! 

The first, Melvin Might, is illustrated by one of my heroes, David Shannon. I should also mention it is written by another favorite (especially in the boy department) Jon Scieszka! This book goes for about $13 on Amazon, but I picked it up at Tuesday Morning a few weeks ago for less than $5. 
T loves it! Melvin worries a lot and unlike so many books where the worrying ends, Melvin tries something, but just like in real life, he still worries. It is perfect for those machine and truck loving kids! 

Laura Numeroff's latest If You Give A Donut was also in T's pile o' gifts. As a HUGE Numeroff fan, and I'm not just talking her Pig, Mouse, and Moose books. Oh no, Laura (first name basis) and I go wayyy back! Have you read Dogs Don't Wear Sneakers? or Why A Disguise? If not, you should! 


As for this one, well, um, T and I like the pictures. The dog is adorable. The text, well, is just not as inviting and it just does not flow like the others. We had high hopes...maybe too high. We will pass this one along to the firsties. I am sure they will be thrilled. Will they like it as much as the other cycle stories? We'll see! 


My grownup read (which will probably be read in February) is In Pictures and In Words by Katie Wood Ray.  


What are you reading on this day after?


Listen To Reading

Thursday, December 22, 2011 2 comments
In my first grade classroom, we listen to reading daily. It is so important for developing readers to hear what fluent reading sounds like. It is important too for children to enjoy listening to a good story so they will want to read one just like it! 


At home, I read with T each day. We love books. I have found so many great resources for my listen to reading at school, that I just had to try a few at home. Here are a few FREE sites offering great stories to watch/listen/read. T and I have tried all of these and give them all 4 thumbs up (2 each.) The top two are our favorites....this week!


Enjoy! Leave a comment letting T and I know which ones you like! 


http://www.wegivebooks.org/


http://www.barnesandnoble.com/storytime/index.asp


http://www.storylineonline.net/


http://www.bookpop.com/index2.html


http://robertmunsch.com/books


http://kids.aol.com/KOL/1/KOLJrStories


http://www.readtomelv.com/


Let me know what you think! Happy reading and listening! 

Fantastic Scholastic Giveaway!

Monday, December 19, 2011 16 comments
I love Scholastic book orders! I loved them when I was a kid, too!  I order books for my classroom and books for T! This month featured a special deal and I want to pass it along to one lucky reader!

The winner will receive a BIG reusable shopping bag, a Read for Life reusable bag, a book holder, and three books-First Discovery: Night Creatures, Duck for President (hardcover,) and Biscuit Loves...stickerbook. Wow!

The retail value is like $1,000.00. No, it is really like $25.00, but for one of you---free!

How to enter? Follow my blog and leave a comment with your email address. If you already follow, just leave a comment! That's all!

Happy Reading!

Contest ends Friday, December 23rd! Items will be shipped after Christmas. Winner will be chosen by random.

T is so excited about the contest, that he decided to do snow angels...well, um dust angels. :)

Holiday Stress

This time of year can be so StReSsFulL for parents (and everyone else, too!) Even on the worst, craziest days, let's remember....

Hug your child
when they are two
when they are more
if you work
if you are poor 
Hug your child

Read to him
look at pictures
say the words
in your lap
on the floor
Read to him

Love your child
when they are silly
and even mad
when they grimace
 if they are sad
Love your child
~Lyssa

Have You Seen This Site?

Saturday, December 17, 2011 2 comments
Our family Christmas tree!
I should start by saying Tagxedo is not paying me for this endorsement! My friend at Miss B Busy Bees posted this and I FELL IN LOVE! (Her awesome blog link is also on the side of my blog!) It is super user friendly, no registration required, and the designs are a-plenty! Much like Wordle, the more times you type a word, the bigger it gets. Check it out! T and I are going to make one for Daddy and my firsties and I are going to make them for the holidays!

Save the Date!

Did you know there is an entire day devoted to celebrating READING ALOUD? Aaah! Be still my heart! My friends at LitWorld host this special day each year. This special day is for all ages! The date for 2012 is March 7th! Save the date and check back often for updates! 


Every child has a story to tell. Help LitWorld continue the vital work of empowering girls and boys to become lifelong readers and writers!


    

Together Let's Change the World, Story by Story. 
 Join with us to reach many more thousands of children. 
Interested in making a donation to LitWorld? A donation can be made in honor of 
a friend, a teacher, a colleague, a family member. 




And, don't forget to Save the Date for:

World Read Aloud Day 2012

You Are What You Read

Monday, December 12, 2011 No comments
Hmmmm......this could mean so many things. 


I read children's books more than any other text = child at heart. Yep!
I read chick magazines at the salon = like to see how the other half lives. Yep!
I read the newspaper....ads = like to save money and shop. Yep!
I read self help smut = want to be a better person. Yep (most days.)
I read updates on the internet = care about what is going on with friends and family. Yep!
I read education articles = want education to be better by the time T starts school. YES!


So, looks like it is true! You Are What You Read is a new initiative with Scholastic (love, love, love) and Reach Out and Read (also love, love, love.) They want to put books in the hands of children, and also show how books bring us together.


Take 3 minutes and complete your Bookprint. Visit the site and share 5 books that have influenced your life. When you do this, Scholastic will donate 1 book to Reach Out and Read. You will also get to see others who chose the same book.


If that doesn't tempt you, maybe this will! Several celebs have made their bookprints: Oprah, Taylor Swift, Daniel Radcliffe, Whoopi Goldberg, The Jonas Brothers, Eli Manning, Sarah Jessica Parker, and so many more! Aren't you a little curious to see if you have a book or two in common? I am! 


When you're done, come back and share the books you listed. Be sure to do this with your children, too! The more bookprints we get, the more books that will be delivered!


Happy reading!

Label Daddy

Does your kiddo ask why all the time like T does? Then this guest post is just for you!


http://www.labeldaddy.com/blog/lyssa-from-my-mommy-reads/why

Top 10 Christmas Reads

Monday, December 5, 2011 4 comments
One of my friends just asked me to recommend five holiday reads for her family (ages 4 and 7.) This, as you can imagine, was m u s i c to my ears! It would be impossible to narrow it down to five though, so I am going with my top ten! I am doing Christmas, because that is what this family celebrates. Maybe I'll do Hanukkah next!


Please know these are in no particular order. :)
Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story Silver Packages by Cynthia Rylant
My heart sings just thinking about this beautiful story. "In Appalachia each Christmas, a boy named Frankie waits beside the tracks for the Christmas Train, which will bring presents to the children who live in coal towns and hollows. Year after year, Frankie hopes that one particular gift, a very special gift will be tossed to him from that train. It is this enduring hope that will guide him to the true meaning of the season." THIS IS A MUST READ!!!!


Santa Mouse    Santa Mouse by Michael Brown
T and I just picked this up from Bookmiser. Sweet! I had always wondered why some of my firsties would say they were leaving a little cheese for the Christmas mouse. To be honest, I thought maybe a few of their parents were using that to justify the mice in the house. I mean, who am I to judge? Short and sweet story......that will lead to cheese being left out on Christmas Eve!


Return to product information      Olive, the Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh
You may know Olive, the friendly pup, from her other book, Olive My Love. Here is an excerpt from the Amazon review, "You won't understand the premise of this book if you've never sung "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," so let's start there. The carol begins, "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer / had a very shiny nose / and if you ever saw it, / You would even say it glows / All of the other reindeer / used to laugh and call him names / They never let poor Rudolph / join in any reindeer games." If you notice that "all of the other reindeer" sounds suspiciously like "Olive, the other reindeer," you've discovered the source of Olive's adventures! Olive is a dog. But when she hears this holiday tune, a bit of an identity crisis sets in. She decides she must be a reindeer and heads to the North Pole to see if she can join Santa's reindeer team." I couldn't have said it better myself! 
The Polar Express  The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Being a first grade teacher, I am often asked if I believe in Santa Claus. I always say yes. I do, in fact, believe in Santa Claus. To prove this, put a bell in front of me and let me listen to it ring, ring, ring! If you don't know what I am talking about-you need to read this beautiful book. SIDE NOTE: The book is 1,000 times better than the movie! 


Product Details   Dream Snow by Eric Carle
I know what you are thinking--'she loves anything by Eric Carle.' You're right. This one though was introduced to me by a kindergartener and I have loved it ever since! Snapshot from Amazon, "It's almost Christmas and it hasn't snowed yet. As the farmer naps on his small farm, he dreams of being covered in a gentle blanket of new snow. Then, one by one, he dreams of each of his five animals (aptly named One, Two, Three, Four, and Five) being covered as well. When he awakens, he discovers that real snow--not dream snow--has fallen. And "Oh my! Oh my! I almost forgot," the farmer shouts, and, bundling up, hurries out to his tree (named Tree) with a box and a sack, looking remarkably familiar in his white beard and red suit. After decorating Tree, the farmer shouts "Merry Christmas to all!" and pushes a button for a surprise Yuletide jingle."

Product DetailsSnowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner
Snowmen at Night was a huge hit in my classroom, so of course, this one is too! T loves almost as much! He laughs and laughs at the silly snowmen on every page. He loves the rhymes and the hidden pictures! Clever, clever artwork! For more snowman action, visit www.wegivebooks.org to read a book online for FREE! 


Product Details The Jolly Christmas Postman, by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
If you have never read the Jolly Postman books, stop what you are doing and RUN, don't walk to the local bookstore! The book is written in rhyme with beautiful word choice. The postman delivers mail to nursery rhyme and storybook characters we all know and love. Must have!


Product Details It's Christmas, David! by David Shannon
I <heart> David Shannon! This simple story is short, sweet, funny and might even be an eye opener for your little one. If nothing else, the pictures will delight!


Product Details Santa Claus the World's Number One Toy Expert, Marla Frazee
A first grade fave! Amazon review, "How does Santa know how to match the exact right toy with the exact right kid every December?

He knows because he's the world's number one kid and toy and gift expert, and he works long, long hours the whole year through, taking notes, compiling his research, thinking and testing and changing his mind. Then, at last, he gets it all figured out, and on Christmas morning, he makes magic happen."

And number 10.......any version of The Night Before Christmas! 

Merry Christmas to you and your readers!

Countdown to Christmas!

Friday, December 2, 2011 No comments
Christmas-I'm a big fan! Not only do we celebrate the reason behind the season, but my family spends the day together.....which I love!  T makes Christmas even more fun! We decided to make this advent chain with wrapping paper to help T see how many days until Christmas. He has pulled two links off and is super excited. Of course, he still says, "Is Santa coming tomorrow?" but I just smile every time!
 Please notice the adorable pictures in the background!!
 He especially LOVES being able to reach the chain! Now, the chain got me feeling kind of crafty. (INSERT SHOCK AND AWE HERE!) So we painted this tree......
My, oh my. I am sure this will be a treasure for years to come, but handprint after handprint with a wild and crazy almost 3 year old is well, um, challenging. I had to call for reinforcements! N came to save the day. We stripped the little guy naked and even painted the ornaments using his little toes! From here, we went straight to the tub! 


Nights like this make me miss my sister more than ever. When people tease me for not being crafty, yep, there it is again-I miss her. She had it. I don't. I am super ok with it. Please know---I REALLY am ok with it. Just makes me sad sometimes. I know she is smiling down on this masterpiece and celebrating that both T and I survived! She would have loved it. 

I Love Books!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011 No comments
The teacher geek in me loves books and I am not shy about it. I mean, I love books. I love the way they smell. I love the sound when opening up a new one. I love the look on a child's face when they read their first book, their favorite book, the first book that makes them laugh or cry, and when they read one with such voice and fluency that it makes me laugh or cry. 

The mommy geek in me loves sharing books with T. I love the way he glances at the book and decides instantly if we will read it or not. I love how he laughs and makes noises while I read. I love how he corrects me if the story is not going his way. I just love it.

As an educator and somewhat tech savvy lady, I know a thing or two about computers. I love them, too. I know they have a place in our lives and I know they are fun! I love the convenience of my iPad. I love the look and ease of eReaders. I do not however think they can replace a book. In fact, I KNOW THEY CAN NOT REPLACE A BOOK and here is how I know:

The emotions shared in this less than two minute clip could not have happened with a Kindle/Nook/Cranny/etc. This connection to print is irreplaceable. This small experience is building not only his reading skills, but his love of literature. Kids need to touch books. They need to feel their power. They need to hug them and hold them.

Read with your child. And be sure to throw in real books as often as you can. For more info on reading with toddlers, click here. To read a story online (for free) so a real life book will be passed to children in need, click here


P.S. He is reading Scoop the Digger. (Click here for details!)





I am Thankful!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 No comments
The girls at What the Teacher Wants (one of my favorite blogs in the universe!) are hosting an "I am thankful" linky party. I am so blessed and love the opportunity to share the love!


1.  What are you thankful for in your classroom? Hmmm. We are in a brand new school this year and so this is tough. I am going to go with the Elmo projector. It has made things a lot easier!

2. What person are you most thankful for? Another toughie. I am going to break the rules and say my family. My family means the world to me. We have been through so much and each time we come out a little stronger and a little closer. I love you Mom, Dad, Aunt P, A, N, and T!


3. What 3 blogs are you most thankful for? I love blog hopping! I am going to try to pick a few that might not have been highlighted, yet. Of course, I LOVE What the Teacher Wants! My other two would be Sailing Through First Grade and Teaching Blog Addict. Oh! Classroom Freebies is awesome, too!

4. What guilty pleasure are you most thankful for? I think my guilty pleasure is my iPhone. I just love it. My hubby pretty much rocks for surprising me with it. I seriously wonder...how did I manage before? :)


5. What are you most thankful for? I wouldn't even know where to begin! I am thankful for my wonderful husband and adorable little guy! I am thankful for a healthy family that loves and supports me. My mom and dad rock. My little sister and niece are rockstars. My Granny is amazing. My extended family is great! I am thankful for my job. I love being a teacher! I am thankful for the great people I work with each day. I am thankful for my friends. I would be lost without them. I am thankful for our home. I am thankful for all the time I had with my brother and sister before they passed away. I am thankful for the many opportunities that have made me who I am. I am thankful for books-plain and simple. I am thankful for football season. N and I have so much fun! Go Falcons!

 I am most thankful to God, who makes all of this possible. 

Books Make It Better, Part II

Monday, November 21, 2011 1 comment
The goal was small-500 books in one week. The response was HUGE
My fabulous school collected 696 books for women and children's shelters in the Atlanta area. We sorted the books into groups-preschool, primary, older kids, and adults. It was so exciting to count the books and look at them! N and I dropped off the totes full of books to the Children's Restoration Network today.

I can only imagine the looks on the children's faces as they thumb through Dr. Seuss, Magic Tree House, Harry Potter, Amelia Bedelia, and so many others!
Thank you Reach Out and Read! Thank you Jen! Thank you Mom Congress! Thank you ESE students and parents!
Now for an update.....we'll be doing it again in January!

My Son, the Artist

Friday, November 18, 2011 2 comments
As you know, T is multi-talented. I mean, I don't want to be one of those mommies, but my kid is super, duper talented! (and by "I don't want to be one of those mommies," I mean I absolutely am one of those mommies!)

Let me state my case. Here are exhibits A, B, C, D, and E. He gets a marker, grabs a notecard and says, "Mommy, I want to draw me." He said, "I am going to draw a circle." and he did. Then he said, "Hmm. I need eyes." He drew two eyes and said, "one, two." Then, "Oh, where is my nose?" Then he drew the dot nose. "I need a mouth."
Then I say, "Let's draw mommy!" He says, "I'm gonna draw daddy!" While drawing daddy, he said, "Oh-he needs ears!"
Then I say, "Let's draw mommy!" He says, "I'm gonna draw Peeper."
Then I say, "oooh, let's draw mommy!" He says, "I'm gonna draw Oba!"
Then I say, "Let's draw mommy!" Then he says, "I'm gonna draw Pops!"
Well, I think you get the idea!

Please send all gifted inquiries to my personal email. I will respond as soon as I sort through the hundreds of responses. 

On a serious note, for more information on the developmental stages of drawing, go here

Books Make It Better! Part I

Saturday, November 12, 2011 No comments
My school is super excited to be part of the Books Make It Better campaign! My friend, and fellow Mom Congress Delegate, Jen has helped bring this movement to life! She is working with Reach Out and Read and Parenting Magazine to put books in the hands of children who need them most! With the holidays fast approaching and so many drives (toys, food, clothing, etc) happening in our area, I decided to take a different approach.

I spoke with Jim Cox, president of the Children's Restoration Network (supports homeless women and children in the Atlanta area) and asked about the need for books. He was ecstatic and said that they are in great need. Thinking of children needing books, kills me. I mean that from the depths of my soul. T is so lucky and we are so lucky to be able to provide them for him.

So...I decided to hold a ReBook drive at my school. Kind of like recycling, we will be passing along books that we have already read or have simply outgrown. (We'll be throwing in books for moms, too!)

Working with our amazing PTA, we put together info for parents and teachers. Everyone is on board! In fact, the campaign does not kickoff until Monday and I already have 200 books! My wimpy goal was only 500!

T is excited, too. He helped me decorate the tubs last night.......






We will be delivering the totes to shelters right before Thanksgiving. I'll keep you posted!

For more info on Mom Congress, please check us out on FB!

Want to help, but you are too far away, PLEASE visit Reach Out and Read!

How did this get started? Click here!

Looking to help a local organization this holiday season? Check out CRN!

Department of Education

Monday, November 7, 2011 No comments
When I meet decision makers in the field of education, I almost always have conversations in my head. Last week, I was honored as my school's Teacher of the Year. The experience was AmAzInG! Before the pep rally, I moseyed my way over to meet this man.....
Georgia's State School Superintendent, Dr. John Barge. He was very friendly and has a positive outlook on Georgia's future. (T chose my dress!)

Back to the conversations I have in my head-today's went a little something like this:

Dr. B-So Lyssa, what can I do to change education in our fine state?

Lyssa-I am so glad you asked! I think the place to start is with our teachers. Let's create an avenue for ALL teachers in the state to share their great ideas. Let's not keep greatness a secret! We also must train our teachers. This is a lofty goal, but could we have statewide training online? It would be ideal for us to all receive the same information, and even better....at the same time!

Dr. B-Lyssa, you are a genius. What else?

Lyssa-Since you asked, I think we must work on leveling the playing field. I am not a politician, but I am a teacher and most importantly-a parent. I think every classroom in the state should have a classroom library and I think we should do whatever it takes to make that happen. Children simply can't read if they do not have ready access to books.

Dr. B-Does your school need books, Lyssa?

Lyssa-Nope, but other schools in my area do and know many schools across the state do.

Dr. B-Lyssa, you should be the next President of the United States.

Lyssa-Oh my goodness, thank you!

Did any of this really happen? No. However, he was very open and energetic. Dr. Barge is ready to move GA forward and I am ready to help! Visit the DoE site here.

My First Podcast!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011 No comments
I was honored to be asked by Jerri Ann Reason, my Mom Congress friend from the beautiful state of Alabama, to participate in a podcast. I had to ask what that was, and once she explained-I was good to go! There are many mentions of my T and also my fabulous first graders!


Check it out!  While you are there, be sure to look at her awesome work for education advocacy!


Educate My Alabama (click me!)

My Mommy Learns!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011 1 comment
I looked at N and said, "What do you wear to meet your literacy hero?" 
He, of course, gave me the blank look. :) 

I have met so many of my favorites! I met the Sisters in Orlando. I met Lucy Calkins and Kathy Collins in New York. I met Ralph Fletcher. I met Dr. Jean pretty early in my career. That was quite embarrassing. I was almost speechless! I have even met Ellin Oliver Keene. I mean, I have a lot of bases covered. All except....Debbie Miller. 

Today, October 24th-I met her! I spent the day in a small group with three amazing literacy leaders! I met Georgia Heard, Debbie Miller, and for a second time-Lester Laminack. I am a big fan of Lester's work in children's literature (Saturday and Teacakes and Three Hens and a Peacock) and professional literature. I am a fan of Georgia's poetry but always considered her intermediate-until today! More on that later! Then I met.................  Debbie Miller <insert chimes ringing.>

I can not tell you how thrilled I was to meet Debbie Miller. There are no words. I mean, Reading with Meaning is my reading handbook. Teaching with Intention is a book I recommend to all new teachers. It is powerful stuff! I love her. I love how when I read her books I feel like she is talking to me. I love how she includes pictures, I mean what teacher doesn't love pictures! Here we are!!
Debbie shared a lesson on big ideas. My take away-big ideas and the main idea are different. There can be many big ideas in a story. Side note-watching her teach was amazing. The children were hanging on her every word. (I was too.)

Georgia Heard opened my eyes to the idea that little people can think big when it comes to poetry. I am purchasing her book (Climb Inside a Poem-cowritten by Lester) and plan on exploring real poetry with my first graders and T! My takeaway-I need less hinky-dinky poetry and more thought provoking poetry!

Lester, as always, was telling it like it is. He, like Debbie and Georgia, make you feel like they are on the same team. They are teachers. They love what they do. They are real. I love it! Lester guided us on the journey that is Common Core. He brings it with honesty and excitement. I hope that catches on across the nation! My takeaway-there are some new things, but best practices never go out of style. 

What a day! I have to much to ponder in coming days. How will this change my teaching? How will my school take on the Common Core standards? Where will I frame my picture? :) 

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...