Making Mud Pies

I have a favorite professional friend (I'll call her mudpies)...she inspires me, challenges me...and really makes me think.  I love that.  We have powerful discussions and much needed vents. We laugh A LOT!   The thing I love most about her, is that she pushes my thinking constantly. I never get too comfortable with where I am in my learning.  I call her for advice, to ground myself if I feel like I am getting ahead of myself and when I want someone to just listen to my frustrations.  I would call her a mentor, but she goes farther than that.  I am so lucky to learn from her.

My son has entered 1st grade...wide eyed and ready to learn.  I feel so lucky that his first grade teacher (and blessed that his Kindergarten teacher) make him feel the same way mudpies makes me feel.  Aren't we lucky when we get a teacher that inspires us and pushes our thinking?  I wish that for everyone.

My friend, mudpies once said, "Like making mudpies, the joy of trying something new comes from the process--not from the final product."

Thanks to all the mud pie makers out there!!!  Let's keep creating and pushing each other!! 

Ok...here I go again

OK...I admit it...it has been too long since I have blogged. I guess I could use the age old...I got so busy...but we all are busy. Teachers are constantly going from thing to thing maintaining the balance. But I'll be honest, I just got a bit uninspired...but now, I am back. I am going to tweak the blog a bit and change it into more of a learning focus...broaden my horizons if you will.

I want to start the conversations around teaching and learning...I am relearning the power of having meaningful discussions professionally. I laugh because I spent a few years right before leaving the classroom as a reading consultant really working on students having meaningful discussions about literature. So, it is kind of funny that I am now switching the focus....or more like a ...duh...why didn't I connect that before? But isn't that what happens?

I had the opportunity to listen to Katie Wood Ray speak at a conference and she was discussing the importance of exposing kids to the kinds of writing we expected them to do. If we want them to write a magazine feature article...they should know what one is and have time to explore reading several. I then thought...ah ha...if we are teaching the kinds of writing we are in the classroom, shouldn't we as adults be doing that kind of writing too???

Anyway...here's to the conversations...if anyone is out there reading...what do you think? What do you want to talk about? Reading? Writing? Assessment? Web 2.0? Let's push ourselves through conversation to hold each other accountable for doing things better and better each year.

I'll be back!!!

Digging Out

As our city is nearing 100 inches of snowfall so far this year, I feel like the past few months I have been snowed in with my blog!! Time to spring ahead with this for sure!!

I have been really grappling with the sense of urgency over the past few months. My husband is in manufacturing. Things have gone from bad to worse but the underlying question (or maybe it is fear) is will it get even worse? As he was driving out to another city about an hour away, he called me to tell me what he was doing. A customer needed a problem fixed with some parts. My husband said, "I need to do whatever it takes to get this done." Wow....whatever it takes...there is such an urgency these days in the manufacturing world and when people talk economics.

So, I got to thinking...is there that sense of urgency in our schools? What about those kids that need that extra boost, a modified lesson, extra time to practice. Do we have that sense of urgency to "do whatever it takes"? Do we look closely at what we are doing and measuring it to how it impacts kids and learning? Are we starting to think...what kinds of interventions could we do...even if we haven't done them before? How urgent is our call?

It sure gives us something to think about...I know I am thinking about it...A LOT! My next step is to make sure that I am doing whatever it takes!!

Hope

During this holiday season, I can't help but notice signs of hope in such bleak times. Hope shines bright in the face of a struggling reader that has an "ah ha" moment about the book...taking his thinking to a new level by commenting, "I never thought of it that way....now I get it!!" Hope comes in the form of a story to a 3rd grade writer that hates to write...but finds her voice and tells a small moment story that brings chills to her audience.

Looking at these kids as they strive to reach goals and push themselves, I can help but see these children for the hope they are for the future...giving them the tools and courage to face the future.

Barbara Kinglover said, "Hope is a renewable option...if you run out of it at the end of the day, you get to start over again in the morning." How true that it. It is the hope for the future that keeps me going...tomorrow is another day...next year is another year...to keep challenging our kids to have great conversations about books, to connect their learning and grow their minds. It is what I hope for!!

Happy Reading...

Wiki...what a powerful tool to collaborate!

In my ongoing learning quest to use technology to help simplify my life (which so far...it seems to take double the time) I discovered a powerful web tool called a Wiki. I had been using one for a few of the Professional Learning Networks I am in and had that AH HA moment where I might create on for my school. So...I am in the process of creating a Professional Development Wiki. I am excited to develop it as a place where we can all collaborate, share ideas and have some great dialogue. It might take some time getting used to using it...especially those from my generation where we are trying to keep up as fast as we can going from our typing classes back in high school to computer use, web tools, e-mail, etc. But I am hopeful that we might use it to connect.

I have always considered myself to be on an ongoing learning quest as a teacher...as I look back, each year brings me more experience, yes, but an opportunity to measure my growth as a learner...to reflect back on how best to reach kids. Sharing and networking has been such a powerful part of that learning. So...I am taking the plunge...full speed (Internet speed I guess) ahead to keep those conversations grand!!

Happy Reading!

Mind Set

In my quest to read as many professional books to help expand my knowledge, I was introduced to a book called Mind Set by Carol Dweck. Although I haven't had a chance to read the entire book (it is on my "to get" list), I did read a powerful article summarizing her points.

Basically, after years of research on what makes people successful, she maintains that there are two "mind sets". The first being a fixed mind and the second being a growth mind.

The fixed mind set represents those learners that always get it and the answers come easily without much struggle. The growth mind set learners are the ones that work hard at things...struggle a bit even...put forth effort. Carol Dweck found that the growth mind set learners are the ones that succeed...they savor the struggle and become stronger because of it. The fixed mind set group is not able to get past failure or struggle and might just give up.

I was so intrigued by this research as there is so much more (which is why it is on my "to get" list). The more I thought about it, the more connections I was making to my role as a reading consultant...a parent of 2 boys...a wife too!!!

How we praise our kids is something to think about...do we say...great job...you're so smart! Or do we say...wow...I bet you worked hard and put some effort into that (and maybe it wasn't so easy)? Do we provide work that is easy because it is easy to teach or do we differentiate to find areas where effort is needed?

I am really looking forward to exploring more "Mind Set"...and making sure I keep a growth mind set in all of my roles!! It is definitely worth the read!!!

Happy Reading!!!

Keep...

Keep reading
Keep learning
Keep questioning
Keep thinking
Keep challenging
Keep sharing
Keep going
Keep writing
Keep pushing on
Keep working
Keep connecting
Keep building
...for the kids sake!!!!