Guess My Lexile - The Book Whisperer
What do Jeff Kinney's popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Ray Bradbury's classic Fahrenheit 451 have in common? What about Gossip Girl: A Novel, Cicely von Ziegesar's catty romance and The Great Gilly Hopkins, Katherine Paterson's 1979 Newbery Honor book? While clear distinctions exist between each book's literary merit, age appropriateness, and reader appeal, these titles possess one similarity--they sit within the same Lexile text complexity band.
Alternative Fairy Tales I English, Citizenship I All Ages
Librarian’s view: The concept of reimagining traditional fairy tales is not new – Jim and the Beanstalk was published by Raymond Briggs way back in 1973 and Roald Dahl wrote his Revolting Rhymes in 1982 and there have been many more along the way. Here are some newer offerings about Goldilocks, Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood. Quite often, reimagined stories portray characters in a stronger light or ask the reader to question whether marriage should be the ultimate goal for girls.
Mrs. Molly's Menagerie
We recently wrapped up our second annual Real Men Read initiative at one of my elementary schools. Two years in and this event is a strong contender for one of my favorite programs. The premise is simple. I invite men from the community to come and read to our students one morning before they go to work. Both of my schools are small, so I need 18 volunteers for each location – one man per classroom. Last year was my first year to host Real Men Read and I definitely had a more difficult time securing volunteers.
Meeting Readers Where They Are: Mapping the intersection of research and practice
Meeting Readers Where They Are: Mapping the intersection of research and practice The reading patterns and habits of young and old are changing as reading migrates from the printed page to the computer screen. Now, new forms of expression such as remixes and mash-ups are emerging from interactive digital environments. How can school librarians help students read with understanding in dynamic digital environments?
Problems wirh the DfE’s new reading framework
Every teacher working in primary schools is concerned with how their classes develop their reading skills. Every primary school leader is acutely aware of the fundamental importance of reading. Primary schools are stuffed full of books, resources and schemes to teach reading. So the new reading framework released by the government is a curious artefact, as it starts with the premise that this is not universally the case.
Musings from the Middle School: Host a Book Tasting in Your Classroom!
January is rolling along and my kids (both my school and actual kids) are finally readjusted to our routine after winter break. While in real life, I find January-March the three most difficult months to endure because the weather hurts my face, at school it's a different story. January-March are, I think, the BEST months of teaching! By this point, students are well-acclimated to the schedule and expectations, and there is no looming break to look forward to. The weather, as I already mentioned, hurts your face, and the end of the year is still a long way away!!
The Draw-a-Reader Test: Informal Assessment Supporting Teacher Inquiry
My department was trying to fill a position in science education and we were interviewing a candidate who had worked extensively with inner-city youth to support their interest in and confidence about science. The job candidate presented a fascinating Powerpoint presentation showing photographs of the summer workshops she facilitated in which girls and boys from economically disadvantaged homes gathered for six weeks in the summer to explore science. To measure the impact of the summer program on children's perceptions of what it meant to be a scientist, the facilitators asked students to take the Draw a Scientist Test (DAST) at the beginning and the end of their summer experience.
From Playboy to periods: I reread Judy Blume with my tween. She found it perp...
Everyone remembers where they were when they first got their period. I was doing gymnastics in the hallway of my family home, aged 11. Skinny, athletic and resolutely opposed to anything feminine, it changed me instantly from a freewheeling pre-teen to a more grown-up girl with an unwelcome monthly responsibility that would last for the next 40-odd years. As a competition swimmer who spent much of my free time in chlorinated water, it was a ghastly addition to my schedule. My mum attended to this life-changing event with pads roughly the size and width of my forearm and a copy of the seminal coming of age text Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret? by the great Judy Blume.
Tournament of Books: March Madness for the Classroom - The Primary Punchbowl
Hello, friends! It's Christmas break for me and I'm taking a few minutes to plan ahead for the new year! Last year our first graders hosted a Tournament of Books and it was a huge success so we're getting ready to host one again this year! The first thing I did was put up this huge bracket in the main hallway of our school. It generated a ton of buzz around the school, especially before we shared any details about what we were actually planning!
Use the news to teach reading comprehension
Allowing students to explore news articles that spark their curiosity can provide a bigger literacy boost than having them read nonfiction texts about random topics far removed from a youngster’s interests. At Lancaster Middle School near Buffalo, New York, students read news articles to help write stories for a classroom magazine and to prepare for debates in social studies. The articles are a highly effective tool to teach students how to summarize and organize information in their writing and their arguments, says Christine Stockslader, a librarian at the school, which is part of the Lancaster Central School District. “When students read and understand current events, they are extremely interested and form strong opinions,” Stockslader says. “This interest is an excellent tool for teachers to instruct on comprehension, skill-building and fluency.”
Diversity Audit: A Practical Guide
Read part 2 of the Diversity Audit blog series here! Read the third part of the diversity audit blog series here! I first heard the term “diversity audit” earlier this past school year.
“Have you read…?” The Art of Recommending Books
A colleague mentions that he is a huge fan of historical fiction. You immediately scroll through your list of favorites and ask, “Have you read…?” You attend a workshop where the presenter sprinkles her content with references to texts that have influenced her ideas about the topic. You click on your favorite book-shopping site and begin to fill your cart.
Study: Teachers Value Independent Reading But Lack Class Time for It
Nearly all teachers and principals believe students should have time for independent reading at school, yet only about a third of teachers set aside time each day for this, according to a recent survey by Scholastic. The new report, released today, looks at how nearly 3,700 preK-12 teachers (including several dozen school librarians) and more than 1,000 principals answered questions about student reading and access to books. The findings, considered nationally representative, were part of a larger study that the education-publishing company released in November on equity in education. The literacy findings show that 94 percent of teachers and principals agree or strongly agree that "students should have time during the school day to read a book of their choice independently." But just 36 percent of teachers say they're able to make time for such reading every day. When independent reading occurs, students spend an average of 22 minutes on it.
