As in past years, in lieu of a New Year’s resolution, I’ve chosen a single word to frame the year ahead. There are numerous websites and blogs that celebrate this idea. This is my favorite. The following sentiment from the site really sums it up beautifully; My One Word replaces broken promises with a vision for real change.… more
After posting photos on Facebook of a recent trip to Chicago, my friend Joanne posted the above comment. My heart soared a bit, knowing that my passion for books and bookstores garnered such a lovely, positive observation. It’s no secret that just about anytime I find myself traipsing through a new town, I am eager to check out the local bookstore. It seems fitting that as 2019 comes to a close, I recap my bookstore adventures from the past year and share a few highlights from five favorites.… more
Inspiration. Satisfaction. Sadness. Triumph. Longing. All of these emotions might describe what readers feel when reaching the end of a great story.
Room 212 just wrapped up another read-aloud and the overwhelming consensus was that Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper gave us lots of mixed emotions to sort out and just as much to think about.… more
Positivity, practice and persistence… a powerful approach to overcoming a multitude of challenges and unbelievably bad school experiences. The one and only, Dav Pilkey, shared several heartfelt stories to inspire kids (and adults) during his recent stop in St. Paul as part of his “Dog Man, Do Good Tour.”
With humor and vulnerability, Dav explained that as a kid with both ADHD and dyslexia, reading was anything but pleasant.… more
New year. New grade level. Same classroom filled with same amazing kids from last year (along with several lovely new additions). Just wrapped up the seventh day of school and the same question keeps running through my mind… how did I get so lucky? “Looping” (moving up a grade level) with a class that you absolutely adore from the year before is pretty much like winning the “teacher lottery.”… more
Success. Thesaurus.com offers more than fifty synonyms for the word “success”… accomplishment, fame, happiness, progress, triumph, and victory all have a place on the list. With testing hysteria making the rounds in schools and classrooms everywhere, the definition of success as it relates to reading, has likely weighed heavily on the minds and hearts of many teachers.… more
I recently received a message from my friend, Amir:
“Maurna, I wanted to get your feedback on this article. I taught English for 8+ years and my final M.Ed. project was on reading, so this is a passion of mine. When I used to prepare NYC public school teachers for their licensing exams, they would likely do better on the reading passages if they had more background knowledge, even though that knowledge was not needed.… more
My first memory of falling in love with books takes me way back to the tender age of five. The little “Golden Book Golden Hours Library Clock House” that I received for Christmas that year helped me become the passionate reader I am today. I cherished the collection of twelve little books and one in particular was extra special; The Four Puppies.… more
I love the word “serendipity.” I also love when I actually experience the feeling of serendipity. It shows up unexpectedly in moments when I feel a surprising connection or happy coincidence between two seemingly separate things. It makes me believe in the power of the universe and often leaves me questioning whether these occurrences are more than a fluke. I especially love when serendipity shows up in my teaching, learning, and literacy life.… more
Recently I had “one of those days” in room 212. A day that brought me to tears and had my heart aching. Driving away from school on a Friday afternoon I knew my fun weekend plans would be interrupted now and again by thoughts of my kids and some of the tough stuff going on. The same kind of tough stuff every single teacher has to deal with on occasion.… more
A little more than two years ago I shared a Teach it Forward column entitled “Books for my Grandbaby and Me.” As I celebrated the arrival of my first grandchild and marveled at the joy of becoming a first-time grandma, I embraced the chance to share my love of reading with this most precious future book lover. It was a match made in heaven … a little one to hold gently on my lap while sharing book after book.… more
If you dropped into Room 212 for a visit between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. you might wonder what kind of “Writer’s Workshop” was underway. It’s not that you wouldn’t find evidence of writing … the questions raised might center on the genres of writing you would be hard pressed to detect. No persuasive essays. Not a single five-paragraph essay.… more
As I reflect on the start of my 27th year of teaching, I am struck by what an unusual first week of school it was. Room 212 was filled with a sense of calm that doesn’t usually accompany my first few days of a new school year. The fact that our school building was closed all summer due to construction projects meant that I had just three days to set up a classroom before twenty-four eager learners walked through the door.… more
The gift of a favorite teacher reading aloud an unforgettable book is an experience likely to leave a lasting imprint on a student’s heart. For me, it was Ramona the Pest, introduced by my second-grade teacher. I’ll always remember Tammy Burns, the girl in my class who had beautiful ringlets just like Ramona’s classmate Susan. And just like Ramona, I was always tempted to give those curls a good tug to see if they would go “boing.”… more
As teachers across the country take to the streets to push for adequate compensation and work conditions, it’s a wonder we still have young people entering this noble profession. And yet, at college and university graduation ceremonies everywhere, new teachers will be receiving their credentials as they embark on what will likely be one of the most challenging and rewarding career choices possible.… more
