Joy Cowley

I went to a workshop on Saturday with Joy Cowley as the featured speaker. She described how she began writing stories for children.  It really started with her son Edward.  He was a reluctant reader but he learned to read by reading the stories she wrote about him.  Joy Cowley herself was a late bloomer.  She didn't read until the age of 9! She gave some very good tips on finding books kids can connect to and are able to read.  Of course she read Mrs. Wishy-washy to us.  Nobody can read that book better than the author herself.  I also went to a breakout session hosted by Jennifer Summerlin.  She is soooo inspiring.  I got some new book ideas to use with my students.  It also made me reflect on my current teaching practices. My school system has provided us with some very good programs and materials but I feel stifled by those tools!  I know, crazy huh. This week I'm putting the reading program away and I'm just going to have fun with my students and read books that we love and that motivates students to read. I think students can tell when you aren't reading a book that you love.  I also know that every book in that reading program is not relevant to my students' lives.  I want to do a better job of hooking my students with books I love and that they will love too.

Reflections on "I Resign From Teaching" posted by Josh Stumpenhorst

This has been the best year of teaching I have ever had.  EVER!  It has been so much fun teaching a split class.  But...I’m already dreading next year because nothing could possibly top this one. I had a rough start with juggling schedules and not knowing how to group students because I didn’t really know them yet.Not to mention the PR I had to do with parents. They had the same question as some of the teachers did and that is, how can you teach two grade levels at the same time???  As time went by, it got so much easier and it’s hard to imagine ever having a full kindergarten class without older peers to help with teaching and guiding them. EVER! Teaching kindergarten is an exhausting job.  My hat is off to those teachers that do it every day and every year. Josh’s blog post http://stumpteacher.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-resign-from-teaching.html resonates with me as a first grade teacher.  I feel it is much easier to learn beside first graders than to learn beside  kindergarteners.  They are a whole different animal!  They need so much more guidance into “schooling.”  So the secret is out of the bag! I’ve tried to keep it quiet but...this has been the best year ever! Thank you Linda for your vision. Thank you Jeff for your encouragement. And thank you Kindergarten and First Grade Teams for being flexible with my crazy schedule and for being so supportive.  You are the best!