One of my favorite things to do over the summer is read. I always pick one book just because and one professional text. This summer I’m especially excited, because I can’t seem to soak up enough about teaching writing. Last summer, I embarked on a new journey…… I started writing units for first grade around writer’s workshop. This summer, I will continue these units and finish up before August.
Summer Reads……
Just Because…..Have you ever heard of Joel Osteen? He is literally life changing and I’m so thankful for his words. He is a minister in Houston, TX and he speaks to people as if he knows them as if you are right there next to him. He promotes pos
itivity and spiritual growth. I highly recommend grabbing one of his many books or listening to him on the radio.
My professional text choice….. Self-directed writers by Leah Mermeistein
I’ve been doing some digging over the last several years in the area of writing and writer’s workshop. This book excites me because of its title. The idea of growing writers that are self directed in their next move, is a great next step to boost high engagement levels in the classroom. In her blurb on the back, she talks about scaffolding instruction and slowly pulling back so writers can step in to begin making their own decisions about where to move next in their writing.
What are you reading this summer? Do you have a reading plan for enjoyables and professional texts? I strongly believe that to grow in our own teaching craft, we must be self motivated to read and try on new ideas in our own classroom. I like the idea of being an active learner, instead of a passive leaner waiting for the next professional development to come along. My favorite thing about reading a professional text, is that I get to pick the subject matter and try it on in my own classroom. I can try it on many times, fail multiple times, and grow in my own learning.
Here is a glimpse of the professional learning I’ve taken on to grow my own craft, and what it has led to in my teaching…..
This professional text, led to this learning in my class…..
After reading Number Sense Routines, I implemented ideas into the beginning of my math block. We maintained a strong number sense foundations by creating a specific time to only focus on building number sense. One way we added on to our number sense, was through a today’s number focus. Thi
s poster highlights all the ways we can use, build, and create a number. This was what we did each Monday to grow our number sense. I made tremendous gains among my math students’ thinking.
You can find a copy of this poster for free in my TPT store!
Writer’s workshop was always a doozie in my eyes. I never felt confident about what I was teaching and how I was doing it. Then, I read my favorite professional text of all time.
The Revision Toolbox, by Georgia Heard.
She inspired me to read many more books on writer’s workshop, which then led to complete confidence in teaching writer’s workshop.
Check out my writing units here…. Tales of a First Grade Writer
If you are feeling like I was about teaching writer’s workshop, check out my PD video on the components of writer’s workshop and how to implement it in your classroom and feel successful about what you’re doing.
How do you get your kids thinking about new authors and what their crafts are? Within these writing units, we also study one author each month. This gives students a strong model of what good writing is and they get to know the author and their style.
Currently I’m reading….
It came in the mail last night, and I got started right away. It’s an awesome read, because the author introduces new ideas about workshop and help you enhance the practices you’re already doing. I’m most excited about her tours thorough different classrooms! She takes you through different elementary classrooms as you look at the workshop techniques being implemented in each classroom!
What’s in your summer bag? Check out one of these great reads!
