Reflection: Top 10 Posts for 2016
Which of my 131 posts during 2016 were most read?
In reverse order (10 to 1) with a few notes:
10.#SOL16: #WhyIWrite – No More Red Ink!
What happens when a teacher “edits” with red ink?
9. #SOL16: What are you planning to read?
Five books in February that were on my “MUST READ” list from authors: Stacey Shubitz, Kate and Maggie Roberts, Kim Yaris and Jan Burkins, Sonja Cherry-Paul and Dana Johansen, and Doug Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie.
8. #SOL16: Professional Development
Characteristics of professional development were highlighted for four different “sessions” attended within a two-week time frame. Are these important for you?
- Choice?
- Free?
- Learning Collaboratively with Others?
- Available 24/7 to Revisit?
- Passionate and Inspiring?
7. #TCRWP Writing: Takeaways Day 2
Different ways to share – a symphony and a museum share from Celena Larkey, why students need to write with a pen from Colleen Cruz, letting students lead with mentor texts with Mary Ehrenworth, and “DON”T KILL THE BOOK” with Donald Graves keynote.
6. #TCRWP Reading: Takeaways Day 2
The value of READING mini-lessons with Amanda Hartman, the value of “practice, practice, practice with Kathleen Tolan, What readers need in order to become AVID readers with Mary Ehrenworth, and Matt de La Pena’s keynote! “Teachers and authors don’t often immediately see the results of their work. Patience . . . you will!”
5. #SOL16: Who’s Doing the Work?
Have you read this book? You should have annotated and dog-eared it by now! This post celebrates the twitter chats (with links to the storified archives) as well as an inside look into many of the activities Kim and Jan developed in their study guide. How do you know you have “learned” something? How do you expect students to share their learning? So many DIFFERENT ways are shared here!
4. #TCRWP Reading: Takeaways Day 3
Learning about the many ways of shared reading with Amanda Hartman, inquiry for developing fluency with Kathleen Tolan, close reading with Kate Roberts and the keynote session with Donalyn Miller. What a fabulous learning day!
3. #TCRWP Reading: Takeaways Day 1
A Lucy Calkins’ keynote on developing reading community, sessions with Amanda Hartman on “one-focused teaching point” and Kathleen Tolan – a mind-blowing small group read aloud. Never.thought.of.a.read.aloud.for.a.small.group. And so obviously why I need to continue to learn. Such a privilege to have been a part of Kathleen’s June Institute.
2. #SOL16: March Challenge Day 23 – DIY Toolkits
Have you read this book? You can create your own tools after reading this book. Better yet . . . study it with a friend and then work together on creating tools. Tip: Best part of this blog post is the “summary tool” that Kate created and the links to other pages about this session (Tara, Sally and NCTE).
1. #TCRWP Writing: Takeaways Day 1#TCRWP Writing: Takeaways Day 1
This post includes quotes from Lucy Calkins (opening keynote), revision across the day with Celena Larkey, the power of stories with Colleen Cruz and planning for two or three days of small group sessions at a time from Amanda Hartman. What an amazing first day of Learning for the 2016 #TCRWP Writing Institute!
Reflection:
Data is so interesting. I was not surprised at the popularity of the #TCRWP posts as the June learning has been quite high on the list in previous years. Some of those posts continue to be “all-time” highs as well. I was surprised that the top 10 was split evenly between #SOL posts and #TCRWP posts and absolutely delighted to see that three of the posts where Kathleen Tolan really stretched my brain were in the top 10. I learned so much from Kathleen this past summer and YET had so much more that I needed to learn. It’s time to practice, practice, practice. I do write more “slices” than any other “type” of posts so I thank my slicer readers for boosting those stats! It was great to reread those posts with a “reader’s eye” as I considered WHY those posts were read more often than others!
What are you reading? What are you writing?
How do you set goals and reflect on those goals?
And as always, dear readers . . .
#SOL16: In Memoriam
By the numbers:
34,310 + = days alive*
Age 94
25,550 + = days married*
July 26, 2016
Hundreds of family events:
The gold dress I wore in this family picture was a gift from my godparents . . .
Countless dinners and events across many states . . .
I remember presenting in Austin, TX and driving on down to visit Bob and Dorris. It didn’t seem right to be “in the same state” and not go visit! However, my favorite story is from my 16th birthday.
16
Old enough to drive with
Driver’s license in hand.
Five “drivers” in the family.
Three vehicles.
Mathematical improbability to get “drive time” as the youngest driver.
AND YET . . .
My godparents sent me a birthday card with a car key in it.
“When you find the car that fits this key, it’s yours!” was written inside the card.
Fun
Joy
Laughter
Thank you,
My godfather and uncle . . . Bob!
You will be missed!
(* Leap years were not accounted for. The numbers are approximations for average years.)
You were a father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, brother-in-law and filled so many hearts.
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Dana, Deb, Kathleen, Lisa, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
Previous Connected Posts about the “Ruths” and/or my godparents:
#SOL16: Traditions
It began with a text.
“What should I fix to take to the the Ruth pot luck dinner? What do you all vote for?”
“Julie said buffalo chicken dip.”
“What for a snack at the hotel?”
“Fruit? Like a fruit tray? To be healthy . . . And because your grandson loves fruit!”
And the menu and shopping lists were created for the first weekend of holiday celebrations for 2016. Because of the extreme cold and the miles to be traveled, the shopping occurred in multiple cities and over time.
A tradition . . .
Family members returning home choose the menu.
Once upon a time . . .
My first paid publication was a $3.00 check for writing and responding to a call for a favorite Christmas dinner memory in the Cappers Weekly. My younger siblings were not as excited as me. My favorite menu was that of a college student hungry for some home-cooked food. (And yes, I had to “cook” it myself! But that was a small price to pay for choosing the menu.) Christmas with Mom’s extended family was typically the Sunday before Christmas and then a snack or two at Grandma’s after Mass. Our plans for Christmas on Dad’s side of the family depended on which day of the week Christmas fell on. Christmas this year was a day at home. What a treat! However, this was my first and only “choose your own menu” holiday treat.
The menu:
Fried liver and onions – golden brown
Mashed potatoes – used to build a dam on the plate
Stewed tomatoes – warmed, thickened, and held in place by that potato dam
Asparagus – my favorite vegetable
Dessert – gooseberry pie
What traditions do you and your family have?
What traditions do you continue? What new traditions will you begin?
Happy Holidays and Enjoy Your Time with Friends and Family!
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Dana, Deb, Kathleen, Lisa, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
PS. If I were a betting person, I’m sure that some of my siblings were checking out the Christmas candy BEFORE dinner even ended! But not me! I wonder what those same siblings remember from that day!
#DigiLitSunday: Celebrate
It’s time to celebrate! Celebrate the waning moments of 2016. Celebrate the oncoming 2017. Celebrate winter in all its glory. Celebrate family and community and togetherness! I continue to celebrate “Joy” as my OLW for 2016 (how many times do you see that word in the background?) and as I spend this weekend with family! (Check out the other posts on Margaret Simon’s blog, “Reflections on the Teche” found here!)
Celebrate
Life
Health
Family
Safe travels
Time together
Precious time!
Today, I celebrate the kids in my life. Short, tall, running, playing, talking, card playing and just down right entertaining. Here’s the long and short of it: 35 inch grandson at 19 months and the 6’11” nephew who is 17!
Christmas 2017 with Waterlogue
What are you celebrating?
#SOL16: A Paradox
A wise fool
Foolish wisdom
To act
Or not to act
To think, to plan, to reason out all possibilities
To jump in head first, risking all, tackling challenges
To listen, to ponder, to listen some more
To speak, to challenge, to dare
A consummate team member
Boldly lead where no one has charted course
Black
White
What are the roles that you serve throughout the day? Through out your job? Throughout your life?
When are you encouraged to think? To act? To dare? To do?
When are you discouraged from thinking? From acting? From doing what needs to be done?
Is there a middle road? Not black. Not white. But gray. How does one stay true to oneself and yet also meet the needs of others? Where is the fine line between being self serving and being a servant to others? What role does reflection play?
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Dana, Deb, Kathleen, Lisa, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
#SOL16: #NCTE16 Friday Takeaways
Bookended by our Thursday and Friday evening dinners . . .
are over 16 pages of notes, hundreds of storified tweets, pictures galore and thousands of words. Words Matter. Words matter whether spoken or written. Words in the heart matter as well. As a #TCRWP aficionado stunned by the passing of Deputy Director Kathleen Tolan this weekend, I celebrate my learning about small group reading instruction last summer with Kathleen even though I still yearn for more. That gritty, passionate, talented, brilliant and sometimes “pushy” Deputy Director would want us to carry on . . . Make the students in front of you YOUR PRIORITY! FOCUS on students!
FRIDAY at #NCTE16
The Heinemann Breakfast on Friday honoring the Legacy of Don Graves was a star-studded celebration. I felt like the red carpet was rolled out to recognize the literacy superstars in the room who all had stories to tell that encouraged us to roll up our sleeves, pay attention to students and get to work. From Penny Kittle’s, “When Don asked me to do something, I did it!” to her credo “NCTE is a place to settle your soul” we were entranced! Katherine Bomer reminded us that “Writing to discover what we care about is brave and that writing is a way a student’s voice comes into power and reminds us that we are all human.” Allison Marchetti and Rebekah O’Dell shared that their “mentor text drop box – a way to organize and access mentor text – represents the generosity of Don Graves.” This breakfast was a family breakfast that reminded us of who we are and where we are going together. ( Heinemann Podcast Link)
Charts as Tools for Conversation, Advocacy and Action (Martinelli, Schwartz, & Luick)
The focus of this presentation was on the purpose of charts, ownership and environment, reflection and action. The two words that I heard over and over were “purposeful planning”! This is embodied in sketching out the steps to check clarity, the vocabulary used, and the ability of the chart to act as the teleprompter for the teacher. Of course, a crystal clear teaching point helps!
One caution was to make sure that students’ voices were included in discovering learning together . . .students could contribute definitions, examples, and even make their own tools to use. Tools that begin in the minds of teachers become ideas that can eventually be handed over to the students. (Isn’t that what transfer is REALLY all about?) I’ve heard many, many, many TCRWP staff members say that when we introduce a tool, coach and provide support for a tool, we MUST have a plan for the tool to go away. Graphics in a chart are really meant to be replaced by pictures or names of your own students. Or even better, by students who make their own charts because they know the purpose and that’s good for teachers, students, and LEARNING!
Vocabulary Matters! – Valerie Geschwind, Shana Frazin, Katy Wischow and Char Shylock
How do students ever learn enough words to improve their vocabulary? How do students become invested in their OWN learning? Who’s really doing the work in vocabulary learning?
Step 1. Listen carefully.
Step 2. Wait.
Too often when students say things that are untrue or unbiased, teachers jump in. Instead of the teacher teaching 24/7, maybe students should teach us so that they have the skills that they need for the rest of their lives!
Step 3. Think. What do we know ( or What do we think we know) about …”
Step 4. Audition what you know. Try it on. Is this idea never true? Sometimes true? Always true? (or True for me? True for us? True for you?) Set up a place or way for students to go do this!!!
Step 5. Revise and rename. What assumptions changed?
Step 6. Spread the word.
This presentation included opportunities for us to think about shifting our beliefs, taking note of vocabulary words, increasing our word curiosity and consciousness and “settling our souls in teacher church”. Shana Frazin told us that “English is her superpower and Hebrew is her kryptonite.” If we think of a word in another language, how does that add to our repertoire? How does working with “categories” help students access MORE words. And then Katy illuminated some FUN, JOYOUS ways to find a few minutes to incorporate vocabulary work. . . in a closure – share, in a mid-class tip, in spare 5 minutes before the bell rings or even a simple conversation like . . .
“Wow guys, you are doing such fascinating work with characters… let’s talk about…. which would you rather be, character A or character B and why?”
Some activities take time:
- Sentence game
- Grid game – person and question
- Play with words – Beck’s Bringing Words to Life (Would you rather? How much would you like to ? Which is more important to ? When/ how should you?)
- Word sorts – content words for open or closed sorts
- Other work – paintings or artwork.
Vocabulary work that has student learning and ownership as the goal WILL stick with students. Vocabulary work that has “correct answers on the quiz” as an end goal . . . NOT so much!
The Power of Low Stakes Writing with Ralph Fletcher
Fun
Laughter
Advice from students
“Use top shelf adjectives and verbs”
Metaphorically
Like a big balloon…
Real choice
Audience (beyond the teacher)
A sense of fun and adventure
Teachers who value
Invention, originality and voice
So what happened to the big beautiful balloon?
Student Choice increases energy and excitement to make the balloon soar.
Test prep brings the balloon back to the ground.
There is a battle between freedom and discipline
But teachers do have choice and must be
BRAVE to bring choice back with any of these . . . (and also low-stakes)
- Free Choice Fridays
- The Writer’s Notebook
- Class Writer’s notebook- Students inspired by what others write
- Classroom blogs
- Slice of Life Challenge
- Open Cycles – where students chose the topic and genre
- Need writing green belts – tap into the writing Ss are doing
- FERAL writing
- Study Driven Writing (Source Katie Wood Ray)
Recklessly wonderful writing.
Students choose to work on writing because
The ideas of writing give them energy.
Multiple Layers of Literacy Learning –
(Amy Brennan, Dani Burtsfield, Jill DeRosa, Kim Gosselin, Jennifer Hayhurst, Kathryn Hoffman-Thompson, Marissa Moss, Stefani Nolde, Erica Picarole, David Schultz, and Kari Yates)
What do you think of when you hear professional development? Who is it for? This session included conversations about learning for teachers, parents, and students. Learning, fun, and choice are necessary ingredients for multi-dimensional opportunities for all to grow! Summer school included learning for teachers and the students!
Advocating for Revision in Reading: Meaning Making as a Journey, Not a Destination – Ellin Keene, Matt Glover, Dan Feigelson and Kathy Collins
Students who are reading and writing A LOT know a lot. Ellin had an example of a six year old who understood the use of metaphor. Students who read and write have the tools to share their thinking at deeper levels than we may have considered. How do we help them revise their thinking? Sometimes it means the adult must close his/her mouth in order for the student to take the lead! Students need to learn to be comprehension decision makers! Students have to be flexible thinkers and not seekers of “right” answers. Building a “Reader’s Identity” is a desired outcome, not a letter of a level! What are the characteristics of a reader that you admire? That’s a different question than those that are typically part of a story inquisition! Product and process do matter so
“Privilege all texts”
” Our attention shows what we value!”
“Show reading identities.”
“Elevate the book.”
“Elevate the readers of the book.”
Dear Reader, Are you still here with me?
At this point we were off to the #HeinemannPub reception for the #TCRWP Reading Units of Study Libraries, the #StenhousePub reception for authors, and then dinner with #G2Great Voxer cousins! Many miles of words and ideas heard, considered and studied!
So what caught your attention on this overview of Friday’s learning at #NCTE16?
When were you nodding your head and saying, “YES”!
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Dana, Deb, Kathleen, Lisa, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
And a “Paul Harvey – the Rest of the Story” video here . . . How Friday ended!
#SOL16: Capital E = Essay
There’s a glow, a rainbow, a light spirit still leaking from my pores and so much fun and learning from #NCTE16 yet to be shared! My top two sessions from the three days are a toss-up.
Poetry? Essay? Which will change the world?
At #NCTE16 it was readily apparent that BOTH writing forms are capable of reporting on AND changing the world. You can read more about poetry in last week’s “NCTE16: Incredible Learning” here.
A focus on writing ANYTHING and EVERYTHING will of course have the power to potentially change the world because the pen is mightier than the sword. The constant focus on assessments and screeners that produce fast yet aliterate readers has created a new tension in schools. What’s the solution for this new breed of readers who do not choose to read and who do not fall in love with the written word? Are they an unconscionable byproduct of too much focus on reading “outcomes/products” (ie, something that can be counted as in words read per minute) and too little focus on the thinking, the joy, and the love of words that result from daily writing in schools – daily writing of their own choice? How can we regain JOY and LEARNING? Poetry and Essay tied for first place at #NCTE in bringing JOY to my world and in igniting a quest for more learning.
The Transformative Power of Essay
This panel on Sunday was amazing (and had many noteworthy literacy celebs attending as well). And NO moans or groans because of the word “essay”.
From R to Left: Katherine Bomer, Allyson Smith, Corinne Arens and Matthew Harper
Story after story.
Straight from the students.
Student writing examples . . .
pages and pages and pages of writing from individual students!
Students conferencing with teachers in videos.
Students sharing what essay means to them.
Students sharing how their lives have changed.
Teachers sharing how their lives have changed.
An administrator sharing how the district has changed.
Summer week long writing institutes in the district.
Building trust.
Building communities.
Teachers doing the “writing work” expected of students.
The audience laughed.
The audience cried.
The audience applauded vociferously.
Transforming our thoughts, perhaps our future actions . . .
Essay with a capital “E”.
(NO five paragraph essays anywhere!)
Thank you, new friends from Blue Springs, MO!
What evidence of transformation?
Tweet 1:
Tweet 2:
Did you catch the date? 9-15-16
Not waiting for “routines” but beginning the year boldly with essay writing to allow student voice to “spill yourself onto the page”.
And a final piece of evidence . . . Margaret Simon’s post today found here.
The Transformative Power of Essay
Have you read The Journey is Everything?
Read it. Try writing an essay and then let’s talk!
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Dana, Deb, Kathleen, Lisa, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
Looking for more information?
Previous posts:
#DigiLitSunday: The Journey is Everything!#DigiLitSunday: The Journey is Everything!
Literacy Superheroes (I counted FIVE of these essayists + Katherine in the room!)
Photo Essay (another public essay!)
A Favor – My essay (with a comment from Katherine Bomer – another fangirl moment)
And the common denominator for both poetry and Essay was Katherine Bomer!
No wonder they tied!
#SOL16: JOY
My #OneLittleWord for 2016 has been JOY and this past weekend at #NCTE16 was packed with joy every minute of every day. Surrounded by professionals that I know, admire, and constantly learn with, it was quite easy to forget the policies, problems, and politics that have rocked the U.S. landscape lately.
See how many “Slicers” you recognize at the Saturday dinner.
(Bonus: How many of the blogs can you name?)
“Slicer” dinner at Amalfi’s Pizza Saturday
The JOY began with a #G2Great meetup Thursday night at Max’s Coal Pizza. This group chats online on Thursday evenings with Mary Howard, Amy Brenneman, and Jenn Hayhurst as co-moderators.
Thursday night #G2Great meetup at Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria
Do you know which 4 are in both groups?
Can you name the states represented?
And of course another night of conversation and JOY.
Friday night at Legal Seafood
On Sunday we actually found time to visit before leaving Atlanta!
Julieanne, Tara, Margaret and me!
One of the highlights of my travels was my great roommate, Dani Graham Burtsfield, from Kalispell, MT. Thanks so much for all your great work as our “historian”!
Joy with some of the audience members for the poetry session are found here!
At poetry with Mary Lee, Julieanne and myself – just missing Steve!
And even MORE JOY with some of the presenters!
Have you checked in on your “One Little Word” lately?
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Dana, Deb, Kathleen, Lisa, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
#SOL16: Assessment Matters
Thank you #TWTBlog Authors for this series last week, “Assessment Strengthens Writers”. Last night’s Twitter Chat was simply amazing and if you weren’t there, you can check out the storified version here.
The questions that vaulted us into the twittersphere were:
But this morning, I’m stuck on “How do I use assessment to strengthen my own writing?”
And every one of those questions MATTER!
- What assessment tools and strategies do I use?
- How do I deep track of my progress on assessments?
- How do I use on-demand writing to inform my progress?
- How do I collaborate with colleagues on my assessments?
- How do I communicate my growth to myself?
- How do I see my growth in writing over time?
- Where does self-assessment fit into the life of a writing teacher?
Much has been written about the need for writing teachers to write. October 20 was #WhyIWrite.
What has been written about the need for writing teachers to self-assess and to work collaboratively with others in order to grow their own skills? Today this space is dedicated to thinking about how best to continue to “Walk the Talk” and to grow and strengthen my own writing.
If one of my claims is that . . .”My writing improves as my volume of writing grows.”
How will I measure that?
How DO I measure that?
I have some work to do in order to answer these questions.
How will you “Strengthen Your Writing”?
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Dana, Deb, Kathleen, Lisa, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
#SOL16: Observing
“Writers look closely at the world, they see and feel things intensely.”
My gaze is outward.
My gaze is inward.
The coffee gurgles.
The wind is blowing.
The sky is beginning to brighten.
Time is fleeting; time to move.
A faint shape; a daily appearance.
My daily path.
Finally, the coffee is done. I pour a cup.
I sniff the air.
I wrap my hands around my mug and embrace the warmth.
No rain today; I embrace the crisp air.
I look again, outside my window.
I check for scents, again.
I reach for my phone, punch in the code, click on the camera.
I study the window. Did I see movement?
My morning and evening visitors.
That two-legged creature stuck inside.
What do you see when you look closely?
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Dana, Deb, Kathleen, Lisa, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
Resource - Full 