It's as if we share a secret--my students and me--a secret that people who don't read can't understand. We know that books hold magic inside them. We know that books ease pain. We know that books rescue boring afternoons. We know that the best books sink into our skin and change who we are. This is my hope for my students--that they find a powerful book that becomes a part of them. The baggage of their lives should include a book or two. (Donalyn Miller at The Book Whisperer blog)
Donalyn Miller is a 6th grade language arts teacher in Texas who is said to have a "gift": She can turn even the most reluctant (or, in her words, "dormant") readers into students who can't put their books down. Donalyn is the author of The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child (Jossey-Bass/Education Week Press). She first appeared in teachermagazine.org in the popular"Creating Readers" Ask The Mentor column. She writes about how to inspire and motivate student readers, and responds to issues facing teachers and other leaders in the literacy field.
To read more, click on either of the hyperlinked texts above.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Video forthcoming
Video of Special Olympian Kristin Baumann isn't yet up. As soon as possible, it will be.
Thanks so much for your patience.
Thanks so much for your patience.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Spread the Word
Yesterday a very special guest came to Grand Forks Central in support of the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign.
Special Olympian Erin Baumann, who was born with Down Syndrome, read a speech she had written about how derogatory words affect people with intellectual disabilities. She told those who attended the session of Literary Lunches what it's like to have Down Syndrome and what it's like having people use those derogatory words.
She gave many of the students and teachers who attended much to think about in respect of the use of words like "stupid," "dumb" and the ever present R-word. Baumann also brought up an important legislative point, Rose's Law.
In October 2010, "President Obama signed Rosa's Law, making a simple, but monumental change in the language used to refer to individuals with disabilities. The law, named for Rosa Marcellino an 8-year-old girl with Down Syndrome, will change the phrase 'mental retardation' to 'ntellectual disability' in all federal statutes."
Monday we will put up a video of Baumann so you too can hear what Baumann had to say and learn what websites you can visit to help those intellectual disabilities and those who are participating in the Special Olympics.
submitted by GFC senior Justin (Jfish) Fischer
Special Olympian Erin Baumann, who was born with Down Syndrome, read a speech she had written about how derogatory words affect people with intellectual disabilities. She told those who attended the session of Literary Lunches what it's like to have Down Syndrome and what it's like having people use those derogatory words.
She gave many of the students and teachers who attended much to think about in respect of the use of words like "stupid," "dumb" and the ever present R-word. Baumann also brought up an important legislative point, Rose's Law.
In October 2010, "President Obama signed Rosa's Law, making a simple, but monumental change in the language used to refer to individuals with disabilities. The law, named for Rosa Marcellino an 8-year-old girl with Down Syndrome, will change the phrase 'mental retardation' to 'ntellectual disability' in all federal statutes."
Monday we will put up a video of Baumann so you too can hear what Baumann had to say and learn what websites you can visit to help those intellectual disabilities and those who are participating in the Special Olympics.
submitted by GFC senior Justin (Jfish) Fischer
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Feasting with books
To celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday yesterday, the readers at Literary Lunches supplied books and some food, namely some green eggs with ham (prosciutto, actually).
Grand Forks Central family and consumer science teacher Rhonda Peterson and junior Sam Hape did a two voice performance of the Seuss classic Green Eggs and Ham with Hape easily fitting into the role of Sam-I-am.
They also read The Foot Book, an homage to, of course, the foot, and The ABC Book, a litany of alliteration and/or tongue-twisters.
Who was Dr. Seuss?
Theodor Seuss Geisel (pronounced /ˈɡaɪzəl/; March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991) was an American writer and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone.[1] He published 44 children's books, which were often characterized by imaginative characters, rhyme, and frequent use of trisyllabic meter. His most celebrated books include the bestselling Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Horton Hatches the Egg, Horton Hears a Who!, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Numerous adaptations of his work have been created, including eleven television specials, three feature films, and a Broadway musical. (from Wikipedia)
To learn even more about Seuss, click here to visit Seussville.
They also read The Foot Book, an homage to, of course, the foot, and The ABC Book, a litany of alliteration and/or tongue-twisters.
Who was Dr. Seuss?
Theodor Seuss Geisel (pronounced /ˈɡaɪzəl/; March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991) was an American writer and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone.[1] He published 44 children's books, which were often characterized by imaginative characters, rhyme, and frequent use of trisyllabic meter. His most celebrated books include the bestselling Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Horton Hatches the Egg, Horton Hears a Who!, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Numerous adaptations of his work have been created, including eleven television specials, three feature films, and a Broadway musical. (from Wikipedia)
To learn even more about Seuss, click here to visit Seussville.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Words have power
At yesterday's session of Literary Lunches, Grand Forks Central special education teacher Kelli Henke reminded us that "words can hurt people."
Henke, who read in conjunction with the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign, brought us into the world of House Rules, Jodi Picoult's novel about Jacob, a young man with autism. In the excerpt Henke read, Jacob's mother Emma tells us about her son who's interested in forensics, so much so that he stages a fake crime scene at their house.
Emma also addresses words, in particular labels. She says, "It's a term [Asperger's Syndrome] we use to get Jacob the accommodations he needs in school, not a label to explain who he is. "
Below is the United Kingdom version of the book trailer for House Rules.
Henke, who read in conjunction with the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign, brought us into the world of House Rules, Jodi Picoult's novel about Jacob, a young man with autism. In the excerpt Henke read, Jacob's mother Emma tells us about her son who's interested in forensics, so much so that he stages a fake crime scene at their house.
Emma also addresses words, in particular labels. She says, "It's a term [Asperger's Syndrome] we use to get Jacob the accommodations he needs in school, not a label to explain who he is. "
Below is the United Kingdom version of the book trailer for House Rules.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
More great resources
Comprehension is the reason for reading, and vocabulary plays a significant role in comprehension (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000). The question is, What kind of instruction best promotes the development of comprehension and vocabulary? (from Reading Rockets)
To learn more, click the above hyperlinked text.
Reading Rockets if full of resources. To browse topics at Reading Rockets, click here.
To learn more, click the above hyperlinked text.
Reading Rockets if full of resources. To browse topics at Reading Rockets, click here.
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