a snow day short

" Your job is what you do, not who are"

Not true for many educators. Teachers seem to be different. Most often times we are the job. We take it home, live it- every minute of every day. When we first start teaching it consumes us. We spend hours in our classrooms planning, prepping, and creating. Then we continue to plan, prep, and create at home. Obsessing even, if you will, about our class, a conversation we had with a parent, or the next day's lesson. I know I obsessed over classroom setup, meeting standards, and anticipatory sets. I thought about teaching all the time. The drive to work or the middle of the night is when I came up with my best ideas.  

As true and fulfilling as that all sounds, we need to take time to do things that feed our passions. Doing the things that make us more than a teacher, makes us better teachers. Being a whole person helps us draw inspiration that we can funnel into our teaching. I'm more than a teacher, but it took several years to be comfortable with that.

I am a writer. 

I can model best practices while writing with my students.

I'm a traveler. 

I can use my experiences to make assignments real world applicable. 

I am an obstacle course race enthusiast.  
I bring movement and exercise into the classroom. 

I am an animal lover.

I hope my stories inspire kindness and empathy. 

I am a builder of lego-like models. 

 I bring that element of maker-space into projects. 

I am a teacher. 

6 books you have to read in September! #bookaday

When I completed my student teaching my cooperating teacher had a love of picture books. She believed in reading to children. Through her I was exposed to some great literature, and that fostered a love inside me for pictures books. I'm always on the hunt for an engaging story with a lesson, rich vocabulary, and enchanting illustrations. Last year I committed to reading aloud everyday. I've continued to do so into this year. I read a picture book to my class every morning. So for your reading pleasure here are six books you need to read in September.

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig

The story holds a special place in my heart. It's one of the first picture books I ever read to a classroom of students. Sylvester loves collecting pebbles. One day while out he finds an extraordinary one. It seems to grant wishes. Through a mishap, his wish turns him into a rock longing to be reunited with his family. This charming story teaches that sometimes everything you could ever wish for is right in front of you all along. It's full of rich vocabulary and literary features. This story would make a great reading workshop read aloud or shared reading that takes revisiting it multiple times to really do it justice.    

Jonathan James and the What if Monster by Michelle Nelson- Schmidt

This rhythmic tale is a must read in any classroom. Jonathon James is a classic worrier filled with "what ifs". What if I fall? What if I'm not good enough? Students of every age can relate to that little voice in their head that tells them they can't. This story tells you to ignore that voice. What if you are great! 

Love is a Family by Roma Downey

In that first few weeks of getting to know you, almost every grade level will talk about families. I love this picture because it illustrates all the different types of families. It emphasizes that no matter what a family looks like they all have love in common. 

The Relatives Came by Cythia Rylant

Sticking with the family theme- this is just a great story. The Relatives Came is exactly what the title implies. It is all about a visit from family. It's the excitement of the arrival. the feasts, the fun, the crazy sleeping arrangements, and finally the sadness of "until we meet again". It's full of charming illustrations with details that allow students to gain a better understanding of the characters and situations. The Relatives Came makes a great mentor text for narrative writing.  

One by Kathryn Otoshi

Kathryn Otoshi takes a unique approach to teach a kindness lesson. Each color has a unique personality, but Red is not very nice to the other colors. They let Red boss them around until One stands up for himself and the other colors. This is a fun and playful read aloud that invites a conversation about standing up for yourself and integrity.  

The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read by Curtis Manley and Kate Berube

Nick has two cats, and one summer day he decides to teach them to read. Vern catches on and enjoys reading. While Stevenson, like a typical cat, isn't very interested. With some encouragement Stevenson finds a book he loves and learns to read. Students will be able to relate to eager reader Vern or reluctant emergent reader Stevenson. This read aloud creates a great opportunity for students to reflect their reading interests and opens a discussion for just right books.  

That's my top six for September. I'm looking forward to more "Top Six Book Lists"!