March is National Reading Month so I’m going to blab briefly about my love of reading. Not too much, just a little bit. Reading for me is inexpensive adventure. I’ve wiggled my toes in the sandy beaches of Australia, hiked the Pacific Coast Trail (where I tangled with a bear!), sprinted down dark alleys, and…
I’m thinking most teachers would graciously decline an offer to eat lunch on a school bus. However, what if the bus had a gigantic mermaid on the side? Are you still not sure? Okay, how about if you’re dining with author Jan Brett? That’s what I thought! Jan Brett and her giant mermaid bus are…
This week, schools across the country will be celebrating the birthday of perhaps the most loved children’s author of all times—Dr. Seuss! If you’re searching for a few last minute ideas for your Seuss celebration, here are two links that are sure to be helpful! This link takes you to the treasure trove of Dr. Seuss…
Have you been reading over the holiday? I would like to say that I’m deeply involved with a piece of classic literature or studying a book that will enhance my intellect and further my career, but I’m actually reading Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. I have a thing for young adult fantasy and…
There are plenty of things you don’t want to get caught doing. Driving over the speed limit is certainly one of those things. Eating a candy bar for breakfast might be another. I’m just sayin’; not that I’ve ever done either of those! ;+) Today, I’m actually challenging you and your students to get caught…
I took three graduate level reading classes this summer and the underlining theme of all three courses was to give students time to read and talk about reading. We have overwhelmed students with busywork: reading worksheets, reading quizzes and reading test, all of which take away valuable reading time. I am blocking out time just…
Forty-four books for children. Forty-four fun-to-read, fun-to-hear, and fun-to-look-at books for kids. Thank you, Dr. Seuss! When I discovered the author had written forty-four books, I began to wonder how many of the books I’ve read; so I went in search of a book list. That’s when things got interesting. What I learned is that…
I was talking with my wife about this series of blog posts when she suggested I mention my own favorite novels that work well for students in the upper grades. Not quite official book reviews so much as a few suggestions and a way for you to get to know me better. You know, what…
We’re a reading family. We have more bookcases than any other single item of furniture, yet there’s always a stack of books teetering on some nightstand or chair arm somewhere in our house. My four-year-old has his favorite books and will sit down to “read” them to himself even though he’s not fully reading yet….
I love to read (almost as much as I love to write). Books, magazines, newspapers, websites, blogs, my friends’ Facebook posts—it doesn’t matter. Yet the quality and quantity of these disparate types of writing leave me with an almost inescapable feeling of disconnection. When I finally sit down on a Sunday night and slip forty pages…