OWP06

Starting With Little Things

Jennifer DeBlois

Book Review #4

Starting With Little Things: A Guide to Writing Poetry in the Classroom
By: Ingrid Wendt

Ingrid Wendt’s book, Starting With Little Things: A Guide to Writing Poetry in the Classroom, is a very easy read with lots of information about incorporating poetry into the classroom. I actually found it similar to Teeth, Wiggly As Earthquakes by Judith Tannenbaum which I read and reviewed a couple of weeks ago.

To compare the two briefly, I think that Tannenbaum goes into a little more detail about the specifics of certain kinds of poems, as well as the theory and methodology of teaching poetry. However, I think that Wendt’s book is a little more organized and provides many examples of student poetry. Like Tannenbaum’s book, Wendt focuses mostly on free verse poetry.

Wendt starts each chapter with a poem from a famous poet, then provides a brief insight into the type of poem and its importance. She then gives student examples and brief commentary at times about the student poems. I think she relies a lot on the student examples to teach the reader about poetry in the classroom and its potential.

It has been very fun to read this book after having Wendt as a guest presenter in our class. I can picture her teaching a classroom of students as I read the book and because of the personal interaction we had with Wendt, I can sense through her book her passion and enthusiasm for poetry. It was also fun to see all of the poems done by local students. She must be amazing to have in the classroom and I hope to one day get to have her as a guest in my own classroom.

Walking Trees

Jennifer DeBlois

Book Review #3

Walking Trees: Portraits of Teachers and Children in the Culture of Schools
By: Ralph Fletcher

Ralph Fletcher’s book, Walking Trees: Portraits of Teachers and Children in the Culture of Schools, is both empowering and inspiring. Fletcher tells of his experiences as a writing teacher trainer in the New York City Public Schools. Fletcher’s job is to model, demonstrate, observe, and provide feedback to teachers about using writing process. He works for Teachers College at Columbia University under the supervision of Lucy Calkins.

This book does not provide a model, framework, or guide for teachers on how to use writing process. It does, however, provide compelling accounts of Fletcher’s experiences in his job using certain schools, teachers, principals, and student encounters as specific examples. While it is not a “how to” book, you learn a lot and gain a lot of knowledge about teaching writing process and conducting writing conferences through Fletcher’s insightful accounts of his trials, successes, and failures.

I highly recommend this book to every teacher! Walking Trees is heartfelt, as well as entertaining and suspenseful to read. It brings life to the challenging profession of teaching, allows you to visit other classrooms, and inadvertently gives you wisdom about teaching writing.

Writing For Me

Writing For Me

By: Jennifer DeBlois

What do you get when you put twenty female teachers in a room together for four weeks? A lot of conversing, years of knowledge, experience, and ideas, and Nat ringing his bell desperately at the front of the room trying to get us to quiet down. Everyone had apprehensions at some point during the beginning of the program about why they were dedicating a good portion of their summer to writing.

The Oregon Writing Project – four weeks, spending all day in a workshop learning how to better teach writing. This is not how I envisioned my first summer off as a teacher. Oh, wait! Nine credits for only $350 out of my pocket! I can’t think of a better way to spend four weeks of my summer break!

Like many people in the Oregon Writing Project, the number of credits and low cost to teachers was what baited me. Once hooked, I found a whole lot more than we anticipated! I went into the four week adventure with mixed emotions. I have never really enjoyed writing, but have felt for a while that if I did I would be a more effective teacher in the subject area. After all, everything I have learned has told me to model, model, model writing for my students. I guess that means I need to write. So, while I wasn’t looking forward to the weeks to come in the classroom while the sun was shining outside, I was looking forward to learning lots of new things and to improving my own writing skills.

I did just that and then some. Each participant must present a writing lesson which they have taught before and found effective. It is amazing how many different ideas are out there. Seeing them all taught and being able to ask questions, participate, and observe is the best teacher training one can receive. I have learned more about effective ways to teach writing in the last four weeks than I ever did in a college course during my teacher training. It is refreshing and inspiring to get new ideas. It made me eager to plan for next year and to get my students thinking like writers and writing like experts.

I also now have a large list of books I want to buy for my classroom library, as well as a ton of resource books to draw ideas and activities from. I have numerous handouts to supplement my curriculum and lessons. I have knowledge not only about the writing process, but also about vocabulary instruction, punctuation and grammar, and tying art content into writing.

Much to my surprise, I also found the writer within myself. I learned that I can be a poet. I learned that I can write humorously and creatively. I learned that I can share my writing with my peers without being completely humiliated. I discovered that writing about life events allows me to reflect on them, capture them, relive and enjoy them. Finally, my mind has been opened and turned on to writing. Ever since the topics and ideas for my own writing have been vividly flashing through my mind. I learned to write for me and not necessarily for my audience. Good, authentic writing will reach your audience automatically.
So, it is the end of the four week project. I received much more than I had bargained for. I have more ideas than I know what to do with. I have grown as a writer and feel that I have grown as a professional. Nat is still ringing his bell, and we are still talking. But now, we get to go outside and enjoy the sunshine too!

Teeth, Wiggly As Earthquakes: Writing Poetry in the Primary Grades

Jennifer DeBlois
Book Review #2

Teeth, Wiggly As Earthquakes: Writing Poetry in the Primary Grades
By: Judith Tannenbaum

Teeth, Wiggly As Earthquakes: Writing Poetry in the Primary Grades is a phenomenal book! I was inspired, encouraged, and in awe with how amazing Judith Tannenbaum makes teaching and writing poetry sound. How could you not want to teach poetry after reading this book? This is a book I will buy before the school year begins!

Tannenbaum provides many great examples of each kind of poem for your reference as a teacher and to share with students. She leads you through the process and steps you might take in teaching poetry in your room. Her suggestions are a great jumping off point, but open-ended enough to make adaptations for your classroom and what your students need, as well as what fits in with your curriculum and other activities (which she encourages you to do). This book was very easy to read and I loved that it was a manageable size. I felt it had just the right amount of information. I wasn’t overwhelmed by a plethora of knowledge about poetry. It is a great reference and fun to read. The student examples are amazing!

This book focused not necessarily on rhyming poems, but more on free-verse. She talks about how to introduce and teach sensory poems, question poems, using personification, metaphors, and similes, onomatopoeia poems, developing a theme for your poems, using alliteration, writing repetition poems, using walking excursions to inspire poems, heart poems, friends and family poems, and name poems. She places a lot of emphasis on using sound to describe in your poems and in developing the imagination. Tannenbaum suggests that poems rely on the concrete more than the abstract and that students should use their senses and ask the five “w” questions to help develop their poems.

Tannenbaum suggests starting with group poems and then moving to individual poems. She emphasizes using examples, having students close their eyes to imagine, and suggests that teachers write their own poems to share with the class before teaching a certain form of poetry. The author also emphasizes the importance of tying poetry in with the other things students are learning in class to make it authentic and relate to their lives. However, again, Tannenbaum suggests adapting her lessons and suggested activities so they work best for you and your students.

There is a great reference of literature about teaching poetry at the end of the book, as well as a section devoted to adapting the suggested lessons for kindergarten. At the end of the book there is also a commentary on why we hesitate to teach poetry, as well as why we need to get over those excuses and do it. After reading this book I don’t see how you could not incorporate this into your teaching.

Why? Please, Tell Me, Why?

Why? Please, Tell Me, Why?

By: Jennifer DeBlois

Have you ever wondered why people drive with their turn signals on when clearly they have no intent of turning or changing lanes? Or how about the person doing ten miles an hour below the speed limit in the fast lane - why? Here is my personal favorite: people who sit next to you in a cramped college classroom and smack their gum or chew with their mouths open. Again, I ask, “Why?” I do not want to see the food in your mouth as your tongue pushes it around, nor do I want to hear it.

By now you are asking yourself, “Why? Why am I reading this paper?” Here’s why. You’re intrigued. You may think I am an angry, cynical person based on my opening paragraph. You’re wrong. I am actually quite optimistic, overly compassionate to the point in physically pains me at times, and believe it or not I have so much pep I was captain of the cheerleading team for three years in high school. However, I am not afraid to tell the blunt, honest truth when needed and appropriate. My sarcastic and dry sense of humor has earned me the reputation among those who know me well as being “really sweet with a bit of spice,” as I can easily get fired up about certain issues. So, I have decided to dedicate this piece of fantastic writing to the thoughts that go through all of our minds, but are not always socially appropriate to share. That’s right, you all think them too.

“Why,” I ask myself, “do people in gridlock traffic feel the need to honk their horns?” You may not have experienced this kind of traffic before because we do not see it in the “big city” of Eugene, but I experienced this every day while working in San Francisco and commuting to and from the East Bay. In gridlock traffic no one can move. When you are laying on your horn behind me, I cannot go. This is ineffective and what I consider to be noise pollution. Please stop. Turn on your radio and sing along to help pass the time.

Germs – yuck! At a recent trip to WinCo, I witnessed a woman reaching with her bare hands into one of the bulk food bins. I found myself not only asking, “Why?” but also, “Where have your grubby hands been?” There are large, silver scoopers with handles meant to be used for removing food from the bins. As an educator, I feel it’s my job to educate this person on why the large, hard-to-miss scoopers are there. I catch enough germs and illnesses from my students; I don’t need to catch hers.

As a young woman and a runner, I often receive “cat calls” while I am working hard to better my body and my health. Usually they are from men at least my father’s age, I had one from a woman once, and recently they were from a group of boys playing basketball who could be my students if I were a high school teacher. Why do people feel it necessary to make vulgar remarks and noises when someone is trying to exercise? I am sweaty, my hair is flung up in a ponytail, my makeup is smearing down my face, and I probably do not smell like roses. Do I look attractive and like I am going to stop and flirt with you? No. Are these comments and sounds going to get you anywhere with me? No. Save your breath and let me run in peace.

I love to go to the movies! There’s nothing like watching a good movie on the big screen and enjoying some popcorn. I really like it when the movie theater is not very crowded and you can choose where you want to sit. In that case, why then do people sit right in front of or behind you and then talk throughout the movie and put their feet up on the back of your chair? There is an entire theater full of seats to choose from. Please select one of the more spacious seats.

Lastly, I have to include being late. This is not one of my pet peeves, as I am often a guilty culprit, but that of my boyfriend’s. He made me promise to include this passage, I think as a large hint to me. Following our discussion, Justin asks, “Why don’t you just give yourself a little more time to get ready? Why don’t you get up the first time your alarm goes off? Why don’t you stay focused on what you’re doing and not get sidetracked?” Point well taken, Dear.

I will not devote anymore lengthy digressions to the following issues, but feel they warrant mentioning. Pee on the toilet seat – nasty! Assuming that because I am young, I must be naïve – we all are in some aspect, but please give me some credit. Cell phones going off in meetings and class – turn them off. Not looking both ways before turning – there are people in crosswalks that you are about to hit. Letting your dog do his/her business in someone else’s yard and leaving it there – disgusting and rude. Spitting your gum on the sidewalk where some innocent passerby will step in it – please be more considerate.

I could go on, but I will stop now. You get the idea. I invite you to add on to the thoughts and ponderings that go through your mind that could be additional paragraphs in this piece. I encourage you to vent your frustrations; however, I caution you as to when to do it and to use discretion. In order to vent, you must also first accept and acknowledge that we all do these annoying things at times. Additionally, we do things that we do not realize which annoy others and they have these thoughts about us too. Thanks for listening!

Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction

Jennifer DeBlois
Book Review #1

Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction
By: Isabel L. Beck, Margaret G. McKeown, & Linda Kucan

Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction is a quick read about teaching vocabulary. It focuses on all grade levels, as it has a section for early grades and a section for later grades. While the beginning of the book talks about the importance of teaching vocabulary and suggests ways to do so, the later part of the book gives some examples on how to select vocabulary words, as well as some examples of activities.

This book was suggested to my school’s staff at a writing training we went to and our principal purchased the book for us. It has been sitting on my shelf all year because the thought of reading a book about vocabulary bored me to tears. Much to my surprise I really enjoyed this book. Even though the first half is basically theory and reasoning for teaching vocabulary, it really made me think about the type of vocabulary instruction I do and what I should be doing and why.

The authors talk about the lack of knowledge and misunderstanding of words that definitions from a dictionary can give students. Therefore, it is not effective vocabulary instruction to have students look up a word, copy it down, and use it in a sentence. They do however, suggest robust vocabulary instruction. Robust vocabulary instruction should be vigorous, strong, and powerful in effect. Robust vocabulary instruction includes directly explaining the meaning of words, followed by thought-provoking, playful, and interactive follow-up. Students need to see, use, and hear the word used in a meaningful context repeatedly for them to truly learn the word and use it correctly.

One issue that arises when teaching vocabulary is that there are too many words to teach. The authors outline three tiers to vocabulary. Tier One consists of basic words. Tier Two consists of high frequency words for more mature language users, such as absurd, coincidence, and fortunate. Tier three consists of that are not used often and usually limited to specific domains and topics. Most people figure out the meaning of Tier One words because they are used so much, therefore they do not require a lot of instruction. Tier Three words should be taught when appropriate, such as when teaching a geography lesson you may need to preteach words like peninsula, tributaries, etc. Tier Two words are used frequently and require learning in order to acquire full meaning and proper use of them. So, the authors suggest teaching mostly Tier Two words in your vocabulary instruction. One way to tell what tier a word belongs in is to see if there is a more basic and common way to say the word and have the same meaning. For example, take the word required. Instead of using the word required, most students would probably say have to. Required is a commonly used word, but a more sophisticated way of saying have to, therefore it is a Tier Two word and will require some instruction.

There are a number of strategies and activities given to teach vocabulary instruction, and I can honestly say this book has made me deeply reflect on my vocabulary teaching practices and has given me many ideas for next year. It is a great reference and I highly suggest reading this book.

Various Websites for Students

Various Websites for Students

By: Jennifer DeBlois

In my classroom, I have two computers. I teach 2nd grade (next year 3rd) and most of kids have little experience with computers. I like to award computer time, but do not have time to go set up the website or game for a student. So, what I have done is found some educational websites for my students that they can choose to go to. There are directions next to my student computers that allow the students to get online and go to a website on their own. I have a list of websites they can choose from. You can save the website addresses in 'My Favorites' online so all the students have to do is choose the website from the favorites menu and they don't have to actually type in the website address on their own. If we are working on a certain skill, such as telling time, I might say they need to go to one of those websites and limit the options. However, all of these websites are safe for students and allow them to practice, learn, and discover. I checked all of these websites earlier today and all are still working. Most are for elementary grade levels, but a lot of them have links and activities for other grade levels as well. Below you will find the link to the website and a brief description of the site.

http://internet4classrooms.com/skills_2nd.htm (2nd grade skillsbuilders - links to interactive sites)

http://www.dinodictionary.com (dinosaur reference)

http://www.funbrain.com/math/index.html (math games)

http://www.funbrain.com/kidscenter.html (funbrain.com homepage)

http://www.abc.net.au/countusin/default.htm (games to help w/ understanding of basic # concepts)

http://www.ictgames.com/dinosaurwordsrepeat.html (identifying words - must have sound)

http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/phonics/grade_k_1/high_fre/hifreq1.htm (activities using high frequency words - need sound)

I hope you find these websites useful. There are so many available. I like to send some of these links home to parents in newsletters as well. It gives them resources and educational games and activities to have their students do on the computer at home. I hope it encourages educational games and maybe even some family time and discourages violent, meaningless video and computer games. I think it is important students have exposure to computers as well.

This last website is great if you use the Everyday Math curriculum. (Actually, it can be useful even if you do not.) You can click on your grade level and view a chart that has each unit and lesson mapped out. For a lot of the lessons there are links to online sites and games relating directly to the math skill you are working on. It's great for teachers and the links are useful for students.

http://www.center.k12.mo.us/edtech/edm/2.htm

Hope this helps and is useful! Enjoy!

A to Z Teacher Stuff

Web Review

By: Jennifer DeBlois

A to Z Teacher Stuff

A to Z Teacher Stuff (http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/) is a free website for teachers with a variety of resources. The website offers reproducibles, as well as teacher tips and links to other great sites. Additionally, there is a discussion forum for teachers and articles on latest teaching trends, job interviews, information for parents, etc.

I have used this in my class before when looking for information and activities on certain units we were doing. For example, we did a dinosaur unit and I was able to find a bunch of information about dinosaurs through the tab on the website labeled ‘themes.’ I like that in the description by each link for the activities it says what grade level the activity or lesson is appropriate for so you can save yourself some time. You can also do a search for lessons or activities by grade level and key word. Of course, there are many language arts and literature activities as well!

It has been a while since I have visited this website. One thing I am excited about that I see is new is the handwriting worksheet generator. I have to teach cursive next year and have no materials as of now to do so, so I am sure this will be a nice starting place for me.

Anyway, this is a very helpful website that I think teachers of all grade levels can utilize and benefit from in some way. You could even post your great ideas and activities to share with others. Check it out and start planning for fall!

Fate

Fate

By: Jennifer DeBlois

She put on her make-up, slipped on her high-heeled shoes, and took one last look in the mirror. Frustrated and exhausted at only twenty-three, she was sad she would not spend her one night off with her baby girl. Instead, she was being whisked off by her friends for a night on the town. Her three-year-old daughter stood in the doorway and cheered, “Mommy pretty!” with her blonde curls bouncing around as she jumped up and down clapping. Her daughter’s innocent enthusiasm made her smile and overwhelmed her with a myriad of emotions, but made leaving her for the evening that much harder.

On the other side of town, living a completely different lifestyle, he changed out of his Navy clothes and into comfortable, civilian-looking jeans, boots, and a button-up western-style shirt. It felt good to be on land after many weeks at sea. They had the whole weekend before they had to report back to the base and the guys were ready to celebrate in good old sailor fashion – bars, drinking, and ladies.

She arrived at South 40, soon to be annoyed by the loud music and smoky haze that awaited her inside. Knowing she needed a drink to enjoy the night, she found an empty barstool and ordered a Tequila Sunrise complimented by a red maraschino cherry and a little, orange umbrella. Her friends sat beside her and soon they were giggling and lost in conversation.

Out of a taxi barreled a group of fun-loving sailors, laughing at the moment they were living in. As he entered South 40 with his buddies, he was thirsty for a domestic beer and made a beeline for the bar. He ordered a longneck bottle of Coors and glanced around the room. His eyes became fixated on the dark-haired brunette laughing at the end of the bar. Everything about her was intriguing to him – the way she used her hands to talk, how her eyes squinted when she laughed and she tossed her head back, the way her lips formed around her straw as she sipped her fruity-looking cocktail, the delicate smoothness of her skin, the way she leaned in toward her friends when they spoke showing her genuine interest in what they were saying. He was anxious to meet to her. He had to meet her.

He returned to his group of friends, his mind captivated by the woman he had just seen. As his friends laughed, joked, and carried on he was lost in his thoughts and waiting for the right moment to approach her. A slow song came over the speakers, and he decided this was the opportune time. He set his beer on the table. He sashayed across the room. Bravely, he tapped her on the shoulder. Easily startled, she jumped and nearly fell off her barstool. Quick to react, his strong arms caught her just in time and gently helped her regain her balance, placing her back on the stool.

“I’m sorry for startling you,” he apologized quickly. “I was wondering if you’d like to dance?”

“Dance?! You scared the hell out of me!” she glared at him through the smoky haze.

Feisty, he thought caught off guard by her abrupt reaction.

Handsome, she realized surprised as her body and expression softened.

“I am sorry,” he replied with sheer disappointment as he turned to leave taking her angry reply as a ‘no.’ His shoulders sank as he realized his lost opportunity and he felt the grogginess of the beers setting in.

“I’d love to dance,” she said quickly realizing he was leaving. He seemed genuine. He was good-looking and his rugged face had a soft, gentle side to it that captivated her.

He paused to wait for her, as his shoulders returned to their tall stance and his pride re-inflated. He swept her off her feet onto the dance floor. She couldn’t help but realize how tall and strong he was as he led her on the crowded floor. He couldn’t help but realize how delicate her skin was as their bodies glided across the floor together.

They talked late into the night, each enthralled by what the other shared and oblivious to everything else around them. She was surprised he didn’t politely exit the conversation when she mentioned her three-year-old daughter. When the bartender called last call for the night they exchanged phone numbers and agreed to meet on Sunday at Kennedy Park to have a picnic lunch and visit the petting zoo – her daughter’s favorite place to go.

A Sunday picnic and trip to the petting zoo proved to be more than just that. He found the love of his life, the one he would grow old with, the one who completed him and filled the void in his life making him happy. She found a respectful, honest, nurturing man to love her, care for her, and be a father to her daughter. He also found a three-year-old, curly, blonde-haired girl who is now twenty-four and the apple of his eye. Though he may not realize it, that little girl found a hero who is one of the most admirable men she has ever met.

Chipmunk Cheeks

Chipmunk Cheeks

By: Jennifer DeBlois

Have you ever seen a chipmunk up close with his cheeks stuffed full of food? If you have, then you can imagine what my cheeks looked like as a little girl. Adults would pinch my little cheeks and say, “Oh, aren’t those chipmunk cheeks adorable?” My whopping cheeks overtook the majority of my face so drastically that my dad’s best friend said I didn’t really have a nose and all my life has endearingly called me “No Nose.” When I smiled my cheeks looked like the forehead of a pug puppy and my eyes disappeared amidst the mass of cheek. To make it worse, my mother gave me the worst haircut possible with bangs that started half way back on my head, were overwhelmingly thick, and covered my entire forehead, making the cheeks that much more noticeable. When I was little, I adored the attention my famous cheeks brought me. However, as I got older it became annoying. Sarcasm is thick in my family and I was quick to pick it up, along with what my father calls my “pistol of a mouth” which has landed me in trouble quite a few times.

I despised what I felt were the infamous cheeks. I learned to smile with no teeth around my friends so my eyes wouldn’t disappear. I would make fish lips so my cheeks would look thinner until one day I realized the fish lips looked more ridiculous than the pug puppy face. Being in elementary school and seeing no other options, I learned to live with the legendary cheeks. Plus, I figured there had to be some good reason that God gave me these suckers.

Well, I was in Girl Scouts for five years. These girls were some of my closest friends. My best friend of the group was a little on the bossy side. (For me to think someone else is bossy is pretty bad.) This friend was one of the most frequent commenters of my well-endowed cheeks. For some reason, I rarely stood up to her. Looking back, I think it was because her mom was our Girl Scout leader. She would make little comments here and there about my chubby cheeks and I would just take it. In hindsight, I think this was because she was jealous of anything anyone else had that she did not. Clearly, she was jealous of the cheeks!

One evening, our Girl Scout moms took us to be on the Ramblin Rod show in Portland. We were all dressed up in our neat Brownie uniforms with our patches sewn on and our sashes slung proudly across our shoulders. We were all so excited! All of our friends would see us on television the next morning as they ate their breakfast and got ready for school. We got to stay out late on a school night and there were contests on the show where you got to win prizes! This was big time!

We were standing in the audience of the show, staring at Ramblin Rod with his vest full of patches when it was time for the smile contest. The cameras scanned the audience for the smile winners. I gave my best smile – with teeth – and I am sure my eyes were completely buried underneath the cheeks but I didn’t care. The next thing I know, I was asked to come down to the floor because I was one of the smile winners! You should have seen how mad my best friend was. Instead of being happy for me, she was fuming. All I could think was: The cheeks! Yes, the cheeks have finally paid off and gotten me somewhere. This is great! I won a doll, I got to have my cheeks on TV all by themselves (they probably filled the entire screen), and I felt proud of myself and who I was.

After my big night, kids stopped making fun of the notorious cheeks. I quit worrying about them and became proud of my pudgy face. Over time, my plump cheeks began to shrink as my body grew into them. I am still “No Nose” to my dad’s friend. My parents still refer to the chipmunk cheeks and how cute they were. People in the small town where I grew up remember them fondly, as do my previous teachers. The smile contest and my renowned cheeks taught everyone a lesson, most importantly me. I never made fun of anyone in school about how they looked. My best friend later in school had enormously large ears that he got picked on all the time for, and I would always defend him and remind him about my chubby cheeks and what good came from them. Today, as an adult and a teacher, I use this story with my students when someone is getting picked on. Apparently there was a reason God gave me the famous chipmunk cheeks.