Sunday Reflections: The power of observation

Posted on August 16, 2015 by carriegelson

Certain things about common teacher practices upset me. I hear particular statements and shake my head. Braver me should say something on the spot. That isn’t always easy. I’m not always brave. I should be because those statements don’t leave me. They stick in my head and I fret. I worry. I wonder. Couldn’t we, shouldn’t we be doing better for the students we teach?

What am I currently concerned about? Teachers talking about “assessment” and gathering “data” in the first week of school. Sometimes on the first day. Writing samples collected in quiet rooms with the timer on. Spelling tests. Pages of math “testing” to see what students know or remember. Again, administered quietly. No talking. Reading and answering questions to determine “a level” or placement in a group. I could begin ranting. What about building relationships and community? Is this a good use of time when students are still readjusting to “back to the classroom.” What truly useful information is gathered from these activities given at this time? What, really, is this going to help you do that will benefit students?

But ranting does not move us forward.

Instead, I would like to suggest something simple. Watching. Noticing. Interacting. Paying attention. Yes, we need information about who are students are and what they need in order to best meet their needs, but how we find that information matters.

In my primary classroom, by just observing students during five different activities, I can learn so much. In the first few weeks, I observe.

When I read aloud, I pay attention to:

Who sits where and why?
How much physical space and how much opportunity to move does each child need?
Who likes the interactive read aloud experience?
Who dislikes interruptions and needs “flow”?
Who has listening stamina? How much?
Who respects the listening space of others?
Who is an active participant in discussions related to what we are reading? Who needs some encouragement? Who needs additional processing time?
What kind of story sense does each child have?
What kind of comprehension strategies are utilized (predicting, making connections, asking questions, inferring, etc.)
What background knowledge on certain topics do students seem to have?

When it is independent reading time, I pay attention to:

How much reading stamina does each child have?
Who is a confident reader?
Who finds reading challenging?
Who needs a lot of support on their journey to becoming a reader?
Who has knowledge of a variety of authors/illustrators/series?
Do students have knowledge about different genres?
Who has well developed personal preferences with reading material?
Who reads widely?
Who can self select “good fit” reading material?
How does each child respond to recommendations?
Who takes suggestions of what to read from peers? Who offers suggestions?
Who is influenced by what his/her peers are reading?
Who wanders and needs redirection?
Who can read quietly? Who mumbles? Who needs to read aloud?
Who seeks buddy reading opportunities/
Who seeks out an adult to read to?
How actively does each child engage in reading conversations with peers? with adults? during conferences?

When I ask students to talk with each other, I pay attention to:

Who follows directions about “turn and talk” expectations?
Who can talk with anyone? Who wants to talk with an adult beside them? Who only wants to talk with friends or classmates he/she knows?
Who can listen carefully?
Who can share easily and with confidence?
Who can offer a different opinion/perspective?
Who can add to what a peer has said?
Who can ask questions of a peer? Answer questions from a peer?
Who needs adult prompts and frequent feedback?
Who grows when feedback is given either individually or to the group?
Who listens when peers are sharing out to the group?
Who can say something different or add to what a peer has said during sharing out?
Who tends to only repeat what someone else has said?
Who is comfortable sharing a different opinion in front of the whole group?
Who wants to share out (is an eager participant)?
Who will share out when called on?
Who is reluctant to talk in front of a whole group?

When a math problem is proposed, I pay attention to:

Who likes to work independently?
Who prefers to work with a partner? Or a small group?
Who is a self starter?
Who takes risks?
How persistent is each learner?
Can each child refer to a class demonstration or chart for support?
What kind of materials does a child like to use?
Who is willing to try a variety of strategies?
What does “frustration” look like for each child? How quickly do students get to the frustration point? What happens when they do?
Who seeks peer feedback?
Who can take redirection from a peer?
Who seeks adult affirmation? feedback? support?
Who wants to share?
Who likes to peer teach? Who is really good at it? Who is developing skills to take a leadership role?
What kind of number sense does each child have?
What number concepts does a child need to have more success?

When it is free choice/play time, I pay attention to:

Who likes to do things independently? With one other child? In a small group?
Who is a starter? Who is a joiner?
What kind of creative ideas emerge during play?
How long can each child sustain attention with one activity?
Who solves social problems independently? Who immediately seeks adult help?
Do children tend to “tell on” or ask for help when having problems with a peer?
Who is willing to accept criticism?
Who is trusted to play fairly? When cheating happens in a game, what does that look like?
Who is a floater? Who tends to stay connected to particular peers?
When a child leaves a situation where there has been conflict, what does that look like?
Who can problem solve in the moment? Who needs cool off time?
How do we manage and give apologies? How do we handle forgiveness?
What kind of safe or calm places do we need in the room to support upset?
What kind of questions and wonders come out of play that we should pursue?

While my students have been engaging in everyday learning experiences and while they are learning and building skills, I also am learning and thinking about what’s next. I don’t need to write every single thing I see down. I don’t need something on paper as proof. I need time to watch and interact and notice. I need to trust that I know what I am looking for and that I can make decisions to best guide the learning based on what I see. This will be with individual students and whole class trends. Sometimes I am surprised. Even confused or worried. But this will lead me to more watching, to asking questions, to seeking support.

The wonderful thing about observation? I can gather information all day, every day as we continue to engage in our daily learning. The power of observation. Over time. In many different activities. With children we know and have relationships with. It gives us so much more than any paper and pencil task will ever do.

We don’t need to fill our first weeks with students with assessments. We need to let the learning begin. Everything we need to know is happening right in front of us if we just pay attention.

What do you learn when you take the time to notice?

Celebration: Champagne, Orangina and ice cream floats

Posted on August 15, 2015 by carriegelson

My son had a banana DQ blizzard two days ago.

Last night we ordered pizza.

My husband just made ice cream floats.

No, my children did not win some sort of bet with the prize being junk food every day. I didn’t read some strange article about giving your children “treat foods” daily and often to make them tired of them and beg for apple slices. And no, my son has not hijacked this celebration post.

But in my house we sure are celebrating. My almost thirteen year old son has never had a DQ blizzard. He has never had an ice cream float. In fact, he has never had ice cream. We have ordered take out pizza in the last year or so but always one with cheese, one without.

We have been a house of food allergies. At 4 months old, we figured out that my son had allergies to soy, nuts, eggs and dairy. I was nursing twins (my daughter is allergy free) and his reactions were so strong that he was impacted by what I was consuming. Nursing twins burns 1 000 calories a day, When I cut all offending foods from my diet, his skin cleared up (eczema) and he gained weight. For every pound he gained, I lost two. But he was healthy, and we relearned eating and cooking with food restrictions.

This is not complaining because I will take food allergies over other health ailments/conditions. Being careful with food meant a happy, healthy child.

But some things were challenging. Sometimes, even when we were careful, a combination of food meant all night vomiting. I would bring this little guy into our bed with multiple tupperware bowels and receiving blankets and he would throw up every 8 to 9 minutes for up to 3 hours. Never once would he cry or complain and somehow he even drifted into sleep in between. This rarely happens anymore but I still wake up in the middle of the night sometimes sure I hear a strange cough that might mean a night of retching.

When we first went trick or treating, I would bake lemon cookies or carrot bars (using all safe ingredients) wrap them in little bags and “plant them” with willing neighbours up and down the streets near our house. When my son arrived at the door, they would drop his treats in his bag and he would be thrilled. When he got older, we let him collect everything and then would “trade him” safe candy for all the things he can’t have in his bag.

I baked “safe” cupcakes and kept tins of them in my freezer and in the freezer at his primary school. If a classmate brought in cake for a birthday or we attended a birthday party, he could also have a treat. There were 2 other boys in his K class with food allergies. If the class was cooking, I made “equivalent” food for these boys. Apple pie for the class? My boys got apple crumble with oat and brown sugar topping. Often, they got larger portions and felt happily special not strangely special.

We have had allergy testing over the years and there never seemed to be a change. When he was five, we tried goat cheese and he tolerated it. This changed things in huge ways – we bought goat yogurt and he had it with cereal. We could make pizza and use goat cheese. Goat feta meant greek salad. Hurrah!

My son is going to Grade 8 this fall. Time to update the allergy testing again. While he is so careful and responsible, I worry about the teenage brain and risk taking. He has been talking recently of feeling “different” and “left out” of certain experiences. Of course. What is “normal” in our house, is not “normal” in his expanding world.

So an afternoon of skin testing at the pediatrician’s office was on our agenda.

The results? My child is now only allergic to tree nuts and almonds. Wow. Wow. Whoa. I cried. I hugged him a million times. Life has changed.

We are still being cautious. Right now we are just exposing him to dairy. All good so far. Next is egg very slowly. I am not sure if I am ready ever to try peanuts. We will see.

This is of course my son’s story. But it is our family’s story. It is a story that means the world is opening up.

So yes, there will be more never before tried treats in his future. Everyday, we think of something new. “Now we can have . . .” “We don’t need to worry about . . . anymore.”

After almost thirteen years, my son has established tastes. “Mom, will you still buy me goat yogurt if I like it better?” “Of course.” “I think I still like sorbet better than ice cream. It’s too creamy.” “Agreed! Me too.”

Food is food. But food is so wrapped up in our traditions, our celebrations and our day to day routines. When you always have to do it a little differently, it’s hard.

We always have seen the positive things about these allergies. You have to find the silver lining. We read every label every time and avoid a lot of terrible stuff because we are so food aware. Allergies mean less packaged, more homemade. More fresh. More healthy. We learned to bake our own bread, make amazing fruit desserts (crumbles, loaves, cobblers, etc.) and sure saved a lot of money on not having take out or eating out.

In the end, it’s not so much about eating all of these things. It’s more about being able to. Which is more than we ever thought possible. More than my son ever thought possible.

So this week we celebrated all of this possibility. Out came the fancy glasses and we toasted with champagne and Orangina. “To the world opening up!”

Thank you to Ruth Ayres and the #celebratelu community! Being part of a community that regularly shares gratitude and celebrations truly transforms my weeks.

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: Natural Mysteries, Solved

Posted on August 12, 2015 by carriegelson

If you have been following this blog for a while, you might have noticed me talking more than once about my favourite places to be out in the world. It’s pretty simple.

In the forest.

By the ocean.

So when I received a package of books from Nimbus Publishing just before leaving for a trip to the Sunshine Coast here in B.C. and found these two titles written by Peggy Kochanoff, I was thrilled! I packed them in my bag of books and read bits and pieces after returning from walks along the shore, through the forests and in the trails behind the house where we stayed.

I love the way these titles are set up. They are perfect for practicing a format of wonder, explore in more detail by looking closely (sketches and examples) to solving the mystery of the original question.

I love the repeated phrase, “Let’s look closely and find out,” that accompanies each question.

These books could be read independently by intermediate students or shared with younger students in a supported read aloud. Lots of detailed close up sketches make these wonderful books to share and to inspire more research/reading.

They will be coming to school with me in the fall and get lots of use in my classroom!

Be a Wilderness Detective by Peggy Kochanoff

In this title I learned a lot. The first topic is about scat and there are various sketches of different animal poop. Who doesn’t want to guess who did the pooing? For the record, I never would have guessed that coyote scat looks like it does.

Other interesting topics include galls (I had no idea what these were until I read this book), tree rings and sandpipers.

There is a question posed for each topic.

Hmmm . . . Do you know what those weird growths on some plants are?
Hmmm . . . What are the rings on tree stumps and how did they get there?
Hmmm . . . How can so many birds find enough food on the mud flats?

Be a Beach Detective by Peggy Kochanoff

This title follows the same format. My favourite wondering questions & explanations:

How do barnacles survive when the tide goes out, leaving them exposed and dry?
Who built the beautiful collar made of sand?
Can starfish re-grow from separate pieces?

A sample of an inside page with new vocabulary in bold and labelled diagrams.

Each title also features a table of contents, suggested activities and a detailed glossary. Kochanoff includes suggested resources in the back: nature books for kids and some for adults, relevant websites and kids’ magazines.

Thanks to Alyson from Kid Lit Frenzy for the inspiration to read and share more nonfiction picture books in 2015. Follow the link to Alyson’s blog to read about more nonfiction books you need to read!

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten MG and YA authors I read the most from

Posted on August 10, 2015 by carriegelson

It’s time for Top Ten Tuesday, a meme created by The Broke and Bookish.

This week’s topic? Ten Authors I’ve Read the Most Books From

I decided to stick to middle grade and young adult titles. I chose authors where I have read three or more titles and who I can’t read to read more from.

Shared alphabetically by author and featuring one of my favourite titles from each:

Kate DiCamillo How to pick a favourite DiCamillo title? I have to choose Flora and Ulysses because it was pure pleasure to read this aloud to my class. Some sentences were better than the best chocolate in my mouth. And yes, there is that Newbery medal . . . 🙂

Beth Kephart There is such a beautiful quality to Kephart‘s writing. I love many of her books but I think Going Over is my favourite.

Shannon Hale I have read many, many Shannon Hale titles but I think the book that I would read again and again is Princess Academy. It is one title that every child I pass it to absolutely loves.

A.S. King I fell fast after I read my first A.S. King title. My favourite? Everybody Sees the Ants Lucky Linderman is unforgettable.

Jo Knowles is another author that after reading one book, I went on to read every book. Which book hit me hardest? See You at Harry’s I was a weepy mess reading this beautiful book.

It will be no surprise to Barbara O’Connor that she is on this list I am sure. She is probably the author I most often recommend to be read aloud in the classroom. But I think it is this book – Greetings from Nowhere that is most often on my mind as of late. I think it is calling me to reread it.

Kenneth Oppel may be the author I have most often read aloud to my own children. But my favourite from him is one I read just on my own: Half Brother. I treasure my signed copy.

Andrew Smith seemed to write books faster than I could read them. After hearing him speak, I now know why this appeared to be the case.. I love the characters in Winger so much that this is my favourite title.

Even though I am highly addicted to the Raven Boys titles, it is The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater that I love best.

Deborah Wiles – oh this author. Again, I am choosing a title that was such a delight to read aloud: Each Little Bird that Sings Such a beautiful book full of heartbreak and hope.

Which authors have you read again and again?

Monday August 10th, 2015

Posted on August 9, 2015 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

I have been sharing a reading photo of the week each week. Now that it is summer, I am not surrounded every day with little readers so . . . I am choosing moments from the year not previously shared. Here is a moment during Reading Workshop where quiet reading had to be interrupted for some choral reading together!

From the classroom 2014/2015 archives:

Join Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers and share all of the reading you have done over the week from picture books to young adult novels. Follow the links to read about all of the amazing books the #IMWAYR community has read. It’s the best way to discover what to read next.

I missed last week because we were away on holiday so this post includes two weeks of reading. I will try to be brief!

On the blog:

For Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Favourite Fairy Tale Retellings

A collection of picture books featuring whales and details of my gray whale sighting!

My classroom library: Beyond the books, 10 important features

A celebration in photos of our time away

Sunday Reflections: Goals for my Readers

Books I read and loved:

Sonya’s Chickens by Phoebe Wahl

This title was waiting for me in my mailbox when I arrived home from my trip. Thank you Tundra Books! I had a hard time getting past the cover – isn’t it gorgeous? And then I looked under the book jacket – the book jacket is 2 sided. There was some swooning and dancing before I could sit down and read this book. Once I read it, I missed my class! This book will be a title I share in the first week of school when I still have my class from last year. I can’t wait to see how those students respond. Sonya is raising chickens and takes her job ever so seriously. Not only does she care for these chickens, she adores them. One night, there is a lot of noise out in the coop and Sonya needs her parent’s guidance to navigate what has happened. A story about nature, responsibility and hope.

Ninja! by Arree Chung

This book is full of cheeky energy! Would be very fun to read aloud to a young group of listeners.

Crankenstein written by Samantha Berger and illustrated by Dan Santat

Hmm. . . I think there are some mornings when Crankenstein lives at my house. I won’t say who in my family seems to disappear when he arrives. But let’s just say I have met this character!

The New Small Person by Lauren Child

A sweet and honest little story about adjusting to a new sibling.

Hug Me by Simona Ciraolo

Loved the illustrations and that the main character in need of a hug was a cactus! Think this would prompt lots of discussions about not making assumptions. Very cute.

The Grasshopper & the Ants by Jerry Pinkney

A gorgeously illustrated rendition of the popular fable – with a bit of a musical twist.

Sona and the Wedding Game written by Kashmira Sheth and illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi

I learned so much about Hindu wedding ceremonies! This book was pure delight.

Ruby on the Outside by Nora Raleigh Baskin

A different kind of grieving – for a way family might have been. A story of courage and secrets and friendship. Would make a wonderful book club title.

Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg

I read this in one sitting while we were away on holiday. I got completely caught up with the characters. So much vulnerability, I worried about everyone. a beautiful book about relationships, honesty and living your truth.

None of the Above by I.W. Gregario

What an important YA title about a character who is intersex – something she does not discover until she is eighteen years old. Author I.W. Gregario is a practicing surgeon as well as an author so the medical aspects of the book are well explained. But this is more than a scientific read – it is very much a story of a girl who must come to terms with ignorant reactions from her peers and her own developing understanding of who she is. How can something physical define so much? Does it?

George by Alex Gino

I picked this up at my local public library in the ARC section. How much do I love that this is a middle grade novel? It is a book I would love to have in my classroom library if I was teaching grade 4 again. What I know to be true – reading about experiences and differences removes ridiculous stereotypes and confusion and cruelty stemming from simple ignorance. Books like this allow children to read about a transgendered child and be able to get some of their questions answered. For a transgendered child, well, wow this book would mean everything. Also, I must celebrate these characters. Of course George is wonderful – she is open and honest and real. Also loved her brother and best friend. And the principal! Fantastic read. Look for it from Scholastic later this month.

A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord

A group of us has a twitter chat coming up this Wednesday to talk about this book. I can’t wait! For now, I will say this. I teared up three times reading it. Cynthia Lord, what a writer!

Updates on my 2015 Reading Goals:

2015 Chapter Book Challenge: 45/80 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 275/415 books read

#MustReadin2015: 15/24 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 52/100 titles

Diverse Books in 2015: 31/50 books read

Up next? My children and I are reading Mark of a Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen and I am reading (finally, I know, I know) Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Historical Fiction Titles: ten of my favourites for #Pb10for10 2015

Posted on August 9, 2015 by carriegelson

It is that time of year where picture book love is celebrated and shared! Yes, Picture book 10 for 10 is here!

This celebration of picture books is hosted by Cathy from Reflect and Refine: Building a Learning Community and Mandy from Enjoy and Embrace Learning. Thanks to both of them for the work they do to promote this wonderful day of picture book sharing!

This is my fourth year participating in this event. In 2012, I shared ten beloved titles. In 2013, I went with a theme: Connections across the generations. Last year (2014) I shared ten “go to” titles on various themes like generosity, courage and forgiveness.

This year I decided to share ten historical fiction titles that are favourites of mine. When we can engage children with wondering and thinking about another time and place and what it was like for people who lived then, our discussions automatically center on who we are as people. Such rich and important conversations to have. Many of these titles can also be shared with students as we try and read more diverse titles in our classrooms.

My top ten favourites on this theme: Historical Fiction

That Book Woman written by Heather Henson and illustrated by David Small (2008)

What is more beautiful than bravery and perseverance to bring books into the homes of children who don’t even have the chance to go to school? Set in the Appalachian Mountains in the 1930s, this book is inspired by the Pack Horse Librarians who brought books by horseback to areas where there were few if any schools and no libraries. A story about the power of books, the devotion they are given and the magic that happens when a reader is made.

Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles and illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue (2001)

A story of friendship, prejudice and courage set in the American South in 1964. Beautifully written – lyrical text and honest emotions, this book is one of the best historical fiction picture books I have read.

Busing Brewster written by Richard Michelson and illustrated by R.G. Roth (2010)

A picture book with many important themes: having a dream, the power of libraries to be transformative and what it was like to be black at an all white school. Set in the 1970s when integration was being “helped” along by forced busing – bringing black students into white schools, this story gives children a glimpse into the racial tensions of the time and the complexities of integration.

Shi-shi-etko written by Nicola Campbell and illustrated by Kim LaFave (2005)

Shi-shi-etko has only four more days until she must attend residential school. She spends these precious days with her family, in nature gathering her memories and avsorbing the wisdom of her family. Such a beautiful book about a very heartbreaking topic. My students were mesmerized. And full of questions.

Lizzie Nonsense by Jan Ormerod (2004)

The illustrations in this title are incredible. It is nostalgic. Lonely. Gives us a glimpse of the hardships of early pioneer life. Set, so very beautifully, in Australia.

The Other Side written by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by E.B. Lewis (2001)

This author/illustrator combination create absolute magic. So much in one little picture book with huge implications for discussion. In a segregated town, black and white don’t mix. A fence that represents the division of race becomes just a fence at the end of the story when a whole row of girls perches atop it.

Elsie’s Bird written by Jane Yolen and David Small (2010)

It is the late 1800s and Elsie has lost her mother. Her father moves her to the Nebraska prairie from their home in Boston. When Elsie’s beloved canary escapes his cage she must venture out into the landscape of this new quiet, open space. Both Yolen and Small are at their best – this is a literary and visual treat.

Red Kite, Blue Kite written by Ji-li Jiang and illustrated by Greg Ruth (2013)

Rich in truth and history (based on the story of the author’s family friend), this book is set during the Cultural Revolution in China. It is the story of father and son – separated by distance and circumstances who stay connected through kites in the sky. Heartbreaking but full of hope. Such a beautiful book.

A Single Pebble: A Story of the Silk Road by Bonnie Christensen (2013)

An appealing book on so many levels – the history, the geography, the adventure, the culture – wow. The story begins with one girl in China (ninth century China) who dreams of traveling The Silk Road trade route. Not able to travel even part of the way with her father, she asks him to bring a single pebble to send along the road to a child somewhere further along. The path of the pebble is incredible as it is passed from person to person finally ending up in Italy. My son read this book and found it fascinating – all of the old maps and interesting journey.

A Fine Dessert: Four Centuries. Four Families. One Delicious Treat. written by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Sophie Blackall (2015)

This book does so much. As we travel through time with a recipe for a simple summer dessert, we are treated to a history lesson that is much more than how kitchen utensils and appliances have changed. Sometimes, history titles have heavy themes. This one is about the everyday of cooking together. Pure delight.

I have other favourites on this theme that I didn’t include. Check out my Historical Fiction Pinterest board.

Follow along on twitter using the #pb10for10 hashtag. All posts will be linked on the Google Community Site for Picture Book 10 for 10

Happy picture book reading!

Sunday Reflections: Goals for my Readers

Posted on August 9, 2015 by carriegelson

One thing that became very clear to me in May was that assessment that has to be done for the sake of files, records and funding often makes me frustrated. But this is not a post about the assessment that I must do. Instead, I want to think about the goals I have for my students as readers so that I can be clear about certain things.

What am I looking for when I observe my students in the first few weeks?

How does what I see along with the goals I have shape directions for teaching and learning?

What ongoing data do I need to measure how individual students are progressing?

What is the best data/assessment to use for this purpose?

What can we celebrate?

What is really important?

How does our reading community support the readers in the room?

My Teacher Librarian and I work together daily in my classroom during Reading Workshop. We met in early June and made a list of goals to guide us in working with a new group of readers (likely a Grade 2/3 class) in the fall. We didn’t start with curriculum guides or performance standards. Instead, we started with our collective experience (over 20 years each) and sense of what our little readers and learners need.

Some of these things will happen early on in the year and some will develop over the course of the year. Of course, individual students will progress at their own rates.

This is our list with a few additions and a little tweaking. Of course, many things will happen in our literacy learning but this list should help keep us on track and allow us to continue to respond to the changing needs of our students.

Our goals for our readers?

Each reader will . . .

self-identify as a reader
have a passion for books and literacy experiences
be able to independently read/interact with text for at least 15 minutes and build his/her reading stamina over the course of the year
be able to distinguish between fiction and nonfiction texts
be able to use the features in nonfiction texts to obtain information
have an understanding of genres
be able to self-select “good fit” texts for independent reading (thinking about interests and levels)
develop listening stamina and active listening skills
be able to talk about books and participate in learning conversations in partner, small group and whole class discussions
be able to share an opinion about what we are reading together and what he/she is reading independently
develop a variety of strategies to make meaning
be able to demonstrate comprehension through retelling, identifying the main idea and summarizing key points
use a variety of comprehension strategies (i.e. visualizing, inferring) when reading
read widely as well as develop a growing repertoire of favourite authors, genres, series, etc.
use a variety of strategies to figure out unknown words
make progress along a continuum in terms of being able to read at grade level. For our more vulnerable readers, reasonable goals can be set and more intense one to one time provided in the context of Reading Workshop. For our other readers, we hope that each child will be reading at or above grade level by the end of the year.
make time to read at home

Obviously, our goals are shaped by the ages and stages of our students. What are your goals for the readers in your room this year? I’d love to hear!

Celebration: Wandering, Wondering, Watching

Posted on August 7, 2015 by carriegelson

We just returned from a beautiful trip away with my husband’s family on the Sunshine Coast. I celebrate all of the time we had to wander. Down to the beach, along forest trails, around unknown neighbourhoods. I loved the time we had to watch the water and the sky. We saw sunsets and ocean life and amazing rock formations. There was so much time to think. Time to process. Time to wonder. It was a beautiful trip!

Sharing my celebrations in this visual journey.

A lot of my watching was scanning the ocean for a gray whale said to be in the waters. I shared my excitement over spotting this whale here (along with a collection of beautiful picture books featuring whales!)

Oceans and forests are my favourite places. I celebrate that I had time to just “be” in both of them.

Thank you to Ruth Ayres and the #celebratelu community! Being part of a community that regularly shares gratitude and celebrations truly transforms my weeks.

My Classroom Library: Beyond the books, 10 important features

Posted on August 7, 2015 by carriegelson

Summer in my world means bright early mornings, family vacations to the ocean, long afternoons of reading and classroom library tinkering! Sometimes the tinkering is a full out overhaul like this reorganization two years ago that involved moving shelves, switching bins and massive weeding.

Other years, it is a lot of adding to the collection and rethinking organization. This year, I am about to embark on some more big changes. I will likely have a Grade 2/3 class this year after teaching Grade 3/4 last year. Some series will go into storage and displays will change. I have more weeding to do and many books to label and add to the collection. I also have some donated books to sort through – some will become part of my classroom library, some I will share with other teachers and some will make their way home with readers.

I LOVE this work. Interacting with the books reminds me of titles I need to promote and stories that must be read. I also love the time to think about how Reading Workshop will roll out this year with a new group of students. Always, I want our library to be well used, well loved and working for all of the children in the room.

As I work this summer, I plan to share some of my thinking. Maybe it will be helpful to someone out there and it is always a useful process for me. Sharing, after all, promotes the best kind of learning there is.

I believe in a room full of books and time to read them. I also celebrate lots of book displays, incredible illustrations, an organization system that makes sense and a place for student voice.

Today’s post? Ten important features in my classroom library, beyond the books.

What are they and why are they important?

Book Jacket Wallpaper

In my teacher resource area live lots of books and a wall of book jackets. This photo shows three layers of jackets. The “wallpaper” actually goes up another four rows. The message? That books are important: they are treasured, they are beautiful and they impact everything we do.

Behind the Scenes Organization

Every book that makes it into the collection is labelled with my name and “stickered” with the bin code. The trick to keeping the sticker on? Scotch tape. Labelled books mean that they can all find their homes when not being read.

Reader Statements

In January of 2014 I had the opportunity to hear Pat Johnson and Katie Keier authors of Catching Readers Before They Fall here in Vancouver. One of my take away pieces of learning was about using Reader’s Statements to communicate what readers do. For example: Readers think about what they read or listen to or Readers make sure what they read makes sense. I now record Reader’s Statements that come out of student conferences and post these up with the name of the child that talked about the idea. We refer to these often!

Book Return Bins

Some students put books away really well after learning the system. Other students find this more difficult. These big bins allow students to “return” books to a central area and a student volunteer of one of us working in the room will return the books at a later time.

Book Boxes

Each of my readers has his or her own book box. It is supposed to be for the books we are currently reading. But often our book joy overflows and many many books end up in these boxes. We work on prioritizing, keeping lists and letting books back out to be read by others. As one brilliant student always reminds us, “The books aren’t going anywhere. They are here all year for you to read.”

20 Beautiful Books Shelf

I have many special books in my collection. Some might be a signed copy. Others might be saved for specific read alouds. Some were important gifts. But, it doesn’t feel right keeping them all away from the readers in the room. So, this year I started using this shelf and we call it the 20 Beautiful Books Shelf because it always has 20 books on it and well, they are beautiful! Each of these books has a green sticker on the back and must be returned to the shelf after reading. I switch the titles here every few weeks.

Recently Read/Book talked Fiction Shelf

If I read a book or book talk it, it goes onto this shelf. These titles sometimes go back into my “resource” collection and get circulated when they take a turn on the “20 beautiful books shelf.” Other titles are library books and get returned to the library. Some books end up in our class collection. But after we have all enjoyed them together, they hang out here for a while so that they can be located easily when a reader wants to read one of them again. This shelf gets a lot of love!

Recently Read/Book talked Nonfiction Shelf

And if fiction books are loved? So are nonfiction! And equally so! So I have a shelf for our nonfiction titles too. See the explanation above for fiction.

Favourite Read Aloud Bin

Sometimes, our recently read shelf gets full and I need to move some books out. When I try, there is often loud protesting! “No, we are still reading that one a lot!” (Rereading is celebrated in our room!) Sometimes, a book needs to go here so it can be found easily and that it gets a special place of honour. The bin is empty in September and slowly fills up throughout the year.

These titles came out of the Favourite Read Aloud bin at the end of the 2013/2014 year.

Book Jacket Vocabulary

I love to highlight the nonfiction titles we have read and all of the learning that happened through our reading, writing and discussions. I post book jackets with key vocabulary and leave them up all year. Students often refer to the word lists and I use the words as prompts for review.

The most important part of all of this?

That my students feel that they learn in a “wonderland of books.”

All of these books and all of the organizing means that it often looks like this in my room. This is buddy reading with the Ks – lots of reading, lots of engagement, lots of literacy.

Exactly how it should be.

In this recent post, I talk about questions to think about when setting up a classroom library.

What features in your classroom library make it work for your readers?

I wanted to see a whale

Posted on August 5, 2015 by carriegelson

One of my very favourite picture books of all time is If You Want to See a Whale written by Julie Fogliano and illustrated by Erin E. Stead When I first read this book, I had just spent a week at a summer house waiting to see a whale. I never did. But this book reminded me of how very much I longed for one to pass through the ocean as I gazed out ever so patiently at the water.How I adore this book. I love it because it’s beautiful. It is gentle and calm. It reads like I imagined a whale might move – softly, smoothly and ever so gracefully. But I mostly love it because I really do want to see a whale. It tempts me with the possibility. It lures me with the one day . . . The maybe . . .

Now, I love this book for another most perfect reason. Finally, I have seen my whale. We just spent over a week in Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast of B.C and we saw a gray whale just off the beach close to where we were staying. Honestly, I got teary. It was one of the most beautiful experiences in nature I have ever had.

Of course we were not the only ones enamoured with this whale. While we watched from shore, a few small boats watched from closer by.

Two kayakers stopped as well.

Here are my children watching the water for sightings of “our” whale. Every few minutes it would surface to exhale.

I was lucky enough to see this whale on three different occasions and each time I watched it for at least thirty minutes. Once, we saw it in the evening. It was so quiet and the sound of the whale exhaling is something I won’t ever forget.

If you are like me and have had dreams of seeing a whale, here are some more picture books – both fiction and nonfiction that will make you long for the experience even more. I have always been “swoony” about whale illustrations. I suspect this sighting will make me more so.

The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond

Trapped! A Whale’s Rescue written by Robert Burleigh and illustrated by Wendell Minor

The Eye of the Whale: A Rescue Story by Jennifer O’Connell

Big Blue Whale written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Nick Maland
Here Come the Humpbacks written by April Pulley Sayre and illustrated by Jamie Hogan
Three Bears in a Boat by David Soman Flotsam by David WiesnerJumping Penguins illustrated by Marije Tolman with text by Jesse Goossens
Following Papa’s Song by Gianna Marino
The Storm Whale by Benji Davies

Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems by Kate Coombs illustrated by Meilo So
The Mermaid and the Shoe by K. G. Campbell
Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Adam Rex
Wild Ideas: Let Nature Inspire Your Thinking written by Elin Kelsey and illustrated by Soyeon Kim