Rocky Road

For a non-living object, the Bible sure talks a lot about rocks.

There's the small, smooth stones with which David armed himself in the battle against Goliath.

There's the rock which Moses struck to produce water to quench the Israelites' thirst on their journey to the promised land.

Jesus knew how cumbersome stones can be.  He saved a woman from being stoned to death.

Jesus even referenced stones and their importance when he told the parable of the wise and foolish builders.  When he gave Simon a new name, he specifically chose the name Peter because it signified how Peter was the rock upon which Christ would build his church.  

And then there's my favorite stone-the one that the angel rolled away to confirm that Jesus Christ is indeed the son of God, that he had been resurrected!  If that stone had not been placed in front of the tomb, people could speculate that someone had merely come and taken away Jesus' body as a cruel, merciless hoax.  But since that stone was not only placed in front of a lifeless body, but sealed, with armed guards around it, that stone becomes even more crucial in relaying the truth of Christ.

I have the You Version Bible app on my tablet and often use their devotionals.  My most recent one is titled "Remembering All God Has Done" and it focuses on just what it says-remembering God's acts.

The first day asked me to read Joshua 4:1-24 and I read it and cannot get the central message of it. The story talks about when the Lord told Joshua to have one man from each of the 12 tribes remove a stone from the Jordan River.  However, these were not just regular stones-they came from the Jordan River the was completely dry as the Israelite priests crossed it.  The Lord flat out told Joshua that these stones would serve as a reminder that the Lord cared.  He cared enough to make sure they had safe passage out of freedom, from bondage to Pharaoh to freedom as God's chosen.  He made a miracle happen.  He didn't want them to forget this occasion so the Israelites had 12 rocks that when their children asked why the rocks were there, it was a way to share that God's undying love and devotion to his people.  The rocks were symbols of God's love, his provision, and his unwavering commitment.

The devotional part asked us to reflect on what God has done for us.  It made me stop and think, "What are the stones that help tell my story?"  What mementos do I have that remind me that God is there, that he cares and provides?

I will readily admit that it took some pondering to think about what those rocks would be.  Then I realized that this is a way I can honor the Lord.  What every day items (like a rock) help remind me that God is there?

How about you?  Are there any rocks in your life that help others understand God's grace in your life? I would love to hear them!  

Summer Reads

I know a lot of you are still on summer vacation. Mine is winding down as a report for my first professional development next Wednesday. So for any of you who still have some time off and are hitting the sand, the lake, or even sitting around the house wanting something relaxing to read, here are some of my favorite summer reads.

When You Look Like Your Passport Photo, It's Time to Go Home by Erma Bombeck. I first read this book in high school and was so entertained by the different vignettes. Back then travel seemed like a distant dream so it was my way to live vicariously through the author. And for the record, Erma is the master of introductions. It wasn't until I was older that I realized she had the best introductions ever.  Seriously.  And it's a humor book so when your travels go awry (like delayed flights, sitting next to obnoxious people on the delayed flight, seeing your 77 year old father walk through the Punta Cana strip mall sans shirt because "I want to get a tan" or same man barging into the Punta Cana airport immigration office, or watching him cut 150 people in the customs line so he can go to the bathroom) it's nice to know you're in good company. 





Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling.  I bought this as an impulse buy while waiting for a plane. You have to understand I adore the author and enjoyed realizing that I'm not the only one with those fears.


Why Not Me? Same author, same style writing, and the last chapter is a must read, especially for young girls.  She saves the best for last and helps women understand how to validate and own their successes.  This pic is one I took while on vacay last month.  I waited until the last minute to buy the book for my vacation (don't talk to me about e-books, I know they exist but have a hard time enjoying them as much as a physical book) so it took 4 stores and 2.5 hours in northern Kentucky to actually procure the book.  And it was totally worth it.



When the Game is Over It All Goes Back in the Box by John Ortberg. Love this book because it integrates personal stories, faith, and priorities. Not to mention the allegories to various games. I anticipate my family reunion every year because I love to go and play various board and card games with my cousins.  Every time I read it something new speaks to me and I'm confident it will do the same for you.


If You Want to Walk on Water You've Got to Get Out of the Boat by John Ortberg.  This is by far my favorite beach read. I always feel a little extra something reading this book sitting on the beach. The book is about Peter walking on water out to Jesus. I have carried this book with me on five different trips and always pick up a couple of grains of sand and place them in the book.  Makes me smile when I read it at home.  Read the other chapters, be sure and read chapter 7. As one who does not like to fail, this chapter speaks to me every single time.  This book encourages me in my Christian walk and I highly suggest it to anyone who loves Jesus and wants to grow in their faith. 

How about you? What's your go to books? I'd love to hear!

What I'm Reading: Professional Edition

Last summer was idyllic: no commitments, no family illnesses, no plans.  Lots of time to read, which I took complete advantage of.  Even participated in an online book study. 

This summer was not.

My grandmother died after a long illness.  Four other friends or relatives died bringing a grand total of five funerals in eight weeks.  Even though I know my grandmother is in a better place, with my grandfather, children she buried and her parents, it still hurts more than I care to admit. 

I took a 10 day summer class, missing the first two days due to my grandmother's burial and a massive migraine.  I had been pink slipped and was looking for a job.  For my class I had to come up with a year long literacy plan, which was made more difficult by the fact since I had no job I had to make the plan generic.  And not having a job was pretty stressful in itself.

All that is to say I'm behind on my reading.  I received a lot of books for my summer class and my classmates and I are to be reading them through the year.  Add that to the fact that super cheap books on Amazon are a personal weakness (I no longer buy any book that costs more than $1) and you have a reading list that amounts to 36 books between my Kindle and the bag lying next to my bed. 

To make things easier, I always sit down with post-its and a pen as I read.  I jot down page numbers I find helpful or interesting, sometimes making a notation.  Even though I'm a grown woman, I can't bring myself to highlight or write in bound books.  I feel like I'm vandalizing.  If I ever want to recall if a book is good, I can open the front cover and see how many notations I made:

(My notes from Smarter Charts)

I'm trying to catch up on my reading and have made a dent in it.  (I'm currently on book #10, if you're just itching to know).  I'll share with you some of the better books:

Smarter Charts by Marjorie Martinelli and Kristine Mraz

If you want a book that will help you focus on how to really get the most out of classroom charts, this book is for you.  It's an easy read, with nice examples of the various charts one can create.  Plus, they tipped me off to something known as "Repositionable Glue" which is the greatest thing ever.  Seriously. 

What's After Assessment? Follow Up Instruction on Phonics and Fluency and Comprehension by Kathleen Strickland 

The best part of this is the comprehensive menu of "If...Then" items.  It really reminded me of Jen Jones' menu you can get here.  But it's nice because it also has a sole chapter devoted to pre-reading strategies, during reading strategies, and post reading strategies. 

I've got more books I just adore, but I also have a two day work week this week and Thanksgiving dinner to plan, so needless to say I've got a bad case of short attention span. :)

If you're in the states I hope you and yours have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving.  If you're out of the U.S., I hope you have a fabulous week!

What I'm Reading: Intervention Edition

So I got an iPad mini for Christmas.

Because the weeks that followed suit were kinda...busy.  And sickly.  And time consuming.  So I'm just now getting around to really learning how it works and the fabulous apps that must be on your iPad or you will be that girl in 2010 who didn't have a smartphone.  (Speaking from experience here...maybe.)

I have just recently begun to download books and essays from Amazon. 

As intervention is something I continue to figure out how to best plan for and utilize in my classroom, I realized I needed more resources.

Enter:

 

I'm currently reading this book and I love it.  The format is easy to use and follow and you can flip back and forth.  If you're looking for a book that will give you not only the instructional strategy but background knowledge on why it's useful (it's easy to share with parents) and sample lessons, this book is for you.

I am now wishing they will develop one for math.  Fingers crossed!

On deck:



I'm reading this second because a)it's longer and b) it has to do with planning so I think it will be more beneficial when I have more free time to reflect on what worked best and what needed tweaking as far as RTI planning is concerned. 

I can tell you that I appreciate that this book has links so you can print out any forms you admire in the book.  It's also home to some very handy "If...Then" menus so you can see what to do if a student needs help with a skill.  The "If...Then" menus are so handy because not only do they show a plethora of strategies, but show if those strategies need to be delivered individually, small group, or whole group.

For fun:
Because all work and no play makes me a drudge, this is on my iPad because a) I LOVE Celia Rivenbark, b) it was free and c) it's nice to open my Kindle app and not see all school related materials on my personal device. 



Here in Kentucky it's mid-March and while we should be thawing out, a fair portion of the state is under Winter Weather Advisory.  (My district also had a snow day on the first Wednesday of March.  Nearly a week into the month.  What is that?  Which reminds me I have a post I need to write about old wives' tales that are true, but I digress.)

Which means even though the days are getting longer it's still nice to curl up with a good book by the fire. 

And I will happily take any suggestions you have-happy reading, folks!

Summer Reading (the Professional Version)

This fall (0kay, it's actually technically still summer since we start so early) I'm teaching kindergarten. 

Which I am super excited about but also a little nervous. I've taught kindergarten before, but it was a long term sub at the end of the school year...when they were practically first graders.

To combat the anxiety I'm feeling, I've spent the last two weeks reading as much I can.  (And, of course, pinning galore on Pinterest.  I seriously wonder how people managed before electricity, cell phones, and Pinterest.)

In case you need something to do, here's my bookshelf:
  Reading With Meaning by Debbie Miller.  Having it referenced in both Strategies that Work (Goudvis & Harvey) and The Daily 5 (Boushey & Moser), I decided to see what the buzz was about.  I found it full of strategies to implement and an easy read. 

  The Next Step in Guided Reading by Jan Richardson.  I didn't read all of this (she devotes chapters to how to teach groups in upper elementary and middle school) but the chapters on emergent readers and pre-K were great.  I loved how she broke the guided reading groups down into specifics (teach new words for 1 minute, preview for 5, work on writing for 5, etc).  There are lots of rubrics you can use to help assess both the progress of your students and your teaching.  And the appendixes can help you target what skills a child needs to be taught if they are not making progress. 


  The Daily 5: Fostering Literacy Independence in the Elementary Grades by Boushey & Moser.  I read this last summer but am re-reading it.  Tammy at Live, Love, Laugh Everyday is hosting a Kindergarten D5 book study and I'm all about it.  I like how the Daily 5 instills independence in children and I can't wait to see how other K teachers have implemented it!

  The Daily Cafe by Boushey & Moser.  If you're going to implement the Daily 5 structure, this is a must read.  It's the companion book to Daily 5 and I felt much more prepared to begin Daily 5 with this tool as a reference.  It goes into what to look for in student conferences and lays out a plan for Daily 5 utilization the first weeks of school better than Daily 5. 


So Each May Learn: Integrating Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences by Silver, Strong, and Perini.  I haven't read this one yet, but now that I've finished Daily 5, I'm looking forward to it.  I am a fan of Silver & Strong, but am afraid I don't use their strategies as often as I'd like.  I read the reviews on Amazon, and when I saw I could purchase the book for a song, I knew I had to have it.
  Making the Most of Small Groups: Differentiation for All by Debbie Diller.  This will be the last one for this summer.  I've never read anything by Ms. Diller, but all the reviews were positive.  I want this book to help give me ideas for small group instruction, and everyone says it does just that.

I really want to go in and have a wealth of strategies (more than what I have). 

Do you have any good pro books or websites you like?