21st Century Skills

Hello!

    For my graduate class, I had to read articles related to 21st century skills.  These are buzzwords that are heard often in the education field and ones in which teachers must implement in their classrooms in order for their students to be competent citizens and successful in their future workplaces.  When reading the article entitled "'21st-Century' Skills- Not New, but a Worthy Challenge" by Andrew J. Rotherham and Daniel T. Willingham from the periodical American Educator from the Spring 2010 issue, there were many concepts that authors discussed which should be given some reflection.  

• One of those concepts include the fact that many of these 21st century skills are not in fact new.  Critical thinking and problem solving have been around for centuries, from the time of sea exploration to the industrial revolution and further.  What is more meaningful now, is that our economy and the world or dependent upon these skills.
• Since knowledge is constantly changing and being discovered at a rapid pace, teachers cannot be expected to know it all.  Instead of content being the main focus, we need to teach students how to locate and know various ways to understand the information more than the actual information itself.
• Teacher training or professional development programs of the past have never focused on how to teach self-direction, collaboration, creativity, and innovation to students.  Instead, we learn how to teach long-division or the year that the Declaration of Independence was signed.  Students need to be given more opportunities to experience these 21st century skills but teachers also need to learn how to teach them to their students.
• Most teachers do not argue against project-based learning- they already believe that this is a great way to teach.  What teachers do not receive is training in this type of instruction, including lesson plans that deal with high cognitive demands and potential classroom management problems using student-centered methods.  Teachers need to practice these strategies and the chaos that could happen at the beginning of a project-based lesson with tools to help them overcome these challenges.  Otherwise, teachers may abandon these practices which are beneficial to our students' success in the future.

     In a second article, entitled "Comparing Frameworks for '21st Century Skills'" the author, Chris Dede from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, wrote in 2009 that many people and organizations have different views and definitions of 21st century skills.  Just like in the previous article, Dede mentions that the skill of collaboration is not new; society has been using this skill for centuries.  Instead, teachers need to instruct students on how to collaborate with others who they may never meet face-to-face and may be across the world using various forms of technology.

     Dede also mentioned various frameworks that are developing based on these 21st century skills.  One of the frameworks is called the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21).  In this framework, unlike others, there is a section for "life skills".  P21 explains that teachers need to incorporate these into their teaching because they are essential skills that need to be taught in schools.  These skills include:

• leadership
• ethics
• accountability
• adaptability
• personal productivity
• personal responsibility
• people skills
• self-direction
• social responsibility

     Comparing Dede's research to that of Rotherham and Willingham's, how do we teach these skills to students?  What practice and professional development opportunities do teachers need in order to instruct their students on these 21st century skills?  Educators are going to have to reach out to other professions in the field (counselors, psychologists, teachers of the gifted and talented, etc.) to seek their advice and expertise.  Through my own graduate studies and research, I hope to provide some answers.  In the meantime, please feel free to comment and provide insight of your own. 

     Enjoy pondering these thoughts just as I have!

Erica :)

Wordless Books

Hello!

     Back in January, the Caldecott and Newbery medals are announced for books awarded by the American Library Association.  This year one of the honor books was without words!  It made me think that we have to teach our students to analyze all types of art, not just novels and chapter books, but drawings and illustrations as well.  When I learned about this different type of book, I had to check it out of the public library and see how it became an honor winner.  I, of course, wanted to see my students' reactions as well. :)

(http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottmedal)

     Journey, illustrated by Aaron Becker, is a story about a lonely, unenthused girl who finds a magical red crayon that takes her on adventures all over the world.   The magical crayon helps her to escape drama and trouble as well as erase her boredom.  The illustrations are incredibly and beautifully detailed.  I enjoyed how the colors changed from browns and grays when the main character is at home and jaded, to vibrant and bright when her thoughts come alive.  It has a great message to children about how powerful your imagination is and what happens when it is used.  

     When I gave one of my tutoring clients the book to read, he quickly flipped through the pages, glancing at the illustrations briefly.  When I told him that we were going to discuss the story when he was finished, he flipped back to the first page and focused on each one slowly and carefully.  Just like a picture book with words or a novel, wordless books have to be comprehended with as much, if not more, focus.  After reading it, this child commented that it is similar to Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson.  I agree but Journey has a much more advanced storyline. :)

     Even though this book lacks words, it can certainly be used in the classroom.  Candlewick Press created questions that could be used with younger students and a trailer!  Some of the questions include: Where does the red door lead?  Who are the people who greet the girl?  How do the canals work in this city?  What other transportation methods are there?  Who wants the purple bird?  Why? Older students could create the words for the story and students with difficulties could retell the story verbally.  Analyzing the pictures and how they aid in understanding the story is also a great way to connect to the Common Core standards.

     This is the one minutes book trailer from Candlewick Press.  It is a great motivator to use before starting the lesson and certainly will intrigue any student to want to check it out.

(http://www.amazon.com/Sidewalk-Circus-Paul-Fleischman/dp/076362795X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395176435&sr=1-1&keywords=sidewalk+circus)

   Sidewalk Circus by Paul Fleischman is another wordless book that is incredibly entertaining.  It did not win a Caldecott medal like Journey but is similar in the fact that both show the power of imagination.  This book follows a day in the life of a young girl who starts by seeing announcements for a circus coming to her town.  As she sits and looks about, she sees that the circus acts are already around her.  The girl doesn't have to go to the circus, she can be entertained just by looking throughout her world!  I love how this book shows ordinary people doing everyday activities but the girl sees action and adventure!  
     When viewing this book, another one of my tutoring clients said how this book showed the power of looking at the world in a positive light and how it can make everything seem different.  So powerful and what an uplifting message!  He also loved pointing out the subtleties in the pictures and how the longer you look, the more "hidden" realizations you will make about what the child sees and what is actually there.
     Just like Journey, students can write the words to this book as well as analyze the illustrations.  Sidewalk Circus also uses colors to tell the story- when focusing on the main character in the beginning, the character is in color while the world around her is in shadows.  Helping students to notice these decisions made by the illustrator will help them "close read" and analyze the pictures for deeper comprehension.


Enjoy viewing and "reading" these literary works of art, wordless books!

Erica :)

Graphic Novels- Part 1

Hello!

     Looking around my classroom the other day, I noticed that almost every single student was reading a graphic novel!  They were enthralled and intrigued with what they were reading, talking to each other about their books, and sharing parts that were interesting.  I was shocked because usually one or two students like this type of book format but not the whole class!  Girls, boys, struggling readers, and readers who like a challenge- they were all in love!  I had to learn more about this new phenomenon right away!  So in order to educate myself I went to the public library and checked out a variety of graphic novels and now I understand their appeal- they are hysterical, entertaining, exciting, and filled with knowledge all at the same time.  Here are some of the ones I read for you to share in your own classroom.

(Found on: http://www.andyrunton.com/owly/)

     When I first started reading Owly: Flying Lessons, I found it extremely difficult to comprehend.  This was one of my first graphic novels and it did not have any words!  Even when the characters "spoke" they communicated their feelings and thoughts through pictures!  Looking at the comics, I was not able to follow the storyline.  Then, I started saying the story in my head and found it to be fascinating! It is certainly a completely different way to comprehend a story and took a lot more concentration than a regular novel.  Owly has the most adorable characters that are lovable, have great friendships with one another even though they are very different creatures, and has a strong message at the end.  This series is perfect for students who are learning a second language, readers who struggle, or children who do not like to read.  It will certainly give them the confidence to pick up a book and not feel embarrassed by all of the pictures.

 (Found on: http://www.littleblogofstories.com/2012/11/lunch-lady-for-president.html)

     The Lunch Lady series came as a strong recommendation from my students.  I was a little skeptical as to whether I would like a book about a superhero lunch lady but once I started reading, I could not put it down.  It was action-packed, filled with funny food lines ("Oh doughnuts!" and "Sweet potatoes!"), realistic students, clever villains, and an unlikely but lovable superhero.  I laughed out loud when reading about her "weapons" (a hair net that grows larger when thrown and wraps around villains, fish stick nunchucks, and chicken nugget bombs) and was captivated by the plot throughout the whole novel.  This series would certainly be enjoyed by readers of all ages, young and old.

(Found on: https://www.capstonepub.com/product/9780736865531)

     The Graphic History series was one that I found on my own in the public library.  It includes varies events in United States history, from the Salem Witch Trials to how Betsy Ross created the American flag, plus many other topics.  In the graphic novel that I read, The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner, there was so much interesting information with great pictures to help the reader understand exactly what is happening.  Some of the fascinating facts that I learned was that the "Star-Spangled Banner" was not the original name (the previous name was "The Defence of Fort McHenry"), when it was written by Francis Scott Key it was a four verse poem but we only sing the first verse, and the Armistead Family (the family who kept the earliest American flag that inspired the song prior to it being housed in the Smithsonian) gave pieces of the flag to guests to take with them as keepsakes!  Eight feet of the material is missing due to this.  Plus there are many other facts that I had never learned in my classes growing up.  These graphic novels are perfect to use with any history lesson.

     Enjoy checking out these great graphic novels and using them in your classroom.  Many more recommendations to come!

Erica :)  

Ban Bossy

Hello!

     Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg has been one of the fastest selling books in 2013.  If you have not yet read it, I strongly suggest you do.  It focuses on society and the changes (or lack thereof) in America's workplace.  Whether you are a working mother, one who stays-at-home, someone trying to make their mark in the world, or a college student, this is the book for you.  And don't let the title fool you; it is certainly not just for women.  

     I heard this book being raved about by every review I read so when I spoke to my younger sisters (one works in finance and the other is a college student majoring in marketing and entrepreneurship), they said that it was all anyone could talk about in their lives as well.  After having an informal "family book club" and discussing the content every chance we could get, my father decided to read it too!  It is certainly a book that inspires change, hard work, and leadership, and makes you think about society as well as our place in it.

    One of Sandberg's ideas revolves around women having a larger role in the working world (whether that be business, education, government, etc.) and men having a larger role in the household. In Lean In, Sandberg writes "A truly equal world would be one where women ran half our countries and companies and men ran half our homes." In order for this to happen, we have to change the way our little girls and boys are brought up.  We have to teach children, especially girls, how to lead, be confident, and take opportunities that come their way, no matter what others may think.  

     The first easy way to achieve this is to change the way we speak to girls.  In Sandberg's book, she writes "When girls try to lead, [they] are often labeled bossy.  Boys are seldom called bossy because a boy taking the role of a boss does not surprise or offend."  Sandberg wants us to start by banning the word "bossy" from describing girls who are strong, confident, and take leadership roles.  Please join Sandberg, Beyonce, Condoleezza Rice, and others on making this happen!

Get to Know Me

Hello!

    I wanted to share a writing piece I wrote about myself when I was working towards my Masters degree in Reading at East Stroudsburg University.  The assignment asked for all teachers in the program to describe the first ever literacy occurrence we could remember.  It was a cathartic experience for me when digging into my memory trying to recall the first time I fell in love with reading and writing. Still, whenever I review this writing piece, a smile spreads across my face and I feel grateful that my parents encouraged this relationship I will forever have with literacy.  I realize that this is the reason I became a teacher; to impart the excitement and joy of education that my parents bestowed upon me when I was young to the children I teach everyday.  
     
     While reading this, I hope that you think back to your own initial literacy experience (positive or negative) and reflect on how that relates to your teaching.  Enjoy reading about my history and getting to know more about me.

     "Throughout my life, I have been a reader and a writer.  I can remember my parents reading books to me before I was able to make out the individual letters.  I remember scribbling on my paper pretending to write grocery lists or notes to friends.  All I wanted was to be a literate member of society like my parents and their friends.  Reading and writing have always been a strong part of my life.
     My very first literacy experience seems so vivid in my mind.  I was about four or five, still years away from being able to read independently.  It was late at night and my dad had just come home from work carrying many heavy boxes.  After opening each one and examining the contents, I noticed that they all held books; different colors, shapes and sizes, various titles and authors, picture books and chapter books.  Already at this age, I loved books.  On this night, I felt like an explorer opening a treasure chest.  My dad explained that one of his co-worker's daughters had finished these books and did not need them any longer.  They were now all mine.
     At this time, my family and I had just moved into a new house where I not only had my own room but a walk-in closet.  Since I was so little, my clothes did not come anywhere near filling the closet (which would certainly be a different case now).  Instead, the books that my dad brought home were kept on shelves in the closet.  The closet also stored the house supply of beanbag chairs and blankets, so it was a comfortable place for me to relax and read.  I remember sitting on the mountain of beanbags and blankets, looking through various Dr. Seuss books and 'reading' the story based on the pictures and what I could remember from my parents' previous readings.  I would close the door and pretend to be in my own little 'reading world'.
     My favorite movie at the time was 'Beauty and the Beast' and I loved when Belle found the Beast's library, filled with floor to ceiling books.  Using this as my inspiration, I would turn my closet into a library.  My only patron would be my little sister, who was forced to check out books so that I could write on the little cards which I had cut out for each.  It was always fun to help my sister 'choose' books based on her interests, even though she could hardly talk, nevertheless read.
     The closet was not only filled with books but with memories.  It was the first place where my mom patiently taught me to read a Dr. Seuss book, as I struggled through each letter and word.  All I wanted was to read as fluently as my parents but it seemed to be almost impossible.  Luckily my motivation trumped my frustration.
     After a few years, my parents decided to move.  While I was upset to leave the friends I had grown up with and the house with so many memories, the worst part was leaving my reading closet.  I remember packing up all of my books in boxes, making sure that they got on the moving truck, not really caring what happened to the rest of my belongings.  My parents assured me that in our new house I had two closets, which of course are better than one.  When I got to the new house, the first thing I did was check out the closet space.  I did have two closets in my room but they were standard size.  I took my box of books, sat inside the closet and closed the door.  It was very small.  Not anything like my old closet.  I knew that as soon as my bookshelf was in, there would be no room for me.  Eight years old was the last age that I had a reading closet.
     I continued to read for the rest of my life and am still a big reader today.  I can sit for hours, reading book after book, never getting enough.  Recently in the past few months, I moved into my first apartment.  Of course, the first things I did was check out the closet space, even though it was not for a reading closet any longer.  As I decorate, I try to make my whole apartment feel the way my reading closet did; comfortable, relaxing and surrounded by books.
     Reading has always been, and always will be, a part of my life.  Even now every time I go into Borders, I still get the same feeling I did when my dad brought home those boxes of books.  The older I get the more I realize that my literacy journey is not over but just beginning and that the endless adventures, people and possibilities that books bring to me are still with me every day."

Erica :)

Creating Lifelong Readers

Hello!

     I have been a reader since I read my first word.  I was fortunate enough to have parents that encouraged this passion and made sure I attended every book fair, took me to bookstores instead of toy stores, and allowed me to stay up a half hour later if I wanted to read a book in bed.  Now, as an adult, I always have a book in my purse, my e-reader is close by, and I am usually engaged in multiple pieces of text in various genres at one time.  So when a recent article in Scholastic's Instructor magazine from Winter 2014 captured my eye, it was not a surprise.  The tagline that reeled me in mentioned that the "Book Whisperer" had tips on how to motivate students to become lifelong readers.  It got me thinking: How did I become a lifelong reader?  Besides supportive parents and teachers, what kept me reading into my adult years?

     The main reason I became a teacher was to encourage students to LOVE reading the same way I do.  While reading this article, I thought that these tips are not only appropriate for teachers, but parents can use them at home to incorporate reading into the lives of their children.  Below are a few of my favorite tips from "The Book Whisperer" herself, Donalyn Miller, who surveyed 900 adults to find out how they continued to be lifelong readers:

• Dedicate Time to Reading- Lifelong readers capitalize on the moments in their day when they are bored or waiting.  I do this myself by always having some piece of literature available (whether it is a hardcover novel or a reading app on my phone) so that if I am stuck in line at the DMV, waiting for my sister to try on clothes at the mall, or picking someone up at their house who is running late, I always have something to do. (I have gotten the occasional "You are going to read now?!" from my fiancé but I think he is used to it now...)
• Teachers and parents can help students dedicate time to reading by making sure they have books to go.  Having books in the car to read while they are waiting to pick up their older brother from soccer practice or reading during the ten minute drive on the way to school is a perfect opportunity.  This might seem less daunting than telling a child that they have to read for 30 minutes every night before bed.  For teachers, we can tell our students to always take out a book to read if they are waiting for others to finish an assignment.  Having a book in their desk at all times makes it easy to grab and continue reading during those little moments.

• Share Books with Others- Haven't you read a great book and HAD to share it with someone?!  Even though we think that reading is a solitary hobby, in actuality it is not.  Reading is, and can, be very social.  TALK about books with your students and children.  Literacy expert Stephen Krashen said that "Children read more when they see other people reading" and I think it is also true when children hear about exciting books.
• When planning your seating chart in school, put students with similar book interests together in a group.  This will help to promote book discussions and students will be likely to talk about books they think their peers will like as well.

• Have Reading Plans- Lifelong readers are the ones that count down the days until the newest novel from their favorite author comes out or have their name on the waiting list so they are the first to receive it (when I was in high school I did this with every Nicholas Sparks novel; now it's any book by Emily Giffin).  Students will do this too.
• Get students interested in a series of books.  This is especially important for students who struggle when reading.  When students read a series, they already have background knowledge for each new book, gain reading momentum by continuing the story, and it motivates them to get to the long awaited conclusion.
• Competitive students also enjoy a challenge.  Teachers and parents can set a challenge for the week or month to motivate students to read.  I have students complete a reading log each month and, at the end of the year, the top three readers receive a book of their choice.  Biblionasium and Goodreads both have challenges that parents or teachers can set up for their children that will monitor their progress and motivate them online.

• Validate and Expand- When we read a topic that interests us, we always want to learn more.  For example, if we are reading House Rules by Jodi Picoult and find the topic of children with Asperger's fascinating, we would then locate articles in the newspaper, read non-fiction books, and find websites relating to this subject.  Children need help in locating additional resources and this is where adults can assist.
• Connecting texts of different genres helps students to expand their reading horizon as well as learn additional information on a topic of interest.  If students love the characters in Wonder by R.J. Palacio and want to learn more about facial abnormalities, helping students to find recent medical research, locate biographies on people born with this complexity, and read other books relating to the topic of students who struggle with being unique (like Joey Pigza Swallowed a Key by Jack Gantos or The Thing About Georgie by Lisa Graff) will help them to expand their knowledge about the topic as well as introduce various genres into their lives.

     These tips are easy to implement in the classroom or at home and can help to promote lifelong readers.  To read the article in its entirety or to learn more, please visit Scholastic's Instructor webpage or subscribe to the magazine to receive information monthly.  Enjoy!

Erica :)

Welcome!

Hello Everyone!

    Welcome to my first ever blog post! I am very excited about this new endeavor I am undertaking and hope that it will be inspiring to parents, teachers, and students alike.

     This blog is inspired by many factors: first, I wanted a place to keep track of the ideas that I learn from the professional magazines in which I subscribe, graduate classes I take, and workshops I attend.  I feel thankful to have these educational opportunities but have binders filled with random paperwork and no place to put it!  Pinterest also does not help this "hoarding" situation with my over 2,000 pins! Using a blog as my own personal virtual filing cabinet will allow me to access these ideas quickly and efficiently.

     On top of my love to learn, I am also an avid reader that feels a need to tell everyone who will listen about the latest book I have read.  A blog could be a place to share the latest and greatest (or classic) favorite that students and adults together could enjoy.  Even though Goodreads enables me to rate and review text, a blog would allow me to reach a larger audience and those who are not my "friends".

     Finally, when putting all of these ideas together, I thought that others in the education field, people who do not have the means or time to subscribe to professional magazines or attend workshops, or those who deal with children would appreciate a location such as this to feel encouraged and enlightened about the profession.  It is my hope that everyone can feel as passionate about these tools as I do.

     If you have ideas of your own, can suggest a blog to follow, or have a thought to contribute, please comment.  I would love to hear from you and learn how to make this better!

     Looking forward to this motivating, "novel" adventure!

Erica :)