Your School Rocks Thoughts

Again, originally read courtesy of the Kindle Unlimited trial that I ended up upgrading to a six month one with the Prime week specials (just for the PD books because you really have to search to find the good fiction. It's hidden).


Chapter One The Power to Connect / Location 142
"it was time to take back education and lead with our passion for kids and our belief that school should consist of learning and fun."
Learning and fun! Well that's pretty cool.

Chapter Two The Video Newsletter / Location 191 & 199
"educators must do a better job of engaging students' families."
"trading a paper newsletter for a video newsletter is the greatest shift schools can make."
Oh, heavens. Video. Hard. Out of comfort zone. #doIdare

Location 210
"Keep your video newsletter under three minutes. Any longer and you'll lose your audience's attention."
Short and sweet does make it easier.

Location 230
"If kids are telling their parents nothing special is happening at school, that is the parents' perception whether or not it is accurate."
Perception is perceived truth. So we work to change it.

Chapter Four iMovie Movies / Location 419 & 449
"We also use these video messages with our staff to generate excitement and to remind them of our philosophy to make school about learning and fun as we focus on the most important thing: our students."
"Meeting students and parents where they are requires flexibility on your part, the payoff is an engaged community."


Chapter Five Facebook / Location 489 & 504
"Parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents--a large part of the audience schools need to reach--all appear to be flocking to it. If we are not targeting them with our communication, we certainly should be."
"My school's Facebook page currently has 584 likes, so I know when we share information, a photograph or a video, 584 people have that information in their Facebook newsfeed."
Now, that's not entirely true. The algorithms will only show it to a fraction of those people. Viewers have to do more than like the page to actually see all content ... they have to comment and like specific posts. But they all COULD find it if they went to the page. Which is easier to find if they've already liked it.


Chapter Six Twitter / Location 628
"Twitter exposed me to more than I had ever learned in a class or workshop--and created doors to educators, their ideas, and best practices, thereby increasing my personal, professional development in ways I had never thought possible."
Totally true. Why mine don't ... match. When I first joined I just used an old email address from my Spanish teaching days because it was mostly silly pop culture. Then it got much more interesting with authors, illustrators, and fellow educators. By then it was too late to change the handle!


Chapter Eight Instagram Photos / Location 720 & 739
"connecting with 20 percent of our students' families--10 percent of them every day."
"reach potentially one in five of our families by doing ten seconds worth of work, the decision was easy--yes, it is worth it!"
Taking decent pics takes practice, though. And just remembering to do it!

Chapter Eleven Instagram in the Classroom / Location 910
"educators can use Instagram to throw out a hook the night before to excite students about upcoming learning opportunities."
As an elem teacher librarian I'm not looking for student followers ... I know some of them have accounts but those are the exception. But I could see how this would be super powerful for middle and high school, especially with the "hooks" from location 913.


Chapter Fourteen The School Blog / Location 1074, 1097
"I routinely ask them to write blog posts."
"You don't have to be the one to write every post. Invite students, other teachers, even parents to be guest bloggers on your site."


Chapter Sixteen Bringing It All Together / Location 1229
"Just as there is power in a positive phone call or short written note, we are finding the power in positive messages sent through social media. The difference is that social media allows that message to be shared countless times."

Kids Deserve It

Here are some thoughts after the first reading. Read on a Kindle so no page numbers ... just chapters and locations. This was a WOW book for me after a tough year. Like minded peeps! I wish some of my coworkers could read this! They were like me ... we got bogged down. But we all want to do better. The Kids Deserve It.

No cool personal creative pic for the post. Bad blogger. Just the embedded Goodreads book cover. I need to get on to implementation, not spend too long on blog formatting! :P

Chapter 1 Location 232
How can you "go big"?

Chapter 2 Location 309
"We live in a world where we can no longer claim ignorance -- only an unwillingness to learn."

Chapter 3 Location 334
"We can't expect our kids to be growing, learning, and pushing boundaries unless we're doing the same."

Location 345
"creativity is a learned skill that you develop by working at it --  continually."

Location 390
"Students need to be Tweeting as well!" (I sometimes Tweet quotes but I really should create a student account.)

Location 418
"When you choose to innovate and be unique, you will experience some failure. And sometimes it stings more than you'd like." (OOWWWWWWWWW! Why? I mean, I know. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again. That's what we want the kids to do!)

Chapter 4 Location 499
"you're creating the right conditions for them to take root and grow up to be the best versions of themselves."

Chapter 6 Location 639
Seven Practices That Will Make You a Better Leader (Read the book to find these ... they are great!)

Chapter 11 Location 964
"That's why it's so important to be aware of the messages you're sending out with your body language, choices, and words." (This is something I have to work on. Last couple years = tired face/body.)

Chapter 15 Location 1169
"I want my students to be brave and bold and try new things. I want them never to be afraid to make mistakes, because their brave actions might inspire others to try new things. Their actions may show others it is okay to make mistakes; it is how we learn."

Chapter 16 Location 245
Recognize Awesomeness (How can I be more vocal about this?)

Chapter 18 Location 1333
"Our most important job is to love kids and convince them they are absolutely incredible and unique."

Chapter 21 Location 1417
"facilitating learning opportunities that empower kids to discover what's possible in this world."

Location 1454
"supporting the community and having fun!"  (This is where I decided I need a Star Wars costume. Rey, I think. No one would recognize Jocasta Nu. Plus that would be hot in TX. Rey's is better for hot.)

Location 1491
"How are you going to leave your mark?"

Location 1494
"if you have a random idea, try it out!"

Chapter 22 Location 1558
"Look Ahead, Be Relevant" (He's talking about sharing Google Voice Typing)

Chapter 24 Location 1631 & 1632
"because then we get to tell them about this great tool called Google, which is accessible to everyone. When you don't 'get' something ... Google it!" (I full on admit here I was like "SEE?" because I know several people who feel justified in not knowing tech. Well how on earth do you think the rest of us learned anything? It WAS hard. There were tears. But then it finally clicked and we got it and we moved on. Petty rant. Sorry.)

Location 1648
"Jim Collins: 'Good is the enemy of great.'"

Chapter 28 Location 1852
About Being a Reader (Another one to read in the book!)

140 Twitter Tips Summer PD Reading

I recently got a new Kindle Paperwhite (I already had a Fire but I am testing to see if less blue light helps me sleep better. :P) and decided to try the Kindle Unlimited trial. Terrible fiction selection but noticed the non-fic actually had some interesting titles. Doubt I'll keep it past the summer but for now it's handy.


140 Twitter Tips for Educators: Get Connected, Grow Your Professional Learning Network, and Reinvigorate Your Career by Brad Currie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

For beginners to Twitter four stars or maybe even higher. Though would they be reading a book? Don't get me wrong ... I mean three as a compliment. I really liked the middle section (for those familiar with Twitter) and the first half or so of the last section (looking to become a Twitter "rock star"). This will take repeated references to get the full advantage.


My notes were taken from the Kindle version so I don't have page numbers. Just Locations.

Location 439     #21 Turn Motivational Tweets into Images
Hmmm. Had already been thinking about creating some book quotes for our hallway monitor so I will get on that. Just tweeted it out (already had it on Instagram). In the 10 seconds since realized two things. One ... I already had it on IG. Could have just tweeted the link at the same time. And Two ... I didn't watermark the image. I just made it on WordSwag. Going to take a while until my "edits" are good enough that people might want to borrow but it's a good habit to get into all the same.

Location 469     #24 Tweet Daily
I go in waves. Still WAAAAAAAAAAY more lurking because I don't always have something to say. And sometimes I feel like Twitter gets a bit ridiculous with all the "You're so awesome" "No, you are." (Do I sound rude?) I've been on Twitter for a long time. Since before my blog, in fact. That's why the username doesn't match. When I first joined Twitter it was to follow like Hollywood people (lame, I know). Then that got boring but more authors/illustrators were on Twitter. Then it because this amazing place to learn from like minded edu-peeps. I could try to rebuild everything but getting people to refollow ... annoying to them. And me to refollow everyone under a different name. So I don't "match."

Location 731     #52 Check out the #PersonalizedPD hashtag.
Haven't checked that out yet. Should start. Totally why I blog and Tweet and love EdCamp style stuff. So much of the other just doesn't apply.

Location 808     #61 Build Twitter Stamina
Part of that for me is not feeling bad when someone doesn't answer a tweet. We can't all keep up with everything! It's not usually personal and even if it is ... so what? The authors talked about that as well though I think it was under a different tip.

Location 837     #63 Create a Classroom Twitter Handle
Sometimes I wonder about starting a new one specifically for my school. Right now the only place I do that is FB. Everywhere else is entirely "me."

Location 892     #69 Listen to Student Voice (#stuvoice)
Would love to see that. Sort of tried a couple years back with paper tweets but didn't stick with it and not enough teachers "got" it. Most actually still don't seem to. I need to be more patient and understanding and consistent. And remember #61.

Location 933     #70 Tell Your School's Story
Super important because we HAVE TO. Sometime in the next week or so I'll write up a bit of what I thought of this one. Pretty awesome.

Location 1065      #84 Start a Hashtag for your book (#140EduTips)
I don't have a book but I'm sort of lurking on a hashtag two schools in my district are doing with their teachers and summer reading. It's pretty awesome, actually. I debated putting the hashtag for this book  in my post title. Maybe I should have.

Location 1153      #91 Collaborate with Someone.
Talked to people but haven't actually done any sort of project. Anyone game?

Location 1255     #102 Display Your Twitter Stream
In order for that to be useful you have to tweet pretty regularly. I suppose I could have my Twitter feed to the side on my blog. Necessary? I don't know. A specifically SCHOOL feed would be good to have displayed prominently.

Location 1281     #105 Manage Your Social Media Accounts with Hootsuite
There's another tool I've actually known about for years but know I don't use to its greatest extent. For a while I was ahead enough on blog post ideas that I used it to schedule things. Last couple years not so much.

Location 1323     #111 Vine for Education
I've seen this done so well ... just need to get more in the habit of taking pictures/short clips. Would this be easier than IG?

Location 1350     #115 Create a Twitter Recipe with If This Then That app
Ha! I totally turned my blog post Tweet IFTTT recipe off a couple months ago. I was testing something. Realized the other day I still hadn't turned it back on! I use Networked Blogs to auto-post to FB but I know that brings it down in the algorithms. I wonder if IFTTT does the same?

Way too much work thinking right now. Later. Hope you're enjoying your summer!

(PS Also debating the Scholastic Reading Summit in SA. Worth it? Having to choose between it and more BOOKS or Star Wars (personal or the Really Good Stuff classroom set!) or Harry Potter stuff. Or CONVERSE or maybe even girly TIEKS.)

I'm reading Invent to Learn

Second post in a day! Blogger Boo Boo. Oh well.

Have you heard of this book? It is about "making" in the classroom. There is a local minimakerfaire coming up in a few days that I'm thinking of checking out. Not educational in focus but maybe it will help me figure out how to bring more real, hands on stuff to the school library.

I'm not done yet but thought I'd post about ... thoughts so far. Here is their webpage. Bold text is just me showing what really stood out ... it wasn't in the actual text. Italics is the reference point as well as I could mark it when reading the Kindle version and my thinking so far.


Invent To Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom by Sylvia Libow Martinez





Do I need to get out more? This is the most textbook like thing I have read since ... a textbook. But still interesting enough to keep going. This will probably be long. Sorry. I did try to edit!


THIS book quotes Piaget "to understand is to invent" (So I am a doofus and can't figure out the Kindle page numbers ... location 159 of 5629 if that helps? Are the "locations" consistent across devices? #IdontknowasmuchabouttechasIpretend)

"this 'maker movement' overlaps with the natural inclinations of children and the power of learning by doing" (location 173)

"The sorts of projects made possible by these materials may make readers nostalgic for what primary education used to be and reinvigorate project-based learning. Classrooms could once again become places of great joy, creativity, and invention.... Tinkering is a powerful form of learning by doing." (locations 191 and 200)

"The maker movement represents a bright spot in a world that too often uses computers biased towards the least empowering aspects of formal education." (location 545 ... and this one made me SIGH the most. Dang if I don't get sick and tired of computerized drill stuff on the computer lab machines.  One reason I try to keep the library machines very occupied with more interesting applications. :( :( :()

A WHOLE BUNCH of stuff about constructivism in education

Britain admits they changed their ICT curriculum because "It is harmful and dull." (quote from another source but in location 697 in this book ... also HA!)

"Reading and 'remixing' another person's computer program is a sophisticated form of literacy students need today." (location 748)

"Makedo is a series of reusable connectors and hinges for turning cardboard packaging materials into elaborate structures and play objects." (location 776 ... and now I am SO MAD that when Educents had them I didn't go ahead and get some. This was when they were like so new and it was a great deal and I didn't. That always happens. Buyer's remorse goes both ways. Also why do I remember random stuff like that when I still don't know the house phone number of my new place?)

"Although the learning happens inside the learn's head, this happens most reliably when the learner is engaged in a personally meaningful activity outside of heir head that makes the learning real and shareable." (location 825)

"... this is from 1987! 'Seek out open-ended projects that foster students' involvement with a variety of materials, treating computers as just one more material, alongside rules, wire, paper, sand, and so forth." (location 905)

"None of the constraints of school are for the benefit of learning--they create a more manageable, homogeneous, efficient platform for teaching a predetermined bit of content." (location 933)

"The scientific method may work for testing a guess about how the world works, but it is not applicable to things that don't exist yet." (location 1115 ... I like that she points this out ... considering she was part of the group that if I understand correctly invented GPS? Which SAVES MY LIFE?!! #nosenseofdirectionatall)

In location 1364 there are Eight Elements of a Good Project. Go find a copy of the book and look them up. We can discuss later. ;)

"One of the responsibilities of being a teacher is to translate the mandates of the educational system into something that helps children understand their world." (location 1428)

"The value of student projects at all levels needs to be demonstrably obvious to even the most casual observer.... As teachers, we often promote the idea that process is more important than the end product, yet is is often the product that provides context and motivates students to learn ... There is no reason why student projects cannot be both cute and good. Interesting, timely, relevant, sophisticated, moving, whimsical, charming, thoughtful, original, clever, imaginative and innovative are all attributes that contribute to a good project.... Projects are what students remember long after the bell rings. Great teachers know that their highest calling is to make memories." (locations 1556- 1593 ... and that line about "both cute and good" made me laugh ... the following sentence is so true, though!)

"Is there some way I can do less and grant more authority, responsibility, or agency to the learner?" (location 1610)

"The best fun is hard fun." (location 1707)

"Teaching is not testing." (location 1929)


Are you bored out of your minds yet? I'm only a third of the way through!




PS NONE of these links are affiliates. I cannot deal with the forms to start that. :P ;)

#IMWAYR Aug. 19

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now… who knows, you might discover that next “must read” book!

Our Kid Lit to YA version is hosted by Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers.
GREAT IDEA! Check out all of the What Are You Reading? participants for title ideas.






Last Week
Black Ice by Andy Lane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was thoroughly enjoying things ... until all of a sudden it was over. #pacingfail






Nursery Rhyme Comics: 50 Timeless Rhymes from 50 Celebrated Cartoonists by Chris Duffy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fun ... but not for actual young kids. Much of the text is handwritten in a way that made it hard for ME to read ... and I'm a teacher used to deciphering student writing.

I can see a few of our older elementary students picking it up and enjoying a few pages but not reading it all the way through. I skimmed a good deal of it myself.


Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas by Jim Ottaviani
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading about these three women. I didn't know their lives were so intertwined. The graphic novel format was fun ... the animals were given great facial expressions.

Only reason it's not a four is that there were many times when I felt like it kind of skipped around. Nature of the beast, I guess, covering three women in one book. But it felt a bit disjointed in places.


Audition & Subtraction by Amy Fellner Dominy

Didn't write even my usual short review for this one. But I liked it. Great for middle school!






Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

I enjoyed it as a very believable and heartbreaking (but in a way that makes you believe in the redeeming power of teen relationships ... both friendships and romance) story. Plus awesome music references.

I just ... really could have done without the language. Say all you want "It's how teens talk" but it's not how ALL teens talk. Even now ... cause I know I'm not a teen anymore. Actually the same can be said about adult friends. But as a teen my friends that might have used that sort of language when I wasn't around were careful not to around me, and if they slipped apologized before I ever said a word. In fact it was rare I ever DID point anything out ... they were just perceptive enough to notice I didn't and adjusted themselves accordingly. Once or twice in a book and I hardly notice. There were several pages, though, were it seemed like every other word was bordering on offensive.

Definitely a young adult. Worth reading but I really wish it could be read WITHOUT the language because it really brought the story down for me.


Ollie by Olivier Dunrea
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Too cute. My sis just had a little boy and he has two older sisters. His name is Ollie but their names are not Gossie and Gertie. I might deface the book and put stickers over the text and change the names. ;)


Ollie the Stomper by Olivier Dunrea
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Can't wait to see if OUR Ollie is as stubborn as this one.


The Tell-Tale Start: The Misadventures of Edgar & Allan Poe, Book One by Gordon McAlpine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a very high three. Really a four in terms of writing but three in terms of premise. There were funny lines sprinkled throughout the story, and some fun (at least for an adult, kids may not recognize them as such but they'll still enjoy the book!) literary references. The illustrations were fun for a "chapter book."

Only thing I wasn't as keen on was the premise of why the professor was after the boys in the first place.

Will read the second and probably get them both for our school collection. Not perfect but enjoyable all the same.


Coming Up
Well ... summer's over. And the fun doesn't start for another week (lucky kids). This week is all PD. Not PD we picked, either. C'est la vie.

ALL SUMMER I meant to finish Notice and Note. And several other professional titles. Where did you go, summer?

I greatly enjoyed the audiobook of book one. The library didn't have 2&3 in audio format so I guess I'll just have to read them with my eyes instead of my ears. ;)

And remember all those fun e-arcs? Need to schedule those. Oh, plus I have a blog tour stop coming up. Never done that before ... I should figure out what I'm supposed to do. And finish that book. It's pretty fun so far so that's good. Would be awkward if I didn't like the book.

Good luck to anyone getting ready for school to start!

I Am Still in the Middle of

several professional books. I do like to read them. I just don't read them NEARLY as quickly as fiction.



In Pictures and in Words: Teaching the Qualities of Good Writing Through Illustration Study by Katie Wood Ray

I've already started taking a little of what I've learned so far in this book into storytimes. The idea seems so strange at first and yet ... IT MAKES SENSE. Teach the kids to be careful and detailed in their illustrations and characters and settings ... and that same storytelling care will transfer over to their writing. Several well known teacher bloggers did a book study this summer. That's where I first learned about it. Didn't keep up with them and still have some reading to do but I like what I've seen.


I See What You Mean (Second Edition): Visual Literacy K-8 by Steve Moline

Goodreads doesn't have this bookcover. :/
But it's a really interesting book. For as NOT mathematically minded as I am infographics are kind of fascinating. Started as a "let's play with the tech tools" I was seeing online ... and that made me realize Just. How. Much. Thinking. has to be done before a compelling infographic can be created. Data has to be collected and interpreted. Still curious as to how the K-5 part will fit in ... but if I was in a middle school I would DEFINITELY start. And not saying I won't as a currently elementary educator ... just need to think it through some more myself before I could explain it to them. Is that pathetic that I'm not sure I could complete a kindergarden level one quite yet? So I need to finish reading the book. ;]


Show Me a Story: 40 Craft Projects and Activities to Spark Children's Storytelling by Emily K. Neuburger

This one just got delivered today (technically Friday that I'm writing this ;]). I really like the projects I see so far. The question will just be how I implement them. Loads of fun with the nieces and nephews. Definite possibilites for school. Here are a few.
1) The list of story sparks.
2) The story disk idea. I see a visit to Michaels in my future. Story Disk Chains are later in the book. They're fun, too.
3) Cut and Tell. Upcycle falling apart magazines and comics! We have a lot of those. :/
4) These Are the Stories in my Neighborhood. Stamp houses onto paper and then once the paint dries? The kids add characters or seasonal elements or whatever! Or Story City? Our first grade does something like this with decorating boxes to create a community.
5) Story Mat. Oh, these look cute. Painted onto cardboard or canvas or wood. Different settings. Actually and the little Storytelling Jar is fun.
6) The Reference Desk storytelling game.

What Are You Reading? Monday

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It's also a great chance to see what others are reading right now… who knows, you might discover that next “must read” book!

Our Kid Lit to YA version is hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.
GREAT IDEA! Check out all of the What Are You Reading? participants for title ideas.


I sort of did a mid-week recap ... cause the first half of the week I read a lot of picture books. LOVED Mrs. Harkness and the Panda. Got the IMAX movie from the library today ... it was not as good. :[ But you'll see pandas in one way or another when school starts up again. Must think of some cool stuff we can do. Also ... just realized I didn't get Chloe into that midweek recap. OOPS!

Chloe and the Lion by Mac Barnett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

LOVE. Definitely a must get for our school collection and maybe even personal collection. The different art styles are super cool (puppet type figures! paintings! crayon-style drawings!) and I love how it definitely shows author and illustrator working TOGETHER. Break the fourth wall anytime you want, guys. We'll come running.


Since then I've read a couple longer books as well.

This first one? Not YA or kid ... but I think it may help me in the fall.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ever so curious. I went through it pretty quickly ... but what she says seems to make a lot of sense to me.


Just a couple things where I tucked a little bookmark into that page. The rest of the review is on Goodreads (along with a couple quotes specific to teachers).

"Open-plan offices have been found to reduce productivity and impair memory.... They make people sick, hostile, unmotivated, and insecure. Open-plan workers are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and elevated stress levels and to get the flu.... They have fewer personal and confidential conversations with colleagues. They're often subject to loud and uncontrollable noise, which raises heart rates; releases cortisol, the body's fight-or-flight 'stress' hormone; and makes people socially distant ..." (p 84)

"Conviction is conviction ... at whatever decibel level it's expressed." (p 202)


Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh, I am late to this party. And no excuses cause I even got an ARC from the author (which I passed on to a student before I got to it!).

I listened to the audiobook while I was on the treadmill. I actually quite liked hearing the story that way because of the very nature of the tale ... it was meant to be told. Just like Min-Li's father told her stories.

Can't wait for more! I know she's working on a companion ... but she also just had a baby so we'll try to be patient. That's the one good thing about discovering a book late. Not as long to wait for the next ones.

Cold Cereal by Adam Rex
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I didn't get it. :/






Writing to Explore: Discovering Adventure in the Research Paper, 3-8 by David Somoza
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I posted a review here.



The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked it for the description of South Africa. In parts it was very beautiful. You could tell the author had been there. I did not like it for the lack of ... what is the word. Detail that added to more than the setting of the story?

Also ... the whole mythology of the "child who would ride the white giraffe"? Did ring totally true. :/

View all my reviews


Coming up?
Didn't get to Insurgent or Riordan this week ... sidetracked by a MASSIVE decluttering. Wow. I'd started in on some hoardish tendencies. I can see the light, however. Plus I can breathe now that the junk is out! So ...  read Insurgent. Riordan (I've got like four of them to catch up on!) plus I just picked up Chopsticks at the library. Beyond that? We'll see. ;]