A Call to Arms (full of books)

A Call to Arms
(full of books)

I worked for several years in granite fabrication -this when I was much younger and better suited to the cold and heavy work. I get shivers just thinking about the water jets in mid-winter now. My time as a fabricator was fairly typical: I gawked at the many large machines, endless rows of granite slabs and half-formed mantles or tables, and wondered. "How will I ever learn this stuff?" 

As noted, my developed was not particularly unique. I learned my way around the workshop through watching more experienced men at work, asking questions, and practicing. There was a great deal of on the job practice and on demand performance, and I quickly learned not only about the machines, templates, and time frames for projects, but about the many materials I was asked to use. 

Marbles are far softer to granite, for example; and some marbles are particularly difficult to handle in wide spans as they have soft, fault lines in them. I learned which granites needed a heavy hand to make shine and which to avoid any contact with oils. Eventually, I knew much about the pluses, minuses, and plain oddities to the many materials I was expected to work with; and, having shown some semblance of mastery with them, I was allowed to complete large projects independently as well as form works on my own that I thought might turn a profit for the company.

So, how does this possibly connect with school and Language Arts? 

Simple.

No reader's & writer's workshop can be said to be complete without having a healthy, ever changing, classroom library. Classroom books are the marbles and granites of a workshop model. Books are the necessary material  for students to study the Language Arts craft and complete their own projects. The young and developing minds that amble, hop, saunter, and race into a room dedicated to learning the crafts of reading and writing in a workshop setting must see, read, and practice with as many books as possible -books, which are in reach, and not down the hall in stacked rows awaiting discovery. (If you're so interested, you may want to read a piece I wrote about turning our school library inside-out. School Libraries: The Blockbuster of Today?)

We need books, armfuls of books, today! If you have any reading materials that you're confident will not feel the warm embrace of curious minds and eager fingers anytime soon, then please put them in a bag and drop them off in the school office. Don't think that any book is too damaged, or easy, or difficult, because in a workshop classroom the breadth of desires to explore and levels of reading abilities is vast. Books as low as third grade are as welcome as are those for early high school. I am more than happy to sift through stacks and stacks of your donated books to see they get into the right classrooms for students. If something is deemed too hard or too low, it will find a place in another school. I promise. (I'm clutching a nearby book to my heart as I type this, the universal oath of a Reader.)

This is my call to arms (full of books, please.).

 

NOW, I remember what I hated about the dictionary as a kid

     If I had to label my middle school academic development, I'd say it was fairly ordinary. I did my homework, not necessarily to the best of my abilities, but decently enough so as not to owe my parents too many explanations. I was interested in reading, mostly comics, and an occasional fantasy novel, but most of my energy was spent on sports and friends. I certainly did not possess then the type of hunger I  hold now for reading.
     This meant, among other things, that when I didn't know a word while reading about the last thing I was going to do was turn to that dusty tome, the dictionary, for help. I mean, I figured it was a big enough deal that I had cracked open a book to start -two books was asking too much.
     As an adult, I understand that my hesitation with looking to the dictionary was mainly because it took time to stop reading one book to turn to another only to go back to book one and pick up my thinking all over again. Or, so I thought. I was reminded this evening of another reason I avoided the dictionary.
     It was because the dictionary was often of no more help to me than if I had skipped over it.  It turns out that when you're 11 or 12, you  reallydon't know all that many words. And, you certainly don't know a word like abiotic (which is completely normal, but which is also going to be on the sixth grade science quiz at the end of the week). Therefore, you turn in absolute desperation to the dictionary for help.
     Hmmm...abiotic...that begins with A. So, that's gonna be in the front of the book. That'll save some time. This should be easy...Oh and it begins AB. That's even easier. Your 11-year-old elation dies upon actually finding the definitions of abiotic, because you don't expect to get this for an explanation: Not associated with or derived from living organisms. Abiotic factors in an environmentinclude such items as sunlight, temperature, wind patterns, and precipitation. Oh yeah, that's a BIIIIIIIIG help. Derived? Factors? Precipitation? Sorry, but I speak English not Scientist. 
     So where am I going with all of this? Great question. Let's see....ummm....err...oh yes. Dictionary.com has recently launched a new online tool which I had great expectations for -still do, though it may take some time. The site has launched a flashcard tool for studying at home. Even though it is in the beta stage, I gave it a whirl. I immediately set up a simple deck of social studies terms and found my enthusiasm sinking quicker than a stock portfolio in 2008. 
     When I typed the word delta, which is a social studies landform sixth graders with be quizzed on, I received a list of about 12 possible definitions. The first was in reference to the Greek letter. Makes sense. Not what I wanted, so I scanned further and got this: a nearly flat plain of alluvial deposit between diverging branches of the mouth of a river, often, though not necessarily, triangular: the Nile delta. Arrrrrgh! Seriously, alluvial? This might have been fine IF there had been a way to edit the definition. Mouth of a river, branches, and triangular all work, along with the example of the Nile delta, but, Dictionary.com doesn't allow for this.Unfriendly definitions aside, I decided to slap a deck together and see how the flashcards work.
     The site does more than just show a word and then expect you to guess what's on the other side. It begins by showing you the all the words and definitions you have chosen for study. When you feel ready, you move to studying. This involves selecting any one, or all, of three methods: a matching game, hearing the word and finding the definition,or  seeing the definition and writing the correct vocabulary word.
     When matching, a group of definition cards from your deck are displayed and only one vocabulary word. You click on the correct definition and you can move on. If not, you're show the correct card to study for a few seconds. When listening, you only hear a vocabulary word and then have to select the correct definition from a few of the definition cards. (Sometimes the choices are "All of the cards" and "None of the cards", which is a good way to reduce guessing. When asked to fill in the blank, you are given one definition and must type in the correct vocabulary word. 
      I do appreciate the variety of  approaches used. I also see the benefits that come from the score keeping the site does. When you've correctly nailed down a word and its definition it is considered mastered and doesn't come up again in your deck. This is sensible. Words you don't know, obviously come up with greater frequency. At the end of a cycle of practice, which depends on the size of the deck, you see your performance as an overall percentage. You also see how well you did with each individual word.
     Despite all the good the flashcards create, I keep coming back to the biggest detractor -no ability to either edit the definitions or chose from more age-appropriate ones. Don't  get me wrong. This site holds great promise for high school and college students, but not younger students. I do hope this changes and a more youth-friendly catalog of definitions are added. (Or, the chance to edit.) For now, there is no more than the same old, dense dictionary terminology I remember as a kid. Pass me the newest issue of Batman will you?

Hello Parents

     A new school year awaits us, and it promises to be an exciting few weeks for everyone at Gideon Welles School. I'm looking forward to meeting you and your child next week. 

     My colleagues and I have been diligently working to implement many new ideas and books within our curriculum. The Language Arts department is particularly excited about introducing  a slew of contemporary books to your child as part of our theme-based approach to instruction. The books span a range of genres and reading levels, which is critical to providing all our students the opportunity to connect with the written word and engage in the classroom community. It is also a tried and true method for promoting a love of reading.

     What follows is an image that will take you to our books after you've clicked it. Enjoy and hopefully I'll see you next week. 

What Glastonbury Teachers are Reading the Summer of 2010

     Most of the Language Arts and Reading Teachers in Glastonbury are reading Donalyn Miller’s work The Book Whisperer. The book is intended for educators, and while not entirely accessible to those outside of the educational field, its message is laced well enough throughout the work as to be understood by anyone. Miller’s contention is that children become excellent readers by reading, reading a lot. This comes across, in print at least, as too plain of a claim to possibly be accurate, but it is the bare bones of her argument.
Miller explains that reading in her classroom occurs daily for as many hours as she can squeeze in. Students are surrounded literally by thousands of books and have the goal of reading 40 books before the school year is complete. They are given freedom to make book selections within specified genres, and Miller works to see that the student study each genre to learn about which ones speak to them best. Miller holds herself to similar standards during the process. She reads with the children, takes their recommendations, and shares her development as a reader.
     It was difficult to not nod in agreement regarding much of what she holds true about inspiring students to become phenomenal readers. Choice is very important. She points out that many adults can point to several books they had to read in school and disliked immensely. A teacher that reads with his or her students unequivocally demonstrates the importance of the act. It’s not do as a say, it’s do as I do.

Here are some other key points, without the details, which she makes:

· reading should be uninterrupted for longer durations of time

· adult and peers recommendations are critical to finding books that speak to us

· classroom libraries are important and should be as large as possible

· quitting a book is okay as it reflects adult practices

· whole class novels are well-meaning but often counterproductive

· time taken from reading is to be careful considered for its comparative value

· students rarely read at home despite appearances

     I love to read. I read every single day for at least an hour. I find myself making connections between books, the news, movies, and personal experiences often and easily because of my continual reading. There’s no doubt in my mind that heavy readers succeed far more than fail in school or out of school. Miller’s book was therefore pretty much up my alley.
     I do hold a few reservations about her book. A few. I did not feel Miller did enough to explain the instructional activities that occur in her classroom over the course of a school year. She touched on a great deal without providing specific examples. Explanations about writing instruction and practice seemed to be lacking too. I also didn’t see much in the way of how she might work with her lowest students. Again, she merely touched on this.
     Despite these small qualms, Miller’s book is testament to what it means to be a reader. Reading goes well beyond standardized tests and letter grades. And, by the way, Miller points out repeatedly that her students “ace the standardized test” given to all Texas 6th grade students. Read and be rewarded.

School Libraries: The Blockbuster of Today?

     To begin, I love libraries and book stores. Well, to be more specific, I love what's in them. When I tell my family that I'm going to stop in at Barnes & Nobles, Borders, or the library in town, they understand that this means several things at once:

• I'll be out of touch for at least two hours. (I don't own a cell phone and even if I did I wouldn't bring it with me.)
• If they want to tag along, they have to decide if they can handle the minimum two hour visit time as well as put up with my many single syllable responses to their queries. 
• I'm going to put a nifty little dent in the family bank account.
• More books will be have to be squeezed into already tightly-packed bookcases.

     The thing of it is, I'm beginning to wonder how much longer the brick and mortar homes of books can remain as they are. I'm wondering if I need to make those trips by car and foot to my mecca. Just consider the Blockbuster versus Netflix business models and you'll understand what I mean. 

     Netflix has mortally wounded Blockbuster with its mailbox DVDs and online streaming. We want what we want quicker, cheaper, and delivered directly to us. Going to a store or the library simply doesn't hit on all three of those needs. Thus is Netflix able to slay a company many thought would replace the theater business, which is actually being handled by today's home entertainment theaters. These dynamic changes have me musing about school libraries. 

     Our school libraries, if they were a business, are far closer to Blockbuster than Netflix, and this is worrisome. In a business like Blockbuster, movies are bought, delivered, repackaged, cataloged, and shelved for customers take home. You could substitute books for movies and students for customers and still be accurate about the school library model. In both instances, there is a of time and expense woven into the goal of having individuals come, peruse, and leave with products in hand. It's a centralized model, which has Blockbuster scrambling to be more like Netflix and it's push out ways.

     I wonder if the time hasn't come to work more on a push out model for our business...err...libraries. I'm not calling for an end to physical books, or even librarians, but any means. In fact, both remain indispensable to education.  No, what I am suggesting is recognizing the successful models of today, our customer wants, and mimicking them as best as we can. This means divvying library books into classroom sets and adopting eReaders as soon as possible. That's right. Don't put the books into one big room, put the books into all the little rooms where the students are. And, start transitioning to the medium most are using now, electronic delivery of information.

Consider  all of these statements:  

• Every generation, from this point on, carries more computing power in their mobile devices than NASA had when launching the first ships to the moon.
• Electronic books are cheaper than paper books.
• When given the choice between going to the library to check out a book or downloading it to a portable reading device, most will overwhelmingly chose the second option.
• Locating the right read is easier and quicker (even more enjoyable) using Amazon (or our Destiny Quest browser) than working your way through rows and stacks of books. (Okay, I'll admit. I do like the experience of discovering a book by randomly roaming up and down the aisles, but I believe I'm in the minority with this one.)
• The Kindle, Nook, and Sony eReader can hold thousands of electronic books either via purchase or free download from the thousands of books in the public domain. (Wait until Google enters the field!) A lot less physical space is necessary.
• At least one state, Utah, has adopted eReaders as the primary means by which textbooks and pleasure books will be put into student hands. Texas is also heading in the same direction. (The larger sized Kindle displays entire textbooks with perfect clarity and all the usual instant connections to links, videos, updated information, etc.)
• Items stacked next to store registers tend to sell quickly, the so-called impulse purchase. Books, when well displayed (covers showing, not spines) tend to be checked out most frequently. Put 50 books on display in every classroom and they'll start moving. 
• Most eReaders allow users to read the first chapters of new books for free. They also show users books most-like the ones being read or examined. 
• Student connections between subject matter (science, social studies, art, etc.) can be enhanced through the proper pairing of classrooms to teachers and students.

The push out concept is not a silver bullet. There are complications. Tracking books from classroom libraries is much more challenging and potentially onerous for teachers. Librarians must make more trips to classrooms to share books and swap new titles for older titles.  However, this is how major transitions tend to work. It's not without bumps. Netflix began with DVDs to mailboxes only, then limited streaming, and slowly is working toward complete streaming. 

     Librarians, take heed. While I'm confident, as a mere reading teacher, that I misunderstand much of how a library functions, I feel as confident that change is coming and should be embraced. So, for those working the stacks, I welcome any comments you may have.

Age Banding

The United Kingdom is holding a very interesting discussion which may affect you. In short, book publishing companies are looking into the idea of rating their books the same way movies and video games are rated. This is called "age banding".

Age banding basically means they're going to rate books in a way that suggests what age should be reading them. Their plan, at least for now, works as follows: Early will stand for children 5+, Confident will stand for children ages 9+, and Fluent will stand for children 9+. I'm not sure I understand the labels they're thinking about using beyond Early. 

Word choice is VERY important and labeling books "confident" and "fluent" makes me worry that more negative attachments will come with those labels than positive ones. For example, "fluent" suggests that a child who can read all the words on the page is automatically ready for the 9 and up books. This is not always true. It also cuts another way. There may be pressure to move a child up to a book labeled fluent when he or she is not ready for it; or voices of derision for a child enjoying a book deemed "below" his/her age.

Banding opens the door for many other labels to land on books. As it is now, there are sometimes "age appropriate" labels on books, and/or reading levels given to them. These are simplistic labels and as a highly experienced reading teacher -oh and reader- I often question the validity of either form of labeling. I've come across plenty of books claiming to be one reading level but are in fact either much higher or lower than claimed. Besides, reading levels do not tell us anything about the complexity of the content inside.

I do see merits to age banding at times. Video games are a pretty solid example. But books aren't video games. Books are a different matter entirely. As you may suspect, I love the printed word. I do not withhold any materials in my home because I feel that if I do this, then they only want the books in question all the more. I'm fine with my children trying books, which the age-banding publishers might deem above their age range, on their own. What happens is that they either put it down (too confusing or boring) or find  this "difficult" book, interesting enough that they then begin to push themselves as readers. Awesome!

We live in an age where SO MUCH is available to use when it comes to learning the appropriateness and content of books that it seems completely out of touch to STEP BACK with simple, age banding, labels. Take 5 minutes, scan Amazon from home or your iPhone, and then decide if a book is a good match for your child. There you get a book's themes, reading/age levels, reviews, and a chance to sample the text yourself.

I've got some strong feelings on this topic, but I would love to hear what you think about this idea. Maybe I'm overreacting.

I leave you with a quote from C.S. Lewis, which is also the pretext for the No-to-Age-Banding website.

... the neat sorting-out of books into age ranges, so dear to publishers, has only a very sketchy relation with the habits of any real readers. Those of us who are blamed when old for reading childish books were blamed when children for reading books too old for us. No reader worth his salt trots along in obedience to a time-table.

CS Lewis (1952 essay On three ways of writing for children, collected in Of Other Worlds (latest edition, Harvest Books 2002)

-Mr. Lagana

Hard (Copy) Decision

The question isn’t will I, it’s when will I. When will I switch from purchasing, carrying, and peering into hard copies of the written word and embrace the soothing, high-resolution, electronic delivery of the written word, because the next step in delivering the written word to each of us is in mid-stride.


Kindle is leading the way, followed by eReader, and now the Nook. Each device is portable and capable of delivering a massive number of books, articles, and blogs to your fingertips. Anyone who says this won’t replace books did not pay attention to events in the music world.

The iPod came, it saw, it conquered. Vinyl recordings are a clear marker in my life of how old I am these days, and I don’t sound all that hip and relevant when I mention music CDs either. (Hmmm… add the word hip to the list of you’re-showing-your-age items.)

I do love books. I find it incredibly relaxing to peruse books in a library, store, and even online. I like holding books and being an owner of books. My home is in many ways a small library unto itself because of how much I enjoy books. And yet, this does not mean I won’t eventually change how I receive the written word of others.

Frankly, there’s too much to like about the new age of print to stay away from it much longer. The real difficulty is going to be deciding which portable device I finally purchase. There are pros and cons to each device, which I will not bother with here as there are hundreds of sites that have done this already. Instead I’ll give my reasons to go electronic along with my worries.



The reasons to buy electronic:

It is cheaper. Yes, the machine costs money, but the savings with electronic version of books makes up for it. Hard copies of books cost far more and take longer to come down in price. Electronic books begin cheaper and move down in price quicker than those we purchase from a brick and mortar locale. There is less clutter. Books pile up quickly, and they have an eerily magnetic way about them when it comes to dust. A thousand books on shelves is messy. A thousand books in electronic form is sublime. I will make better decisions. I don’t always leave a store with the books I planned to purchase. Sometimes it’s due to cost and other times it’s spotting something else of interest. By accessing Amazon, for example, directly from Kindle, I can see reviews of books and similar types of books to assist with my decisions. There should be less guess work. I’m also often under a time constraint when I’m at a bookstore and make hasty decisions. I’m hopeful there’ll be better organization. My books are sometimes filled with ear-marked pages, highlights, odd slips of papers, or a notation along the inside covers. All of which seem like good ideas until I need to actually return to this information. Then, I’m left wondering what my grand organizational plan was at the time as I look through shelves of books. An electronic device will force me into one method, which is (I hope) much easier, reliable, and sensible.



The reasons I worry about going electronic:

Foremost in my mind is ownership. When I buy a book I can do with it what I will -not so with an electronic version. I cannot readily hand off the copy to a friend. Some electronic readers will allow you the chance to lend a book for two weeks, like a library, but that’s not good enough. Generally, when I lend a book, I don’t expect it back because I know it’ll be gone for months. I worry about instantaneous collection loss. What happens if my portable device breaks? A broken device means I’ll have nothing to read until it’s replaced or repaired. Amazon claims to backup all your purchases, but I’ve read mixed reviews on this. Example, periodicals are only backed-up for two weeks! Normally, I try to weed out piles of magazines. But, if I can have an electronic copy, I would not have to decide what to throw away. I like seeing books. Books packed into shelves simply sings to me. They don’t even have to be my books or books I’ve read.

Most likely, I'll find myself holding onto both in the end. I'm looking forward to the new experience.

Okay, I'm late to the party, but only by a decade. I just started reading the first book in the Series of Unfortunate Events collection, The Bad Beginning. Yep, many of you may have shared these books with your children already, but for the handful of you, like me, who've not had the pleasure, it's not too late to share these with your own.

Snicket, whose name evokes the idea the author is chuckling as he tells his stories, has formed a series that makes for a great read aloud. They have a fairy tale-esque feel to them. Snickett is forthright in explaining that one should not expect to read a happy story. He adds that readers who dislike unpleasant tales should put his book down and walk away, which of course is the perfect way to get a young one to want to read something.

Lemony Snicket (This is not the author's real name. It's Daniel Handler.) is clearly having fun with his stories of the Baudelaire children and the dreadful events they must live through. It may sound odd to enjoy reading about three children who become orphans and suffer one ill-fated outcome after another, but such is the nature of adolescence (and yes, I do count myself among them). There's something delicious about seeing what more the author can heap upon his young characters. Now, before anyone takes to much of this to heart, bear in mind that Mr. Snickett's three lead characters continually find a way to thwart their awful situations. But, I digress.

I cannot emphasize enough how good these books are for developing a stronger, deeper, understanding of words.The narrator frequently stops to explain a word directly to his readers, which he feels is important for them (us) to know. When a Mr. Poe is attempting to move the Baudelaire children along it's written as follows:

                        "...I'm dropping you off on my way to the bank, so we need to leave as

                         soon as possible. Please get out of bed and get dressed," he said briskly.

                         The word "briskly" here means "quickly, so as to get the Baudelaire

                         children to leave the house."

Surprisingly this injection by the narrator does not detract from the story and instead proves to be a welcome, momentary, diversion for children still aquiring new words. Snickett will in other instances define how some words have multiple meanings depending on the context. For the word "lousy" he explains that it can mean when things are terrible, of course, but also that it can refer to it's more original usage -covered with lice. (Louse being the singular for lice.)

If you're still not sold, then why not check out book one, A Bad Beginning, which is availble for free online at http://www.lemonysnicket.com/  It would be most unfortunate if you didn't.

"I'm your Density! ummm...I'm your Destiny!"

Sorry, but I simply could not refrain from pulling out that old line from the movie Back to the Future. What I have to write about however has nothing to do with density and everything to do with our new library website, Destiny Quest.

If you've not heard the word about this nifty website from your child, then make a point to investigate it for yourself. Destiny Quest (see links below or head to the Glastonbury Portal) allows anyone to check on the availability of books in the Glastonbury Public school libraries. The search feature works as you'd expect. One can search by title, author name, key words, and so forth. Once a book is located it can be reserved for pick-up. This is about as convenient as it's going to get...well until copies can be downloaded to a portable device -ala Kindle- with some form of student privileges.

There's more than convenience at work with the new online system. Students can see what the Top 10 most popular books are among students. Each book can be easily reference for genre, page total, reading level (very helpful), and year of publication. It serves as a stripped down Amazon also, in that it will make similar book-type/genre recommendations based on the books being reviewed and/or reserved. There's a nice drag-and-drop feature too. Again, making the process of picking, reserving, and getting to a good read so simple. The newest arrivals are listed and special resource lists of books, tailored to the school's curriculum, can be established. I was also recently informed that books on tape (which can be worn like iPods basically) are searchable if you type the key word: playaway.

So what does this all mean? For starters, finding subject and age appropriate books has become much easier. The site is self-contained. If you worry that your child might begin on one site and then CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK end up somewhere less-than-desired, you can reserves those worries. Also, there should be far fewer excuses regarding having trouble locating books to read.

I reserved and picked-up my first book, Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie, last week. My second selection, An American Plague, was not in, but I'm next in line to nab it. Never had to leave my seat, bother the friendly staff, or do what most men tend to do -skip looking up the book number and instead begin wandering up and down the aisles with the firm belief the book will magically appear for me. Half an hour latter I'm usually giving an aw-shucks look to one of the librarians while meekly asking for help. Sometimes, I switch the routine up and pretend to have been inspecting all the books like I'm some form of quality control guy. They don't buy that one often.

If you have the opportunity, thank those librarians, and super-supporting paraprofessionals, in each of the Glastonbury schools who have worked incredibly hard to scan all the books in their collective libraries to make the site as accurate and viable as possible.

These are two links to copy, cut, and paste. The former goes directly to the multiple search page within Destiny Quest, and the latter points you to the Destiny Quest front page, which is nice to look at and user-friendly.

http://gpslibrary.glastonburyus.org/cataloging/servlet/presentadvancedsearchredirectorform.do?l2m=Library%20Search&tm=Catalog&l2m=Library+Search

http://gpslibrary.glastonburyus.org/vopac/servlet/presentsearchform.do?site=102

Shelfari

Not sure I can claim to have stumbled upon Shefari as it is a wholly owned company of Amazon.com. Still, it felt like I found it by accident. Either way, I like the site quite a bit.

Put simply, Shelfari let's its members show the covers of the books they've read, are reading, and plan to read. Of course, as will all dot.com companies there's more to it than that.

Here's what Shelfari lists as its member uses:

• Build virtual bookshelves to express themselves to their friends and to the world
• Discover books that are popular in their trusted circles of friends
• Influence peers by rating and discussing books online
• Discover and learn from people with similar reading tastes
• Participate in online book groups to further explore literature and share ideas
• Interact with and learn from authors

This is good stuff and it's a very nice way to build a sense of pride and accomplishment in reader's of any age. It does also lend itself well to finding new books to read. I've found most reviews to be fairly delivered. And, because it is a subsidiary of Amazon, there's also the option to purchase a discovered book online.

Shelfari will keep your identity private from others, unless you note otherwise. You can limit who sees your actual name to friends you invite.

Summer in the Amazon

Summer approaches and that means vacations, camps, relaxation, and required summer reading. We don't like to think of it as "required" reading, but, nevertheless, it is expected of all of our students.

The summer list, as noted on the Portal, is not exclusive. It is a healthy sample of books from which students are welcome to choose two books they'd be interested in reading prior to the commencement of seventh grade. The question many of our students face is: which two books?

There are other questions too, such as: Which two books are the most interesting? Can I pick from any genre? Which are the shortest? Which books are the easiest to understand? The answers to these are often a matter of preference and ability, depending on the student asking.

So, how do we pair students with the best two books -or hopefully, three, four, or more books- during those fast-moving summer weeks? I like to use Amazon.com.

Amazon offers superb methods for reviewing books from the comfort of home, or, better yet, by the poolside using a wireless computer. One can examine the summer list for potential reading matches. Then, while visiting the site, search for the book and select it for review. Amazon has a "Search Inside" label, which when accessed, allows a visitor to see and read the front and back covers, see the table of contents, and read the first five or so pages. It's a superb way to taste a book and see if it's palatable without running to the stores or library to hunt and peck.

Amazon, also, surprise, makes it fantastically easy to purchase books. Buyers get a complete list of sellers ready to part with their copies of books -both new and used. In many cases, the new copies are cheaper than Amazon's listing. I've bought books from Amazon, Amazon-approved sellers, and even private sellers without issue over the years.

Using Amazon's tools, my students and I took part of a class to examine books from the summer list, and we discovered much. Page count was a big concern, but more than half realized page count didn't matter when print was large or the reading was easy. Seeing and sampling the writing was a powerful experience in this way. We also spent some time looking at reviews by professional editors and those John Q. Public types that decided to give their two-cents. Again, this helped students make better-informed decisions. Many students, I felt, left eager to continue searching the summer list using Amazon.

So, if you're not an experienced Amazon user, you may want to give it a go. You can turn to your son or daughter if your get stuck on anything. ;)

How do you read from a computer screen?

We all know the power of the Internet. We maintain communication with friends, make plans, play games, conduct financial activities, explore new things, and read.

It's the last item I've listed that every so often commands my attention, because I'm left to wonder if the reading I do from the computer screen helps or hurts me. And, by extension, I wonder how it impacts kids who spending time "reading" before the warming luminescence of a computer screen.

Here's what I know for sure. When I read from a computer screen, it's often a painful process. I dislike the experience. To begin, I'm usually in a chair, which is not my ideal reading position. The screen is no friend either. The light from most screens is harsh and the contrast between text and background is too extreme for eyes. Then there's the web "page" which is frequently saturated with advertisements or pop-ups designed to move me away from concentrated reading. Add in the mouse pointer, which I frequently need to move away from the spot I'm trying to read every twenty seconds; and also the temptation of embedded hyperlinks and I begin to opt for quicker avenues through any text of length.

Take a look at the list that follows and consider how many of these events are generally practiced by you or come to confound you:

>> skim far more than read word-for-word what's on the screen <<
>> drift from the page, with every intention of returning, as you click multiple hyperlinks <<
>> put your finger to the screen to help follow the text <<
>> use the mouse to highlight what you've covered as you read <<
>> click over to the print version of the article to avoid as many distractors as possible <<
>> bookmark the page again with the full intention of reading it fully at a later point <<
>> rarely reread because it feels like losing time more than improving understanding <<
>> print a hard copy because that's the best way to ensure you're reading properly <<

When I look at the list I know I'm guilty of poor reading. Reading is defined as a complex activity involving my knowledge, the text before me, and the author. Skimming, failing to reread, web page hopping, and good intentions to read later are all the proof I need in the Court of Me that I'm not doing this complex activity justice. So....

If I'm guilty of these poor screen reading behaviors what's happening with kids? Well, they certainly believe they're reading online, they insist as much. It only takes a few questions to know otherwise because they're dealing with all of the problems/adaptations noted above plus instant messages, music streams, and far less experience with book reading than you or I. I do not fault the kids of course for what I cannot avoid, but poor screen reading behaviors undermine reading proper. Reading is hard and we do know (despite the articles and claims to the contrary) that we comprehend best when not multitasking or confronted with distractions.

Books still have a place in our classes and homes if for no other reason than they continue to be the best vehicle for delivery of substantial information and ideas. Until technology can make information from the Internet present itself as a book, it's simply a very poor man's version of the real thing. A book does only one task and it does it well. We need to make sure our children learn this too.

Who had the Greater Reward?

Have you had the opportunity to share something with others that made their eyes light up? Maybe you gave a gift and they unexpectedly rejoiced. They simply gushed over your choice and exhibited unchecked appreciation for what you brought before them. It’s as rewarding a moment for you as it appears to be for them.

I have been in this position, along with a colleague from the Language Arts department, the last few weeks. My colleague, Mrs. Nelson, had expressed frustration over one reluctant group of student readers. She decided to reach out to as many as she could to find a way through the problem. And, in her desperation, she turned to me. I jest of course. I’m grateful that Mrs. Nelson was candid enough to seek my help.

Over the course of several discussions Mrs. Nelson kept hitting on a common phrase: “I just want them to read and enjoy what they read.” To that end, she pulled together a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books possessing great appeal with the help of other Language Arts colleagues and the school librarian. The result was a rolling cart of books, which while they may not be heralded as American classics, that covered the spectrum of reading and interest levels. Seriously, I wanted to plop down and work my way through quite a few of the titles. Instead I settled for browsing a handful of books, as did Mrs. Nelson. We would present them to this group on a Wednesday and let them chose their top three.

Whether is was our individual presentations, the variety of interesting books, the pleasure of knowing you have a choice in what you read, or a mix of all three, the day was a smashing success. The students tracked our every move during the class, hands shot up frequently, and sometimes mouths fired off too –Can I have that book? Will you put that aside for me?, etc. The students toured the room as they reviewed each selection making a case along the way for why they wanted to read particular items.

Now, as the saying goes, getting something is sometimes not as pleasant as wanting something. Thankfully, the opposite has proven true. This class is reading! They’re choosing to move in lock step in smaller groups so they can all discuss their reading, they’re demanding the next book in a series, and their eyes are lighting up because of books.
So one may well argue that my colleague’s efforts have proven to be the greatest of rewards for her students who have stepped more boldly into the world of the written word, but I’ll happily argue the point. We’ve been acting fairly giddy ourselves as we share our pleasure in knowing we had a direct hand in helping a group of students want to read.