Reading

One of the best things about my job is hanging out with kids who are as obsessed about reading as I am.

This month our book club book is James and the Giant Peach. Our meeting is next week but we decided to have a get together to watch the movie with those kids who finished reading the book already.  It was so fun! There was lots of "That isn't how it happened in the book!" And "No way. That isn't what that character should look like."

It was delightful to see them so engaged in the story and able to compare it to the book. 

 

Day 117 Battle of the Books

This year I have headed up a little venture with grade four students. We made teams and all the teams were to read the same four books. Tonight we got together and had a battle!!

It is amazing how excited is can get over books!!! It really was a great time. I was so proud of them all.

Our surprise judge/scorekeeper was Sandra the Great! We sure have missed her this year. Everyone was thrilled to see her there.

Day 105 Kids Book Club

I have more than one project going at school with books and reading. The favourite, for sure, is grade three book club. Today we had a small group (it's always harder to get kids to come when it is so nice out) to discuss Pax. We really had a great discussion. Those kids are brilliant. I love hearing their thoughts on books.

After recess, we invite all the grade three's to come in and hear the book talks on the next two choices. This month the two choices were The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and The Lightning Thief. They were very excited about the first one, but when I showed them The Lightning Thief, they went crazy! It won by a huge majority.

They all leave the room talking and excited and eager to get started.

I love it!!

Reading Fits Anywhere

My Saturdays are pretty full - kind of. It isn't really anything for me....it is kid activities. I have things that fill my time. We get up early and leave for the pool at 6:30 am. Jill's practice is from 7-9 am and Peirce's is from 10:30-noon. We decided I wasn't going to run up and down Deerfoot shuttling kids back and forth. We bring stuff to work on or read and we wait there while one kid practices. I get to watch some swimming and do some work. Last week it was marking. This week I put the RS newsletter together. And I always do some reading.

This afternoon Jill and I volunteered at the Dino's football game. (More swimming responsibilities.) Today, though, they put us up in Cardel. I love it when that happens!! It isn't very busy up there so I sit and watch the game a little and do a lot of reading. Today I finished Son by Lois Lowry. My dad is probably rolling over in his grave. It's okay though, dad!! One CAN watch a football game and read. Seriously! :)

Tonight Allen took the kids to a hockey game (Thanks Curtis Kruschel for the tickets...in a booth no less!) I opted to stay home and....you guessed it: read.

Well, I will try and stick it out for a while. At 8:00 I am giving myself permission to turn the lights off and succumb to my exhaustion!

Fabulous Day and a Lovely Night

Today has been a great day. I love PD days. I love being able to have more time with the people I work with. They are great people. I also love learning. Today we got to spend some time working too. We are changing report cards slightly and so we did some work to prepare for that.

Tonight I took the kids to their mutual activity. I had a wonderful evening. I made a phone call to the bank that I have been dreading doing for a while (why do banks get my stomach all in knots?) I said a prayer, then did it - and it went famously. I would even say the guy I talked to was nice! After that, I did a  little marking and then a lot of reading. There is nothing like sitting and reading for an hour or two straight.

I read a book called Awake and Dreaming. It is tearing up my heart!!

Cleaning or Reading?

Cleaning carpets is boring. It is much better with a book in hand!

 Ivan and I.....we're gettin' the job done.

James and the Giant Peach

This weekend while Jill and Allen were away at a meet, Peirce and I had some Storybook Theatre fun. We just read James and the Giant Peach with my Gr. 3 book club. A number of kids went to the play. It is especially fun to watch it when you have just read the book!

I won tickets to James and the Giant Peach on Facebook, so Peirce and I used those tickets. Then we got to see the play again while we were volunteering. 

Waiting for patrons to arrive....yucking it up with his volunteer friends.

It was really well done! I am always so impressed with Storybook Theatre. Never a disappointment!

This was the cast: James, grasshopper, earthworm, centipede, ladybug and spider. They were cast perfectly!

The set was awesome. I was curious to see how they would have the peach roll down the hill and squish Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker, how they would show the sharks and the seagulls, how they would land on the Empire State Building - but they did it! Nothing was left out. It was amazing.

We brought our copy of the book and got the actors to sign it. So fun!!

Favorite Place

This is my new favourite place in my house. I love to sit here early in the morning, or late at night with the light on and read or pray or just think.

Love it.

Strengthening My Muscles

If you are a runner, you will know what I am talking about. It's that moment when you realize you could probably run forever. Something clicks and you just go and go and go. I'm working on that. I've been going to the gym this week and I have been alternating running and walking, and I feel like it is a great move. It feels great. I feel more limber. My lungs feel strong. I think I just might become a runner!

Reading is like that for me too. Sometimes I just have time for little snippets of reading here and there. Life gets too busy and I just don't have time for long stretches of reading. Like not exercising, gradually your muscles start to weaken and pretty soon starting up again is really really hard.

This week I have also been doing lots of reading. Something has clicked and I have my reading muscles back. I can read for hours! A books day is reasonable...well, the right book, anyway.

....and it feels so good!!!

You can read about the books I've been enjoying on my book blog.

Lawrence Hill, Author Visits Calgary

Last year, in book club, we read The Book of Negroes. It is an amazing story. Check out my blog post about it.

This year for OBOC (that's nerdy reading people lingo for One Book One Calgary) chose The Book of Negroes for their book. Tonight they had a lecture by the author and I got to go! Even better, I went with a friend! It was so interesting to listen to him. I'm always fascinated by authors. I find them to be curiously smart and great with language.



"I wrote the book to remind us of our own history...and to celebrate the resilience of the human spirit." ~Lawrence Hill

"Blood fills our imagination just as surely as it fills our veins" ~Lawrence Hill

They even had a cool band start off the night:

Emerging Readers

To me, nothing is greater than getting kids excited about books.

I have one student in my class who has never read a chapter book. I've done all kinds of songs and dances so far this year trying to find a book for him to read. They're all too long, too boring, not enough pictures, and simply not interesting enough. I found one this week that was about bunnies - an Animal Ark adventure. I showed it to him and he agreed to have a look. He came to me and said, "Mrs. Ackroyd, I really prefer books that have a picture on every page. There aren't enough pictures in here." I encouraged him to give it a go. The sales pitch didn't go well. Finally, I resorted to bribery.

"If you read this book I'll give you a no homework ticket."

I knew that is his weak spot. (hee hee)

He took on the challenge. Yesterday he came to me and told me he was finished! It took him four days. The book was 133 pages. He said, "I feel so proud of myself! I've never read a book this big before!"

I could have just hugged the poor boy to death. The principal walked by about then and so I grabbed her and said, "You've got to see what he's done!" She gave him a suitable amount of praise and love. She said, "I'm dying to hear what you read next!" I said, "Oh ya! If you read this book, do you think you might be able to read another?" He said maybe he'd give it a go.

Here's hoping!!!

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I have some kids in my class who spend all of quiet reading time perusing the books in the library corner. Drives me bonkers! I finally decided enough was enough. I got the book on CD of The Invention of Hugo Cabret and got some head phones and one of those doo-hickies that allows multiple kids to listen at the same time. I picked three kids - two of which just don't stick with books (one I put in there just because with that one there won't be any silly behavior issues....maybe a calming influence??) They seem to really be enjoying the book. Today was one of my favorite moments.

Everyone in the room is finally quiet and into their books. Suddenly, there's a stirring at the listening center. Something exciting has happened in the book. One of the boys suddenly says (you know how when you have ear phones on and you don't realize you're talking loud?), "Oh. My. God!"

Everyone in the class stopped and had to know what was going on.

I love love love that he was so into the story that he had to vocalize his shock.

Reading

He's so cute when he reads to me.

Book Club

Today was our monthly book club meeting. We discussed The Christmas Cookie Club. You can read my thoughts on the book here.

We were a small group. I always feel like I need to work hard to get some more people to come to book club, but we remain small. I sure enjoy our small group though. Maybe in time we will grow, but for now, I sure am enjoying our small group discussions.

Really??

Have you ever had one of those moments where you're in the middle of living and it all suddenly comes to a screeching halt and you stop and wonder, is this real??

The past two days we've had PD days. A teacher that I really admire was talking about her class. She has a bunch of real crackers in her class. They're quick and smart and catch on to everything quickly. She said that when one or two are finished she stops the activity and moves on to something else (she gives them flexible time later to finish things up). Why does she do this? Because, in her words, she can't just have them sit and read quietly. That's such a waste of time.

Really??

Do you really feel that way??

My heart was aching in that moment.

How do you find time to read?

The other day, in the staff room, we were talking about a book and someone asked, "How do you find time to read?" Some agreed with the question. Some scoffed at the comment and added, "Ya. How is it you have a life outside of work?"

I wanted to start on my rant about how we're educators. How is it we can NOT read if we're expecting kids to read?? I didn't though. That never really helps.

The truth is, perhaps it has nothing to do with being an educator. I have always somehow found time to read. I don't do all these things all the time, but I guess I do enough because somehow it always ends up that I read a book or two or three a month.

So, to answer the question: How do you find time to read?

• I read a lot as a kid. I remember we'd go to town when we lived out in the country. We'd stop at the library first and get a stack of books. Then my mom would run around and do her errands. I'd sit in the truck and read (I have no clue what my brother and sister did....I was totally distracted by books). After errands were finished, we'd go back to the library, return those books, and get some more to take home.
• If I haven't read it, I likely have read about it and can converse about it. I have a lot of memories reading in school. In elementary school, I was a big Nancy Drew fan. In high school, I wasn't a big fan of required reading. As a matter of fact, I rarely read those books. Cliff notes sufficed. I hated being told what to read. I guess I have always been a big fan of choice.
• When I was in University, I found little snippets of time to read. I'd read on the bus. I kept a book with me at all times so that when I was waiting, I could read. When I was early to class, I'd spend a few minutes reading.  Although I spent a lot of time being frustrated that I didn't have more time for pleasure reading, I did find ways to sneak it in.
• When I worked at the airport for Pacific Western, I'd read at the gate while waiting for a plane. Sometimes, when I started work at 5:00 am and the first flights weren't until 7:30 am (those were before the days of crazy security requirements that had people at the airport 2 hours prior to flights....instead they showed up within the hour), I sat and read while alone at the check in counter. 
• When I first had babies I read while I was nursing. There was a lot of reading that got done then! I can definitely nurse with one hand and read with the other hand. When they were older, I read when we went to the park. I read while they played in the yard. I read while I waited for them at swimming lessons and dance lessons and gymnastics. I read a lot back then!
• I read when I wake up. I am committed to reading The Book of Mormon every day. I usually roll over, grab my iPad, and read off my Ipad. I make myself do that before I check Facebook. Funny how we have to play those games with ourselves. I teach a Sunday School class to 14-17 year olds though, and I can't fake it very well in front of them - so I have to read the reading for the lesson each week.
• I often read when I'm eating breakfast. No one else is up, or at least no one else is in the kitchen - so I sit at the table and read while I eat.
• I spend a lot of time waiting for my kids at the pool. I read while I wait. I used to sit and talk with the other parents. Sometimes I still do - but I found a lot of the conversations often led down a path of negativity - so I'm careful about the time I sit around chatting. I read instead.
• Our school has DEAR time (drop everything and read). I read during DEAR time.
• I have a motto in life: Always bring a book. I keep a book with me all the time so that when I have those unexpected waits at the doctor or at a meeting or waiting for a ride or waiting for a kid, I can read. About a month ago, we all got in the car to go watch Conference. My husband suddenly came up with the idea that we should drive to Banff to watch it (and he would!) I had a sudden sense of panic. I didn't have a book!
• Although, I don't want to totally recommend it, I do read while doing other things. Sometimes I read while vacuuming. It makes the job take way longer, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do!
• I usually read before I go to bed. Although lately, I find I go to bed and within 5 minutes I realize I've just closed my eyes for 10 minutes or so and end up putting the book away.
• Sometimes we have reading dinners. I'll tell the kids to bring a book to the table, and we all read our own book (I know. Miss Manners would be horrified)
• I read for recreation. That means sometimes on a Sunday afternoon I'll read for 3 or 4 hours. You can get a lot of reading done if you read for 3 or 4 hours straight.
• I read on Friday nights with my kids, especially if Allen is out on appointments. I invite them to come into my room, snuggle up in the bed, and we all have our own book.
• I read with Peirce before he goes to bed. I don't do it as much as I'd like to - but we try to do it quite often. Sometimes Jill and I read the same book. We should do that more.

Things I don't do:

• I don't really watch TV. I'm going to cancel cable one of these days too. We just don't use it. Don't bother telling me about the latest show everyone is into. I have nothing for those conversations. I'm okay with that.
• I don't sit around much. If I do, I usually grab a book.
• I don't shop for recreation or spend time wandering malls (painful!)
• I do crafts (although I like them!) or sew (although I'd like to!)
• I don't clean much house as much as I should (I'm sure my mother is horrified, and my grandmother rolls over in her grave now and then)

What inspires me to read:

• I love it. I always have.
• I love discussing books with other people.
• I read blogs about books and that's how I find great books to read
• I want my kids to be readers
• I believe reading is important
• I want my students' truly develop a love of reading

Hanging With My Boy

I don't do this often enough with Peirce. Tonight we sat and read together for an hour. It was clear that it was a great thing for him. He was all snuggly, and very animated and talkative. Just like when he was little, now and then he has to stand up and act out something from the story. And just like when he was little, he's really into repetition. We read The Giraffe, The Pelly and Me by Roald Dahl, which we have probably read 3 or 4 times. He has also listened to it on CD a number of times. Since he's listened to it so much he can't help but read it with an English accent. It's really quite funny. He has parts that he loves to read himself, especially the songs. So funny!


We read while sitting under his loft bed (I'm a little afraid I'll crash his loft bed!). I am always amazed at the weird stuff in his room. This is a big bag of elastics, and a suitcase full of cardboard circles (from the flyers for the food drive, paper clips, and big metal clips (binder clips??). Where does he get this stuff??!

No Ordinary Day by Deborah Ellis

I actually read this book on Christmas Day but haven't blogged about it yet. I read it while we were driving down to Lethbridge. I'm starting a new book club and for our first meeting we all are supposed to read a Deborah Ellis book. This was one I hadn't read yet. I quite enjoyed it!

The story is about a girl named Valli, who lives in India. Her parents are dead and she lives with relatives. Well, she thinks they're relatives - but finds out they're just kind people who have taken her in. Since she isn't related, she decides to strike out on her own. The book has comments about "the monsters" who live in seclusion because they have leprosy. As the story goes on we find out that Valli also has leprosy - but there is a way she can look after that, if only she will.

The story is an interesting insight into poverty and people trying to help those suffering. I totally recommend it!

Turkish Delight and Reading

Our book club book for the Gr 3 book club this month is The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. I have been thinking I need to have little mid-month incentives for kids and so I found a recipe for Turkish Delight, the witch's mesmerizing treat. Then, while in Superstore I found some to buy!! Yea!! The recipe seemed a little complicated....just the kind of thing that would take me three tries and three nights of cooking, so I was happy to buy it.

The deal was if they have the book they could come get some Turkish Delight. I am not sure the Turkish Delight was a big hit, but it has created a buzz! Just what I was hoping!

I am really excited about the next book club choices....can't wait to see what they pick! Definitely have some good ideas for mid month incentives!

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about people and reading and people who do not read. Here are a few vignettes that have made me pause and have brought me here:

- I have enjoyed the book club at school with the Grade Three's. One mom, who I am friends with, has needed some, shall we say, encouragement to get the book for her kid. Having to get the book for her child has forced her to learn to use the public library website (a bit of a painful process for her, so it seems!) and it has initiated some good conversations about reading and being a facilitator to help kids get access to books that inspire them. It was particularly interesting to me when I sent out the email announcing the next book the kids had picked....she wrote back: "Nooooooooooooo!!!!!" I was a bit worried initially that she didn't like the book choice. Rather, she was saying she didn't want to have to go to the library AGAIN!" Since I go to the library a number of times a week, I was a little stumped about how to address that one. In the end she found the book in our school library, so the problem was solved.

- One of my co-workers who says she is an avid reader told me she doesn't have a library card. I was stumped again. Not sure how we would live without the library. It is the best $12 I spend all year!

- At parent-teacher conferences a parent whined that her child still hadn't got the book club book. As we got talking it came out that the child has a bunch of fines and mom insists they must be paid from her child's own money..... so she can't take the book out. She ranted on about how irresponsible her child is with books and how she accumulates fines all the time....end result: this kid won't be getting the book, nor participating in our book club meeting...and will continue missing the opportunity to feel the spark she might need to develop a love of reading. Seems like a strange parenting hill to die on, if you ask me. I can't tell you how many times this parent has complained to me that her child doesn't read. Sometimes I really don't know where to start in conversations with her.

- A well educated woman (teacher with a masters degree) and a parent of young children that I know, was talking about how her sister is in a book club. she reiterated a conversation wither sister where she was aghast that these people meet EVERY month, and they also actually read a whole book EVERY month. She said, "Who has time for that?" Allen was standing there when she said this and he just kind of looked at me and smirked. We didn't bring up how many books Allen reads in a month (often 4-8 books, as well as reading The Book of Mormon in it's entirety)

It really got me wondering why it is people don't read. I have a secret mission (is it still a secret if I declare it here?) to get people reading. The question is: how is that best done?