New Beginnings

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Book Club

"Do you ever read any of the books you burn?"
He laughed. "That's against the law!"
"Oh. Of course."
"It's fine work. Monday burn Millay, Wednesday Whitman, Friday Faulkner, burn 'em to ashes, then burn the ashes. That's our official slogan."




My house is mostly in order. That is until the next paycheck comes in! All the boxes are gone, the clothes are put away, the dishes are in the cabinet, the beds are made, and best yet...the books are on the shelves.

 I hadn't made time for my love of literature until everything else was complete. I happily settled down to begin my first book of the summer last week. Farenheit 451. I tend to give myself a theme for my summer reading. Last summer it was all about the latest craze! Dystopian literature. Of course,  I jumped on the bandwagon and started with The Hunger Games trilogy. From there, my summer reading list took on a life of its own. This year, I have decided to go for the classics. And by classics, I mean all those books we were supposed to read in high school, but opted for the Cliff's Notes instead.

I have been underlining feverishly and making notes in the margin as if I'm a student sitting through a college lit class. It's what I do. I can't just read a book. I have to analyze it, pick it to pieces, let it simmer in my thoughts....and then blog about it.

This book was written for me! It was the best classic to start off my themed summer reading list simply because it ecompasses two of my loves: dystopian societies and love of literature. This book is so rich with reasons for not only having books, but cherishing them. Books offer power. Books offer escape. Books offer knowledge. Have I mentioned that I love books?

The main character is a firefighter. This is a prominent and highly respected position of the community because these men don't put out fires. They start them. They burn the homes that have been found with books in them. It's such genius irony that Bradbury chose, as an author and lover of literature, to write about a hypothetical society that banished and censored so heavily. Could he have possibly feared censorship of his own words during this time? Another thing I love about this type of book, is that a similar theme can be found throughout them all. There always always needs to be rebellion. A rebel. A radical. Montag is my type of rebel with a cause. One of my favorite passages in the book, points to his beginning transformation. It's the transformation that I enjoy most. Not the end.
 
"Mildred, how would it be if, well, maybe I quit my job awhile?"
"You want to give up everything? After all these years of working, because , one night, some woman and her books -"
"You should have seen her, Millie!"
"She's nothing to me; she shouldn't have had books..."
"You weren't there, you didn't see," he said. "There must be something in books, things we can't imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don't stay for nothing."
"Let me alone," said Mildred. "I didn't do anything."
"Let you alone! That's all very well, but how can I leave myself alone? We need not to be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, something real?"

Do you see? Books are important! I have had a few weeks since school ended to reflect on what I want to do with my time. Once school begins in August, my children will board the school bus and travel a mile down the road to their new school. I, on the other hand, will not. It will be the first time in a while that I am not actively reading to and with a group on a daily basis. Although my students were only 10 and 11 years old, they were bright. They were insightful. They discussed literature with me without shame. I will miss that. But I have plans. My friend, Emily, will be reading along with me to finish Farenheit 451 so that we can hold our virtual book club. I've also sent out an invitation within my neighborhood to begin a book club. Ive had two women express interest. I am delighted at the prospects of possibilities.

I began my journey here in Texas determined to be something idealistic...A "Leave it to Beaver" type of housewife. I was determined to transform. But then I asked why. Why would I need to leave my love of literature and the discussion of it at the door, just because I'm no longer teaching. I realized that rather than comparing and competing to become something or someone else, I just need to be me. I am a reader. I am a writer. I can't help it.

I'm looking forward to my newly awaiting book club to form. I'm still hoping for a few more neighborhood women to join. We shall see. So, this blog that was created for my students has now transformed into my own little book club. Please join me in reading, won't you?

Come Prepared, But More Importantly, Come With Passion!

I have been blown away at every turn this school year. I wish that I could put into words how amazing this journey has been. It might just be because every year, I learn more about myself and about students. It might be that the literature selected to read this year has been high interest (to say the least). It might even be that I have the best ten and eleven year olds ever in my classroom. Really, it's most likely a combination of all of those things. I think my passionate desire to reach children through literature has played to my advantage this year. From day one, when I told my students that we would be going on a journey together, they have allowed me to lead. I remember the first day...playing various selections of music on the CD player and asking students to visualize. They were asked to give a word or phrase or sentence behind the music. I said, tell me what you SEE when you HEAR this." They looked at me like I was crazy. I was used to this....it's the same look I get every year. After several music selections, I told my students that this year would be an experiment of listening to stories and visualizing a sort of movie in our minds. What was so great and exciting about this, I expressed, was that each of us would probably have a different movie going on in our minds from our friends. We discussed that first day how beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and how one person may see a piece of art as beauty and another person may see the same piece as junk. 

Through each story we have read this year, we have seen heroes and heroines who have shown us that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, and forms. We have experienced great tragedies as well as great triumphs. I was overjoyed as I read our Giver series. With each passing story, the students would see a little more to the puzzle that I wanted them to see. Without hesitation, and with much gusto, the students immersed themselves in the world of Jonas, Kira, Matty, Gabe, Claire, and the Trademaster. The day I finished the final book in the series, I was sad. Sad because it was over. I even went home a little depressed. This was the last time I would read this series to a group of students, since I'll not be teaching next year. I was devastated.

 As luck... or fate... or (in my opinion) God would have it, my students needed one more story. I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason. On the very day that I finished my favorite series, I received an email from a friend asking for suggestions on what her students could read next year. I went home and did my research. I looked at themes that would accompany another of my favorite books (Walk Two Moons) and found Wonder, by R.J. Palacio. I had seen it on the shelves at Barnes and Noble. I had picked it up and read the summary. I had even put it on my "to read" list for this summer. I read several reviews of the book and a great article by the author. I sent it as a suggestion to my friend. The next day, as my students were in their individual book clubs reading, I took my copy of Wonder and began reading. Two pages in I stopped everyone from reading with their groups. I said, "Hey guys...come back to your seats. I have something I have to share with you!" I told my students about Wonder and shared with them that it was just too good not to enjoy with them. I have become dependent on my group of ten and eleven year olds. They have become my favorite book club! I have enjoyed beyond measure our discussions and conversations. 

What I have experienced over just a few days with this book, is far beyond what I could have ever hoped. When I tell people I love teaching, that is such an understatement. The beauty I have seen this week as a result of reading the pages of a book, has shown me that teaching is truly the best profession in the world. This book is about a fifth grade boy with a facial deformation. He enters mainstream school for the first time. We have seen instances of bullying, and of great friendship through the pages of this story. But what has been the greatest and most effective, has been the PRECEPTS. Auggie's (the main character) English teacher gives the class a precept for each month. The students have to write essays on them. We haven't been writing essays. We have, however, been discussing in length what these precepts mean and how we can apply them to our own lives. The first precept we discussed a few days ago was this: WHEN GIVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN BEING RIGHT OR BEING KIND, CHOOSE KIND. 

I gave students examples of this. We had a rich, meaningful conversation about what it means to lay aside our pride and ego to just be kind instead. There are so many times that we want to say "I told you so." I told my students to go forth from class and search for instances that showed this precept. I told them to let me know if they saw any examples of it. I had students running to class today to enthusiastically tell me how their mom chose kind instead of being right....or their dad, or their sister, or their brother, or ....get this.... the guy who checked them out at the grocery store. 

My students are LOOKING for and SEEKING out kindness in others. Don't think for a minute this doesn't trickle down to their own lives. It's amazing what a good book can do. Stories are the most powerful tool of progression and realization (in my opinion, of course). What amazing realizations I have made this year. I have realized that teaching is COMPLETELY about relationships. I have realized that teaching is about equipping a child with confidence and heart. I have realized that daily oral language skills pale in comparison to real conversations with kids about real life. 

As I leave one journey to begin a new one, my prayer is that every teacher in every classroom comes prepared....but more importantly, comes with passion. My prayer is that every child will have a teacher that teaches without hesitation and with much gusto....with intention to motivate, inspire, and encourage. 

A Year of Reading!

This has been an amazing year. A year of reading, really. I have never had a group of students more motivated to read than this group. Not only have they taken on the tasks of reading and discussing deeply what we have required for class, but they have independently become searchers and researchers of great literature. 

 We finished our Giver series today. Although these books were not part of our testing curriculum (and by that, I mean they were pure read alouds...for listening pleasure), we have learned so much from these books. Life lessons mixed with deep analytical discussions of literary devices were the name of the game with these books. I have learned through reading these this year that beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder. I also feel that delivery is everything. Although Lois Lowry can be quite somber in her literary quest for great plot, she also has such poignant and beautiful themes. I chose, as the sole reader and guider of these read aloud days, to focus not on the trees but the forest. The forest (no pun intended...for those of you who have read The Messenger) was a magical place for us to have real conversations throughout our entire year about character and social issues such as honor, truth, love, kindness, and overall good vs. evil in our world. As far as literary analysis goes, I had students picking up on such intelligent topics as dramatic irony and point of view, an author's use of characterization as well as foreshadowing and flashback. Where some teachers spend a year knee deep in work sheets, we accomplished these same goals by reading for pleasure and simply having conversations. What a way to end a year. It has truly been a journey of discovery this year. The main lesson we walked away with today, was that there is evil in this world that we can only fight with good. Evil feeds off of tragedy. Evil was finally destroyed today with love, generosity, selflessness. I can't think of a better lesson for us all to learn than that. 

 Kwaylon and Mrs. DuBose reading Freedom Crossing

Free book grab!

A group of eager students! They have decided that Lois Lowry must write another book in the series. They are writing a summary of what it should be, and I will email it to her for them. Can't wait to get her response!

Final Stretch

We are in the final stretch of the school year. What we have been preparing for since August has too quickly come upon us. All school years seem to fly by, but this year especially for me. Since November I have known that this would be my last year to teach at Madison Crossing. I fought the idea hard initially, when my husband informed me that his firm wanted to send him to Houston. I said, "Absolutely not! I will not go!" I meant it too. How could I leave such a school as this.

 I have had the pleasure of working for two principals who have given me the foundations of my educational philosophies. My first "real" experience as I call it, was in Los Angeles, California. I will always hold Charlotte Lerchenmuller at the top of my favorites list. She was a no holds barred kinda gal who let you know exactly what she thought. Lucky for me, she didn't think I was too bad. She, and most of my colleagues at Emerson Middle School, showed me what it means to fight for students. I left California thinking I'd never find another principal as decisive and progressive as Charlotte. When I moved back to Mississippi, I stayed home with my children for two years. At the time I couldn't have imagined going back to the classroom. I had found my calling. Stay at home mom! At the end of that two year season in my life, however, I felt something tugging me back to the classroom. It wasn't just any classroom I wanted though. I had always remembered the motivation received from my reading professor at Mississippi College. For it was she who instilled a love of teaching literature in me. I had heard she was now principal at a Madison County school. I wanted to know which one. After doing my research and finding Dr. D'Amico at Madison Crossing, I sent her an email expressing my interest in working for her. The past five years have been nothing short of a true blessing. Not many teachers are empowered to teach the way we are at Crossing. We are trusted to do our jobs. We are motivated and inspired by one of the most decisive and progressive leaders I've known.

As I have grown as a teacher, I have found that both of these ladies' educational philosophies (although vastly different) drive my desire to dive more deeply into the issues we face in public schools today. Oh how many problems there are, too. Do I have answers? Of course not. I am not nearly as intelligent as the educational reformers out there making their tracks. What's bizarre though is that I find myself agreeing wholeheartedly with both groups. Over the Easter break I picked up a copy of Michelle Rhee's book, Radical. I know what my California friends would say to that! As I was reading it, I kept saying things like, "Hmmm, that's a good point." See, for the past eleven years as an educator, I have held true to my beginning roots that marched the steps against high stakes testing within our schools. But the more I read from Rhee's book, the more I kept wondering what I truly believed. So as soon as I finished it, off to the bookstore I went. I wanted a book as opposite from Radical as I could find. I wanted to know the opposing arguments. For as creatively driven as I am in my classroom, I need statistics and data to convince me to buy into someone else's ideas. What I concluded was this.... I don't stand completely on either side. I see both points of view. I understand the side that says we have to be competitive and hold students and teachers accountable. I understand the side that says that there's not a one size fits all test for our nation. So, as I embark on the final months of my school year, I will trudge on enthusiastically and with deep motivation to seeing that my students leave with more knowledge than they came to me with. I will both prep them for "THE TEST" and foster their creativity through literature and art. I will fight the good fight until the last bell rings.....Then I will move to Texas and continue in the fight with my own children.

Beauty in Tragedy

Today, we finished the third book in Lois Lowry's Giver series. For twelve years, The Giver has been my favorite. Today, however, The Messenger became my favorite. Today was proof for me that books are meant to be shared, discussed, and analyzed. I love reading alone, but there is no greater joy than a group of people coming together to witness true beauty through words. I was given the amazing opportunity to experience heartfelt emotion twice today with both of my classes. As I read the final chapters, tears came to my eyes and I had to suppress the urge to have a student finish reading aloud so that I could gather my emotion. I finished though, and was privy to a crowd of faces that caught the same connections I did. The students felt the same bittersweet feelings as their teacher as we realized our main character was willingly and tragically sacrificing himself for the world. He was a true HEALER! We had a brief class discussion afterwards but suggested they save their thoughts for the blog. Tonight's assignment is for them to respond with their thoughts. Below, I share the most poignant passages from today:

    With difficulty he leaned painfully toward her, so that his ear was near her mouth.
    "We need your gift," she whispered.
    Marty fell back in despair. He had followed Leader's instructions. He had not spent the gift. He had not made Ramon well, had not fixed Kira's crooked leg, or even tried to save his little dog. But it was too late now. His body was so damaged he could barely move. He could no longer bend his ravaged arms. How could he place his hands on anything? And what, in any case, did she want him to touch? So much was ruined.
    In agony and hopelessness, he turned away from her and rolled off the blanket and into the thick foul smelling mud. With his arms outstretched, his hands touching the earth, he lay there waiting to die. 
    He felt his fingers begin to vibrate...


    Gasping, Matty called for his gift to come. There was no sense of how to direct it. He simply clawed into the earth, feeling the power in his hands enter, pulsating into the ruined world. He became aware, suddenly, that he had been chosen for this....


    Kira smoothed his hair. "He called himself the fiercest of the fierce."
    Leader smiled. "He was that. But it was not his true name."
    Kira wiped her eyes. "He so hoped to receive his true name at the end of this journey."
    "He would have."
    "He wanted to be Messenger," Kira confided.
    Leader shook his head. "No. There have been other messengers and there will be more to come." He leaned down and placed his hand solemnly on Matty's forehead above the closed eyes. "Your true name is Healer," he said.

Perspective

As my Sunday night winds down, and I prepare myself for the school week ahead, I decide to sit and read through some old writing samples my students did one morning just as a warm up exercise. They wrote it months ago and put it into their portfolios. Since it wasn't a serious assignment, I put off looking at them. Some things go into their portfolios that are not graded, and this was one of them. Tonight, as I read them, I took much delight in the fact that my students have become story tellers. I gave the students one line that they were to incorporate any where and any way into a brief narrative. They had 15 minutes to write it. Below is a sampling of what I read. Tonight's updated blog highlights three of my story tellers. If there were more hours in the day, all of my fabulous writers would be here. Their turns are coming!

Mission: to take one phrase and build a narrative around it.

Result: a lesson on perspective 

HOPE RAINEY

One day, I was playing on the playground. Children knocked me over and shoved me when we were lining up. Suddenly, a warm hand yanked my arm. I was being yanked to the side.

            “Stop it!” I screamed. “Let go!”

            “I’m not a kidnapper!” an annoyed voice said.

            I looked over. It was a boy my age I had never met before. He had shaggy blonde hair and deep brown eyes. Twigs and weeds surrounded the forest floor. My shoes got caught occasionally. We stopped. He pointed me toward the opening in a tree.

            “I’m sure you’ll be pleased. It’s surprisingly large once your inside,” the boy said with a happy grin.

            “Tell me why you brought me here,” I said.

            “Well, one day I found this place and I had to show someone. You were the only person who seemed normal against all those screaming children,” he said with a snicker. “I was feeling lonely,” he admitted shyly.

            “Well, you shouldn’t just grab people. The teachers will be looking for me and my parents will flip out!” I cried out.

            “You’ll be back soon?” he asked…but still wouldn’t let me go.

            “Take me back!” I screamed.

            “Not until you look inside.

            “Fine,” I gave in.

            There were gray stones leading to the opening of the tree. They were beautiful and appeared almost man made. They were in shapes of all kinds. The tree seemed too small for a house. Inside, I smelled sap. Shiny hardwood floors covered the small round room and a spiral staircase creeped down down down to a dark basement. It was cold and I realized that I was underground. There were wooden chairs intricately carved around a soft brown rug. The floor was made of dirt. I was stunned! There was a wooden shelf containing lots of books. I made my way dazed to the outside again. I searched and searched, but the boy was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, feeling very afraid of the woods around me, I dashed back to the playground.

            “Good Heavens!” Ms. Smith said. “We’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

            Still to this day, the boy has never been seen again.

NICK BROWN

          He pointed me toward the opening of the tree.

          “I’m sure you’ll be pleased. It’s surprisingly large once your inside.”

          I stepped in.

          “Welcome to Wonderland.” He said

          “Wow, thank you for bringing me here. I…I… don’t know what to say.”

          “You’re welcome.”

          “This isn’t mine, is it? It can’t be!”

          “Yes, it is. Well, only part of it. You see, this world is divided into three parts. The dark side, the rain side, and the light side. The one that you own is the light side. Enjoy your stay at Wonderland,” his face seemed kind. Then something changed. He smiled an evil smile. “And remember,” he said, “don’t go to the dark one.”

          “Who’s the dark one?” I asked.

          …TO BE CONTINUED

  

NICK FULLER

He pointed me toward the opening of the tree.

          “I’m sure you’ll be pleased. It’s surprisingly large once your inside.”

          I walked in and saw that it really was huge inside. I yelled out that I’d take it. The man left and I went to the store to begin buying new things for my new house. I bought a bed, a television, a couch, and an Xbox. I was living great in my new house. Then the sound I’ll always remember. Smash! Crack, Crash! Snap! My tree house was going down. I managed to escape and looked behind me to see a tornado had taken my tree. I was left alone in the woods and didn’t know where to go. My path back to the city had been destroyed. I searched for days and just as I was about to give up I heard a BEEP! It was a car horn. I began running with joy. I had finally made it back to the city.

One day, a man asked if I wanted a city house. I said, “I’ll take it!”

TRUE LEARNING

The students brought in their "silent film strip" photo assignments today. They were assigned the task of transforming themselves into a character from WWI, the Roaring 20s, or the Great Depression. We will begin our discussion of WWII tomorrow, and used this assignment to remind us of the events leading up to that war. The students went above and beyond the call to action not only with creativity, but also with historical content. Their stories were told as a silent film would tell a story. They took ten photos of themselves with a sign in front of them with the words telling their tale. Some students even included family members in their photos/stories. I could tell as I read them today that the students really put forth full effort into researching these historical eras. I am confident that they learned more from this one assignment than from a week's worth of reading from a textbook. They were so proud of their work and also wanted to see their friends' stories. So, we took a little time today to view all of the "silent films" and learn from our peers. Who says hard work can't be fun? Not us! Stay tuned for our next project. This week the students are taking these characters from their stories and giving them an extensive list, via collage design, of character traits. We will use this project to dive further into our discussions of an author's use of characterization. Art, creativity, problem solving, language arts, reading skills, and history all come together as we progress through this unit of study. In the midst of all this FUN learning, we are taking MAP tests in our computer labs. There has been much talk and discussion, even boycots and strikes in regards to high stakes testing during a school year. There has been much debate on how disruptive it is to real learning. In my humble opinion, the only classroom interrupted from such tests, are classrooms that allow that to happen. I am all for accountability...teacher accountability, at that. But I will not allow standardized tests to stand in the way of REAL learning. We don't focus much in my classroom on test prep. I usually give my students a "pep talk" before we enter into the computer lab to begin our tests, but I cannot and will not disrupt our creative juices to prep for tests. There's a famous movie quote that says, "If you build it, he will come." I think about that line often in my classroom. If we, as teachers, build foundations and learning skills with motivation and inspiration as our guide, then test scores will come. I'm not worried about what a test score says about my students. I see with my eyes. I hear with my ears. Everyday, these students impress me with their intellect...intellect that is far beyond what a standardized test measures. WAY TO GO TEAM DUBOSE!

It's All Coming Together

I have been anxiously waiting for this term since August. I always look forward with anticipation to third nine weeks for several reasons. This is what we have been leading up to for 18 weeks now. Our author study on Lois Lowry is such a rich journey and experience. My students are eager, after already completing three of her books, to hear more of her stories and about her life. As we enter into this new term of school we will continue in our Giver quartet. We thought this would just be a trilogy until Ms. Lowry, herself, graced our blog with her presence to announce that the fourth installment would be published in October. As soon as it hit the shelves, I picked up five copies. I have read it, and it is such a wonderful culmination and completion of this series. With that said, we are on our third book in that series. The Messenger is the first of the four books that allows its readers to begin seeing connections through the first two books. The students will see how Gathering Blue and The Giver come together in this third novel. We are also embarking on a wonderful adventure through her memoir, Looking Back. Ms. Lowry's life story, told through pictures of her childhood and quotes from her stories, is both amusing at times as well as heartbreaking. While reading this memoir, the students make connections between an author's real life and their stories. They are able to see how an author takes personal life experiences and uses them to create fiction. We will become authors once again this term to create our own memoirs.  Lois Lowry's collection of novels would not be complete without Number the Stars. This beautifully written work allows us a glimpse into a Jewish family's struggles during the onset of WWII. The students have also chosen a Lois Lowry book of their own to read independently. What great insight we are gaining as life learners. We are entering the world of an author. Each week the students will design photo projects that connect both with the memoir and with WWII. This week the students are telling a story through pictures. They are working on taking ten photos of themselves. These ten photos must tell a story from the perspective of someone from WWI, the roaring twenties, or the Great Depression era. These are the events we have dsicussed in class that led our country to WWII. I am looking forward to seeing what creativity my students have in store for me. Please stay tuned, as their creativity is shared in the coming days and weeks.

Rage Against the Dying of the Light

In honor of Charlotte (6), Daniel (7), Rachel (27), Olivia (6), Josephine (7), Ana (6), Dylan (6), Dawn (47), Madeline (6), Catherine (6), Chase (7), Jesse (6), James (6), Grace (7), Anne Marie (52), Emilie (6), Jack (6), Noah (6), Caroline (6), Jessica (6), Avielle (6), Lauren (30), Mary (56), Victoria (27), Benjamin (6), Allison (6)....
....I vow to:
Hug my children more
Protect my children at all cost
Read to my children daily 
Find joy in each child's uniqueness 
Remember that children need love more than daily oral language
Start and end each school day with a smile

Questions

This blog has always been designated specifically to my students. However, tonight as I ponder the "why's" of what MCE teachers do everyday, I am compelled to write this post for those of you who may question why.

The most frequently asked questions I have heard this year are 1) "Why do you read so many depressing stories in 5th grade?" and 2) Is this a Common Core "thing"?

Please indulge me for a moment while I express my joy over the literature we read in 5th grade. Beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder. The literature that has been chosen for the fifth grade reading curriculum has come about over a span of five years. It has been a progression of realizations that has led us to our author study on Lois Lowry. Some may say that her books are too depressing...not appropriate....needing to be censored and edited too much. I say, those who think that either have not read her books, or have not seen the beauty that I take from her stories. Her Giver quartet gives a picture, when read together as intended, of true redemption and compassion.The lessons and discussions that come from each of these stories include seeing the beauty in our world, realizing that without despair, we could not cherish hope....without fear, we could not value freedom....without pain, we could not appreciate joy.  How many of us adults learned such beautiful life lessons such as this as fifth graders? Empathy, compassion, grace, mercy, and diversity are just a few of the topics discussed within these stories. Lois Lowry enables us, through her stories, to see the beauty in our own world from seeing the struggles in her characters' worlds. Many of us do not have the slightest clue what it is like to struggle, to need. These characters know pain and turmoil on a level that we have never known in our safe worlds. Because of their struggle to escape their conflicts to find harmony and beauty, we see their pure joy over the wonders of a world as safe and colorful and happy as our own. So for the word "depressing" to be used to describe Lois Lowry's literature, I cringe just a bit. Only because my heart is full of joy as I end each story with my class. My smile is a mile wide at the end of each story as my students realize the same truths I have time and time again. I have read The Giver twelve times now. Never once has it become old or mundane, because of the discussions and emotions that come about as a result of it. Please bear with me, if you are a concerned parent. Please trust that I teach these stories from a deep heartfelt place of love and compassion. Please know that my goal is not to check items off of a list to teach your child, but to give them a lasting memory of what beauty looks like. Beauty from words is the best beauty of all in my opinion.

Is this a Common Core "thing"... The simple answer to this question is a resounding no. I think the best way to express what I believe Common Core to be is to tell you what Common Core is not.
1. It is not a book of worksheets to be run off.
2. It is not a checklist of skills to be taught.
3. It is not an item that can bought at school aids.
4. It is not giving 5th graders 7th grade work and calling it a day.
Common Core, to me, means that as a teacher I am teaching in the most deeply connected way that I can. My students should be able to see how science, social studies, and reading all come together. My students should be able to tell me why an author feels the way they do based on the textual evidence from our stories. My students no longer have to tell me what is being personified in a poem, but how that personification contributes to the overall theme of the story. Deep thinking is required. Therefore, deep thinking is modeled on a daily basis.

I am not an expert. I am only a teacher with a very idealistic view of what teachers do and what students should learn. I value my profession more than you know and strive daily to build a community of learners in my classroom, who will one day become a community of leaders.

I will leave you with just a few of my favorite Lois Lowry quotes.

“Of course they needed to care. It was the meaning of everything.”
― Lois Lowry, The Giver

“Be proud of your pain, for you are stronger than those with none.”
― Lois Lowry, Gathering Blue

"But now he knew that there were communities everywhere, sprinkled across the vast landscape of the known world, in which people suffered. Not always from beatings and hunger, the way he had. But from ignorance. From not knowing. From being kept from knowledge."
- Lois Lowry, The Messenger

“The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.”
― Lois Lowry, The Giver

“They were satisfied with their lives which had none of the vibrance his own was taking on. And he was angry at himself, that he could not change that for them.”
― Lois Lowry, The Giver

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

In class we are reading Holes, by Louis Sachar. Poor Stanley Yelnats....keeps ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time. While at a juvenile correctional facility, (there for a crime he didn't commit) Stanley has to dig holes all day. One of his group mates, X-Ray, is the definite leader. He's the one who tells the boys how to line up for water breaks. Of course Stanley is last. But one day, Stanley does something pretty impressive. X-Ray decides to move Stanley up one space in line for water. We have discussed in class how this gesture symbolized respect.

Today....a sweet, loveable, innocent teacher (did I mention sweet?) was definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time. UNDER THE SLIME BUCKET! My students worked hard all week to bring in money to raise awareness for being drug free. The teacher whose class brought in the most money won the prize. PRIZE?????

It was a prize for my students to watch me get slimed today. It was a prize for me to see them smile...although I am pretty sure some of those smiles were because they were witnessing the one who gives too much work get slimed.

So, in honor of Stanley Yelnats, I relinquished my phobias of both germs and large crowds of people staring at me to hopefully move up one place in line.

Book Clubs

“What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.”
― J.D. Salinger



After day 3 of meeting with his book club, Dayne Luby decided that there really needs to be a sequel to Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nyhm. So he wrote the author a letter.

We have begun our book clubs, with much excitement. The students were ready to begin as soon as second nine weeks started. They have met three times with their book club groups and have already decided these days are their favorite days of the week. I am having so much fun floating from group to group listening to the students read stories that I have loved since childhood. One group is reading a book that my fifth grade teacher read aloud to my class. That was the moment I became a reader. As I listened to Mrs. Bell read Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nymh, I became enthralled in the lives of those characters. I hung on her every word. I wanted to know how it was all going to end. As soon as she finished the book, I walked to my small town's library and checked out the thickest book in the children's section I could find. I didn't even look at the title. It ended up being one of my favorites...A Wrinkle in Time. Now, to pass along that joy of reading (or attempt to at least) that Mrs. Bell instilled in me, I am so  excited about the conversations I am hearing. The students are having such great discussions about their books. I have heard them laughing, getting mad, sympathizing with characters, and even asking for just a little more time to read further. Many groups are actually assigning themselves homework. They are reading for pleasure, not for testing. The joy of reading is becoming our theme of the year! Way to go readers!!!! Keep up the fabulous work!!!!!

Books we are reading: Walk Two Moons, Tiger Rising, Hatchet, Cathcing Fire, Mockinjay, How to Eat Fried Worms, Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade, I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nyhm

A Journey Just Beginning

Today ended our first nine weeks of the school year. So many amazing things occured during this term that I am finding it difficult to gather the words to capture it. However, I feel that I must try to give a written voice to the emotion and progression I have been privy to.

There are not too many days when I don't drive out of my school's parking lot feeling blessed to be a teacher. It really is the best profession, in my opinion. I have the highest honor each and every day of guiding children along their path, molding young minds into deep thinkers, and above all building relationships that will last a lifetime.

We read the final chapter of Gathering Blue this week. Upon finishing, many students raised their hands immediately to be called on. I knew the students would want to discuss the book. They have bombarded our class discussions this term with such intellectual connections and thoughts. They have genuinely learned how to analyze literature. It has almost become a friendly competition to see who can be the deepest thinker, or who can find the most literary elements within a chapter. It was truly amazing to see the passion these fifth graders had over literature.

I have been moved to tears on more than one occasion this term. My students have exhibited emapthy towards the characters we encountered, and have begun to carry out that empathy towards one another at school. 

This is not a profession where you can create a to do list....I cannot simply check off items to be taught by the end of the year, so that my students perform well on a test. I cannot even think the word TEST. This is a profession of heart. This is a profession of creativity...finding  a way to create a journey for my students to experience. Each book, each lesson, each you tube video, each class discussion has a central theme. It has to. Otherwise there is no sense of purpose for the students. Knowing the end of this journey they will travel, gives me such excitement and anticipation for what they will come to realize.

I look forward with that anticipation to experiencing this year with them. Such a reward. Appreciatively, for now I am their captain. For now, I am their guide. But, just wait. They are hanging on the edge of their seats to be let free....free to make their own choices, to be their own guide. What successes they will be.

Caught Reading

You Talk Too Much!

Want to know the biggest problem I have with my students??????? They want to discuss everything!

Not a bad problem to have! In fact, I welcome it. I have found that my students this year (most of them, anyway) would rather be late for lunch or recess so that they can talk more about our books and how they relate to the skills we are learning. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and under appreciated Thursday evening about school related matters. By Friday at noon, my students had given me a rejuvenated spirit and feeling of purpose. I walked out to recess (late, mind you) with a smile a mile wide simply because of my students.

These great people that I have the honor of spending time with every day, make such intelligent and thought provoking comments daily. They amaze me. I make notes at the end of each day to capture the best student comments heard. Below are my top ten picks of the week. I hope you get a kick out of them! (Students: if you see a quote from you, join in the discussion by commenting below)

Rue's death woke Katniss up [figuratively] like Pearl Harbor woke America up during WWII.

Wow, Katniss really goes through a big transformation in this chapter.

Isn't it ironic that Katniss chose Rue as an ally because she reminded her of Prim,  but she ended up being more like Katniss?

The Mockingjay must be a symbol for Katniss's rebellion.

Katniss  has gone from fighting to survive to fighting for a belief.

Suzanne Collins must be one of those authors that writes a book not for money but for the joy of writing. I bet she is a lot like Katniss.

Mrs DuBose, I didn't think you could help me spice up my writing at all but I'm starting to sound like a real author. Want to blog about me?   

Mrs. DuBose, can I go to the writing table and write a story?

Mrs. DuBose, will you print off the pages of the rest of the book so I can read more of it?

Student: Mrs. DuBose, are we going to get back to our writing prompts?

 Me: No,  that'll have to wait until Monday.

 Student: AAAAAWWWWWW MAN!!!!!!!!!!!