Brandi J. Clark

The other day I was listening to Lester Laminack talk about the importance of the Read Aloud.

I was instantly transported back to my early years of teaching.

The days when the “overhead” ruled!Seriously,  I want those “overheads” back – if not as a cheaper doc camera – a powerful addition to a literacy center – capacity to make murals and a practical cart used to deliver hot lunches

– but I digress.

THE EARLY YEARS OF MY CAREER

Those early years were yet to be influenced heavily by tech – no SMART boards –no handheld or lap devices. Back then read alouds were in the form of paper – in your hands or posted on paper. There was a greater intimacy and community feel to interacting with something that only came alive through teacher and student participation- in a sense – active literacy.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT INCLUDED A TRIP TO GREENWOOD’S BOOKSTORE and to the NEXT ACT for BURGERS

As the webinar wore on, I became sad at the simplicity of the old ways but also the space that there used to be for literacy. Professional Development for literacy was in abundance and offered freely. Times have changed in many ways, yes, we can do more things online but being together with a group of educators getting giddy over a new set of picture books was infectious.

HOW DID WE GO FROM GIDDY TO SERIOUS NELLIES?

There is a seriousness to education that I have not seen before in my career, one that unfortunately is exacerbated by the political climate. When did that panicky feeling invade schools?  When did educators become more worried about student’s self regulating than connecting with a character in a picture book?

SLEEPLESS NIGHTS OVER EDUCATION – YET I CAN STILL WATCH 90 DAY FIANCE 

I admit those feelings kept me up that evening. Yet, there is always hope for a turn around and I think it starts with more “real people” read alouds. The concept and power of a read aloud needs to understood by new teachers and refreshed for the rest of the staff.

SOME PEOPLE LISTEN TO BILLIE EILISH – I LISTEN TO EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS (Actually I Listen to both!) 

I would love if you listened to the webinar first hand. Lester mentions the old greats like Mem Fox and he reminds us of those nuances that are so powerful in selecting and delivering a Read Aloud.  (LINKS ARE AT THE END)

Here are some notes:

• We all remember falling inside a story or living inside a story. Who made that magic happen for you? What was the title of the book? – Every kid should have this experience and the teacher should be you.
• We are raising humans in this climate of test scores.
• The experience of being read to builds a bond between us,  as teacher and our students as people. It is the book that makes it happen.
• When students hand you a book to read to them, they have the power of your time for the whole time the book is read. This is powerful for them!
• There are different but important benefits to reading fiction and nonfiction texts.
• The intentional read aloud: to inspire (to explore books) to invest (where we are going next – topic of study), to instruct (offer specific teaching points in the moment)
• A Best Friend Book – Books that we revisit multiple times. (What if we had only 5 fiction and 5 nonfiction titles and revisit them several times for different reasons?)
• Five ways to start a book – Picture walk, Book Talk or Commercial, Author Profile, Theme – topic/link, Just Start Reading

So, this is the end of my polite rant and plea. Please read more with your students. Be that teacher, that voice in your student heads.  (But not creepy like the professor with Firestorm, that’s just messed. Note a DC reference, my teen daughter would be proud)

Any way,

Until Next Time,

Love Coach Clark

 

THE LINKS I PROMISED

Make Every Read-Aloud Experience Intentional by Lester Laminack

https://home.edweb.net/webinar/literacyhero20200128/

https://www.edweb.net/ewWebinarsBrowse

 

 

 

 

 

THE MOMENT

“OK, so I’ll probably cry.”

The students looked at me, their faces reflecting elements of surprise.

“I’ve read this book many times, yet, I still get those ‘feels’.  You know the feeling, like when your cheeks tingle or feel warm, and your eyes get teary.”

“Great books make you feel that way,” I added.

And so, as expected, I cried.

I felt their eyes on me.

“Listen, I promise this gets better,” I said.

It did get better.

THE REALITY

And so this was me last month, always me with the kids – legally my students- but really my kids now and forever.

Teaching and learning are days of mixed emotions and energy expenditures. We expect it and learn to manage it. Yet, at the end of the day, students need to know that emotions are okay and that books help us to experience them safely.

With a book, you are reflecting on someone else’s story but really you are connecting to your own. You can hide behind the character or you can stand out in front and declare something that reveals part of yourself.

THE LESSON

The book I read is called, The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness by Colin Thompson.

I don’t remember how it first came into my possession or why I purchased it. It was not on the usual book lists. But it is, FANTASTIC. The premise is a young boy lives alone with his grandmother. It is clear that they are very distant with each other. One day the little boy sees a dog at the dog shelter. The boy and the dog bond silently with each other. It is the dog’s “last day.”  The boy has an hour to run home and convince his grandmother to get the dog before the shelter closes. The dog speaks his thoughts to the reader about the day closing and the possibility that it is his last. (This of course is where I breakdown). Anyway…the story develops in the most beautiful way.

Discussion is often lively! Many students can connect to the family structure in this book, the distance that happens. Often we talk about how something like a dog brings people together and how regular dogs and therapy dogs do serve that purpose. So many students have pet stories and related stories in general about happy moments and sad moments in their lives.

THE WRITING CONNECTION 

I love writing with students so I have had them respond by creating their own mini-book: “My   Big Little Book of Happy Sadness”.

Mini-books are folded out of 1 sheet of paper.

Here are the directions.

Make your own version of the book to have an example for students.

Here is mine!

 (front cover)

(happy moment)

(sad moment)

(happy moment)

(sad moment)

(happy moment)

(back – about the author)

THE WRITING EXTENSION 

These little books are great as a stepping off point for future writing. Each happy or sad moment can be expanded into longer pieces of writing.  You learn a lot about students with these little books.

THE VIDEO PAIRING

I often pair the book with this video. It is an interesting way to solve the main problem in the book.

THE ENDING 🙂

I hoped you’ve enjoyed this lesson idea. I also hope that you have not gone through too many tissues. So yes, it’s OK to keep crying, baseball is a topic for another day!

Until Next Time,

Coach Clark