Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Recipes

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: RECIPES

We are guessing you are more interested in recipes and cooking now, more than ever before.  Since we are all at home during this time, recipes are the perfect short texts for us to dig into.  Recipes are procedural texts, also known as “how-tos.”  They tend to follow a  prescribed structure and need to be read in a specific order.  Reading (and following) a recipe is a great example of  reading with purpose, and the rewards are - delicious!

While we have some children’s cookbooks at home, there is really no need to seek recipes written specifically for kids.  There are lots of places where you can find recipes right at your fingertips.  Here are a few:

• Online

  • Think of something you want to make and put that information in your web browser.  In just moments, slews of sites with recipes will pop up (Ex. Chocolate chip cookies).

  • Name one main ingredient you have available and put that in your web browser, followed by the word recipes and you’ll have recipes at your fingertips (Ex. Chicken).

  • Think of a product you use often and go to that company’s website.  Often, they have a recipe section with easy to follow-recipes using their products (Ex. Pillsbury).

  • There are lots of YouTube videos out there.   Many are great, but make sure you preview them before using them with kids.

• Check out cookbooks you may have at home.

• Do you have a recipe box?  If so, check it out for some family favorites.

• If you have any magazines, recipes can often be found tucked inside.  If you don’t see any right away, flip to the last few pages and see what you find.

VIDEO 

Check out this short video on how to use a recipe to entertain, inform, and inspire.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Grab any recipe.  Perhaps something you want to make for dinner or a special treat.   Take a look at the format of the recipe.  

• What do you notice?

• What do you wonder?

• Does it have a photograph of the finished product?  Are there illustrations of the various steps?

• Who is the author/chef?

Step 2

Take a closer look at the recipe.

• Do you have all of the ingredients for this recipe?

• Do you understand the measurements and tools? 

• Are there new words or vocabulary that you need to understand before you begin?

• Are there pictures or images to help guide you during each step?    

Here’s an example of a recipe we use all the time:

Here’s what we noticed:

• The Ingredients are usually listed first and in the order they are used.

• The amounts of each ingredient are listed (and they are in “standard” measurements like teaspoons and cups).

• Some recipes tell you how many servings they make.

• Some recipes tell you how long it will take to make them.

• Some recipes number the steps you will take.

This text is filled with reading, writing and talking opportunities.  For example, you could:

• Look closely at the structure of the recipe.  Why ingredients are listed first?  Why are the steps numbered or bulleted?

• Preview the recipe. Read all the way through a recipe before making it.  It is very important (the best reason ever to preview  a text!).

• Discuss standard measurements.  It’s a very interesting concept.   Talk about why you wouldn’t just use any spoon or cup?

• Vocabulary is important.  In a recipe there are often lots of context clues to help with new and unfamiliar words.

Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.

Reading  Ideas  

• Follow the recipe and make the dish to share with your family.

• Read more than one recipe for the same thing - compare and contrast.

  • There are many many recipes out there for chocolate chip cookies! What ingredients do they all have in common?

• Read more than one recipe by the same chef.  What is similar about the format of the recipes.

• Study the features of a cookbook.

  • Index

  • Recipes are grouped together

  • Table of contents

Writing  Ideas  

• Write your own recipe.

  • Make up a brand new recipe and write it down for others to make.

  • Write down a recipe that your adult knows “by heart.”  Try to record the family meatloaf recipe or how to make french toast.

• Take a survey of the people in your household and how they felt about the dish you cooked.

• Write a review of the recipe or a meal.

• Create a menu. What would you have if you could have your dream meal?

Talking  Ideas 

• Watch a cooking video or show and talk about what you have learned.

• Compare the finished product to the photograph.  How did you do?

• Taste critically.  What would you do differently next time?

• Interview your home “chef.”  Why do they make the recipes they make?

Step 4

Look for other recipes that you find and read (and make) those too! 

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

• The New York Times recently had a “Quarantine Cooking with Kids” section (April 18, 2020).

• YouTube Videos (there are many cool things to watch).

• Honest Pretzels by Mollie Katzen, a wonderful book of visual steps for children to follow. (You might use this as a model for your own recipe writing.)

• Check out Mark Bittman — chef, NYTimes writer, cookbook author — and his great website, full of recipes and information.

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Images & Pictures

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: IMAGES & PICTURES

If we want students to read the world around them, we have to expand the types of texts that we ask them to read, inside and outside of school.  Said another way—our kiddos deserve to read texts everyday that go beyond textbooks and test prep passages. In addition, they deserve to spend their learning time doing things that boost their curiosity, creativity and ingenuity. 

Have you ever scrolled through your camera roll and found pictures that bring back great memories?  Or, have you ever noticed a picture you don’t even remember taking? Images and pictures can be found everywhere and are great short texts to explore.  They can be found in family photo albums, books, wall calendars, game board boxes, packaging from a recent delivery, or online. There are also lots of credible sources that share photos of the day or week.  Here are a few examples:

• The Atlantic

• National Geographic

• NASA

• The Guardian

• NYT

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Grab any image or picture that you find in your house or online and ask:  

• What do you notice?

• What do you wonder?

• What do you think this image / photo is about?   

• Does it have a title or caption?

• Who is the author?

Step 2

Take a closer look at the image / picture and discuss:

• What does this image / picture make you think about?  

• What connections can you make?  

• How does this image / picture make you feel?  

• When do you think this image / picture was taken?  For what reason?

Here’s an example of an image we love.  

Here’s what we noticed:

• This looks like a bee hive or a wasp nest. 

• it was hanging from a branch, but fell to the ground.

• No bees or wasps are living in it right now.

Here’s what we wondered:

• Is this a bee hive or wasp nest? What’s the difference?

• How many bees or wasps would typically live here?

• How long do the bees or wasps stay here?

• Is this dangerous to be around?

Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.

Reading  Ideas  

• Read/watch information about bees for a mini-inquiry study focused on one or more of the following ideas:

  • Bee swarms

  • Bee hives

  • Bee lifespan

  • Importance of bees to our environment

  • Bee stings/allergies

  • Products made from bees

• Explore the Cincinnati Zoo and learn more about bees.

• Watch a short video from National Geographic about bees.

• Search, sort, and read infographics about bees.  Examples can be found here.  

Writing  Ideas  

• Create a two column chart.  

  • In the left-hand column, write things you think you know about bees.

  • In the right-hand column, write things you are wondering / things you want to know about bees.

• Write/draw some ideas related to bees focused on one or more of the following ideas:

  • List of questions about bees

  • Create a top 10 list of bee facts

  • Draw the relationship between hives, bees, and flowers

  • Make your own informational bee book

• Write bee and bug jokes.

• Draw some pictures of bees.  Use crayons, colored pencils, markers, or watercolors to add color.

Talking  Ideas 

• Discuss the different types of bees and hives after watching All Things Animal TV about bees.

• Read and talk about The Good of the Hive project by Matthew Wiley.  Check out the About page for some background information.

• Talk about bee idioms (the bee’s knees, busy as a bee, have a bee in one’s bonnet, queen bee)

• Have a conversation about honey.  Note: This conversation may lead to more reading, writing and talking.

  • Do you like honey?  Why or why not?

  • What are the major honey companies?  Where are they located?

  • What types of recipes include honey as a major ingredient?

  • Are there honey festivals?  If so, when and where?

  • Why are honeycomb cells hexagonal?

Step 4

Look for other images / pictures that you find and read those too! 

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

• The Bee Book by Charlotte Minor

• Enjoy some jokes about bees and bugs here.

• Look at Burt’s Bees and talk about the company’s purpose, People, Profit, Planet.  

  • What do you think?

  • What ways could you go out and change the world for the greater good?

• Explore bee poems (Do a quick search and lots of bee poems can be found.  Reminder to preview them before sharing them.)

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Picture Books (Fiction)

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: PICTURE BOOKS (FICTION)

By design, picture books combine the wisdom of the words with the visual power of the illustrations to convey the story.  Beginning with the earliest readers, picture books create building blocks that promote a lifelong love of literacy. Through picture books, young readers can increase their vocabulary and build language skills.  

We love picture books because they can be read multiple times and for multiple reasons.  Take some time and look around your house. Be on the lookout for different types of picture books and put them in a stack.  Don’t forget, if you have board books or wordless books, stick those in your stack too! Each picture book provides so much more than just a read aloud.

VIDEO 

Take a look at this short video on how to use picture books to entertain, inform, and inspire.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Find a favorite fiction picture book.

• Why is it your favorite?  Did you have it when you were a child?  Have you read it multiple times as a teacher?

• Look for the places you love the most.  Reread. Smile!

• Who is your favorite character?  Why?

Or, is there a picture book on your shelves that you do not know well?  Here is your opportunity to read it!

• What do you notice?

• What do you wonder?

• What is the title?

• Who is the author?

• What do you think this book is going to be about?

Step 2

Read the picture book aloud.  You can either read the book to a child, the child can read the book to you, or you can share the reading by taking turns reading to one another.

We love The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieska. If interested, order a copy of this book here. Picture books are filled with reading, writing and talking opportunities.  For example, you could:

• Explore the structure of a picture book.

• Explore the role of the narrator.  How is the story different when it is told from a different perspective?

  • In The True Story..., the story is told from the perspective of the Wolf.

• Practice retelling the story.

• Look for the story elements such as character, setting, problem and solution.

• Do fluency practice (something that is likely being neglected during distance learning). Passages of familiar books are probably memorized.  Channel that for phrased and fluent reading.  

  • If possible have children record favorite stories (or ask their grownups too).  These could be a wonderful resource for the entire class.  

  • More fluency work: Ask children to read a favorite to a younger sibling or the family pet.

Step 3

Look on your bookshelves and try and find other picture books.  If you have time and interest, read those too!

Step 4

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.

Reading Ideas 

• Read a picture book and learn more about the author and/or illustrator.

• Find two picture books about the same topic or written by the same author.  Compare them.  

  • What do they have in common?

  • What makes them different?

  • Compare two versions of the same story (i.e. the traditional “Three Little Pigs” and The True Story …)

• Make a familiar story into a Reader’s Theater script using the language of the characters and a “narrator” to move the plot along

Writing  Ideas  

• Keep a list of all the picture books you read.

• Write your own picture book about a recent event or experience. Maybe you could write a story about a child who does all his/her learning at home while schools are closed. 

• Try to rewrite your favorite picture book from when you were little (don’t reread it first).  Maybe it’s a book you no longer own - retell it from memory.  

• Write a sequel to this book.  What happens next? Add a new character.

Talking  Ideas 

• Start a conversation about places and times throughout the day to read.  

  • Where is a good place to read at home?  

  • What makes it a particularly good spot? (This is work many of us do in September when we want to set up reading routines at home.  It probably needs to be revisited now.)

• Invite children to find a favorite picture book (maybe it was one someone read to them when they were”little”.)  

• If you have a way to “meet” with your class,  everyone could hold up their favorite book or everyone posts a picture.  Compare covers. Are there any repeats? Are there similarities? Fiction, nonfiction, books by the same author?

• Explore the way the text and illustrations work together.  What do the illustrations show that the text does not?

  • Find the page that has the picture featured on the cover.  Why is this the image the author/illustrator/editor chose for the cover?

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

• Check out the self-publishing options on StoryJumper.

• Record a story on Flipgrid.

• Take a look at Vooks, a great website of animated picture books.  

• Check out free access to many great picture books for educators on Epic. 

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Cereal Boxes

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

In mid-March, the COVID-19 pandemic hit home, and teaching went from classrooms to living rooms and kitchen tables in the blink of an eye. To keep kids learning and feeling safe, cultural and literary heroes opened up their digital doors. There are museum tours, celebrity read alouds, Mo Willems sketching and penguins at the Shedd Aquarium. The cast of Hamilton sang on Youtube to a young girl who was sad her trip to see the show was cancelled.   All of these experiences and assets were—and are— amazing. Teachers can continue to share these riches with their students.

Now it’s mid-April, though, and teachers are tasked with planning and delivering curriculum. The question now is, How do I create engaging lessons for the children who usually sit in front of me but are now learning from home? As an elementary reading teacher (Elizabeth) and a literacy coach (Julie) we are grappling with the same steep learning curves as teachers as we try to find our way fast with online instruction. Our jobs, however, as those trained to support teachers with resources and best literacy practices, have propelled us to realize that the learning kids do now has to be different because we are living and instructing in different times. As educator Pernille Ripp declared, “Whatever your plans are, cut them in half. Then cut them in half again.”  

With this less is more mantra in mind, we offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. We may not sing like Lin Manuel Miranda or read aloud like Kwame Alexander or Kate Messner, but we know these lessons will brighten kids' days.  

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: CEREAL BOXES

When you were young, or maybe even today as an adult, was reading the back of a cereal box part of your morning eating routine?  Did you ever have repeat readings across several days and see things you didn’t see the day before? Did reading something on the back of the box ever pique your curiosity and make you want to know more?  Today, many short texts, such as food packages, give us reasons to read and write because they entertain, inform, and often inspire us. Here’s what we mean.

Entertain -- brings us joy 

Inform -- teaches us new information and/or renews our thinking about ideas and topics 

Inspire -- motivates us to read, write and share more

VIDEO 

Check out these two short videos focused on how to use a cereal box to entertain, inform, and inspire.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Grab any cereal box in your home.  Take a look at the front, back, and side panels.  

• What do you notice?

• What do you wonder?

Note:  If you don’t have a cereal box, choose another type of food package.

Step 2

Share a cereal box that you find exciting.  Think aloud about ways this short text entertained, informed and/or inspired you.  

Examples: Back of cereal boxes

Take a look at the first example which is the back of a Cap’n Crunch cereal box. This text is filled with reading, writing and talking opportunities.  For example, you could:

• Play the matching berry game on the back panel. [back panel]

• Make new words by creating 12 new words using the letters in “Crunch Berry” [back panel]

• Play the dot game. [back panel]

• Read and investigate the ingredients and Nutritional Facts  [side panel]

• Use a measuring cup or scale and rice to visualize the amount of sugar

• Read and think about the recycling information [top panel]

• Share what you’ve learned and created with others

Step 3

Look in your pantry and find other cereal boxes.  Compare cereal boxes and think about how they are similar and how they are different. 

Step 4

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.

Reading Ideas 

• Go to the cereal company’s website and poke around to see what interesting facts and images you can find.

• Grab 2 or more cereal boxes and compare the nutritional information.

• Read other breakfast food boxes.  What do you see? What are you wondering?

• If you are watching any television or videos, listen and watch closely for breakfast food ads.  What do you see? What are you wondering?

Writing Ideas 

• Make a list of all the cereal brands and types you know.

• Design your own cereal.  What is it called? What will the box look like?

• Write a letter to the cereal company telling them what you think about their cereal and/or ask them questions about their cereal.

• Create a survey asking people to share their favorite cereal choices and why they are a favorite.

Talking Ideas

• Why is the cereal called… (Frosted Flakes, Cheerios, Rice Krispies, etc.)?

• Which part of the box do you look at in the grocery store?  Which part do you read at home?

• Recall the cereal aisle in a supermarket, or find a photo online. What colors do you see? Why? Where is the aisle located?

• Why does the company want you to know what they believe (i.e. philosophy)?

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

• Pick any cereal manufacturer.  Go to their website. Explore all of the information they share on their site.

• Read about cereal using an online dictionary such as https://www.britannica.com/topic/cereal

• Read about National Cereal Day and 15 Interesting Facts about Cereal https://www.ibtimes.com/national-cereal-day-15-interesting-facts-about-cereal-1560030

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

MEET ELIZABETH

Meet my friend, colleague, co-author and co-blogger, Elizabeth Keim. She is a New York City based educator with more than 25 years of experience. She is currently an AIS Reading Teacher/Reading Recovery teacher for a school in Mamaroneck, New York. Previously she taught in District 2 in Manhattan,  serving as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and library teacher. In each of these roles, she knows that, "it is all about finding a text that truly captures a particular reader." She has taught Undergraduate and Graduate level courses at New York University and Bank Street College of Education, as well as workshops for teachers and parents.  An avid birder, Elizabeth enjoys her time in Central Park every spring and fall. Her most thrilling sightings to date are: A rare Kirtland's warbler and the tutti frutti colored Summer Tanager.

From Ed Consultant to Teacher Mom: Reflection #5

Creating a Text Set Using a Chapter Book & Short Texts

I love books.

I love the smell of them. The feel of them. The stories and information inside them.

Additionally, I love texts — all shapes and sizes.

Some people say friends are tucked inside of books and texts. I agree that is true for some, but for me they are guides more than they are friends. Books and texts guide me to appreciate the familiar and experience the new or unfamiliar. They teach, mentor, provoke, inspire, and guide.

Books and texts have a dual role in my literacy journey. I can consume them [read, watch, view, listen] and I can produce them [write, sketch, make, create, design, perform]. In turn, when I’m working with school leaders, coaches, teachers, and kiddos, my goals always include creating similar learning opportunities where we consume and produce books and texts.

Taking It Slow

For the past two weeks or so, my boys and I have been joining together once a day for some book club time. As I mentioned in this blog post, we started reading Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech. Besides the fun conversation about the book, it’s characters, and all things donkey — the best part is that we are taking it slow. We have found that our pace doesn’t matter. We aren’t racing a clock, we aren’t trying to get to the end, we aren’t hurrying so that we can jump to the next thing. We are lingering and it feels so good and so right. It’s just what we need right now.

Using Text Sets to Inspire More Reading & Writing

When we put texts together that have something in common with one another, we create a text set. In this case, we put both long and short texts — and texts of different shapes and sizes — together to create a text set. As mentioned, we are using this chapter book to jump start some reading and writing tied to our interests. In addition to reading Sharon Creech’s Saving Winslow, here are some reading and writing opportunities that we created with and for one another.

Note: There was no magic in what we read or wrote and/or the order in which we did them. We let our conversations and our inquiries lead our decision-making. Together, we:

1. Read a few reviews of the book.

2. Previewed Sharon Creech’s website. We went back to this site multiple times for different reasons.

3. We read and watched different texts to increase our knowledge of donkeys.

   • Facts About Donkeys

   • The Donkey Sanctuary

   • Miniature Donkey at National Zoo

   • Interesting Donkey Items [like every text, please preview ahead of time to make sure content is appropriate]

4. We wrote in our notebooks to ask questions, noodle ideas, and hold our thinking.

   • Reflections and wonderings after reading chapters from the book

   • Interesting and intriguing donkey facts

   • Sticky notes filled with old and new ideas

   • Questions we have for Sharon Creech

   • A letter we co-wrote to Sharon Creech

   • Addressing an envelope and a self-addressed envelope for the letter we wrote

We aren’t finished with this study yet, but I’m excited to see where we head in the days to come!

From Ed Consultant to Teacher Mom: Reflection #3

It’s a new week.

With the news heavy with increasing numbers of positive COVID-19 cases, announcements of school closures and distance learning plans that will take some districts through the end of the school year, my crew needed a little break from it all — even though it’s only Monday.

To switch things up, we put our time and energy into building our individual and collective reading and writing volume. Instead of working with a long text [which is often associated with chapter books to build volume] we used a bunch of short texts to educate and inspire ourselves — and to bolster our reading volume! Here’s how we spent our time:

SHORT TEXT #1: A SHORT VIDEO CLIP

• We watched a short video clip about this amazing kiddo named Parker Curry. You probably read about her or saw her on the show Little Big Shots or Ellen. Check out this link if you are interested in watching a short clip.

SHORT TEXT #2: TWITTER FEEDS

• Watching the clip led us to Little Big Shots and Parker Curry’s Twitter feed. That’s not because that was “the right” next text to read, but rather where our interests and questions led us. We couldn’t find the full episode of Parker Curry on Little Big Shots so we went digging around which led us to Twitter. When Parker Curry was tagged, it surprised us [because she’s a little kid] and we wondered what her Twitter feed was all about. Worth Noting: Being interested in what we are reading — whether you are an adult or a kiddo — makes us want to read more. When something piques our interests, we often read more which in turn leads us in directions [and more reading] that we may not have originally anticipated.

• If this has ignited your curiosities too, check out @NBCLilBigShots and @_parkercurry.

SHORT TEXT #3: PICTURE BOOK

• I have two middle school boys. I wasn’t sure how they would interact with Parker Looks Up An Extraordinary Moment by Parker Curry and Jessica Curry. I think the word that best describes my reaction to their reactions is INSPIRED. They hung onto the words “…she saw a road before her with endless possibilities.” I have to say, our conversation, while hard to completely capture, was pretty great. Our talk and sharing led us to ask:

  • Where is the National Portrait Gallery?

  • What paintings are in the National Portrait Gallery and who gets to paint them?

  • Who is Amy Sherald?

  • Who painted President Obama’s portrait?

  • What does Parker Curry want to do when she grows up?

  • Did Parker Curry go on a book tour?

SHORT TEXT #4, 5, 6…: INDIVIDUAL TEXT CHOICES [BASED ON INTERESTS & CURIOSITIES]

• This short text study had our curiosities going in different directions. So, we decided to let our reading interests guide us individually. We agreed that we would choose short texts to read and we’d collect IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING by jotting things in our COVID-19 Notebooks [a scary time, but a notebook will help us stay organized I guess]. Some of the texts we explored [and will continue to explore] include:

  • National Portrait Gallery

  • Amy Sherald’s website

  • Presidential Portraits

  • Obama’s Portraits Unveilings

This SHORT TEXT SET gave us something to celebrate — Parker Curry’s attitude, passion, and uplifting message that life is paved by roads with endless possibilities brought us lots of JOY, INSPIRATION, AND HOPE which is just what we needed!

From Ed Consultant to Teacher Mom: Reflection #1

I’m sure many of you are just like me — going from “working outside of the home Mom” to “teacher of her own kiddos Mom”. Wow — what a difference just one week makes! My family is in the epicenter of it all—Westchester County, NY. While none of us are directly impacted, as of today, by having COVID-19, we feel the weight of this pandemic in ways we couldn’t have imagined a week ago. It’s a strange tug-of-war. We feel the pressures of this virus, while feeling blessed that we are currently virus-free, have one another, our home, food in refrigerator, books and board games on our shelves, and a little fresh air flowing through the kitchen windows.

Sizing Up the Situation

Like many, we spent the weekend trying to better understand the situation so that we could get our groove on and make a plan. Who knew that things could [and would] change in half day increments. With the majority of my spring consulting work rescheduled to a later date due to school closures, I shifted gears and began thinking about what each of my own kiddos would need and want, both in the short and long-term.

Getting Our Groove On

When I’m trying to get my groove on, I start by noodling plans. I write notes, make lists, create bullet points, and doodle along the edges. Most of my lists are unreadable by others — because they are filled with my thinking and emotion strung across the page. This week’s noodling was no different. The ideas were sort of like an advice column to myself— ultimately giving me guidance [and permission] for how I could navigate the transition from Ed Consultant to Teacher Mom for the weeks ahead. Here are some highlights of things I’m reminding myself to consider:

PROFESSIONALLY

Remind myself it’s okay…

• To adjust my professional writing schedule a bit — I’ll get it all finished.

• To not jump at every online PD opportunity that’s circling about social media this week — it’s overwhelming and kind of makes me feel like I should be doing more than I am already doing. It’s hard to squeeze it all in when I’m are working hard to educate my own kids at home while juggling professional obligations. Sometimes taking a break and clearing the noise is good for the brain and soul.

• To not offer up a bunch of online PD for my educator crew — they’ll understand and many are in the same space as me. They will reach out if they need anything because that’s what THINKING PARTNERS do.

• To put myfamily first. They need me and I need them.

PERSONALLY

Remind myself to…

• Do something kind for my better half. He’s working hard out of the home so that I can work hard in the home.

• Focus on all 3 of our kiddos — they each need similar things and they each need different things [all of which might depend on the day]

• Spend time across each week creating opportunities for all of us to do things focused on

  • Our HOME [clean things out, organize, donate]

  • Our FAMILY [playing games, putting puzzles together, cooking]

  • Our SELVES [hobbies, passion projects, things that bring us joy]

  • OTHERS [connecting with friends and family via letters & video]

Making a Plan

As for our at home learning time, well it’s definitely under construction.

For my college freshman, who just started her 2nd semester, that means giving her time and space to process a loss—the loss of coming home and the loss of saying goodbye to new friends [painful]. This also means a time for unpacking all of the college stuff that made its way back home [didn’t we just drop all of that off?] and getting set up for online, distance learning for college level coursework.

For my middle, it’s about figuring out what he needs and wants — and how to get his voice in it all so that he’s invested. It means digging through the bookshelves and finding some of his favorites and being open to all of his interests, even if they don’t particularly inspire me.

For my little, it’s about feeling out his feelings. He’s watched and listened to too much newsfeed and he’s a process-oriented kiddo. This means taking a step back, disconnecting a bit from all of the information, taking stock of all the facts, and honoring the things on his worry list. It’s also about getting his hands and brain busy — he’s a build-it, create-it, design-it kind of kid!

All of this will take time.

What’s Ahead…

Tomorrow my middle and my little launch our learning-at-home together. We plan to start our day with pjs + hot cocoa while we read, write, play Nab-it, and create some Origami. As the day unfolds, we’ll make a new recipe and go outside for a long walk with the Bernedoodle who is ever-so-happy about all of his humans-at-home time!. This is where we’ll start. Who knows where all of this will lead. We’re making the most of these tricky times — feeling thankful for so much along the way!

Our North Star: Building Relationships & Collaboration Through Asset-Based Protocols

Barry and I have been colleagues for the last 6 years. We first met while supporting a school in Harlem and then continued our work across the miles — coast to coast — through Sunday morning co-planning calls and writing. We are a great pair because we’ve nudged one another to think deeply about the things that matter to our practices and we hold inquiry and assets at our center. One of the best parts about our work together is the bridge we’ve created between our professional and personal lives. It’s pretty typical for Barry and I to launch or end our planning calls with, “what’s happening with the family?” type of dialogue. We work hard at keeping it real — real people, real lives, real work. We wouldn’t have it any other way. It doesn’t hurt, either, that we really dig each other’s spouses and kids—what blessings they are to each of us!

So, why all this chatter about our connection? For us, relationships, collaboration, and working with an asset-based mindset matters. We’ve worked to put our beliefs about learning, both with adults and students alike, into practice. Specifically, we believe learning is maximized when:

• we build lasting RELATIONSHIPS with our colleagues

• we work toward COLLECTIVE GOALS with SHARED AGREEMENTS about how to get where we are going

• we catch the good — going after ASSET-BASED PROTOCOLS — always

• we approach all problems of practice through MULTIPLE ENTRY POINTS

• we create learning environments where everyone has something to GIVE and everyone has something they can GET

• we use REFLECTION to look back in order to create steps forward

About once or twice a year, Barry and I try to live out our beliefs by working and learning alongside one another in the same space. Whether that’s Barry making his way east to take a class in NYC or my heading west to learn in his classroom, thinking and planning together has been a cornerstone of our work.

A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of co-hosting a Learning Lab in Barry’s classroom. The classroom organization and culture, his students, and students’ work became our text for learning. Because collaboration is central to our work, we invited some colleagues to join us. It’s hard to really capture all of the beauty that came about — individually and collectively —from participants. What follows is a snapshot from our Bainbridge Island Learning Lab experience.

Reflection: Our educational North Stars are the things that help us hold steady while other things [priorities, initiatives] continue to move and change. Defining and living within your professional North Star helps you stay grounded in your work, regardless of what comes your way.

Reflection: Using asset-based protocols — catching the good — when observing a classroom builds relationships, fosters trust and safely for everyone involved.

A big thank you to my friend and mentor, Sam Bennett, for sharing this protocol with me 10 years ago. It worked then and it still works today!

Teachers kidwatching — using a note catcher to collect asset-based evidence.

Reflection: Being clear with how time will be used across a workshop — both for yourself as the facilitator of learning and for the kiddos — is directly linked to student independence.

Posted in Barry’s classroom and revisited at the beginning of workshop.

Reflection: Creating efficient, effective and sustainable systems and structures for noting student observations —as you study and interact with students in whole group, small group, and 1:1 — is a key ingredient for future, instructional decision-making.

Graph paper + student headshots + clipboard + pen!

Reflection: If we believe in EYES ON PRINT, EYES ON PRINT, EYES ON PRINT, then choice in text type + seating makes a BIG difference for kiddos buying in and settling in for independent reading time.

Who wouldn’t want to dive into a text when you can sit around the “family room” to read!

Reflection: Biographies come in lots of shapes, sizes, and lengths. Sometimes reading lots of short texts builds reading volume in ways that one long chapter book biography can’t. Giving kiddos the choice is important.

Reflection: When students hold their thinking, it gives them opportunities to make meaning of the texts they are reading.

Reflection: Conferring with students provides insights and is one of the most meaningful, on-the-spot forms of formative assessment.

Reflection: One of the most powerful parts of a Learning Lab is the reflection that follows — cracking open the thinking behind the planning & instructional moves. It’s that metacognition that helps others imagine the implications for their work going forward.

Reflection: Sometimes we write to make sense and/or solidify our thinking or reflections. If you’d like to read some of Barry’s reflections after this Learning Lab, check this out!

Learning Labs: Igniting Inquiry & Inspiring Change

I have this mantra—

good work produces good work

When my kids were babies, their pediatrician would say, “good sleep produces good sleep.” Across the years, it proved to be true. None of my kids ever slept well when they were overly tired. If they were well rested, they rested well. I think a similar concept applies in schools. When good work is happening—it’s contagious. Good work ignites inquiry. Good work produces more good work and, in turn, inspires change.

Recently, I had the pleasure of supporting a school district that also believes good work produces good work. They’ve worked hard to stick with things that create growth. I’m fortunate to be included in some of their exciting work. They believe, like I do, that our work in schools is complex and that change doesn’t happen overnight. In addition, they believe that collaboration makes a difference. Following are some highlights — told through reflections and images — from my recent work with Enumclaw School District.

Reflection #1: Asking important questions and co-constructing solutions yields high-leverage, action-oriented results.

Reflection #2: Co-planning [through learning progressions or units of study] is essential because thinking together helps us close the knowing-naming-doing gap.

Reflection #3: Having choice in how we plan [templates, charts, high/low tech options, post-it notes, etc.] puts teachers in the planning driver’s seat—which is where they need to be!

Access to templates forthcoming [Benchmark, 2020].

Reflection #4: Learning Lab experiences are capacity building structures that create short and long-term impacts.

Reflection #5: Time and space to work collaboratively is necessary if we want to ignite inquiry and inspire change.

Creating Entry Points #4: Try Using Short Texts to Spark Curiosity Using a Photo of the Week

We keep saying it because it’s true—short texts are everywhere! They are also often at our fingertips and can be consumed for free. If we want kiddos to read the world around them, we have to expand the types of texts that we ask them to read, inside and outside of school. Said another way—our kiddos deserve to read texts everyday that go beyond textbooks and test prep passages. In addition, kiddos deserve to spend their learning time doing things that boost their curiosity, creativity and ingenuity.

TRY THIS

1. Remind students that a short text is…short! Share some of your favorite examples with them. This can be a quick “short text hot read” share OR you can use a few short texts for shared reading.

2. Share this amazing photo of the week. Consider:

   • Giving students a chance to figure out the content of this photo. Instead of telling them it’s a picture of the sun’s surface, ask them to share some guesses with peers. You could say: This may look like kernels of corn, but it’s not. What is it?

   • Give students time to swap ideas.

   • Then, give students some information about the photo [share information included in the caption of the photo and/or from other information you find about the latest photos of the sun.].

   • If there’s time and interest, ask students to go on a hunt for other short texts about the sun that they could consume during independent reading time.

3. Give students time to find other photos of the day/week. There are lots of credible sources out there! Here are a few examples:

   • The Atlantic

   • National Geographic

   • NASA

   • The Guardian

   • NYT

4. Remember to give students time to share and talk about the photos they discover. This talk time increases motivation and engagement and leads to greater transfer of knowledge, skills and understandings.

SOME TIPS

• If you are an administrator or instructional coach, consider taking 5 minutes during a staff meeting or co-planning session and sharing a photo of the day/week. Teachers could:

  • View the photo of the week together and discuss their thinking in small groups.

  • Brainstorm ideas about ways photos/images could be used in the classroom to increase spark curiosity.

Creating Entry Points #3: Try Using Short Texts to Celebrate Green!

SHORT TEXTS: CELEBRATING GREEN!

Short texts are everywhere and are focused on lots of interesting topics.  Short texts are a great resource for:

• Read Aloud

• Shared Reading

• Small Group Learning Opportunities [pairs, trios, groups of 4-6]

• One-to-One Conferring

Short texts can be about serious topics.  They can be about interesting topics. Short texts can be about fun topics.  Sometimes, when we put a bunch of texts together in a SHORT TEXT SET, collectively they can fit all three -- serious, interesting, and fun. 

CURATE THIS!

Imagine creating an organizing feature such as a holiday, an author, or an event.  Then, do a little brainstorming about the different types of texts students could read in order to dig deeper into it.  For an example, let’s use the color GREEN as our organizing feature. Using GREEN as our vehicle, we could provide opportunities for students to read:

• All about the environment 

• Picture books that focus on green

• Leafy, green vegetables

• Green candy [think M & M’s and Skittles]

• Mike Wazowski [Monsters, Inc.]

The idea of green might sound generic or unimportant, but there are so many different paths you can take -- to pique students’ interests, learn about new ideas, and satisfy curiosities -- with texts related to the color green.  Here’s what I mean:

Click here for active links to purchase the books and refer to the websites provided in the chart above.

TRY THIS!

1. Select one of the short texts listed above OR curate your own GREEN text set.

2. Determine if you want to share the text through

   • Read Aloud

   • Shared Reading

   • Small Group Learning Opportunities [pairs, trios, groups of 4-6]

   • One-to-One

3. Enjoy reading the short text with students.

4. Give students time to talk about the short text. Consider spearheading the conversation with some of the questions listed in the chart above.

5. Ask students if they want to read more short texts focused on GREEN. If they do, decide who, what, when, where, and how you will design the learning opportunities.

6. Have fun! And, if you aren’t digging the color GREEN as an organizing feature…there’s always BLUE or PINK!

COMING SOON!

Elizabeth and I are excited for our book to hit the shelves in the months to come— Short Texts: Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward [Benchmark, 2020]!

Short Text + Note Catcher + Student Talk = Increased Engagement & Reading Volume

Short texts are everywhere—often within reach or quick glance. Think about all of the short texts that surround you each day such as:

• To Do List

• Take-out Menu

• Poem

• Magazine Article

• Signage at the Mall

• Pamphlet in a hotel lobby

• Ads on your web browser home page

• Instagram Posts

The list goes on and on. And, most short texts are packed full of meaning-making opportunities for readers of all ages. Elizabeth and I are excited to share lots of exciting ideas about ways to use short texts in our forthcoming book, Short Texts: Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward [Benchmark, 2020] which is filled with texts, templates, and planners which is sure to get you and your students jazzed up about reading [and maybe even creating] short texts of all types!

TRY THIS

1. Grab a short text that you think is interesting and that you think will pique your students’ interests.

2. Give students a copy of the Short Texts Note Catcher [see example below].

3. Read the descriptions under each shape and discuss with students.

   NOTE: If you believe more than 50% of your students will need support, choose a short text and a copy of the note catcher and create a shared reading experience. Display the short text and read it with students—making your thinking visible to them as you co-construct meaning and hold your thinking using the note catcher. This experience will give students an opportunity to try on a short text and this note catcher, providing support where needed and leading to greater success.

4. Group students in pairs, trios or groups of 4.

5. Give students 10-15 minutes to read and jot down their answers. Join small groups of students to provide support where needed.

6. Provide time for students to share their note catcher ideas with others.

EXTENDING THE LEARNING

• Grab other short texts and give students multiple opportunities to read, make meaning, jot down their thinking and share with others.

• Invite students to collect and share other short texts that could be used with this activity.

• Ask students if they have other shapes or question stems they might want to add to this note catcher. Invite students to create a Short Text Shape Note Catcher for others to try out.

INTERESTED IN OTHER NOTE CATCHERS?

Note Catchers can be used across settings and for many different purposes. The shape note catchers I blog about are inspired by ideas we developed in our book, What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers—Not the Book [Wright & Hoonan, 2018]. If you like shape note catchers, check out A Little Bit About…which can help you get to know students and their interests.

Creating Entry Points #2: Try Using a Short Text to Ignite Reading & Writing Volume

We say it all of the time….READ, READ, READ.. Read a lot, read often, and read different types of books. We book talk, share hot reads, and work diligently to fill our bookshelves with interesting, culturally responsive, relevant books. In addition, we model lifelong reading habits by sharing with students how we [their teachers] live literate lives by talking about the books we read and love and how reading continues to shape our thinking and perspectives. On a professional level, we talk about ending “book deserts” and increasing reading opportunities for students during school breaks. Everyone is working pretty hard.

Kids get it! They understand that we want them to read often, widely and deeply. Why, then, are so many kiddos without books in their hands regardless of our efforts? In our forthcoming book, Short Texts: Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward [Benchmark, 2020], Elizabeth and I talk about the beauty of getting short texts in readers’ hands to ignite reading volume, among other benefits. We can’t wait to share this book — filled with dozens of short texts and ideas — that will fuel teaching and learning opportunities across content areas.

Our hope—to inspire teachers and students alike—to be on the look-out for interesting, thought-provoking, fun texts that make kiddos want to read AND want to read more! Take a look at this short text.

1. What stands out to you?

2. Where do your eyes land and what do you want to read first?

Does it look familiar? When you were young, or maybe even today as an adult, was the back of a cereal box part of your morning eating routine? Did you ever have repeat readings across several days and see things you didn’t see the day before? Did reading something on the back of the box ever pique your curiosity and make you want to know more? Today, the back of cereal boxes often entertain, inspire creativity, inform. One of the biggest benefits is the invitation to re-read, read additional texts and write. In addition, they can open a door for further exploration. For example, the cereal box above:

Here is the point: Reading the back of a cereal box IS reading and counts as EYES ON PRINT which leads to increased reading volume. Since this type of short text is engaging, it might even motivate students to read more and initiate some writing experiences that they may otherwise have missed.

TRY THIS

1. Explain to students that a short text is…short. Share a few examples with them [picture book, poem, advertisement].

2. Share other examples of short texts [back of a cereal box, bag of pretzels, box of crackers, etc.].

3. Ask students to find a package at home that they can bring in to share with others.

4. In the next few days, create a bucket of “Package Short Texts”. When there are enough short texts to go around, have students share the package they brought from home with a small group [pairs or trios].

5. Give students 15-20 minutes to share their packages.

6. Gather students together. Model and share one of the packages that you find exciting. Think aloud for them about ways this short text entertained you, inspired creativity in you, informed you, and if you plan to read or write anything more because of this short text.

7. Ask students to work with their small group again and answer one [or more of the following] questions:

   • How did the package entertain you?

   • How did the package inspire creativity?

   • How did the package inform you?

   • Based on what you’ve read, is there anything related that you would like to explore further?

8. As students work, listen in [or kidwatch] so that you get a sense of students’ knowledge and understandings. if applicable, clear up any confusion.

9. If time permits, ask small groups to share out their findings with others.

SOME TIPS

• Invite students to bring in packages across several weeks to share with the class. If there’s time and interest, give students an opportunity to read and write from classmates’ packages too!

• If you are an administrator or instructional coach, consider asking colleagues to bring in packages to share during a staff meeting. They could:

  • Form a small group and talk to colleagues about their short text.

  • Brainstorm ideas about ways packages could be used in the classroom to increase reading and writing volume.

Creating Entry Points #1: Try Using a Photograph to Spark Curiosity & Interest

SOME BACKGROUND [SHARING MY ROOTS]

Many moons ago, I was a self-contained, intermediate teacher. I loved teaching, loved my kiddos, loved my colleagues and my school. From day-to-day, my students helped breathe life into the work I was doing. That was especially true when the work was extra hard—navigating school initiatives, trying to understand state and district mandates, making sense of curricula, and staying on top of the never-ending, to do list on my teacher clipboard.

Those days are vivid in my mind’s eye because it was the same time my firstborn, Sydney, showed her beautiful face to the world. I was a proud, new, working mom [missing my baby fiercely] which resulted in a daily quick share during Morning Meeting, referred by my students as “Sydney Story Time”. I shared stories about Sydney throwing Cheerios all over the floor, her refusal to keep baby socks on her feet, her babbles and first words, and descriptions of lost toys in our backseat. My kiddos learned a lot about Sydney, but they also learned a lot about me and the things that were important in my life.

In those days being digital was a 2 or 3 step process. Once a week, I added a picture to my narrative to add to the storytelling experience. My students would gather around our desktop computer to view the “Sydney Picture of the Week”. As I shared the play-by-play descriptions that accompanied the picture, my students would smile and laugh and ask questions and give advice. I knew I was onto something meaningful because if I was out of the classroom and missed Morning Meeting, my students expected 2 “Sydney Stories” upon my return. It was pure joy.

Each day during Reading and Writing Workshop, my students had 2 big chunks of work time where they were doing the work of READING [reading texts they chose] and doing the work of WRITING [writing a lot]. Among others, we had 2 goals that were consistent across every unit, every day. They were:

1. EYES ON PRINT, EYES ON PRINT, EYES ON PRINT to build reading volume.

2. PENCIL TO THE PAGE, PENCIL TO THE PAGE, PENCIL TO THE PAGE to build writing volume.

“Sydney Stories” often became entry points for my students’ reading and writing experiences. It was not unusual for a few details to show up in my students’ Writer’s Notebooks. Sometimes students recounted the events from Sydney’s point of view. Sometimes fictitious details were added. Other times, students would write a similar story, but change the main character or add a new ending with a twist. There were even times when a few students would launch some research and create things, based on something that was shared, which is how I acquired homemade, baby-safe, hanging toys in the backseat of my car.

SO WHAT? WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

Kids want to know their teachers. They want to know about our experiences, talents, fears, family happenings, and the adventures of our daily lives. It’s reciprocal because we want to know our students in the same way. As the years passed, I expanded my Morning Meeting share to include lots of things about me— interesting things about my extended family, my passions, and curiosities. My sharing often inspired students to want to to do the same, giving everyone ongoing opportunities to learn about and know one another.

EFFICIENT & EFFECTIVE PRACTICES STAND THE TEST OF TIME

Recently, our family got a new puppy. Oh my…. it’s like having a toddler in the house! Here’s Denver, our 16-week old Bernedoodle.

As an instructional coach who visits schools, I often need to create opportunities to learn about students and ways for students to get to know me. Earlier this week I was working with some amazing 4th graders. To launch our work, I shared Denver’s picture above along with these details:

• My family got a new puppy.

• He is 16 weeks old.

• His name is Denver and he is a Bernedoodle.

• He came from a breeder in Indiana.

• His mom had a litter of 7 puppies.

• When Denver runs across the yard, he sometimes does a little somersault because he’s in that clumsy puppy stage.

Students broke into small groups for about 7 minutes to discuss anything they were thinking about. The room was full of productive chatter. Some students talked about their own pets. Others listed wonderings they had about Denver. During Reading and Writing Workshop, students were given several choices. They were invited to read or write something that they were previously working on OR they could do some work in response to Denver’s picture. During a quick brainstorm, we generated this list together of some possibilities.

Denver’s photo sparked curiosity and interest, but the key was students’ choice and autonomy in what they did [or didn’t do] after my quick share. Some students talked more about their own experiences with puppies. Some students researched about Bernadoodles and other points of interest. Some created lists of questions while others wrote Denver adventure stories. Most importantly, some went about with their own reading and writing projects because that is how they chose to spend their time. These 4th graders are just getting started—I can’t wait to see where their literacy journey takes them!

TRY THIS: USE A PHOTOGRAPH TO SPARK CURIOSITY & INTEREST

1. Find a photo/image that is meaningful to you [family member, recent experience, something from nature, etc.]

2. Project the photo/image so that students can see it and share a few details about it.. Note: If time permits, give students time to talk about the photo/image and/or ask you questions about it.

3. Explain that during Reading and/or Writing Workshop, students will have time to read or write something related to the photo/image you shared OR they can read or write something they were previously working on.

4. As a whole group, brainstorm some possible reading and writing ideas.

5. Give students time to read and/or write.

6. At the end of Reading or Writing Workshop, give students an opportunity to share what they’ve been working on [whole group or small groups].

7. As students share, listen in and kidwatch so that you can use this data/intel to impact your focus for instruction in the days to come. CONSIDER: Ask students if they would like more time to read and write using the photo/image as inspiration OR if they have had enough time. If students would like more time, plan accordingly based on students’ interests/needs and your school/district curricular calendars.

SOME TIPS

• Invite students to bring in a photo/image to share with the class. If there’s time and interest, give students an opportunity to read and write from classmates’ photos too!

• If you are an administrator or instructional coach, consider asking colleagues to bring in a photograph to share during a staff meeting. They could:

  • Form a small group and talk to colleagues about their photo.

  • Do a quick write about their photo or any photo in the room.

  • Brainstorm ideas about ways photographs/images could be used in the classroom to bolster reading and writing volume.