School is in! Yes, it seems that the summer zoomed by and now we hear the pitter, patter, and echoing chatter of the children in the hallways. It's easy to get lost amidst the chaos of the back to school routine. So here are a few pointers to ease your way back into the school.

• Don't take on too much too soon. Plan ahead by logging in dates for meetings and upcoming events. Planning ahead helps you to not over-plan as well.
• Arrive on time to work and scheduled events. This will help you to not feel rushed and hurried, which can essentially alleviate a lot of stress.
• Make lesson planning fun and interesting by planning in places other than work. Take advantage of the final days of summer by planning in the park or have an alfresco dinning experience with a teacher friend to plan. Sometimes being in a different place and space can open up a world of possibility for creativity. 

Hopefully this advice is helpful to help you to ease back into the routine of school. Remember have a positive attitude because it gives you power over your circumstances! Welcome Back!!!

Summer Reading...More than a Kid Thing!

Summer is in full swing and hopefully as I pen this post most of you are reading or have plans to read throughout the summer. As educators, time off is cherished time to relax and not feel compelled to meet deadlines or due dates; yet, just like our students if we loose sight of our vision our focus will undoubtedly be clouded when our work resumes. In essence, if we don't "practice what we preach" we are not modeling great reading habits for our children and/or students. As you might have guessed, reading is one of my favorite past times so it's easy for me to be a cheerleader of consistent reading, but in reality I think we are all fans of reading because it is a life skill, but we don't want to be forced to read what others want us to. Inevitably, CHOICE is a huge motivating factor for everyone. Therefore, find interesting items that will keep you reading throughout the summer. After-all we can't promote what we don't do ourselves! :-)

Getting Ready for the Test!

We have reached that time of year again. It's the time of year that students are urged to demonstrate how much they have learned within the school year on 1 high stakes test! Undoubtedly, it can be a stressful time for both students and teachers. Certainly 1 test cannot illustrate how much progress your students have accomplished the entire school year. Yet; as we approach this inevitable time of year, knowing that high stakes testing will probably be around for a while, we have to ask ourselves, how can we prepare our students and hinder some of the anxiety that comes along with testing? We must remember: "Our anxiety comes from wanting to control what the future holds. Preparation begins at the beginning of the school year. Teaching students the critical skills that they need to conquer both the test and the anxieties that may come along with it begins long before time for the TEST. Certainly we are not in control of the future, but starting with the "end in mind" leads us to prepare for how we would like to end our school year! Consider sharing the following test taking advice to help your students SCORE on the TEST!

Successful test taking avoids carelessness. Remember you are demonstrating your ability to understand course material or perform certain tasks. Analyze your previous tests and tasks that have been provided by your teachers. Take into to account that each test prepares you for the next.

Consider things that you need beforehand to avoid panic when preparing for tests or the task at hand. This avoids anxiety and stress. Keep a good attitude and remind yourself that you will do your best.

Orient yourself with the objectives of the test to eliminate obvious incorrect answers.

Read and Review if you have time. Resist the urge to rush to complete your exams. Check to make sure that you have answered all the questions, and have not made any errors or mis-marked any questions.

Examine your tests and make sure you have evaluated it in its entirety before completion and essentially all of your efforts will be rewarded!

Hopefully, your students will SCORE successfully if they consider all of the following steps!

Dig Deeper when Reading and Responding to Text

Helping students to think deeper about what they are reading can be a laborious task when students lack the necessary tools needed to share their thinking. By incorporating the use of thinking stems, students will have the tools to dig deeper and really ponder the books they are reading as well as give thorough written responses about their connections while reading. Encouraging the use of thinking stems can boost your students' use of reading skills and strategies such as visualizing, inferring, questioning, and synthesizing, among many others. As students continue to use thinking stems, they will gradually become critical thinkers, readers, and writers! Try using these thinking stems and maybe even creating a thinking stems rubric to assess their path to becoming thoughtful readers! 

Resolve to Read!

Each new year brings on new promises and new commitments. Many of those promises feel forced and contrived to join the said "band-wagon" and make resolutions. Yet, how many of those resolutions involve reading? If you really ponder that notion, you will come to the conclusion that most if not all involve reading. So...why not just Resolve to Read even more in 2016?

The average person reads an estimate of 1000 words a day. We encounter words in a variety of modes on a daily basis. From text on television to the text messages we send and receive on our phones, everyday we encounter words. In fact, we are constantly striving to become a literate nation; consequently, we lack a literate focus. Resolving to Read in 2016 with a literate focus can actually enable you to address many of the resolutions that you may have possibly set forth for the New Year. In order to truly accomplish the goals that you have established, work hard to grasp a greater understanding of the goal by learning as much information that you can about it. In essence, start with the end in mind and allow your reading life to provide you with the necessary steps to accomplish your goals!

Keep Kids Reading during Winter Break

Winter break is upon us! The break allows both teachers and students to renew their spirits and summon the tenacity that will surely be needed to complete the school year. Yet, during the academic down time, it is important to help our students maintain their motivation to read. Consequently, we ask: How do we keep kids reading during winter break when a book is in competition with their favorite toy? Here are a few ideas that could possibly spark their interest and put some fire in their engines during the down time.

• First and foremost, send a book home! What better gift to give than the one that keeps on giving...a book! 
• Encourage students to write a book review that they can bring to school upon their return to share with the class. (Book Review Link (online) or Written format based on an anchor chart)
• Use the book reviews to spark Book Talks! Easing back into the swing of things post winter break can be a challenging task to say the least, so why not plan to have book talks using the students' book reviews. Undoubtedly, the students will be engaged because they have a buy-in.
• Spark a friendly competition with a neighboring class! Challenge the students to read at least 3 or more books over winter break. The given number may sound minimal; however, give them a goal that won't seem too unattainable then they will hopefully strive to surpass it.  Also, remember 3x18 (average number of students in a class) will mean that your class can possibly read 45 books over the break!
• Encourage your students to learn more about 1 topic that they may have interest in. Have them to list the new facts in a fun way. Certainly they will have to read via internet or a book to gather the information. 

Try one or more these helpful tips to help keep your students motivated to read and progressing toward their reading goals during the winter break.