reading

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READ in the New Year!

IMG_06722013…time to READ in the new year at LME!  All students and staff members spent at least 2013 seconds today (that’s exactly 33 minutes and 55 seconds) READing in the new year during our annual event.  Dressed in cphotoomfy clothes accompanied by pillows, blankies, animal friends, and other cushy items, everyone stopped in the midst of their busy daily schedule and indulged in some old-fashioned reading time.  No tests…no comprehension questions…no reader-responses…just READing!

Sometimes, the greatest things learned are the simplest things to complete.  Here’s hoping 2013 brings simply outstanding opportunities for all of us to READ throughout the year!  🙂

Note:  Speaking of READing in the new year, we are looking forward to our author visit next week with Mr. Lucas Miller on Thursday, January 17th! 

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School Spirit and Pride!

It’s been the BEST first week of school ever at LME!  Talking with learners, classroom leaders, parents, community members, volunteers, and others, I hear the same compliment.  While I wish I could take credit for this, it’s the learning community at large, our entire Team Miller, who ensure we get everything moving in the BEST direction as we begin a new school year.

Several of our students (and staff members) participated early this morning in the Panther Pep Rally on WFAA’s Daybreak Show from 5:00-7:00 a.m.  I just checked; some of us are gonna need a little nap before the first big game starts tonight.  Thanks for “blue-ing out” the arena so early with your enthusiasm!

We celebrated the end of our first week with a special Miller Team Huddle talking about Random Acts of Kindness as the fifth in our Miller Essential 5 this year.  I shared a couple of personal stories involving situations where I experienced the kindness of another and then how I made the choice to pay it forward later.  Ms. Daniell talked about our Miller KC Club and Mrs. Stanley shared about Rachel’s Challenge—both initiatives are near and dear to our Miller hearts (more coming about these later).  We also awarded our first Miller All-Stars for the year and hope to appoint our first MVP in the coming weeks as well.

Several of the MHS Varsity Panther football players then joined us for Friday Story Time.  Even after an early morning full of activity for these young men, they joined us with great smiles and enthusiasm while sharing stories with our youngest readers.  Here is Mrs. Samek (3rd grade teacher) with some of the guys before they left (she knows the one to her left the best since he’s her son, Cody).  We greatly appreciate the outstanding academic example they set for our learners and the valuable time they give to us (even on important game days!).

As I was humorously reminded yesterday by a dear mentor of mine, “you’re birthing a new school year, so take time this weekend to rest from your labors.”  Here’s hoping everyone takes time for rest and reflection; enJOY this long weekend!  🙂

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A 21st Century Story Time…

My office phone rings in a rare moment when I’m actually at my desk approving purchases for classroom materials.  The teacher says, “Mrs. Van, I have some amazing readers to send your way!  Do you have a few minutes to visit with them?”  Of course, I’m beyond excited to divert my attention to this important venture and wait by my door to see who’s coming.  Imagine my surprise when a group of learners appear with…wait for it…not “real” books, but their e-readers to share with me!  We begin a lovely conversation about the stories they are sharing, asking and answering questions, sharing illustrations, and talking in general about their work.  One child in particular summed it up this way:

Child:  “I’m a better reader now because of technology!”

Me:  “How come?”

Child:  “While I like ‘real’ books, my e-reader makes me smarter.”

Me:  “How does the e-reader make you smarter?”

Child:  “It gets bigger and smaller, has many chapters, and I can carry lots of books at once in my backpack!  Also, I think you need to tell your boss everyone needs one of these in school.”  (Please consider yourself on notice, Dr. Stewart!)  🙂

Story time definitely looks differently in the 21st century.  While I adore technology and engaging our learners in the latest equipment (because they always teach it to me), I still enJOY picking up a “real” book to share with learners.  Whether your family uses e-readers or “real” books, thanks for spending quality time building strong lifelong readers, writers, and all-around successful learners by talking and reading together!  Happy reading, LME!

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There was definitely some BEACH BLANKET reading going on around Miller today!  With Beach Boys music coming from one hallway while others were outside enJOYing the warmer temperatures, learners and leaders embraced the opportunity to read, read, read!  EnJOY this short display of several photo ops!  Happy Reading!  🙂

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Thank you, Mr. Falker!

I had the privilege this morning of being a mystery reader to a group of learners who specifically requested a favorite story of mine, Thank You, Mr. Falker, by Patricia Polacco (she’s one of my personal favorites).  Knowing they would want a little background about the writing of this story, I did my homework and learned some amazing things.  It turns out, Ms. Polacco experienced her own struggle with reading and this particular story honors the teacher who took special time to offer help.  With her dyslexic, dysnumeric, and dysgraphic tendencies, she required special reading assistance.  Mr. Falker, her teacher and “hero,” was the one who made it “available in those days.”  She notes: ” To this day, I remember the first day that words on a page had meaning to me…Mr. Falker had reached into the most lonely darkness and pulled me into bright sunlight and sat me on a shooting star.  I shall never forget him…”  She talks about how this personal academic struggle destroyed her self-confidence while she was being teased by a bully, feeling dumb and so sad to “be different than the others.”  Her teacher was the one who rescued her; what a powerful testament!  Believe me, the conversations and the emotions raised during our story time made for interesting observations!  I walked away wiping tears and feeling more confident in these little learners becoming champions for others!  🙂

As we celebrate National Children’s Book Week, I challenge each of you to take a moment and share a favorite story with your child.  Revisit and reflect on your own challenges growing up and share these with your learner.  Be an active listener because your child has much to tell you!  Here’s hoping we all celebrate a teacher who becomes a “hero” to your child just like Ms. Polacco did with hers…thank you, Mr. Falker!  🙂