I wanted to have a post dedicated to blogs that I am currently reading. The great thing about blogs is that they are constantly updated and you can always read more from your favorite author without waiting months or years for their next work to be published. So, without further ado, here are some blogs I would recommend you add to your feed.
The Minimalists
The Minimalists is a blog and website developed by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus. Josh and Ryan are minimalists, people who live with very little in exchange for experiencing more. While I am nowhere near as drastic as these two, their blog offers advice on how to live a life of purpose, specifically a purpose of experiencing more and living with less. This blog is an inspiration to me, and having followed some of their advice, I am beginning to appreciate living more with less.
Forever A First Grader
Megan is a first grade teacher whose classroom is Pinterest worthy! Her blog details things she does in her own classroom, each one as engaging and creative as the next. As a fifth grade (soon to be sixth grade) teacher, I love looking at blogs from teachers of younger grades to get inspiration for more creative and fun activities. For instance, Megan's post on the Saint Patrick's Day Leprechaun showed how she turned a holiday into a creative and engaging classroom experience to remember. A must read for any teacher looking for inspiration in their own classrooms, no matter the grade!
Live From Grade Five
Angela is also a fifth grade teacher and her blog definitely is the definition of teacher goals. She shares her hand-on activities, lessons, and fun themed activities she does in her own classroom. We also share a lot in common, including teaching fifth grade, being first-year teachers, and struggling with the pressure of standardized testing. Her posts are honest and insightful as she details the real problems she faces in her job, as well as the successes. It is nice to see what other professionals are able to accomplish with the same challenges I face.
Something Navy
Meet Arielle: a New York City fashion icon, new mother, and serious #GIRLBOSS. Her fashion blog houses so much outfit inspiration! She has a classic style although she is not afraid to take risks and rock trends. Although much of her clothing is out of my price range, she offers cheaper alternatives that can create the same look. Also, her shoe closet is to die for! For a daily dose of trendsetting style to satiate your inner fashionista, give Something Navy a look.
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Sunday, March 19, 2017
Classroom Management Strategies - Robin Fredericks
This book is really near and dear to my heart because it was written by my mentor teacher. She is an amazing veteran teacher who really has her classroom management as perfect as classroom management can be. Having witnessed her teach not only in her own classroom but mine as well, I can say that this woman knows her stuff! So, this manual is a great reference for how to deal with those noncompliant students and really master your classroom management.
The book is really unique in that it offers a lot of interactive questioning and responses, as well as a reflection page after each section to answer the question "How am I feeling?" The first half of the book goes through an introduction and an overview of classroom management, including what to do and what to stop. It also establishes a difference between discipline and punishment, an important concept to understand in order to hone your classroom management skills. The first half of the book really lets the reader reflect on their classroom management strategies that are already in place and how to improve them overall.
The second half of the book focuses on five case studies. Each case study follows a hypothetical student who displays a certain kind of noncompliant behavior: from the quiet students who refuse to work to the loud students seeking negative attention. Each case study goes through specific strategies and advice on how to manage each of these kinds of students. Of course, there is no one size fits all to managing noncompliant students, but these case studies provide an in-depth look at what can be successful in dealing with these different kinds of noncompliant students.
Overall, this book was a great read for me personally, being it is my first year teaching. However, I believe this book would be great even for a veteran teacher to look at their own classroom management, reflect on their practices, and see if there is any room for growth. My personal philosophy is that there is always room for improvement, so this book will be on my teaching bookshelf for years to come!
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Small Great Things - Jodi Picoult
Is it just me or am I the only person who has not read a novel by Jodi Picoult? She was never an author I gravitated towards, even though I am familiar with some of her more famous novels such as My Sister's Keeper and The Circle. She always seemed like an author that women my mother's age read and did not appeal to me in the slightest. So, when I received Small Great Things as a Christmas gift from my secret santa, I had a mix of feelings. Is this a novel that is popular based simply on the author, or is this a book worth reading by a well known author? The only way to know for sure was to read it for myself.
Boy, was my secret santa a great gift giver! This novel is insightful, emotional, and deals with an extremely important issue in today's society: racism. The story begins from Ruth's perspective, an African American labor and delivery nurse and single mother. When she comes into work one shift to find out her new patients are white supremacists, things start to take a turn. She is refused from caring for the patients' newborn son and when a crisis occurs, Ruth is left on the wrong side of the situation. What is so captivating about Picoult's writing is that she writes from multiple perspectives, and while they are all different, the reader can begin to somewhat sympathize with each despite their imperfections.
Jodi Picoult did not disappoint and proved her worth as an author who deserves the acclaim she receives. I no longer categorize her as an author for women my mother's age. She is an author for anyone who wants to read a brilliantly developed plot from the many realistic character perspectives dealing with relevant thoughtful issues.
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher
Now I know the title of this blog is "Currently Reading", but this is a book I have yet to read. Why would I be writing about a book I haven't even read yet? Because this book is the next book on my 'to read' bookshelf. This is not a new book, first published in 2007, but has recently become popular again due to the Netflix series based off of it.
Although I am almost always a proponent for reading the book before seeing the movie or television show, I decided to be unorthodox and watch the series before reading the book. The show was just like every other Netflix release, binge-able. I watched the entire thirteen episodes in a matter of three days, and although I should be embarrassed by this mass consumption of television, I am not based purely on the quality of this series. The show follows Clay Jensen, a junior in high school, where a girl, Hannah Baker, has recently committed suicide. After her death, Clay receives a set of thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah, detailing the thirteen reasons why she ended her life. The show then follows Clay and several other characters through the following weeks as Hannah's life and death are relived.
The story deals with several heavy issues, including bullying, sexual assault, and suicide. The show does this without shying away from the darkness, but instead it brings awareness to the audience about the seriousness of these situations. At times it was difficult to watch, but it was eye-opening to understand what some teenagers and young adults go through in our society. It seems with the integration of technology that these issues are escalating, and some adults may not be privy to the amount of stress and harm young adults experience online and in school.
If the book is anything like the Netflix series, it will be a page turner. I am excited to read the novel and relive the emotional rollercoaster as Hannah unveils her thirteen reasons why.
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