Posts In Category Pastimes
World Book Night 2012
on May 14, 2012 by Laura in Reading and Readings, Underachievers, Comments (0)
2012 marks the entry of the United States into the World Book Night giveaway. On April 23rd, books were given away around the world to encourage literacy.
Publishers from around the world donated bestsellers. Suppliers provided the givers with the books. Givers passed out books to passersby and strangers.
Up the Down Staircase
on April 1, 2012 by Laura in Pastimes, Reading and Readings, Comments (0)
After looking for this title for years, I finally understand what the title means: Up the Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman. This is my review written for Goodreads.
I have found a book to add to my collection of inspiration-to-stay-a-teacher-media; I found it just in time.
Even though the book was originally published five years before I was born, teaching really hasn’t changed that much. No surprise. Students haven’t changed either.
I recognize entirely too much of the jargon. I recognize entirely too many of the statistics. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
I also recognize the lesson she learned that I have to relearn: the students know when the teacher cares. The students are starving for love and affection. For too many of the students, they have no source available. They need to know someone cares.
As a teacher, it’s safer and easier not to care. The students are only going to break our hearts and disappoint us, we tell ourselves. Isn’t that the risk we decided to take when we entered the profession?
I’m glad I bought the book. I’m glad I got the book with library binding. I have the feeling I’ll be reading this teaching classic often.
Lines from “Miracle’s Boys” which Gave us Pause
on March 2, 2012 by Laura in Anecdotes, Reading and Readings, Underachievers, Comments (0)
- “Damn,” he whispered. page 106
- “You don’t give a damn about anybody but yourself, do you?” page 104
- “What the hell were you doing in it?” page 104
- “What the hell happened?” page 102
Oddly enough, the 6th grade class didn’t have any issues because, as one student put it, “We know what’s going on, you know?” The 8th grade class, though, was reluctant to read these lines aloud in class.
World Book Night
on February 7, 2012 by Laura in Reading and Readings, Comments (0)
Dear World Book Night book giver,
Yes, you read that right: World Book Night book giver! Has a nice ring to it, yes? And you’re one of them, or will be on April 23! Thank you!!!!!!!
I don’t know yet which books I’ll be giving away. I selected three books which appear appropriate for middle school students. Here are the possibilities.
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
- Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
- Friday Night Lights by HG Bessinger
- Kindred by Octavia Butler
- Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
- Little Bee by Chris Cleave
- Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- Blood Work by Michael Connelly
- The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao – Junot Diaz
- Because of Winn Dixie – Kate Dicamillo
- Zeitown – Dave Eggers
- Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
- A Reliable Wife – Robert Goolrich
- Q is for Quarry by Sue Grafton
- Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
- A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
- The Stand by Stephen King
- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
- The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
- The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
- The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
- Bel Canto by Ann Pratchett
- My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Piccoult
- Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
- Lovely Bones by Alice Seebold
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
- Just Kids by Patti Smith
- The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
- The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
The red books are the ones I’m most interested in. The blue books are those I’d like to read myself.
Hooked on Reading!
on January 10, 2012 by Laura in Reading and Readings, Underachievers, Comments (0)
“My mom read it. It’s the only book I ever saw her read. It made her cry. My brother, he’s in jail, you know. She said it’s just like him. She loved it and told me to read it.”
It was Monster by Walter Dean Myers. It had disappeared from my bookcase over winter break. I’d already made plans to replace it, with a hardbound copy, should it disappear permanently from the shelves. Only a year old, the two classroom copies are wearing out. But it came back in triumph.
“I finished it, Miss! It’s the first big book [281 pages] I ever finished.”
“Want another one?” I asked. I handed him Forged by Fire by Sharon Draper.
“Is it as good?”
“Just read the first page. It’s on audiobook if you need it.”
He read the first page silently.
He looked up. “Do you have another copy? Someone else is already reading this one.” He pointed at the bookmark which indicates a prior claim.
Another reluctant reader is hooked on reading.
