Schoolwide Blog

How can celebrating Thanksgiving in class benefit ELL students?

In my area, major school districts restrict class parties to three per year. Most of the classroom teachers I know feel that the “winter” party and the “end of the year” party are essential. That leaves one other American holiday available for celebration. Which one will it be? Halloween, Valentine’s Day or Thanksgiving? In some schools, Halloween is a favorite. After all, costumes are fun. Other places, the pleasure of candy and brightly colored envelopes makes Valentine’s Day the winner. Regardless, Thanksgiving is often the loser. And with the pressure of teaching all the curriculum needed for the spring standardized tests, Thanksgiving may not be mentioned in the classroom at all. More...

What are you doing for constitution day Sept 17th?

Public Law 108-477, enacted in 2005, requires public schools to provide an educational program on the U.S. Constitution on September 17, Constitution Day. It’s a great idea. All students need a healthy civics background, and celebrating the day our founding fathers signed the document which created our unique American democracy can make meaningful and memorable impressions. But September 17th comes in the first month of school. Most classroom teachers are still busy establishing the routines and rhythms of a new school year. Where can you find the time to prepare a Constitution Day lesson? More...

Teach Students to ASK

 

 

 

At the end of story time, just before we check out library books, my kindergartners and first graders clap their hands and sing with me.  . (song available on www.jacquelinejules.com)

It’s a ditty I made up with the expressed purpose of creating an ear worm—a repetitive phrase to loop in my kids’ heads and share with their parents. Many of the students I teach come from low-income families. Reading at bedtime may be something the adults in their lives haven’t even considered, with all the demands of making a living wage. More...

What do ESL students lose due to testing pressures?

Can You Tell Me Your Last Name?

Marisol, a child from South America, who speaks English quite well, knows the difference between deciduous and evergreen trees. Sheknows that the Sioux hunted buffalo and made use of every part of the animal’s body. Her second grade teacher has done an excellent job of making sure her class knows the required curriculum. But when Marisol’s library card is misplaced, we have a crisis. Marisol, who is about to be promoted to third grade, cannot tell us her last name.

 

 

“Can you spell the first three letters?” I ask gently. More...

JACQUELINE JULES –Great Conversations, Shared Memories

Some of the best conversations I had with my sons when they were growing up were related to bedtime read alouds. My favorite one happened one morning when my oldest son (then 8) was complaining, toothbrush in hand, about having to get up and get ready for school. My youngest (then 5) answered importantly, “If you don’t go to school, you won’t learn to read. You’ll be like Peter!” I grinned at my five-year-old in giddy delight. We had been snuggling on the bed, just the three of us, reading a chapter of Johanna Spyri’s Heidi every evening. My youngest child had obviously made a connection to the character of Peter and how his inability to read was a problem. Over the years, the three of us had many conversations about characters in books. They were often the point of reference for understanding something new or working out a family problem. When you read with a child, you create a shared experience that you both can refer to later. These conservations can be private jokes, such as, “Are you pretending to be Joey Pigza?” (Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos). Or they can be sources of comfort, “I can be as brave as Irene.”(Brave Irene by William Steig). And whenever they happen, they will create memories as cuddly as the minutes you spent reading together side by side.  

Jacqueline Jules—author, poet, librarian
www.jacquelinejules.com

 

JACQUELINE JULES: How Often Do You Need Reading? Try Counting the Ways!

At least once a year, I have a discussion with my elementary library classes about the need for reading. I begin by asking them if they want to grow up, have their own homes, and take care of themselves. Without fail, every hand goes up. Then, we make a list of all the grown-up activities that require reading: shopping, following road signs (and therefore driving), paying bills, finding a house or apartment, following directions for medicine, following a recipe, using the computer, etc.  After that, I ask the students to add the times they need reading in everyday and More...

JACQUELINE JULES: What Hooked You to Reading?

Think back to your childhood. What got you hooked on reading? For me, it was hearing my teacher read aloud "Mr. Popper's Penguins" by Richard and Florence Atwater.  While I don't remember the teacher's name, I remember her toothy smile and the way the whole class laughed at the humorous parts. From that time on, I was convinced that reading was fun, and I became the voracious reader I am today.

Dr. Bill Brozo, author of "To Be a Boy, To Be a Reader" calls the experience which turns an emergent reader into a fluent reader an entry point. When he speaks to librarians and teachers, he encourages them to recall their entry points as readers. Was it a series like Nancy Drew, a classic like The Secret Garden, or an obscure title you felt was written just for you? Was it a book that an adult recommended or read aloud to you? As teachers and parents, we can help young readers find that special book which puts all the pieces of the reading puzzle together for them. Share books you love with the children in your life.

Jacqueline Jules--author, poet, librarian
www.jacquelinejules.com
 

 

JACQUELINE JULES: Read Aloud. It's Good For You.

One evening, a few years ago, I rode the Washington, DC Metro back from an evening meeting with a friend. During the ride, we chatted about my job as a school librarian and how I read stories aloud to my classes. Suddenly, a young man inhis middle twenties, turned around in his seat to join our conversation.

"You're a teacher?” he asked. “I want to tell you a story."

What kind of story did this young man have to tell me? He was dressed in a warm green parka, with a backpack on his lap. His face was pleasantly round and his hair was in corn rows with beads on the ends.

"When I was in elementary school," he began, "I didn't want to learn to read. But then my third grade teacher read the C.S. Lewis book The Lion, theWitch, and the Wardrobe out loud to the class. She made that book come alive for us with her voice. We wouldn't be quiet for anything -- except when she read to us.

"She made that book come alive!" he repeated. "I'll never forget it. After that, I wanted to learn to read. I became a good reader, too," he smiled broadly.

Never underestimate the power of a read aloud. Never underestimate your power to change a child's life by reading aloud.

Jacqueline Jules—author, poet, librarian

www.jacquelinejules.com