tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57025501333942372192024-02-19T03:27:03.482-08:00Taylor-Made Teachingmandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-64991355251368555142018-06-30T05:57:00.003-07:002018-06-30T05:59:41.975-07:00An Invitation...<div style="text-align: center;">
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If you are a dreamer, come in</div>
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If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,</div>
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A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...</div>
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If you're a pretender, come sit by the fire</div>
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For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.</div>
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Come in!</div>
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Come in! </div>
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by Shel Silverstein</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The <a href="https://www.nwp.org/" target="_blank">Writing Project</a> experience is one I look forward to every year. This institute is always a huge blessing to me an an educator. A coming home after a school year filled with plans, goals, and commitments. For me, the <a href="http://www.education.txstate.edu/ci/ctwp/" target="_blank">Central Texas Writing Project</a> is:</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And ending and a beginning</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A finish and a start</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An accomplishment and a goal</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s graphite and eraser</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s student and teacher</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s sense of urgency and laid back</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s the reason and the outcome</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The hope and the promise</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The day before our last day together, we went as a group to watch the documentary about <a href="http://focusfeatures.com/wont-you-be-my-neighbor/" target="_blank">Mr. Roger’s</a> career and the mark he left on the children’s programming industry. We were reminded of the icon’s passions for communication, reverence for children, inclusivity, and kindness. The Mr. Rogers movie ended the way the writing project began: with an invitation.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An invitation to notice</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An invitation to wonder</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An invitation to question</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And what we are now extending you you...An invitation to write.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teacher writers,</span></div>
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<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Angel</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Veronica</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Julie</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Brittany</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Megan</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Zach</span></span></li>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">at the beginning of this institute, you weren’t comfortable with the title, “writer,” but you have engaged in a writing battle. You have been vulnerable, exposed, and validated for the ideas you have and how you will implement them in your classrooms. You will now (as Mem Fox says) have empathy for the comrades in your classrooms who must learn to fight this writing battle for themselves. May your summer be filled with rest and relaxation, with time to reflect on what you want to cling to tightly and practices you are willing to let go.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am so proud to have been with you on this journey and I look forward to hearing stories of how you are changing the world. </span></div>
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mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-25755225420370928352018-03-13T14:43:00.000-07:002018-03-13T16:08:04.865-07:00Just an Elementary Teacher...<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">A friend of mine recently attended an informational meeting about enrolling her son in dual credit classes. During the course of the presentation, the college representative said something along the lines of, </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">What we don't want is for some of these really bright</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>STEM kids to end up just </i><i>as elementary school teachers.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wow. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Quite the slap in the face of the audience members who were, in fact, elementary school teachers. I could tell that even recounting the story to me left my educator friend feeling a little dazed and confused, even though she was trying to laugh it off. As someone who has devoted my entire adult life to elementary school children, and more recently to elementary school teachers, I have not been able to get it out of my mind. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have been a teacher since I was 21 years old, and have always been enamored with the work, even though it hasn't exactly been monetarily advantageous for my family. I have written on this blog countless times about the juxtaposition of <a href="http://taylormadeteaching.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-space-between-dave-matthews-and.html" target="_blank">love and hate</a>, strength and weakness, the <a href="http://taylormadeteaching.blogspot.com/2015/09/all-i-really-need-to-know-i-learned.html" target="_blank">hilarity</a> and despair that this work often exposes. I love the technicality of the work we get to do each day. I'm fascinated with miscue analysis, constructivist learning theory, and how technology can be leveraged to connect students with a broader audience for their complex voices. What I do not love is how the system continually puts elementary teachers in a box, speaks about us as though we are less-than, and perpetuates the myth that since we can't, that we teach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Possibly even more problematic about the entire exchange for me is that my son is a "really bright STEM kid," who wants to be a teacher. My 14 year-old was in a STEM program for 4th and 5th grade and has continued to pursue classes that will help him achieve a STEM endorsement from his future high school. He is fascinated with science and math, with engineering and process, and all he wants to be when he grows up is a teacher. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">As a, "teacher kid," he has grown up with a lens for education that often leaves him questioning some of his school experiences. He has a great BS detector when it comes to assignments and activities. While I have always required he stay respectful, I have encouraged him to question, wonder, and maintain an open dialogue about education and how it may constantly be improved. His STEM background and his desire for an engaged learning environment are the very things that would make him a wonderful teacher, and it's definitely not something I would ever discourage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/latoyadixon5" target="_blank">Dr. Latoya Dixon</a>, in her new book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Burned-Out-Beaten-Fighting-Back-ebook/dp/B079KQDY46/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520977095&sr=8-1&keywords=burned+out+beaten+up+fighting+back" target="_blank">Burned Out, Beaten Up, Fighting Back</a>,</i> says, "I<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;">t’s time to give the profession the respect it deserves and reshape the narrative on public education." I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Dixon for the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/storiesinedus-podcast/id1312310376?mt=2" target="_blank">#StoriesinEdu</a> podcast that I co-host with <a href="https://twitter.com/mrgfactoftheday" target="_blank">Josh Gauthier</a>. It was a fascinating discussion, and this recent exchange highlighted that we still have so very far to go in earning the respect (even within our own profession) of our society. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Several years ago, I watched this video from Taylor Mali entitled, "What Do Teachers Make?" What I know for sure is that even though what I make does not equate with what I do, that the difference elementary teachers (and all teachers) make in the lives of our students can never be measured, and that is worth more to me than you will ever know.</span></div>
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<br />mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-78599101418367500732018-01-20T07:05:00.000-08:002018-01-20T07:05:20.960-08:00#StoriesinEduFor several years, I have enjoyed listening to podcasts. I actually began by listening to the <i><a href="https://serialpodcast.org/" target="_blank">Serial</a></i> podcast, from the creators of <i><a href="https://www.thisamericanlife.org/" target="_blank">This American Life</a></i>. I was drawn in by the voices, the engaging storyline, and the humanity in the voices that would play through my earbuds. I then briefly dabbled in <i><a href="http://getmortified.com/podcast/" target="_blank">Mortified</a></i>, based on the recommendation of my friend, <a href="https://twitter.com/CHESroomE5" target="_blank">Kate Wood</a>. This podcast introduces you to someone new each show who recounts a most embarrassing moment, usually from their teens or twenties. Isn't that when the very most mortifying things seem to happen to us?! Again, what makes this podcast intriguing is not just the storytelling, but also getting to hear the stories from real voices, with laughter, groans, hesitant pauses and the humanity that is presented throughout the show.<br />
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It seems like everyone is jumping on the podcast trend, and as much as I like words and stories, it seemed natural to <i>want</i> to try something like that myself. I'm working on a book, but that can seem so daunting and overwhelming. The episode structure of a podcast lends itself to succinct storytelling and can be a welcome friend on a drive to work, a walk around the neighborhood, or just background as one gets ready for work.<br />
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After several Google Hangouts and Twitter DMs, my friends <a href="https://twitter.com/jbretzmann" target="_blank">Jason Bretzmann</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/kennybosch" target="_blank">Kenny Bosch</a> of <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23personalizedPD&src=typd" target="_blank">#personalizedPD</a> fame encouraged <a href="https://twitter.com/mrgfactoftheday" target="_blank">Josh Gauthier</a> and I to give it a try. They take care of the technical stuff and I get to jump in on conversations with the most fascinating educators and hear their stories. It's not particularly glossy or famous, these educators are from rural and urban districts, work with elementary, middle, and high school students, coach teachers toward technology integration and the pursuit of personalized goals, and are one of the reasons that I wake up motivated each day. The <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/storiesinedus-podcast/id1312310376?mt=2" target="_blank">#StoriesinEdu</a> podcast gives me the beautiful opportunity to turn up the volume on the voices in education that we <i>should</i> be listening to, the voices of the people with feet on the ground doing the work.<br />
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As an instructional coach, my role has changed and that shift hasn't always been easy. In the classroom, I always knew my impact, and even when I felt under-celebrated, I had kids that would validate the importance of the work I was doing. I had love notes, trinkets and treasures, missing-teeth smiles, and lots and lots of hugs. As my role has changed, so to has my mission; I want teachers to feel empowered and celebrated, to be reflective and flexible, and to own the importance of their own impact. The <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/storiesinedus-podcast/id1312310376?mt=2" target="_blank">#StoriesinEdu</a> podcast has given me the opportunity to broaden that mission, to expand it outside of the work I do in my own district, and to amplify the stories in education.<br />
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If you have a story to tell, reach out to <a href="https://twitter.com/mrgfactoftheday" target="_blank">Josh</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/mandymtaylor" target="_blank">myself</a>. We'd love to hear from you!<br />
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<u>Some other podcasts to check out:</u><br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-a-lessons-empowering-educators-podcast/id1006433135?mt=2" target="_blank">Always a Lesson</a> podcast with Gretchen Bridgers<br />
<a href="https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/pod/" target="_blank">Cult of Pedagogy</a> podcast with Jennifer Gonzales<br />
<a href="http://getmortified.com/podcast/" target="_blank">Mortified</a><br />
<a href="https://serialpodcast.org/" target="_blank">Serial</a><br />
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<br />mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-45421825107109016832017-08-02T18:27:00.000-07:002017-08-02T18:27:03.620-07:00Put Me In, Coach!The beginning of the school year is still a little strange since I <a href="https://taylormadeteaching.blogspot.com/2015/06/who-am-i-if-not-teacher-this-is-first.html" target="_blank">left the classroom</a> to be an instructional coach. I do have an office I get to decorate, but there is still a small twinge of sadness when I see teachers getting their classrooms ready for a new group of kiddos. Ultimately, I think that's a good thing- it means that I still care deeply about children, relationships, and learning. As I begin my third school year as an IC, I have a better understanding of how these feelings affect me and I thought it may be helpful to offer a quick-start guide for new coaches.<br />
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<a href="https://memegenerator.net/instance/67813231/everywhere-acrostic-poems-acrostic-poems-everywhere" target="_blank">image credit</a></div>
Since acrostics are the only unflinching truth in education, I offer one for those of us that will be supporting teachers, encouraging growth in children and adults, and maybe even feeling a little overwhelmed at the task that lies ahead.<br />
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<b>C: Cultivate contacts and connections</b><br />
I wasn't prepared for how lonely I would be my first year as an instructional coach. I was a classroom teacher for 17 years and was always surrounded by my grade-level team. I did life with these people. They knew my students, my own personal children, struggles that I was having, and essentially became my group therapy for nine months out of the year. Often, ICs are the only one on a campus with their particular job description, and it can feel weird at first. Who do I sit with at faculty meetings? When do I eat lunch? It may seem petty, but don't underestimate the need educators have to connect with others and build solid, professional relationships. Connect with other coaches in your district or online to ensure <u>you</u> have a solid support system. You will need it!<br />
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<b>O: Own your position</b><br />
Ha! If only this was an easy one...As <a href="https://taylormadeteaching.blogspot.com/2016/11/whatever-you-are.html" target="_blank">coaching</a> becomes more prevalent in our public school systems, so do the ideas, models, and assumptions about what coaching truly is. The thing is, only you know what your position really looks like. Districts, systems, and campuses may provide fantastic training and ongoing support, but even then, there are many misconceptions about what exactly coaches do. Work with your administration to articulate a focus for your work and make sure that you continue to communicate your goal of supporting teachers throughout the year. I had to continually remind myself that my entire job description was to improve student outcomes by empowering teachers to do what THEY want in the classroom. Reflect every few weeks and see if you need to adjust your sails. You will.<br />
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<a href="https://bitchwithwifi.wordpress.com/2013/09/04/georgetakei-id-wager-my-grammar-nerds-will/" target="_blank">image credit</a></div>
<b>A: Accept ambiguity</b><br />
Most coaches used to be teachers and are accustomed to the sense of security that surrounds effective systems and procedures. Coaching can feel like a roller coaster that has jumped the tracks because every day is completely different. Keep your calendar in a convenient place, because things change all the time! Google Calendar is great because you can set up your appointments and even sync it with other scheduling apps like Book Me or Google Keep. The digital version is also helpful when you are reflecting on how you spend your time. When I applied to be an instructional coach, there were 23 bullets on the job description, and the ever-popular <i>Performs other duties as assigned</i>...YIKES!? You will be asked to do things that may interfere with what you think you are <b>supposed</b> to do, but as long as you are spending the majority of time in classrooms supporting teachers, you are impacting learning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqpRsrXLxWqFPUf47LnDhKy8CoPTiuWvuzH5vnNt6gMP1Ye9LeLihD7H47brS52d5Et2wxG1imh39eSdrRnkAv5wLXDhi5UhDXj_dnytsdaj2OUd75ZWYd0KDi0bFJGh10l-tAmnEsN3y/s1600/0c05bbcece62ea855fca679fe41dc520--self-appreciation-teacher-appreciation-quotes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqpRsrXLxWqFPUf47LnDhKy8CoPTiuWvuzH5vnNt6gMP1Ye9LeLihD7H47brS52d5Et2wxG1imh39eSdrRnkAv5wLXDhi5UhDXj_dnytsdaj2OUd75ZWYd0KDi0bFJGh10l-tAmnEsN3y/s320/0c05bbcece62ea855fca679fe41dc520--self-appreciation-teacher-appreciation-quotes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>C: Champion Teachers</b></div>
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This may be the dirty little secret of instructional coaching, but you will be viewed differently. If you are coaching in the building where you previously taught, it can be even stranger because teachers you once vented with at Happy Hour are now coming to you to be heard. I thought I was a pretty positive person in the classroom but found it difficult to not feel discouraged when I was supporting educators who were frustrated, overwhelmed, or even angry. Teaching is such a personal profession, and anytime something doesn't go right, educators need to process. As a new coach, I tried to create a welcoming space for teachers to pop in, grab a piece of candy, make a cup of coffee, and talk shop. Often, however, I ended up feeling discouraged as I grappled with the reality that I couldn't fix things for these professionals I cared about so much. Find ways to listen, understand, and support, but try to communicate that you believe in people, in education, and solutions instead of going negative. Leave <a href="https://taylormadeteaching.blogspot.com/2016/10/keeping-it-simple.html" target="_blank">specific notes</a> for teachers any chance you get. All I wanted when I was in the classroom was for SOMEONE over the age of 7 to recognize how hard I was working. Stand up for teachers any chance you can. It's one of the job's greatest privileges.</div>
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<b>H: Harness the talent </b></div>
My favorite part of coaching is getting to spend my days learning from so many teachers. I have grown exponentially as an educator since I have been able to be in so many classrooms. Often, the teachers I serve don't need to see ME model something, they need me to be in their classroom so they can observe a colleague or mentor a peer. I am constantly on the lookout for connections I can help create between teachers that will spark learning networks. Sometimes this match-up is with teachers in our building, across the district, and I've even matched up teachers with members of my online PLN. If there is one thing I have learned from 19 years in education, it's that our relationships are paramount to our activities. If I can encourage teachers to build stronger relationships with each other and our students, then I believe the learning takes care of itself.<br />
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I am excited to have connected with other instructional coaches as I continue this learning journey. Happy new school year!mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-43413220570998084492017-07-31T20:11:00.001-07:002017-07-31T20:11:39.386-07:00Teacher Celebrity SurveyI posted earlier about a survey I am using with our staff this year and received lots of questions about the specifics. Instead of replying to each person, I decided to add a quick post with the details! I would love to help you create something similar to get greater insight into the teachers you serve.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As an Instructional Coach, I try to build relationships with staff even before school starts. I hope that the underlying message implied in the survey lets staff members know how important they are and helps create an atmosphere of fun and family. I used <a href="https://www.google.com/forms/about/" target="_blank">Google Forms</a> to create the survey. It took (maybe) ten minutes. I love Forms because it's super-easy, you can embed pictures and videos, and you can vary the response-types. It also exports the answers to a Google Sheet so you have all that info in an easy-to-read format.</div>
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Here are the questions I asked. I encourage you to include anything that will help you understand your people better. I'm working on a campus where I already know most teachers really well, so I wanted to keep it brief and fun.</div>
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<b>1. What's your favorite school-appropriate drink?</b></div>
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<b>2. How do you like to be acknowledged for a job well-done? </b></div>
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I specifically asked #2 because I've learned that some adults love verbal acknowledgment, but it makes certain teachers uncomfortable. Written notes are important to some people, others like badges, small tokens of appreciation, or an e-mail. Coaches differentiate just as much for teachers as we once did for our students.</div>
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<b>3. What's your favorite candy?</b></div>
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<b>4. If you had a walk-up song like a Major League Baseball player, what would it be?</b></div>
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I'm going to compile the walk-up songs into a playlist and use it at staff meetings and other school events.</div>
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In Forms, you can add images and YouTube videos to your questions. I uploaded a picture of a vending machine for the drink question, and a video of MLB walk-up songs for question #4. </div>
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In <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Like-PIRATE-Amazing-Students/dp/1946444006" target="_blank">Lead Like a Pirate</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/burgess_shelley" target="_blank">Shelley Burgess</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/BethHouf" target="_blank">Beth Houf</a> ask the following questions. I love the way it creates a fun twist on getting to know the teachers' goals. Teaching really is magic, and my job as a coach is to help make that magic happen for each educator I support. </div>
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<b>5. What magic do you want to create in your classroom this year? How can I help?</b></div>
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When you're finished, you can send the link to your people, or copy the link and forward it out that way.</div>
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Happy Coaching!</div>
mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-23194603933243192522017-06-28T15:25:00.000-07:002017-06-28T19:24:10.515-07:00Wonder Woman and What it Means for EducatorsToday, as our time at the <a href="http://www.education.txstate.edu/ci/ctwp/" target="_blank">Central Texas Writing Project</a> drew to a close, we chose to go see <b><a href="http://wonderwomanfilm.com/" target="_blank">Wonder Woman</a></b> in San Marcos. I'm typically not a super-hero-movie kind of girl, but this group of teacher-writers has come to mean so much to me this summer, that I jumped at the opportunity to extend our time together.<br />
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Please keep in mind- I know ZERO about Wonder Woman. I think she was in comic books, I know I used to have Wonder Woman Underoos as a small child because I can remember the gold cardboard tiara and arm cuffs. I believe she fits in with a larger picture of super heroes because there was a preview of the Justice League before the movie started and I think she was in it. I don't really know, and it's frankly not relevant to my reflections, but I wanted to make it crystal clear that I am not an authority on Wonder Woman. I looked on Wikipedia for some background on her and my eyes glazed over by paragraph two of 1, 465, 373. It's fine. <a href="http://www.joblo.com/movie-posters/2017/wonder-woman" target="_blank">Image credit</a><br />
I kept wishing I could get out my phone and take notes about ideas and quotes that were special to me during the movie. The <a href="https://www.nwp.org/" target="_blank">Writing Project</a> and #BookSnaps have me in such a journaling, annotating mindset that I feel sure I will have to see this movie 100 more times before I feel satisfied that I have expressed all the connections that are in my mind. So, what exactly, does Wonder Woman mean for educators?<br />
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<b>1. Wonder Woman had a rag-tag team that had her back. </b><br />
Diana and Steve assembled a crew that had unique qualities and varied skill-sets. Sameer, Charlie, and The Chief had special reasons that Steve asked them to join their crusade. This is how the best teachers operate. They find a tribe. They find other educators who will support, challenge, build-up, and do life together. The most effective teachers do not feel like they are in competition with their colleagues, but view these most important people as a community of learners. They joke with each other at lunch, they hold each other's babies, and they talk about standards, students, and finding a better way. They know they can count on each other, just as Wonder Woman knew that her supporters were there for her.<br />
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<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/06/wonder-woman-review/528816/" target="_blank">Image credit</a></div>
<b>2. Wonder Woman had a small arsenal of highly-effective tools.</b><br />
She did not need one thousand different weapons; she needed a few that she knew how to use well. She wielded a sword, a shield, powerful bracelets, a tiara, and that interesting light up rope thing. She used them flexibly, confidently brandishing the tool she needed when she knew it would be the most effective. Teachers are bombarded with tools, books, strategies, and images of darling classrooms with near-perfect lighting and precious decorations. It can feel dangerous to walk through the fire, shrapnel, and noise of best practice, innovative ideas, and do not get me started on Pinterest. The most effective teachers do not try to do it all. They may try out the latest thing, but if it does not fit their need and their kids, they will go back to what does. They will brandish what kids need when they need it, and move skillfully back and forth between innovation, reality, and common sense.<br />
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<b>3. Wonder Woman saw people.</b><br />
She saw the people she loved and she saw strangers. She saw babies and children and poor villagers and wounded war veterans. She gave her attention to the people who could help her and the people who could not. She was a voice for the voiceless, a power for the powerless. She felt deeply, was not afraid of her emotions, and channeled brief feelings of fear and uncertainty into a fire that fueled her fight. Instead of needing a hero like Bonnie Tyler, she became the hero, bringing hope and peace to a fallen world. One of my favorite scenes is when she eats ice cream for the first time. Steve is trying to hurry her up, and she looks at the vendor closely and says, "It's wonderful. You should be very proud." The most effective teachers see people. They see students and colleagues and parents and children in the world. They see the power in the role they have chosen. They can turn feelings of sadness and worry into a fire that fuels the work they do with children and young adults. They listen to the WHY that is behind the words, behind the behavior, behind the silence. They notice if a kid is not himself, if a parent needs an explanation, or if a colleague needs a friend.<br />
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<a href="https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Wonder-Woman-Scenes-Werent-Overtly-Sexual-43607158" target="_blank">Image credit</a></div>
As an Instructional Coach, my lens of education has broadened a bit. My mind was exactly where it needed to be when I was in the classroom, but coaching brings a new job description, a new focus, and a new clientele. My job as a classroom teacher was to be focused on my students, but my job as a coach requires me to focus on teachers...so they can focus on students. My ultimate goal is to improve student outcomes, whether those are academic, relational, emotional, or physical.<br />
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Wonder Woman has challenged me: I have assembled an eclectic group of educators who are cheering me on. If I need help, I can ask my people: those I know in person and those I know online. I have some highly effective tools that enhance the work I do each day. I write to reflect, I talk to understand, and I utilize technology to enhance and proclaim the messages I want to put out in the world. I try to see people. I see children in the building where I work, I see my family letting me be who I am, I see teachers working themselves to exhaustion to find better ways to reach children.<br />
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Steve tells Wonder Woman, </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif;">'My father told me once, he said, "If you see something wrong happening in the world, you can either do nothing, or you can do something". And I already tried nothing.'</span><br />
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<br />mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-90758324270323674902017-06-13T09:19:00.000-07:002017-06-13T17:00:29.942-07:00Fear<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">This summer, I am working with the <a href="http://centraltexaswritingproject.ning.com/" target="_blank">Central Texas Writing Project</a>, a program at <a href="http://www.txstate.edu/" target="_blank">Texas State University</a> that is focused on the premise that teachers are better teachers of writing when they are writers themselves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We focus on strategies and reflection, on <a href="http://www.cultofpedagogy.com/" target="_blank">pedagogy</a> and educational theory. We work with teachers to strengthen their craft by connecting them with research, writing, and a network of other teacher writers. We work with teachers that are working desperately to reconcile what they know is true about children with what is true about teaching public school. How writing with passion can coexist with writing to a prompt. How informed writing for authentic audiences can accompany writing for a state accountability system.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Something I find over and over as I work with teachers is the unspoken, ever-present idea of FEAR. The fear of not doing enough for our students. The fear of doing so much for our students that we neglect our own families. The fear that high-stakes testing beats the joy out of school, for us and for the students we love. We fear litigation and not being able to provide for our families. We fear what happens to our students when they are not in our care. We fear what might happen to our jobs if we speak up for our kids, for our profession, for each other. We are scared. </span><br />
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<a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/weareteachers/27-awesome-straight-talk-quotes-about-teaching-h0xt" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Image Source</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well said, Lee S. Shulman. Teaching is so technical that it is way more than a profession. It is as much art as it is dance as it is theory and surely adding countless young humans (and their parents) into that equation is terrifying. But, dear friends, identifying the fear is not enough. We are frightened, but as every brilliant teacher knows, it is not enough to sit paralyzed by that monster under the bed. We have to be BRAVE.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>B:</b> Be informed. Brave teachers are learners. They know what the issues are, and they know where to find answers. They have studies and articles and professors and other teachers to pull from, count on, and lean-in to. This community is in person and online, it is found in PLNs and podcasts, in classrooms and Voxer groups. This community gives teachers a collective voice to call upon when they need back-up from an educational posse of committed professionals who all want what is best for kids.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>R:</b> Reflect: Brave teachers are highly reflective. They are constantly asking themselves what could be improved. They are quick to identify when something does not work and they are committed to finding a better way. They know when a lesson goes haywire. They do not continually search out people to blame: kids, parents, administrators, a flawed system, but instead think about causes and practical solutions. Brave teachers open themselves up for reflection by talking to others: colleagues, coaches, and administrators. They are humbled by the enormity of their power as a teacher, and are continually looking for ways to empower others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>A:</b> Accept reality: Brave teachers understand that there are certain things that cannot be changed. Initiatives, mandates, state curriculum guidelines, your class list- lots of things are just reality and time is wasted when we fret over them. <a href="https://twitter.com/jimknight99?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">Jim Knight</a>,<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 17.728px;"> a research associate in the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning and director of the <a href="http://instructionalcoach.org/" target="_blank">Kansas Coaching Project</a>, talks about the, "current classroom reality." When teachers are open and honest about what the realities are, they are better equipped to take targeted action towards strengthening instructional practices and ultimately, improving learning environments for our students.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>V:</b> Voraciously read: Brave teachers are readers. They read blog posts, journals, and Twitter feeds. They read e-mails from parents, administrators, and colleagues. They read children's books and YA books and <a href="http://www.txla.org/TBA-nominees" target="_blank">Bluebonnet books</a> and graphic novels to share with reluctant readers. They continually sift through a never-ending feed of words and phrases and information and research and opinions and must be cognizant of what is worth paying attention to, and what needs to be dismissed. Education is a rollercoaster of a profession, with jargon, acronyms, and buzzwords that are gone as quickly as a teacher's lunch break. Brave teachers consider this reading work necessary to their effectiveness as educators, and it has always been one of my favorite parts of the job!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>E:</b> Engage: Brave teachers are engaged. They engage with their students, their colleagues, and the families they affect. They are engaged in the process of teaching and learning. They are engaged in local policy, in weekend soccer games, and in the communities where they teach. They do not get to disengage at the grocery store on the weekend. They do not get to disengage when they do not feel well. They engage in relationships and hard work, in problem solving and celebrations. They stay engaged because they love what they do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm so humbled to work alongside such brave teachers each day. Teachers who believe Haim Ginott's quote and live out the implications of such beautiful and powerful words:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">“I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.” </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">― </span><a class="authorOrTitle" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/212291.Haim_G_Ginott" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;">Haim G. Ginott</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Be brave, teacher friends. We are all standing behind you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Brave teacher books...</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ditch-That-Textbook-Revolutionize-Classroom/dp/0986155403/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468444219&sr=8-6&keywords=innovators+mindset&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=6a895a8c6a307647885ae9d936c44428" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0986155403&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" /></a> <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0986155403" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Launch-Design-Thinking-Creativity-Student/dp/0996989544/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468444328&sr=8-2&keywords=innovators+mindset&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=1011d6614b4f596cc7ad30aea7a98f8f" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0996989544&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" /></a> <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0996989544" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Learn-Like-PIRATE-Students-Collaborate/dp/098821766X/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468444328&sr=8-10&keywords=innovators+mindset&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=7d35911314c692b9512dd11dd61172c0" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=098821766X&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=098821766X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-21721109622625339782017-06-09T14:47:00.001-07:002017-06-09T15:11:51.098-07:00Fusion Take-AwaysThe <a href="http://digitalhays.wixsite.com/fusion" target="_blank">Hays CISD Fusion conference</a> is always a highlight of my summer. Educators across the district gather to explore technology integration and how we can better meet the needs of the 21st century students we serve. <a href="http://georgecouros.ca/blog/" target="_blank">George Couros</a> delivered a keynote that inspired educators to innovate, celebrate, and participate in learning with their students.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuXR1uj68Bbhyphenhyphen7ZRkAHUrVfttH-HzTAxOpa7Gjf659_t4pkPjuWlmlLjrITVamG0fOmk5SkIqsn1maj06QpgKMJuOa5AaS0QOtsbuoOO1RR16qs1eVKePGhSCOrlulw0BjUdG7dtN3x2J/s1600/George.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuXR1uj68Bbhyphenhyphen7ZRkAHUrVfttH-HzTAxOpa7Gjf659_t4pkPjuWlmlLjrITVamG0fOmk5SkIqsn1maj06QpgKMJuOa5AaS0QOtsbuoOO1RR16qs1eVKePGhSCOrlulw0BjUdG7dtN3x2J/s320/George.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Photo credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/ashnflores" target="_blank">Ashley Flores</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Below are my top take-aways from Fusion 2017:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.tarammartin.com/booksnaps-snapping-for-learning/" target="_blank">BookSnaps</a>: <i>Power of Sharing</i></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Strategies-That-Work-Comprehension-Understanding/dp/157110481X/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&linkCode=li2&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=247f069fd36be5f11eb74692168c7a47" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><br /></a></div>
<a href="https://twitter.com/TaraMartinEDU" target="_blank">Tara Martin</a> has created a powerful, relevant way to get kiddos posting their thoughts about reading. I presented on this technique, and likened it to the sticky note teaching I first implemented after reading <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Strategies-That-Work-Comprehension-Understanding/dp/157110481X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497046284&sr=8-1&keywords=strategies+that" target="_blank">Strategies that Work</a> by <a href="https://twitter.com/stephharvey49?lang=en" target="_blank">Stephanie Harvey</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/annegoudvis?lang=en" target="_blank">Anne Goudvis</a>.<br />
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Reflective readers are highly metacognitive while reading: questioning, connecting, and talking back to the text. #BookSnaps takes this work and provides a digital way to not only reflect on reading, but to share those reflections with a global audience. Read more about #BookSnaps <a href="http://www.tarammartin.com/booksnaps-snapping-for-learning/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/mandymtaylor" target="_blank">Twitter</a>: <i>Power of a Hashtag</i><br />
I have been on Twitter professionally for about three years, and I am excited that more educators in my district are jumping on board!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60P4664hsd3zfShMQ5z8hZyzkljY3C0oDbDKE7aga2y1zQF_krorBbEH2B9kDwsptIfbbk5WAzbibhntktaY5SxeUCEzwNuRKQclCnlgJ8r5mYKajGFBho_vj4MYgkxBiBGPRCUs7QAfL/s1600/use-twitter-ti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60P4664hsd3zfShMQ5z8hZyzkljY3C0oDbDKE7aga2y1zQF_krorBbEH2B9kDwsptIfbbk5WAzbibhntktaY5SxeUCEzwNuRKQclCnlgJ8r5mYKajGFBho_vj4MYgkxBiBGPRCUs7QAfL/s400/use-twitter-ti.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Image Credit: <a href="https://sylviaduckworth.com/" target="_blank">Sylvia Duckworth</a></div>
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I recently got to present at <a href="http://beta2.schoolworld.com/hayscisd/tobias.cfm" target="_blank">Tobias Elementary</a> and talk to their teachers about the power of developing a PLN and how to celebrate their school and their students by using Twitter. These teachers have blown up the internet with their positive celebrations! They were out in full force at Fusion and it was great to see!</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4qecdSJQgIqpNDSrjT1Nwke17JQpLzyPcaMNeTEvinQ5l1PTJP0us1HfrVm3J_lMJEZxFIMYvP_lIDn73CemwvGFjCF8qz9ZidDQJJOVUUooaDqGHtTS_9GfZvaE4mFzdo8EfXGqtxSFf/s1600/Tobias.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4qecdSJQgIqpNDSrjT1Nwke17JQpLzyPcaMNeTEvinQ5l1PTJP0us1HfrVm3J_lMJEZxFIMYvP_lIDn73CemwvGFjCF8qz9ZidDQJJOVUUooaDqGHtTS_9GfZvaE4mFzdo8EfXGqtxSFf/s400/Tobias.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Image credit: Jim Cullen</div>
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<a href="https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/" target="_blank">Growth Mindset</a><span style="color: black;">: <i>Power of Resiliency</i></span><br />
About a year ago, I read an <a href="http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/09/23/carol-dweck-revisits-the-growth-mindset.html" target="_blank">article</a> by <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve" target="_blank">Carol Dweck</a>, author of <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497041712&sr=8-1&keywords=mindset" target="_blank">Mindset: The New Psychology of Success</a></u> that brought to light an issue with the current Growth Mindset movement. She feared that people had misinterpreted the meaning of her research and that we are all running around celebrating failure! George Couros, who keynoted the Fusion event, added weight with the idea that it's not failure we should celebrate, but resiliency after the failed attempt.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtMOhsfVj7g4dhwvvNW9Gf0azLVf9fuT8X0vgJVT2krhtMB8xdACe3jr3WiMl9jDepk585SHmE1bWwxr4wM4QU31yHtXHr7zR5UvZutw4rJI-nJZVRZq007Ok9rN8WkbkgtqF6PTtswhDo/s1600/f5bddd836e76294bd1405c9013db2573.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtMOhsfVj7g4dhwvvNW9Gf0azLVf9fuT8X0vgJVT2krhtMB8xdACe3jr3WiMl9jDepk585SHmE1bWwxr4wM4QU31yHtXHr7zR5UvZutw4rJI-nJZVRZq007Ok9rN8WkbkgtqF6PTtswhDo/s400/f5bddd836e76294bd1405c9013db2573.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Image Credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/15664662@N02/18525580481/in/photostream" target="_blank">Sylvia Duckworth</a></div>
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Laughter: <i>Power of Humor</i><br />
What is it about laughter? Maybe it's because education is the most fantastically ridiculous arena of hope, learning, growth, and failure and if you don't laugh about it, you may cry. The power of the keynote was that George Couros shared sentiments and challenges that were infused with humor and humanity. Stories of education gone wrong were juxtaposed with hopeful anecdotes of students, parents, and educators that got it right. One of my favorite things he said was, "Teachers don't wake up, go to work and think...I really hope I suck today." It is our job as educators to consistently reflect, constantly learn, and consciously try every single day to innovate for our students and build relationships that will empower life-long learning. I'll leave you with one of my favorite videos of a kiddo that demonstrates the highlights of my Fusion experience: He tries, he's resilient, he celebrates, he laughs, and he connects with a broad audience.<br />
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Until next year, Fusion!</div>
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mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-2279005909576316992017-06-08T12:26:00.000-07:002017-06-20T17:50:47.583-07:00Joy WriteLucky me! I am back working at the Central Texas Writing Project. CTWP is a month-long institute that is dedicated to developing Teacher Consultants through research, writing, and demonstrations. Each summer, teachers from central Texas gather at Texas State University to learn from each other and develop a confidence for teaching writing that can only come from writing themselves.<br />
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Each participant gets to choose a book that will help him/her on the path to developing a demonstration. I had the opportunity to share about the book <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Write-Cultivating-High-Impact-Low-Stakes/dp/0325088802/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496947494&sr=8-1&keywords=joy+write" target="_blank">Joy Write</a></u> by <a href="http://ralphfletcher.com/" target="_blank">Ralph Fletcher</a>. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has lost that lovin' feeling about teaching writing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3yi8ocDB6kel8wP1kib34_mLiWKmPEqtI8eQPZc4MTELSibkxRSsBZ9gkP1G6xeS73AaYjg2bc_NlQMPiMDN8N0FDIL18rz8VvVg-V7hLYDpM1qT2ZDlwscQKNW-RnVTvbkdpsUzD27C/s1600/download-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3yi8ocDB6kel8wP1kib34_mLiWKmPEqtI8eQPZc4MTELSibkxRSsBZ9gkP1G6xeS73AaYjg2bc_NlQMPiMDN8N0FDIL18rz8VvVg-V7hLYDpM1qT2ZDlwscQKNW-RnVTvbkdpsUzD27C/s320/download-4.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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As I read through this book, I was immediately drawn to the motivation aspect of its message. This is not a book about programs, curriculum, or standards, although those certainly can help us reach goals for our students. The premise of this book is to help students and teachers understand the joy that can be found in writing and the idea of play that surrounds the writing process. </div>
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What can we do as educators to ensure our kids discover the joy in writing? How can we capitalize on the enthusiasm and tools of our students to increase motivation, engagement, and creation? How might we infuse our writing instruction with wonder, quirkiness, and passion?</div>
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Please read this book, and share success stories below!</div>
mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-301161266956034422017-05-08T18:09:00.000-07:002017-05-08T18:19:18.268-07:00A Day in the Life of the Writing Project...It's almost time for the <a href="http://www.education.txstate.edu/ci/ctwp/" target="_blank">Central Texas Writing Project</a>! Last weekend, a group of teachers, professors, and authors gathered at <a href="http://www.txstate.edu/" target="_blank">Texas State University</a> for our first pre-institute meeting. We gathered to share food, make introductions, and learn a bit about how the Writing Project works.<br />
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"my mom holds her accent like a shotgun, </div>
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with two good hands. </div>
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her tongue, all brass knuckle </div>
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slipping in between her lips</div>
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her hips, all laughter and wind clap."</div>
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The day began with a poem by <a href="https://twitter.com/denicefrohman?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">Denice Frohman</a>. Her poem, "Accents," set the stage for our journal writing time. After we had several minutes to write, we opened up the floor and got to hear from several brave teachers. Participants used Denice's poem as a springboard that turned into stories about their mothers, words they remember from childhood, stories of pain and strength, and the love of a family. Author's chair is one of the most special parts of any writer's workshop, and especially of the Writing Project.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaA4D5lKRWxAWxB4-gmavZQbGn539HcJbyzcZbqLkg5hRqTsan_PGyRRjUdKPcZ0lCtpdnAMnrnLanFMFzEJSkAar6TupWYD92ArIjlCFK3LB46TUY4tlP1C2WrHowLo_iD-T2B095GjAc/s1600/IMG_5698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaA4D5lKRWxAWxB4-gmavZQbGn539HcJbyzcZbqLkg5hRqTsan_PGyRRjUdKPcZ0lCtpdnAMnrnLanFMFzEJSkAar6TupWYD92ArIjlCFK3LB46TUY4tlP1C2WrHowLo_iD-T2B095GjAc/s400/IMG_5698.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Next, I got the opportunity to model a demonstration based on the book <u><a href="https://taylormadeteaching.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-squiggly-story.html" target="_blank">A Squiggly Story</a></u> by <a href="https://twitter.com/larsenesque?lang=en" target="_blank">Andrew Larsen</a>. I've blogged <a href="https://taylormadeteaching.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-squiggly-story.html" target="_blank">previously</a> about this gem of a book. We focused on kindergarten writing goals, invented spelling, and how important student ownership is in the writing process. The teachers put themselves in the place of 5 & 6 year old writers and practiced writing from a student point of view.<br />
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During lunchtime, the teachers met with their coaches to work on preparing the demonstration lessons that will be presented during the Writing Project. This time allows the future teacher consultants to match their classroom practice with behavior and education theory. They get an alternative viewpoint, a new mentor, and the encouragement of someone who has been through the Writing Project experience before.<br />
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We ended the day much the way it began. We watched a brief video on the What's Your Sentence project by <a href="https://twitter.com/DanielPink?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">Dan Pink</a>.<br />
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After the video, we all reflected on the day, the video, and wrote our sentence. We shared our sentences around a circle, with bold statements about the teachers, men, women, and people we wanted to be. We wrote of how we want to be remembered, who we want to influence, and the children we hope to affect.<br />
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If you ever want to be a part of a professional development experience that will change your life, please look into a local <a href="https://www.nwp.org/" target="_blank">Writing Project</a> site. I cannot wait to get started!mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-61856007781707162642017-04-24T16:58:00.001-07:002017-04-24T17:31:42.597-07:00Baby, You're a FireworkOur family recently got a dog. We rescued him from a local shelter and he has apparently never lived in a home before. He is skittish and nervous. He is perplexed by our TV. He paces and flinches and cowers at noises despite our constant assurances that we are his people. My husband calls him <a href="http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/50firstdates/" target="_blank">50 First Dates</a> because every morning we start over- walking and petting, brushing and reassuring, hoping that today will be the day that he settles down and gets on with the business of being part of our family.<br />
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Yesterday was a great day. We even got him in the living room with us as we were watching a movie and the kids had him running around in the backyard before bedtime. And then...somebody started shooting off fireworks.<br />
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Suffice it to say that he couldn't get in the house soon enough. He wedged his way under our bed and did not come out until this morning. He whimpered, covered his face, and no promise of treats could assuage him out from under the bed. This morning, as I laid there aware of his presence under us, I kept humming <a href="http://www.katyperry.com/" target="_blank">Katy Perry's</a> song, "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJuMBdaqIw" target="_blank">Firework</a>." I thought about how that song is supposed to be empowering and liberating. My nine year-old daughter belts it out as an anthem. It's a great song...if you like fireworks.<br />
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But what if you hate fireworks?<br />
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If there's one thing I have learned as an instructional coach, it is that disagreement is just part of life. Some people love flexible seating, some think it's distracting. Some educators are frightened of technology, some embrace every device, app, and extension that is tweeted out. Some teachers lean toward literacy, some math. There are leaders who are outspoken and boisterous, others prefer a more quiet approach.<br />
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And what if we pan out past the educators in a school building and look closely at the kids? My daughter and son are as different as two students can be. The needs, preferences, and learning styles of kids in any given classroom are as varied as the adults in the building. Teachers often lament how difficult it is to differentiate for each student. Not just the kiddos with IEPs and 504 plans, or those with a GT label or medical considerations, but all the kids. My son has a GT label, but my daughter does not. Don't I want her teachers to consider her needs just as much as a kid that is identified with a label? Don't all of our children deserve to be planned for, thought of, and honored as we make educational decisions?<br />
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As we gear up for another busy <a href="https://taylormadeteaching.blogspot.com/2015/05/teaching-is-top-40-song.html" target="_blank">end-of-year season</a>, it is my hope that we will all work a little harder to consider the perspectives of the people we encounter each day. It is so hard to look past the bubble of our classroom, our office, our laptop, but may we work towards empathy, understanding, and grace as we work to provide students (and adults) with the best educational experience possible. I want to support those who love technology and those that are frightened by it. I will extend support to the teacher that asks for help and the one who won't ask, but will accept it if I offer it. I will try and anticipate the fears, hopes, and dreams of all of the people with whom I work, and if someone needs to hide under the bed for awhile when things get overwhelming, that's OK.<br />
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But, I will be there when they decide to come out.<br />
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<br />mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-25023702241041349632017-03-17T16:10:00.000-07:002017-03-17T16:10:47.966-07:00101 Books to Read Before You Grow UpCall me nerdy, but one of my favorite weeks of the year is when the <a href="http://www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/" target="_blank">Scholastic Book Fair</a> is at our school! I'm not sure if it brings back memories of when I was a kid, or if it's just the colorful headers and beautiful displays, but I get giddy when the trucks drop off the cases and our <a href="https://twitter.com/ColtLibrary" target="_blank">librarian</a> gets to work. This year, one of my favorite finds was this gem by <a href="https://twitter.com/book_mommy" target="_blank">Bianca Schulze</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/101-Books-Read-Before-Grow/dp/1633221695/ref=as_li_ss_il?&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=f80f6e257c702edfe6b44145882bb2ba" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1633221695&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="284" /></a></div>
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This book is a graphic delight. It is divided into age groups and provides suggestions for picture books, historical and realistic fiction, poetry, and even a few graphic novels. Each page gives a quick summary, fun facts about the author, and (probably my favorite) a <i>What to Read Next</i> feature with four books that you're sure to be interested in if you enjoyed the featured story. There are also insets that highlight powerful quotes from the books, a place for you to rate the story, list your favorite characters, and a few lines for notes. </div>
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<a href="https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/weblog/2016/09/101-books-to-read-before-you-grow-up-blog-tour-2016.html" target="_blank">Image credit</a></div>
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As a child and an elementary teacher for the last 19 years, I have already read many of the books included in this resource. I plan to read the stories that I haven't, but also involve my children in this process as a summer project. Once we read the 101 on the list, I'd like to explore the <i>What to Read Next</i> selections, as well as use it to stretch ourselves as readers. My daughter tends to prefer realistic fiction and my son likes fantasy, but I think this format will allow us to have conversations that solidify why we like what we do and connect over stories and shared experiences. Great work, <a href="https://twitter.com/TCBRbookreview" target="_blank">Bianca Schulze</a>! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNA5lRyXSSqzFzzQOgdHO8esjnqi5uk-jWLz6IMp2WvUf_T2UkQRaT0ryVBOQTlRsCchpt6VKVsLbt9gwhQ_lbotN6y0OEWrBWgoUoEtSuywLe1Aj_SCrvkTKiFFN_p8QncVkzXa8l1Ewa/s1600/IMG_5222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNA5lRyXSSqzFzzQOgdHO8esjnqi5uk-jWLz6IMp2WvUf_T2UkQRaT0ryVBOQTlRsCchpt6VKVsLbt9gwhQ_lbotN6y0OEWrBWgoUoEtSuywLe1Aj_SCrvkTKiFFN_p8QncVkzXa8l1Ewa/s400/IMG_5222.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Of course, I have a book fair shirt from <a href="https://thewrightstuffchics.com/" target="_blank">The Wright Stuff</a>. Check it out <a href="https://thewrightstuffchics.com/collections/t-shirts/products/copy-of-i-was-born-to-teach-shirt" target="_blank">here</a>!</div>
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<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=1633221695" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-23191150565695215692017-02-12T19:48:00.000-08:002017-02-12T19:50:38.973-08:00TCEA 2017This week, I had the opportunity to attend the <a href="http://www.tcea.org/" target="_blank">TCEA conference</a> at the Austin Convention Center. Once I figured out how to navigate the multiple floors and broad expanse of this venue, I was able to connect with amazing educators and learn a lot of practical ways to help teachers improve technology integration.<br />
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The first session I attended was titled, <i>Using GSuite in the STEM classroom. </i>Several teachers in my building are already utilizing components of G Suite in their classrooms, but I was interested in the science focus. We do have a STEM program at our campus, but it only serves one third of our 4th and 5th graders, so I was especially interested in how I might help support ALL of our science teachers. This presentation team took a paper airplane problem and guided us through their district's problem-solving framework. The link to the presentation is <a href="http://www.integrate2inspire.com/integrating-gsuite-in-the-stem-classroom.html" target="_blank">here</a>, and I recommend you check it out!<br />
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Presenters: <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%40nkeithblend&src=typd" target="_blank">@NKeithBlend</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=askatechnogirl&src=typd" target="_blank"> @askatechnogirl</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdoEqgaGNu6GSNnNAsOmnr4oOZ3siXvCCcxqRrIUCV_Fl91W0ZDXJ-ZcbkSnUHzFqIm3x5OCLgWWNjr006RIZNlUP6UTdzXIKCg_VQl331sTNdDonvSzbY-3bXX0tuS4m3e7vBFHiBSm2/s1600/C4J5PIqVYAAKT2J.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdoEqgaGNu6GSNnNAsOmnr4oOZ3siXvCCcxqRrIUCV_Fl91W0ZDXJ-ZcbkSnUHzFqIm3x5OCLgWWNjr006RIZNlUP6UTdzXIKCg_VQl331sTNdDonvSzbY-3bXX0tuS4m3e7vBFHiBSm2/s640/C4J5PIqVYAAKT2J.jpg" width="640" /></a>Wednesday morning, I had the honor to be part of a #PersonalizedPD panel discussion. This fun group included <a href="https://twitter.com/jbretzmann" target="_blank">Jason Bretzmann</a>, author of <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Personalized-PD-Flipping-Professional-Development/dp/0692483322/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486856711&sr=8-1&keywords=personalized+PD" target="_blank">Personalized PD</a></u>, <a href="https://twitter.com/TechNinjaTodd" target="_blank">Todd Nesloney</a>, author of <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kids-Deserve-Boundaries-Challenging-Conventional/dp/0996989528/ref=pd_sim_14_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0996989528&pd_rd_r=VK78PWXJT884Z4HMYBE5&pd_rd_w=p0P0g&pd_rd_wg=2SJc3&psc=1&refRID=VK78PWXJT884Z4HMYBE5" target="_blank">Kids Deserve It</a></u>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/Owl_b_TorresEdu" target="_blank">Jessica Torres</a>, elementary assistant principal in Waco, Texas. While I remain unclear on why I was asked to join this group, I am so fortunate I had the opportunity. One of the most fun things for me about this group was that I really only knew the other panelists from Twitter. It was a great experience to interact with members of my PLN and they have fantastic insights into personalizing professional development, which has become a passion of mine since I became an Instructional Coach. We used <a href="https://todaysmeet.com/" target="_blank">Today's Meet</a> as a backchannel and the audience asked questions. It was a great way to personalize the session so that we talked about the specific needs of the audience. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3U5rPA3Dr0IiKNy5Qa2YAOhyd-jNK0hzFi4RYVI9d4ceeApfNoFs8q-8MO490mmXfLltvni2FVbYaD01jXdNl-kBtI-jj3xzbKNRthIuxTFDQU0WUL9qtbKtYfnt0YsrcjPO67jUQApC/s1600/C4Ji31YUMAIbgPM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3U5rPA3Dr0IiKNy5Qa2YAOhyd-jNK0hzFi4RYVI9d4ceeApfNoFs8q-8MO490mmXfLltvni2FVbYaD01jXdNl-kBtI-jj3xzbKNRthIuxTFDQU0WUL9qtbKtYfnt0YsrcjPO67jUQApC/s640/C4Ji31YUMAIbgPM.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"> Photo credit: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=aaron%20hogan&src=typd" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Aaron Hogan</a><br />
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Next up, I attended a session on implementing DreamBox. We are piloting this adaptive numeracy program with our kindergartners soon, so I was interested in hearing more about the details. I appreciated the presentation, but was even more impressed by the conversation I had afterwards with <a href="https://twitter.com/DocHudsonMath" target="_blank">Tim Hudson</a>. We were able to talk math and professional development opportunities. It is rare to get to talk with someone about the work of Catherine Fosnot at a technology conference! For more details on <a href="https://www.dreambox.com/" target="_blank">DreamBox</a>, click here.<br />
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Of course, it wouldn't be a conference without a little <a href="http://bretzmanngroup.com/?page_id=530" target="_blank">#patioPD</a>. One of the best parts about gatherings such as TCEA is getting to visit with smart, innovative people who are just as passionate about education as I am. I love connecting with people who have different strengths, viewpoints, and experiences. We truly can learn so much from each other.<br />
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Thanks so much, TCEA17!<br />
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<br />mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-64628510945739015532017-02-03T17:08:00.001-08:002017-02-03T17:08:05.996-08:00A Squiggly StoryOne of the things I miss most about the classroom is reading to children. There is such power in telling a story well, and read-alouds afforded me the opportunity to use all those skills I learned in high school speech and performance classes. An enjoyment of reading, paired with a well-written children's book can set the stage for a host of learning opportunities, as well as (and equally as important) provide a warm, special experience between a teacher and her class.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjB8ncfQkcOlPIJPxrF5h86AGLRz8KJR2EuyRgy3bDw5VGQJVe3fJTM1BjS2V1QEWxbfx8EckJuFB0-H_W2oD3_15ydU5V9Sbg95UKUfuSO-HszJzMY6LS1Ck8U2-dJ6224PSWUAcHt8Z/s1600/imgres-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjB8ncfQkcOlPIJPxrF5h86AGLRz8KJR2EuyRgy3bDw5VGQJVe3fJTM1BjS2V1QEWxbfx8EckJuFB0-H_W2oD3_15ydU5V9Sbg95UKUfuSO-HszJzMY6LS1Ck8U2-dJ6224PSWUAcHt8Z/s400/imgres-8.jpg" /></a></div>
Read-alouds build classroom community, provide common experiences, provide models for fluency and comprehension, and are just plain fun. <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Magic-Children-Change-Forever/dp/0156035103/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485608427&sr=8-1&keywords=reading+magic" target="_blank">Reading Magic</a></u> by <a href="http://memfox.com/" target="_blank">Mem Fox</a> is one of my favorite books for adults that sheds light on the importance of read-alouds. In it, she talks about the classroom read-aloud and how it's ultimate design is to mimic the loving shared reading experience between a child and parent. Over my years as a classroom teacher, I've accidentally been called, "Mom," over a hundred times, and I truly do believe in the power of books that are read aloud by a trusted adult.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0j3YOTI7odj04uLGvy0bit5Rer0tHetrzjA13JSXHIoeWPYW1uG1lJYprIgVg36O3UL-XamO-ISTGkMPhi1ld8jDCZCe6XPTANHN_W-9pVVGtasEGV2sCKVh83QMbvdmKp91GWPAh89-e/s1600/imgres-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0j3YOTI7odj04uLGvy0bit5Rer0tHetrzjA13JSXHIoeWPYW1uG1lJYprIgVg36O3UL-XamO-ISTGkMPhi1ld8jDCZCe6XPTANHN_W-9pVVGtasEGV2sCKVh83QMbvdmKp91GWPAh89-e/s400/imgres-9.jpg" /></a></div>
Every so often, a read-aloud comes along that makes me ache to have my own classroom again. <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Squiggly-Story-Larsen/dp/1771380160/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485608250&sr=8-1&keywords=squiggly+story" target="_blank">A Squiggly Story</a></u> by <a href="http://www.kidscanpress.com/creators/andrew-larsen/637" target="_blank">Andrew Larsen</a> did just that. It came up in my Amazon list of books I should (of course) want to buy and I fell in love with the believable story line, the darling illustrations by <a href="http://mikelowery.com/" target="_blank">Mike Lowery</a>, and the myriad classroom implications. As the co-director of the <a href="http://www.education.txstate.edu/ci/ctwp/" target="_blank">Central Texas Writing Project</a>, I am always on the hunt for books that highlight and celebrate the writing process of children who are not yet writing conventionally. This book is now one of my very favorites, and I cannot wait to share it with teachers this summer.<br />
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I borrowed a kindergarten class at the campus where I am the instructional coach so I would have a chance to try this book out with real children. After reading <u><a href="http://www.kidscanpress.com/products/squiggly-story" target="_blank">A Squiggly Story</a></u> (which the kids LOVED by the way), we brainstormed a list of things that the kids may want to write about. In the book, the main character's older says, "It's easy, just write what you know." During this time, I modeled stretching out words and spelling phonetically since kindergartners often get hung up on writing because they want you to tell them how to spell everything.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX_sKJQgkEwYxVqeVlmUJWTW1me9FF0V8ouvgjdZaW2TQ0tQ33Sd4lhALgDKuBQ7RPorxh-WupSJ-tvB46YGS7P4oGI0A98c5oKLQ_I7CiWwRg1ENb1Q6Wz50puxUgdAGItqf_hkEuKywr/s1600/IMG_4977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX_sKJQgkEwYxVqeVlmUJWTW1me9FF0V8ouvgjdZaW2TQ0tQ33Sd4lhALgDKuBQ7RPorxh-WupSJ-tvB46YGS7P4oGI0A98c5oKLQ_I7CiWwRg1ENb1Q6Wz50puxUgdAGItqf_hkEuKywr/s320/IMG_4977.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I am so thankful I work with teachers who open up their classrooms and share their learners with me. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWz0lD8I7mZfLQNGgzpXYXy03RB0j56eRy88y20UE2jYfSZuwZ1EzdUbKP2fN3U5Y7TX7phvVR0p-eDARRF0qbF1brHf8GUeO5nMNOG4rAgqfC3MHYOozZd00rg2ZAl7RQ76SpsGLhlCu/s1600/IMG_4972.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWz0lD8I7mZfLQNGgzpXYXy03RB0j56eRy88y20UE2jYfSZuwZ1EzdUbKP2fN3U5Y7TX7phvVR0p-eDARRF0qbF1brHf8GUeO5nMNOG4rAgqfC3MHYOozZd00rg2ZAl7RQ76SpsGLhlCu/s320/IMG_4972.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I had such a fantastic time in kindergarten this week! </div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/A-Squiggly-Story-Companion-pages-for-Pre-K-2nd-Grade-Writers-2979022" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWru1Caglx7APfr0r_lOodLABgdwFSt8Q1s_AtkZywEDLlAyIbxgpfWJ-KYgnwNmHReN8DRmQvgn2J2HLwf7hFVbruGSWHOMHmsccSRaNpATTCV89IMbJGKOFNWyEJg7uu__SKXqL6HMt9/s320/original-2979022-1.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/A-Squiggly-Story-Companion-pages-for-Pre-K-2nd-Grade-Writers-2979022" target="_blank">Companion pages for <u>A Squiggly Story</u> by Andrew Larsen</a></div>
mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-39242948137975289392016-11-16T17:10:00.001-08:002016-11-16T17:31:15.420-08:00Central Texas Google Summit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjURcl8LfeOBDUAjPSyakw11NaiNcEiPfpFY0hgqxb-oec0vNYUvoceb69lb4hqNA2EkNXeHzilvYKrxuzS1LdnJQe4xlT0WvEXNCI6YI84pz88FVJYRuvNN8eh-iF22AHW_erhJmr_xNqs/s1600/Hays+CISD+Summit+Logo+Official+From+Google.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjURcl8LfeOBDUAjPSyakw11NaiNcEiPfpFY0hgqxb-oec0vNYUvoceb69lb4hqNA2EkNXeHzilvYKrxuzS1LdnJQe4xlT0WvEXNCI6YI84pz88FVJYRuvNN8eh-iF22AHW_erhJmr_xNqs/s320/Hays+CISD+Summit+Logo+Official+From+Google.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://sites.google.com/a/friedtechnology.com/central-texas-summit/home" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Image Source</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Hays CISD Central Texas Summit. This great day of learning was held at <a href="http://beta2.schoolworld.com/hayscisd/mccormick.cfm" target="_blank">McCormick Middle School </a>in Hays CISD, a beautiful campus with a design that inspires collaboration, design thinking, and student autonomy. This summit drew educators from all over Central Texas, including Hays, Dripping Springs, Brenham, Austin, and several other districts. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/ShakeUpLearning" style="text-decoration: none;">Kasey Bell</a> delivered the keynote. <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal;">Kasey’s website and blog, </span><a href="http://www.shakeuplearning.com/blog" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ShakeUpLearning.com</span></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal;">, provides teachers and educators with digital learning resources, tech tips and tricks, and classroom technology integration ideas. This</span> video from her presentation truly showcases the need for today's educators to embrace the idea of change and how teachers must work to meet the needs of the learners that are in our classrooms today. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PWa8-43kE-Q/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PWa8-43kE-Q?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cool people I met that you should follow:</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/rescuetutorials" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Deborah Petty</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/klpotter4" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Kari Potter</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/GarnerRockstars" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Kelly Garner</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/tommyspall?lang=en" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Tommy Spall</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/EdTxAnn" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ann DeBolt</span></a></span><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/friEdTechnology?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" style="white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Amy Mayer</span></a><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cool ideas/extensions I learned about that you should know about, too...</span></i><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Quizlet</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.khanacademy.org/" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">KhanAcademy</a></span><br />
<a href="http://www.istation.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">iStation</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://nearpod.com/" style="background-color: white;">Nearpod</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.prodigygame.com/" style="background-color: white;">Prodigy</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXurAf0bbiRfyLImgk2pzcjYUpHFM2mvlq4jbGdbqXGDy_nAYMArGmkjjkFN9vfzPmnKfoZQJcEm9uZVEbL7EIBkgBgKd8K_GitwhOLVCIZmGj4LIp0I57XQEklnMAVBTtfmGMf_IlIevH/s1600/TechPoster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXurAf0bbiRfyLImgk2pzcjYUpHFM2mvlq4jbGdbqXGDy_nAYMArGmkjjkFN9vfzPmnKfoZQJcEm9uZVEbL7EIBkgBgKd8K_GitwhOLVCIZmGj4LIp0I57XQEklnMAVBTtfmGMf_IlIevH/s320/TechPoster.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The bottom line seems to be this: Educational technology can be leveraged in so many positive ways, but like all change, is going to take a commitment to professional development, access, and real-world application. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I appreciated the Growth Mindset approach that I heard throughout the day at the Google Summit. </span><br />
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<li>I'm not sure; let's find out. </li>
<li>Does someone in the room know? </li>
<li>Let's ask on Twitter and see what we find out. </li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.lessoncast.com/2013/10/a-learner-centered-hierarchy-for-blended-learning/" target="_blank">Image source</a></span></div>
<br />mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-248500322385530902016-11-06T15:48:00.002-08:002017-07-14T15:57:40.241-07:00Whatever you are...<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">My niece attends the elementary campus where I am an Instructional Coach. When I picked up my kids at my mom's house the other day, she was there and was drawing a picture for her teacher. I nonchalantly mentioned that I knew her teacher would love it. I also said that since I'm not a classroom teacher anymore, I don't get very many, "love notes," from students.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Two days later, I was in the crosswalk directing before-school traffic (Coaches often perform other duties as assigned) when my niece came to the curb. "Aunt Mandy, I made you this." It turned out the be the very best part of my day, as well as the inspiration for this post.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5U6WC5_c8bO1m6_RvXj_3MjZ9aKv-WzINjrgt8BS0hX_ErSdcvSPu_QIVCuAK8qdJcrXrhSSJ-eoQBR8prg1HFMvSSue2Ojq8bRaeKwEclLqY10qngToWzLZezE9ww0DVShiCYpjtS9T/s1600/FullSizeRender+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5U6WC5_c8bO1m6_RvXj_3MjZ9aKv-WzINjrgt8BS0hX_ErSdcvSPu_QIVCuAK8qdJcrXrhSSJ-eoQBR8prg1HFMvSSue2Ojq8bRaeKwEclLqY10qngToWzLZezE9ww0DVShiCYpjtS9T/s640/FullSizeRender+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"Since you became a whatever you are..."</i></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am in my second year as a campus Instructional Coach. It is safe to say that I had zero idea what I was doing last year. I read books by Elena Aguilar, Jim Knight, and Jennifer Allen. I tried to be all things to all people, I felt sad when I wasn't well-received, and I doubted my decision to leave the classroom as I struggled with an identity crisis that was expected, but still very difficult. I believed there was an ideal coach, some model that I was searching for, but even though I was committed and read all the right books, I was still very much lost.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't count the year a complete loss. I tried really, really hard. I read and researched, advocated for kids, and tried to work with individual teachers and teams to accomplish the goals they had set for themselves and for their students. I modeled lots of lessons and tried to meet the needs of the teachers, the campus, and the district system. But still I wondered...was I trying to be what I thought everyone wanted me to be instead of trusting myself to be what my school really needed?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;">The ambiguity of instructional coaching can cause confusion for more than just our students. Countless kiddos at my school think I'm the counselor because she visits their classrooms, too. I had a parent stop me in the hall the other day and ask, "What <i>exactly</i> do you do here? My son said you were in his room and were a super-nice sub, but his teacher wasn't absent."</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://skreened.com/taylormadetees/performs-other-duties-as-assigned" target="_blank">One of my favorite Instructional Coaching shirts</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The other day, I found this <a href="https://yourinstructionalcoach.com/2016/10/08/guest-post-be-the-instructional-coach-your-school-needs-you-to-be/" target="_blank">post</a> on an <a href="https://yourinstructionalcoach.com/" target="_blank">Instructional Coaching</a> blog I follow. When I read it, I immediately agreed with the author, <a href="https://twitter.com/coryroffey" target="_blank">Cory Roffey</a> when he said, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;">Clearly defining your role as an instructional coach takes a strong understanding of the varied and dynamic roles of a coach, but an even stronger understanding of your school site and both are essential in becoming the instructional coach that your school needs."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;">This year, my school needs support as teachers work to adapt to new administration, a new state accountability system, and new district initiatives. Our teachers and administrators have identified focus areas and I am busier than ever trying to provide support, build relationships, and facilitate a new fact fluency assessment system. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;">While my precious, thoughtful niece may still have no idea I what I do, and as <a href="http://taylormadeteaching.blogspot.com/2015/06/who-am-i-if-not-teacher-this-is-first.html" target="_blank">I struggle through the ultimate identity crisis</a>, I take comfort in the idea that I can learn from my mistakes, set goals and work to attain them, and that every day, something happens that makes me so happy to be exactly who and where I am. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTCVoiosjVC8jofAGQfnKm__teRYyUpFTOzxYfAu-NU3rOohQV3xJXCIMN37R-h3_TqU0gs311Q16x3EIkcQSse87s66_BBhaO7RTJ_0NtsTgnN89lJ0GrvHglII0711czgFv4GmnN2xg/s1600/imgres.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTCVoiosjVC8jofAGQfnKm__teRYyUpFTOzxYfAu-NU3rOohQV3xJXCIMN37R-h3_TqU0gs311Q16x3EIkcQSse87s66_BBhaO7RTJ_0NtsTgnN89lJ0GrvHglII0711czgFv4GmnN2xg/s400/imgres.png" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.thethingswesay.com/whatever-you-are-be-a-good-one/" target="_blank">Image credit</a></span></div>
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mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-25940730102991121482016-10-29T04:13:00.000-07:002016-10-30T05:27:47.829-07:00Keeping it simple when it's not...<div style="text-align: center;">
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Late <a href="http://www.weareteachers.com/5-ways-of-coping-with-devolson-the-dark-evil-vortex-of-late-september-october-and-november/" target="_blank">October</a> is a really hard time for teachers. The newness of back-to-school has worn off, the crayons aren't quite as pointy, and the reality of the task that lies ahead can seem downright overwhelming. Add on new district and campus initiatives, involvement in your own kids' activities, and all the allergies (I'm in Texas) and it can get just plain brutal.<br />
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I was in a team leader meeting this past week and our principal had us take out a notecard and list anything on the card that was a change from last year. "What are you currently dealing with that is new?" Here are just a few things that I scrawled out:<br />
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<li>New administration</li>
<li>New lesson plan expectations</li>
<li>New state teacher appraisal system</li>
<li>New student login information (they had FINALLY learned them!)</li>
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Here are a few things my colleagues wrote down:</div>
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<li>New baby</li>
<li>New teammate</li>
<li>New levels of accountability</li>
<li>New system for PLCs</li>
<li>New math fact fluency guidelines</li>
<li>New behavior unit on campus</li>
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<a href="http://michellechristina.com/2010/death-taxes/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRN_brRTKlIXNgB7HGExnBHq5fMXN9qXjFrkF0EQhRguvf_aTTlqTjK2UT3iCSO_jvMcpQ_aNKC1fhbAw0CDoo0C9UoG0UO4fsoEZ7kEraBOjpIh91uLgfEJ9cEXlJGIncZFFpV1RNKYi/s400/imgres.jpg" /></a></div>
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The average number of items on the card was around 15. Fifteen?! No wonder things are feeling a little bit stressful. The task was NOT to list everything you <u>actually</u> do. She only asked us to write down what we do that is NEW. Just as surely as Benjamin Franklin's famous quote about death and taxes, in schools across this country, the only thing I know for sure is that things will change. The curriculum will change, the administrators will change, the current, "best practice," of the day will change. There will be new programs, new initiatives, new technology, and new kids. There will be new leaders, new state standards, new areas of focus, and new high stakes tests. </div>
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As an Instructional Coach, I try desperately to <a href="https://yourinstructionalcoach.com/2016/07/12/guest-post-take-me-out-to-the-ballgame-reflections-from-the-stands/" target="_blank">limit the noise</a> for teachers so they can focus on what is truly important. There are times, however, that my coaching colleagues and I feel like when teachers see us, what they really see is more work. A new coaching goal for myself is to keep my mouth shut, listen to what teachers are REALLY saying, and to draw on my knowledge, my experience, and my resources to match educators with whom or what they really need.</div>
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I was talking to a teacher yesterday whom I wholeheartedly respect. She was talking about how she has had to make a conscious effort to stop reading teacher books now that school has started because she knows it will make her want to change her already successful systems to try the latest new thing. Great teachers are always looking for better ways to reach students, but when we constantly change our approach, sometimes we cannot truly know the effects. I thought it was so brilliant of her to recognize the need to slow down, work on deep implementation as opposed to surface willingness, and to truly focus on the needs of her students and herself.</div>
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I recently attended <a href="https://www.vitalsmarts.com/products-solutions/crucial-conversations/" target="_blank">Crucial Conversations</a> training which is designed to help people have productive, valuable conversations when the stakes are high. In teaching, the stakes are always high because children are involved. There are three things that must be present for the conversation to be considered crucial:</div>
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<li>Differing opinions (Never happens in education, right?!)</li>
<li>High stakes </li>
<li>Strong emotions</li>
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One of my biggest take-aways from this training is that we often tell ourselves (inaccurate) stories about people and situations that directly influence how we respond when we feel threatened. As I reflected on this training and the recent conversations I have had with teachers, I think the story we are telling ourselves is that we are inadequate. If I am supposed to teach this way now, what does that mean for the kids I taught last year, or the last 20 years? Was I doing it wrong? Are you saying that if I do it this way, I'm now better than I was yesterday? Was that teaching not valuable? Did kids not learn? Do you think I'm not good at what I do?</div>
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During another recent conversation with two fourth grade teachers, they were asking about how we can possibly teach the state standards to the depth that is necessary in a workshop model. They were saying they KNOW that it is best for kids, but were struggling with the logistics of different genres, varying reading levels, a fixed timeline, time in text, and RTI expectations. As I listened to their conversation, I was struck with how well they teach. All they could focus on was how they were not doing it right, and all I could focus on was that they were. Even just having the conversation showed that they were honest and reflective, were meeting the needs of a broad range of learners, that they cared about their kids as readers and not just as test scores, and that they wanted to do their job so well. </div>
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I work with some of the most amazing, caring, committed teachers out there. In schools all across this country, teachers are working themselves to the limits of burnout to balance what is being asked of them with what they know is right. In an ocean of ever-changing ideas, research, and initiatives, I want to help teachers identify what their state standards are asking them to do, what timeline their district has given them to do it, and what is best for kids. My daughter happens to be in the class of one of the teachers having the reader's workshop conversation above. I e-mailed her later and hope it resonates with other teachers who are fighting the good fight.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;">From a parent perspective, you are doing more than, "good things." My daughter is a tough nut to crack and she would take a bullet for you. She's independently motivated to work on reading and math, and is talking about social studies concepts like never before. She talks about experiments, the fun she is having, dance parties, and loves school.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">You did that. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Highly effective teachers always spend more mental energy on what isn't going well, but from my vantage point, and in her eyes, you are the best around.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">My kids have been taught by the most caring and committed teachers. I am so fortunate to work with a building full of thinkers, reflectors, and teachers that put kids first. The stakes are high and our emotions are strong. When our viewpoints differ, let us focus on a mutual outcome. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is best for kids? </span></div>
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mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-19893491431947962522016-09-03T12:34:00.000-07:002016-09-05T13:41:45.122-07:00Writer's Workshop: The Power of the Pencil<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." — </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Roald Dahl</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As an elementary teacher and instructional coach, one of the things I have heard over and over is how overwhelming it is for teachers to set up a Writer’s Workshop. This structure, researched by many, including Donald Graves, Donald Murray, and Lucy Calkins, provides students with a predictable routine for writing instruction that includes a mini-lesson and extended time for students to write. During the workshop time, the teacher will confer with individuals and small groups and the students will spend time prewriting, drafting, editing, revising, and publishing. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the most important things for teachers to understand is that Writer’s Workshop is not WHAT you teach, it is the framework that is in place for the writing block. Once students understand the predictable structure of this sacred time, the teacher will utilize district curriculum and pacing guides, state standards, and the needs of students to dictate what is taught in mini-lessons. Teachers may utilize mentor texts, model writing in front of children, pair students for peer-editing and revision, and provide varied opportunities for publishing. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Structure of a Writer’s Workshop</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mini-lesson (about 15 minutes)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Focused lesson on a single topic usually taken from your state standards or district curriculum</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Adjust for the needs of your students</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*May include examining a mentor text or teacher modeling</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Writing time (20-45 minutes*) </span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1px; border-left: solid #000000 1px; border-right: solid #000000 1px; border-top: solid #000000 1px; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Students write</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Kids may work individually and/or partnerships</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Teacher will confer with individuals or may pull small groups that need targeted writing instruction</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Students may also be working on different stages of the writing process during this time: drafting, editing, revising, publishing, etc.</span></div>
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<tr style="height: 0px;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1px; border-left: solid #000000 1px; border-right: solid #000000 1px; border-top: solid #000000 1px; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sharing/Wrap-up (5-10 minutes)</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1px; border-left: solid #000000 1px; border-right: solid #000000 1px; border-top: solid #000000 1px; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Students may share writing in partners, groups, or with the entire class</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Teacher may share writing</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Reiterate teaching point from mini-lesson</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Depending on your students</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are many resources for setting up this time, but teachers should utilize the following components to ensure the most effective environment for a daily writing routine.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">P-E-N-C-I-L</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purpose</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Above all, children need authentic reasons to write. When kids know their writing will be viewed by their classmates, others in their school, and even online, they have an innate desire to do their best because they know it is not just busy work. When teachers present writing lessons, they can build on kids’ unique experiences, their hopes and dreams, and their questions to spark purposeful reasons to write. Patricia Cunningham and Richard Allington say, </span><a href="http://amzn.to/2bpmxFz" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Children who are successful at becoming literate view reading and writing as authentic activities from which they get information and pleasure, and by which they communicate with others.”</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="kinder.jpg" height="192" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/GNINpZDMSyFLxMEws4Q2elmN3qR96fFOW7lC1rvMABEgPMJytsKnswMyYtsI-MprNNVt98olhwPLtk2MQVexnp5t5Mho_yraphiAXCJ-o_tHefM-8GDHH4nKfK7yWV_EjUdH4EWE" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="296" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Environment</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Intentional teachers will set up a classroom environment that supports independence and literacy connections to daily life, grade-level content, and authentic writing opportunities. Children should be surrounded by meaningful labels, charts, and literature from a broad range of genres. This access should include print books and technology resources and should reflect a developmentally appropriate range of literacy opportunities. A first grade print-rich environment will differ tremendously from that of a sophomore English class, but both teachers will think through ways to establish an environment that is engaging and mirrors their students’ real lives as readers and authors. As students are introduced to new types of writing, multiple examples of mentor texts that support the structure should be available for kids to read and emulate. For further examples of literacy-rich environments, click </span><a href="http://www.readingrockets.org/article/literacy-rich-environments" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="IMG_7023.jpg" height="258" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/dZul8UFFPr04vFxyOkkhVtQ2a7T0FWAGUmtQYNCrZdiO6kG2DBulnytSe3hbc_k67l6fsbitzutmQyd_nRlKL2wfC2gWRylgQCkNK4h4J0ZaYlIbMgOQsNI-Y-jguUknDS9KLlW5" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="194" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nurture</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: In college, I read a book by <a href="http://memfox.com/" target="_blank">Mem Fox</a> that changed the trajectory of my thoughts as a teacher and a writer. In her book </span><a href="http://amzn.to/2bJ3AMZ" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Radical Reflections</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Fox writes, “I think we tend to forget about this element of relationships when we teach writing. Are we aware of how much our students dread having their writing knocked back? Do we trample on their vulnerability when they limp in, unarmed, from the battlefield? It’s hard to keep in mind the painful wounds of battle and the importance of friendship unless you’ve been wounded yourself. Teachers of writing who have been soldiers themselves, engaged in a writing battle, must be able to empathize more closely with the comrades in their classrooms than teachers who are merely war correspondents at the hotel bar, as it were, watching the battle from a safe distance, declining to get in there themselves and write.”</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This quote changed me. As a teacher consultant for the </span><a href="http://centraltexaswritingproject.ning.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Central Texas Writing Project</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and an elementary classroom teacher, I have been able to see first-hand how powerful it is when a teacher writes alongside his/her students. It communicates camaraderie and understanding. It shows student writers that the teacher is willing to be vulnerable and engage in a writing struggle. It requires teachers to look for supportive and nurturing ways to provide targeted feedback to students that will improve writing instruction and ultimately, student performance. The definition of the word nurture is, “To </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">care for and encourage the growth or development of…” This clearly doesn’t mean we are always sunshiny and never hold students accountable for growth and grammar. It means that we meet each student writer where they are and find targeted ways to help them develop into accomplished, capable authors.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="254" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/7wv-3_zTCYwp205oOL1He345RPvXe05dFbYYANL9MqNGbtmNdVDBasbu6d26GOiok3C0eWg0gb3h-_sPi53Q39sUj6I39BTgOPcKyx9mvV4pvx5MWS1I-rJIZa7fiQ2bCgszExpa" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="191" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Coach</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Writing development doesn’t just happen. Intentional teachers will observe their students in order to look for what kids already do well and what they need today to be a better writer tomorrow. Building on those individual strengths helps children at all stages of writing development grow as authors. If a group of students needs work on a similar writing goal the teacher may decide to pull a small group for a quick review of a particular skill. An advanced writer may need a gentle nudge from a teacher to discover a new writing technique, to find ways to add details to their writing, or be explicitly taught how to use a rubric to self-monitor their own writing. Coaching can be done by the teacher and also by the students, once proper expectations are in place. Click </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBuq4qgRhCc" style="line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here </span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for a student-made video about peer conferencing.</span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><img height="243" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BodjP93qH3qXbzVvHO06FDKkH_M1PIgCximL6U8690-SpvHGu2BJxFAOATSJEekes70CR0i3Z8wJiSkUCWEJ9bEy-yeJcS4WH0npl-Wx5D8s8llm2li7yMMblZrbFBKlQFjZRAYx" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="252" /></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Integrated</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is my hope that time will be devoted to </span><a href="http://amzn.to/2cxOw71" style="line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Writer’s Workshop</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> each day, but it is crucial that the writing process be integrated into all aspects of the school experience. Writing skills may be taught in isolation, but will be transferred more naturally if they are woven into the daily fabric of math, reading, technology, science, and social studies instruction. Students may write to solidify scientific understandings and write to publish articles about important social studies figures. They may write a blog to explain connections with popular literature and to share books with peers. Technology should be leveraged to give students an authentic audience to share their work across the campus, the district, and the country. Today’s educational culture is shifting toward student choice, maker opportunities, and collaboration. Writer’s Workshop is a necessary complement to this kind of teaching, and should be celebrated as a way to reflect and connect student ideas and learning across content areas. For practical ideas about Writer’s Workshop and Makerspaces, click </span><a href="http://amzn.to/2bKoQTf" style="line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Linked to Life:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="http://amzn.to/2bKraK1" style="line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Want to know a secret</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? Kids are smart. It takes the average 7 year-old and 7th grader about 7 seconds to realize that a teacher has asked him/her to do busy work. In today’s society, kids are desperate for connection. Educators must find ways to use this need to our advantage and to improve student self-esteem and student performance in the process. Is there an issue that students care about? Write letters and deliver them instead of writing fake letters and hanging them in the hall. Do the kids see something in the library or their school they like or wonder about? Have them write notes to the students and teachers in other grades and ask questions. Do they need to ask for clarification, broaden their understanding of a topic, or disagree about something? Writing is the way that this generation of students communicates with peers and a broad global audience. Our online presence is strengthened when we write well, connect with others, and pay attention to spelling, grammar, and appropriate content. All of these skills are necessary and can be taught in the context of real-life applications of content in a caring classroom environment.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The PENCIL may seem to have lost some of its power in this age of technology. Whether students wield a </span><a href="http://amzn.to/2bXYYzt" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ticonderoga</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a Chromebook, or an iPhone as their tool, the power they have as authors has never been more real. Brave teachers will find authentic, meaningful ways to hold on to the fundamentals of sound writing instruction as they navigate an evolving culture of technology application and worthwhile writing opportunities for all students.</span></div>
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<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li1&o=1&a=1596437456" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Loved-Words/dp/0375836012/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1472930414&sr=8-57&keywords=books+about+kid+writing&linkCode=li2&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=d237c3b7487f93a7f021197b3ba35d29" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0375836012&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="198" /></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bear-Story-Tell-Philip-Stead/dp/1596437456/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1472930511&sr=8-1&keywords=bear+has&linkCode=li2&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=8244fb5164eb74f7f74708b226e46f56" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="185" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1596437456&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="200" /></a> <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li2&o=1&a=1596437456" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pictures-Words-Book-About-Making/dp/0823412717/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1472930618&sr=8-14&keywords=books+about+writing+for+children&linkCode=li2&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=30c92b0922b59e513f9e5e47b0821d3f" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="173" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0823412717&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="200" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li2&o=1&a=0823412717" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-82587527029913577812016-07-29T18:07:00.000-07:002016-07-29T18:11:38.370-07:00Beginning of the Year Read-AloudsLike most educators, I am slightly obsessed with bookstores. I love the way they smell, I enjoy watching people browse for just the right book, I love hearing the conversations between parents and their young children as they discuss authors and characters, and I get excited every time I find perfect books for lessons I want to teach or share with the teachers with whom I work.<br />
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The other day, I was in Half Price Books and found two gems that I am excited to take with me to school this year! Elementary teachers spend considerable time at the beginning of the year building community with their classes and setting the stage for future reading success. It is important to share special books together so that students can anchor their learning to mentor texts, establish norms and procedures for working closely in a shared space, and simply adjust to their new learning environment with the presence of quality children's literature. </div>
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Wise teachers are very intentional about the books they choose at the beginning of the school year. They read books that are funny, books with characters that help children make connections, and books that model expectations in easy, relatable ways. Teachers understand what feelings and anxieties students may bring into their new classroom and can leverage read-alouds for a positive start to the year.</div>
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There are classic read-alouds that I have always read to my kids at the <a href="http://taylormadeteaching.blogspot.com/2014/08/i-see-your-true-colors-shining-through.html" target="_blank">beginning of the year</a>, but I get giddy when I find <a href="http://taylormadeteaching.blogspot.com/2016/07/schools-first-day-of-school.html" target="_blank">new titles</a> that I can add to my coaching room for teachers to share with their new groups of kiddos. Here are two finds that I highly encourage you to check-out!</div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Book-That-I-Love-Read/dp/1897533616/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1469837707&sr=8-2&keywords=book+that+I+love+to+read&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=d1468f161337417a96348b6b6e9627cd" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1897533616&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="288" /></a></div>
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<u><a href="http://amzn.to/2axrYPR" target="_blank">The Book That I Love to Read</a></u> by Joe Fitzpatrick. This is the cutest read-aloud ever! The main character is a boy who has found the PERFECT book. It kind of reminds me of <a href="http://amzn.to/2a6eVqi" target="_blank">The Monster at the End of This Book</a> because each new page has fun surprises that primary kids will LOVE. Selfishly, I want to keep this book for myself when I do read-alouds in classrooms the first few weeks of school year to introduce myself to the kids. But, if a teacher REALLY wants it, then (of course) I will concede!</div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Story-Kate-Messner/dp/1452112339/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1469838425&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+read+a+story&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=d773055b67c3bfc3700298b9f3c4ce90" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="307" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1452112339&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2aaRmIB" target="_blank">How to Read a Story</a> by Kate Messner. This is quite possibly the most perfect book to read to kids before a lesson on choosing a Just-Right book. It is versatile enough to read at home with your own kids or to your class as you establish norms for independent and partner reading. It is kind of a clearinghouse of all beginning of the year reading mini-lessons, as it addresses everything from choosing a place to read, to changing your voice to match the characters, to boldly exclaiming, "The End." Just precious. Amazon recommends this book for K-2nd grade, but I would read it to third graders in a heartbeat. If I had to choose a similar book, it kind of reminds me of <span id="goog_1342962345"></span><a href="http://amzn.to/2anhYcJ" target="_blank">Wolf!</a> by Becky Bloom<span id="goog_1342962346"></span>.</div>
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As the new school year quickly approaches, I will continue to find books to support the teachers and students I get to work alongside all year. What are your favorite back-to-school read-alouds?</div>
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=1897533616" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=1452112339" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-13852318807026037852016-07-12T17:34:00.001-07:002016-07-13T18:57:56.852-07:00Reflections from the Stands<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KkCehD_MQJrpzbhc4HEq4uGeS_23ZnFCJyUXqY-rfMrkTkejPQKcRwHh6JEDilKQYgFnlo0b8VesmVnCb2dLsf1tnsgQqO2SU4O7G6jzKuRHnPNSyzTJtfaRE0x9yeMpSMoFXziX_g-6/s1600/CnMx4ASWgAAj9uI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KkCehD_MQJrpzbhc4HEq4uGeS_23ZnFCJyUXqY-rfMrkTkejPQKcRwHh6JEDilKQYgFnlo0b8VesmVnCb2dLsf1tnsgQqO2SU4O7G6jzKuRHnPNSyzTJtfaRE0x9yeMpSMoFXziX_g-6/s640/CnMx4ASWgAAj9uI.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I got the opportunity to guest blog over at Your Instructional Coach. It is a blogged aimed at Instructional Coaches, but applicable to any in the field of education. I was recently struck by how teaching is a lot like playing baseball...<br />
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I would be honored if you would head over to <a href="https://yourinstructionalcoach.com/2016/07/12/guest-post-take-me-out-to-the-ballgame-reflections-from-the-stands/" target="_blank">Eric's page</a> and check it out! I am rooting for you, teachers!<br />
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Great baseball reads...</div>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Works-Science-Sports-Illustrated/dp/1429648724/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468461287&sr=8-3&keywords=baseball+books+for+kids+age+9+12&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=0871313958914eb3a33a54cf0cd8e1fd" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1429648724&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="134" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=1429648724" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ballpark-Mysteries-Fenway-Foul-up-Stepping/dp/0375867031/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468461287&sr=8-4&keywords=baseball+books+for+kids+age+9+12&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=350e8e14060095e8b058e0a3f0b0c967" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0375867031&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="136" /></a> <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0375867031" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ballpark-Story-Americas-Baseball-Fields/dp/1416953604/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468461385&sr=8-41&keywords=baseball+books+for+kids+age+9+12&linkCode=li2&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=ad2d19cc936afb33c945516d7dae758c" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1416953604&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="197" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li2&o=1&a=1416953604" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-27351883469500344982016-07-09T11:51:00.004-07:002016-07-13T14:16:56.785-07:00Mindsets for Parents!<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">I'm so excited! I have blogged before about the power of </span><a href="https://taylormadeteaching.blogspot.com/2016/03/growth-mindset-monday.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Growth Mindsets</a><span style="text-align: left;"> for kiddos, but I am thrilled about this new book by Mary Cay Ricci written just for parents! I hope to start up a Growth Mindset parent study at school soon. What are some things you would address in a group like this? I think parents and teachers working on this together could have a real impact...I would love to know your thoughts.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mindsets-Parents-Strategies-Encourage-Growth/dp/1618215248/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1468249409&sr=1-1&keywords=mindsets+for+parents&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=21bc9a6732b32398b6ffa7c2bcc48b2d" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1618215248&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="265" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=1618215248" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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Mindset books I have enjoyed...</div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mindsets-Classroom-Building-Culture-Achievement/dp/1618210815/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468248412&sr=8-1&keywords=mindsets+in+the+classroom&linkCode=li2&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=e13d6cb21c44d08cbb36d1587911b73c" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"> <img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1618210815&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="133" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Success-Carol-Dweck/dp/0345472322/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&dpID=51m5-B0GaXL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL480_SR312,480_&psc=1&refRID=R7MXKFEBHMVJ369N371V&linkCode=li2&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=aa15216a5e598a11eedf376123fe2fb8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0345472322&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="130" /></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ready-Use-Resources-Mindsets-Classroom/dp/1618213962/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&dpID=619O8yR2B2L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL480_SR372,480_&psc=1&refRID=79MNRN7QXC34P9RGYT9Y&linkCode=li2&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=28f8be75e481599bcc0c89121468d5ed" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1618213962&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="155" /></a></div>
mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-5990009063318162052016-07-08T11:36:00.000-07:002016-07-11T08:13:41.460-07:00School's First Day of School<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2lsawafMi6hsvAuml1MtxsMffe0OeysTKk6VPAIx_XdRu4poiHR5Uu1-uYmdvUH7GvDP6iRVbh-pi96bfd8vY3TbTcnoDuQncPGYd_BkZq0tjhH9GUR6VGLFBN48lq7CpJxfjCO68MM0E/s1600/imgres-4.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2lsawafMi6hsvAuml1MtxsMffe0OeysTKk6VPAIx_XdRu4poiHR5Uu1-uYmdvUH7GvDP6iRVbh-pi96bfd8vY3TbTcnoDuQncPGYd_BkZq0tjhH9GUR6VGLFBN48lq7CpJxfjCO68MM0E/s320/imgres-4.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Schools-First-Day-School-Adam/dp/1596439645/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1468001815&sr=1-1&keywords=school%27s+first+day+of+school" target="_blank">Click here</a></div>
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Looking for a fun new read aloud for the first day of school? Check out this cutie by Adam Rex. The story is told from the perspective of the actual school building...his floors are getting waxed and buffed, he's not sure about meeting the children, and he has a charming relationship with the school janitor. School overhears a big kid saying he doesn't like school, and his feelings get hurt, but then he witnesses a shy, upset kindergartner change throughout the story and get excited about coming back the next day. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmUNgova7Icb0bBYsPFjrSk5YA99277Jvm3WHgIsFA0SG3NxJOSOokhlkrWvG61QRQnKLMA3Rr5I2pPFDWJNsPH9v-nIqAWZkGt7EectNslbYNIqNaShu4Th1krO22yEN8O16IAsYIVUX/s1600/imgres-5.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmUNgova7Icb0bBYsPFjrSk5YA99277Jvm3WHgIsFA0SG3NxJOSOokhlkrWvG61QRQnKLMA3Rr5I2pPFDWJNsPH9v-nIqAWZkGt7EectNslbYNIqNaShu4Th1krO22yEN8O16IAsYIVUX/s320/imgres-5.jpg" width="253" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/First-Jitters-Hartwells-classroom-adventures/dp/158089061X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468002642&sr=8-1&keywords=first+day+jitters" target="_blank">Click here</a></div>
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In <u>First Day Jitters</u> fashion, this book tells the story of back-to-school nerves from a perspective other than a child, with the clear goal of helping students identify with a character without admitting their own nerves. This is a must-add to your first-day read aloud cue! </div>
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If you like <u>School's First Day of School</u> as much as I do, check out my resource pack for some fun ideas to use after reading the book to your new class.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6lTnisaSiDMP3WqLHCPHaOwQD3su45d5_TqjMW-LGcJFhXj9PxpRGmxkPWO8Dd99bTOzHIne9ZvT7dsdrifZLeYkWE78ig-8U4sKQMDNjVWn6uA8-mVdDfmAaWAyRgRPNHLyIxO_Qg26/s1600/original-2629123-1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6lTnisaSiDMP3WqLHCPHaOwQD3su45d5_TqjMW-LGcJFhXj9PxpRGmxkPWO8Dd99bTOzHIne9ZvT7dsdrifZLeYkWE78ig-8U4sKQMDNjVWn6uA8-mVdDfmAaWAyRgRPNHLyIxO_Qg26/s320/original-2629123-1.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Schools-First-Day-of-School-Back-to-School-Activity-Pack-2629123" target="_blank">Click here</a></div>
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I have a few more back-to-school read aloud ideas coming up soon...What are some of your favorites?</div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Schools-First-Day-School-Adam/dp/1596439645/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1468249041&sr=1-1&keywords=school%27s+first+day+of+school&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=68257ba77ec84140d3828dd0be7d1eeb" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1596439645&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="160" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=1596439645" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/First-Jitters-Hartwells-classroom-adventures/dp/158089061X/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1468249108&sr=1-1&keywords=first+day+jitters&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=9a4fd4a8370c2e0744fff9f488f5f3c7" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=158089061X&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="160" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=158089061X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-84741477335939389452016-07-02T15:24:00.000-07:002016-07-11T08:18:08.908-07:00Podcasts are the New PDA few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of working with Gretchen Shultek from <a href="http://alwaysalesson.com/" target="_blank">Always a Lesson</a> on a project we've talked about for awhile. I connected with Gretchen through <a href="https://twitter.com/GSchultek" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and she quickly became a mentor to me...even though we are not geographically close!<br />
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Gretchen and I quickly took our Twitter connection to the next level. <a href="http://www.voxer.com/" target="_blank">Voxer</a> is one of my favorite apps for taking control of my own professional development. It allows for quick, convenient connection with my PLN. I can throw out a quick question, ask for recommendations, participate in book studies, or just say hi. It is a great tool for <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23personalizedPD&src=typd" target="_blank">#personalizedPD</a>, which is my very favorite kind of PD (if you haven't heard me mention it already...).<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Personalized-PD-Flipping-Professional-Development/dp/0692483322/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468250156&sr=8-1&keywords=personalized+Pd&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=35122ebc99e072e319ab6857a6de87e7" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0692483322&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="265" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0692483322" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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Gretchen asked if I would be interested in being interviewed for her podcast, and at first I was confused. "Um, what would people want to hear me talk about?" And she said, "Just tell me what you're thinking." It fascinated me how talking to her in that format allowed me to reflect on ideas that have been swimming around in my mind for awhile. It was such a cool experience. If you'd like to hear the episode, you can listen <a href="http://alwaysalesson.com/55-bonus-edition-interview-with-mandy-taylor/" target="_blank">here</a>, or you can download her <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2" target="_blank">podcast</a> in the iTunes store. If you like her style, please subscribe to her podcast and leave her some love in the review section.</div>
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Listening to a podcast is an easy way to grab some personalized professional development when it fits into your schedule. No matter what you are searching for, you are sure to find one that will give you insight, encouragement, and practical ideas for your teaching life. Here are a few of my favorites:<br />
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2" target="_blank">Always a Lesson</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.cultofpedagogy.com/pod/" target="_blank">Cult of Pedagogy</a><br />
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<a href="http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/truth-for-teachers" target="_blank">Angela Watson</a><br />
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/teachers-ask-jen-serravallo/id1037686677?mt=2" target="_blank">Jennifer Seravallo</a><br />
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<br />mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-14769718780099330152016-04-20T19:00:00.001-07:002016-07-13T17:14:41.965-07:00I Like Picture Books and I Cannot LieOne of the things I miss most about teaching my own class is reading aloud to kids. It would be fascinating to know the actual amount of hours I have read books aloud in my entire teaching career. When I was pregnant, my own personal children got to hear my voice ALL.DAY.LONG. as I read <u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Very-Hungry-Caterpillar-Eric-Carle/dp/0399208534/ref=sr_1_1_twi_har_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1461194899&sr=8-1&keywords=very+hungry+caterpillar" target="_blank">The Very Hungry Caterpillar</a></u> by Eric Carle, <u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chrysanthemum-Kevin-Henkes/dp/0688147321/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461195223&sr=8-1&keywords=chrysanthemum" target="_blank">Chrysanthemum</a></u> by Kevin Henkes, and <u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Hat-Mem-Fox/dp/0152057153/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1461195291&sr=8-1&keywords=the+magic+hat" target="_blank">The Magic Hat</a></u> by Mem Fox.<br />
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The rhythm, cadence, and magic we find in picture books does so many great things for children. Reading aloud models fluent, passionate reading, it builds classroom community, it provides children with mentor texts they can emulate in their own writing, and it builds context for the rigorous content and complex social situations that kids must tackle on a daily basis.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Name-Truth-Life-Sojourner/dp/0060758988/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1461196406&sr=8-6&keywords=sojourner+truth" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Who was Sojourner Truth and why does she matter? </span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Name-Truth-Life-Sojourner/dp/0060758988/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1461196406&sr=8-6&keywords=sojourner+truth" target="_blank">Let's read a book about her.</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/My-Name-Truth-Life-Sojourner/dp/0060758988/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468444725&sr=8-8&keywords=sojourner+truth&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=b26e89be6f75549a716649b35997e878" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0060758988&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="328" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Probably-Pistachio-MathStart-Stuart-Murphy/dp/0064467341/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1461196912&sr=8-19&keywords=stuart+j+murphy" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Why do I need to understand probability? </span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Probably-Pistachio-MathStart-Stuart-Murphy/dp/0064467341/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1461196912&sr=8-19&keywords=stuart+j+murphy" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Let's read a book about it.</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Probably-Pistachio-MathStart-Stuart-Murphy/dp/0064467341/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468444826&sr=8-1&keywords=probably+pistachio&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=1c8f0a9a5cfd1f9b15c0691ce40a4c22" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="324" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0064467341&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Readers-Seed-Plant/dp/1426314701/ref=sr_1_15?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461197106&sr=1-15&keywords=what+plants+need" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">What is the effect of sunlight on plants?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Readers-Seed-Plant/dp/1426314701/ref=sr_1_15?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461197106&sr=1-15&keywords=what+plants+need" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Let's read a book about it.</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Readers-Seed-Plant/dp/1426314701/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468444904&sr=8-1&keywords=seed+to+plant+national+geographic&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=18ed905cb2ab578706897e6f8f6121fe" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1426314701&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="267" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-That-Dog-Sharon-Creech/dp/0064409597/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461197217&sr=1-1&keywords=love+that+dog" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">How can a poem and a caring teacher change a student forever?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-That-Dog-Sharon-Creech/dp/0064409597/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461197217&sr=1-1&keywords=love+that+dog" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Let's read a book about it.</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-That-Dog-Sharon-Creech/dp/0064409597/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468444985&sr=8-1&keywords=love+that+dog&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=8d77052f104d21381fee6f2b73ca15ad" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0064409597&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="268" /></a></div>
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I've tried to be sneaky and get into classrooms as much as I can to read to kids. <a href="http://readingrockets.org/">Readingrockets.org</a> is a great website with lots of information for parents and teachers about the power of reading. Regarding read alouds, it says, "<span style="background-color: white; color: #2581bc; font-family: "verdana" , "trebuchet ms" , "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.5328px;">Reading aloud is one of the most important things parents and teachers can do with children. Reading aloud builds many important foundational skills, introduces vocabulary, provides a model of fluent, expressive reading, and helps children recognize what reading for pleasure is all about." </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Isn't reading for pleasure really what it's all about?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">For more information on the magic of reading aloud to children, check out the <a href="http://memfox.com/for-parents/for-parents-ten-read-aloud-commandments/" target="_blank">Ten Read-Aloud Commandments</a> by Mem Fox. She's my literacy idol, introducing me to <u>Radical Reflections</u>, <u>Tough Boris</u>, <u>Where is the Green Sheep</u>, R<u>eading Magic</u>, and countless others that my kids have heard over and over and over.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdABpMd489GM0KEyKNNvX7W3dnEpjv5DKxrELKSb_c-u1YrlvW2O2g4RxlF-FTMU2FjlgJaVzxWwqCYyodeWJsjV9958BWphwsKAlMM5CWmc1_cJQ5CfOXTb3La45mQxPRmTzvzoajyAnn/s1600/IMG_4068+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdABpMd489GM0KEyKNNvX7W3dnEpjv5DKxrELKSb_c-u1YrlvW2O2g4RxlF-FTMU2FjlgJaVzxWwqCYyodeWJsjV9958BWphwsKAlMM5CWmc1_cJQ5CfOXTb3La45mQxPRmTzvzoajyAnn/s320/IMG_4068+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">Have you read to a child today?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">Magical reads...</span></span><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0060758988" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0064467341" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=1426314701" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0064409597" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0064409597" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Hat-Mem-Fox/dp/0152057153/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468445118&sr=8-12&keywords=magic+hat&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=eef25287fef6fdc85962ec34fe2eb172" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0152057153&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="150" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0152057153" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Possum-Magic-Voyager-Books-Mem/dp/0152632247/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468445149&sr=8-15&keywords=where+is+the+green+sheep&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=2c6e05871fa78cccebde20ec7726a624" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0152632247&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="186" /></a> <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0152632247" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Magic-Children-Change-Forever/dp/0156035103/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468445236&sr=8-1&keywords=reading+magic&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=3b596c71ae33e5ebc601a2874f668427" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0156035103&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="131" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0156035103" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5702550133394237219.post-45236720762790147572016-04-10T11:09:00.000-07:002016-07-13T20:06:38.179-07:00What Great Educators Do Differently<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">This weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the <a href="https://whatgreateducatorsdodifferently.com/" target="_blank">What Great Educators Do Differently</a> conference in Katy, Texas. It was a smaller conference with high-energy presenters, ed-camp options, and lots of opportunities to connect with educators who are making an impact in schools across the nation. I love my district and the fantastic teachers I work with, but there is something validating about connecting with people you are NOT around every day, people that will open your mind and heart to new ideas.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcW-1ErOtULaCw-sOLF7oMMEMEQOCJCjthKe0zVDP9IoYjEjyII9iDsNKIp_OaU8G6h0rrru-Sip5aD4XHdThiZivSfjsHXO_YTJkDuXw2sviZ75CUZavl6SoDjMhDIZs7hYms4NrtUmM2/s1600/IMG_1683+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcW-1ErOtULaCw-sOLF7oMMEMEQOCJCjthKe0zVDP9IoYjEjyII9iDsNKIp_OaU8G6h0rrru-Sip5aD4XHdThiZivSfjsHXO_YTJkDuXw2sviZ75CUZavl6SoDjMhDIZs7hYms4NrtUmM2/s320/IMG_1683+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mindsthatmatterinc.com/about" target="_blank">LaVonna Roth</a>, part of my PLN and wearer of glittery, silver flats. I wish I had photographed them.<span style="text-align: left;"> Her session focused on the <a href="http://www.igniteyourshine.com/about" target="_blank">Ignite Your Shine</a> platform, which focuses on empowering team members to be confident, creative, and present. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_lLdv2FN90LdRLLCnZdPN6TD-72jjcxfNOAjbmuivfuMNOdPMjbzsG-VeysiPcDhlUQ9l0Lw6E-oSPbhDINJXvnW85Aik3PhJ-AdHGRqJYAe5Lcp0grlWusR6PaDIojn9EXnhEoi8p5X/s1600/IMG_1688+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_lLdv2FN90LdRLLCnZdPN6TD-72jjcxfNOAjbmuivfuMNOdPMjbzsG-VeysiPcDhlUQ9l0Lw6E-oSPbhDINJXvnW85Aik3PhJ-AdHGRqJYAe5Lcp0grlWusR6PaDIojn9EXnhEoi8p5X/s320/IMG_1688+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Jeff, my favorite partner. It's clear he is way more attractive than me. I loved the vibe of this conference because there were opportunities to visit with other educators, learn from each other, and pose questions, even in the sessions with a main presenter. I even stepped out of my comfort zone and proposed a topic for an edcamp session. I was amazed that 35 brilliant educators showed up to discuss ideas for moving high-perfoming campuses ahead and empowering teachers to challenge themselves to even greater teaching.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyURAxprrTup-769fu2WaR3Id7q03jgoMjUu7ujNuBH5_9K1UvfVEm5F5xonfo0aDAFBgWjRG3D2pTuadpyAxo2gmFmvF9D1qjd0qGkRiwUXX7744Rt5UXY5T1CEw6odioC2lfeIULCFOC/s1600/IMG_1680+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyURAxprrTup-769fu2WaR3Id7q03jgoMjUu7ujNuBH5_9K1UvfVEm5F5xonfo0aDAFBgWjRG3D2pTuadpyAxo2gmFmvF9D1qjd0qGkRiwUXX7744Rt5UXY5T1CEw6odioC2lfeIULCFOC/s320/IMG_1680+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.toddwhitaker.com/" target="_blank">Todd Whitaker</a>, keynote speaker</div>
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Todd is a quick talker and shoots straight. I appreciated how he focused on meeting the conference participants, listened to us, and shifted the focus from programs to people. Todd has published many books, focusing on effective leadership, teacher motivation, and school culture.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8l7tPX9nRQV9ddNRWeunQXxd90wMQhgPv40F2hYhKT1H_31sEHys6kfkwugImB55KdryDt30MZwj7ffmZnnt1QrRIni08tarGXy37DXtJvfsrjIApBUGA-y_paobOEJQpcZZFfy2lRpB-/s1600/IMG_1695+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8l7tPX9nRQV9ddNRWeunQXxd90wMQhgPv40F2hYhKT1H_31sEHys6kfkwugImB55KdryDt30MZwj7ffmZnnt1QrRIni08tarGXy37DXtJvfsrjIApBUGA-y_paobOEJQpcZZFfy2lRpB-/s320/IMG_1695+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://pernillesripp.com/" target="_blank">Pernille Ripp</a>, my literary soulmate</div>
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Pernille is a mesmerizing speaker. She is confident, composed, and speaks from a genuine place that is grounded in her work with real students in her actual classroom. Her session made me miss teaching so much. Please check out her website; it's a treasure trove. I want her to do the audiobook version of every book I ever read the rest of my life, so I can listen to her voice and feel calm.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifITks1P1yog-e-rpwXhOajzJPiDeDmNMvPZaaPipTJy8Ks9Sig_FhhNcRK_aTD5lSNlyq5yg94chQjb-0EwEt5a6IJ8I98E9P7Z0ah7yBwSTz6Zz-CWO5thfNY6-f4eVJIUINIk7AvVUI/s1600/IMG_1699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifITks1P1yog-e-rpwXhOajzJPiDeDmNMvPZaaPipTJy8Ks9Sig_FhhNcRK_aTD5lSNlyq5yg94chQjb-0EwEt5a6IJ8I98E9P7Z0ah7yBwSTz6Zz-CWO5thfNY6-f4eVJIUINIk7AvVUI/s320/IMG_1699.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I highly encourage educators to check out the <a href="http://wgedd3.com/conferences/" target="_blank">What Great Educators Do Differently</a> conference. It is unlike other conferences I have attended. It did not market programs, formulas, or trendy ideas. The focus remained on those things that continually impact teaching and learning:</div>
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Commitment</div>
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Passion</div>
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No excuses</div>
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Leverage technology for learning</div>
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Know your students</div>
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Celebrate your colleagues</div>
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Collaborate instead of compete</div>
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What are your favorite types of professional learning? What should I set my sights on next?</div>
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Books by authors I met...</div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/What-Great-Teachers-Do-Differently/dp/1930556691/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468461613&sr=8-13&keywords=todd+whitaker&linkCode=li2&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=05c64309d7c0c7b9a69cddda37bde28d" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1930556691&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="132" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li2&o=1&a=1930556691" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Passionate-Learners-Empower-Students-Education/dp/1138916927/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468461710&sr=8-1&keywords=pernille+ripp&linkCode=li2&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=1b64fcfd307b8d97ed8afc4d64ea138b" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1138916927&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="141" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li2&o=1&a=1138916927" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Deserve-Boundaries-Challenging-Conventional-Thinking/dp/0996989528/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&qid=1468461752&sr=8-1&keywords=todd+nesloney&linkCode=li3&tag=taylor010-20&linkId=60c41e4bbe09f1e984a2fad8f6ac36c0" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0996989528&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=taylor010-20" width="132" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=taylor010-20&l=li3&o=1&a=0996989528" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />mandytaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024394650059294826noreply@blogger.com0