Dear Toni a Lesson in Journal Writing

Attention teachers early in your career! Dear Toni presents an intriguing lesson idea for journal writing. When Gene Tuck moves to a new school, one of the first assignments she is is given, is to write a journal to another sixth grader. The intriguing part is that the students are writing to sixth grade students, 40 YEARS IN THE FUTURE! Cool, right?

The problem is that Gene is unhappy in her new school and this "lame" journal assignment just adds to the frustration. Gene's family is forced to move away from the only home she has ever known due to her father losing his job. When they move, they live in a small, run down apartment until her father finds a job. When her teacher assigns the journal project, writing for exactly 100 consecutive days, to a future sixth grader, Gene nearly loses it. Her writings start out very negative and petty, but as she goes on, she finds that the journal allows her a release for her new school stress and doodling creativity. At first she addresses her entries to Dear Nobody because, as Gene says, "you have no body!" As her attitude changes the recipient of the journal gets the name Toni and the entries begin to get more positive. As the reader you get to go through a lot of Gene teen angst from trying to fit in with the popular kids to losing a new best friend.

Now I know that none of you can have your kids write to a class 40 years in the future, but what about 10 or 15? If I was earlier in my career I would be all over this concept. I'm not sure I would put the 100 days on it or if it would be an entire year project. Include newspaper headlines of the day, prices of common items, reflections on class and extracurriculars. When the year is over, stick them away, I would probably have to write a note to remind myself where I put them, and pull them out in 10 or 15 years. I would think that the number of years needs to be long enough that the class that writes them is well out of high school for a better impact. Somehow, giving the journal a sense of purpose, seems like it might make the writing more real to the students. In Dear Toni, the teacher doesn't grade the journals, but keeps tabs to make sure the kids are keeping up, I could go either way on this, maybe making some of the entries for grades and others not, either way, I think this could be a pretty awesome experience for kids, especially if it was possible to contact them in the future and invite them back when the journals are distributed.

I liked this book pretty well and think kids will too, it's written in a very kid friendly voice.

Spring Break Memories

Some of my fondest childhood memories are from family vacations. Growing up in a small Ohio town, a lot of my friends didn't do family vacations, but my parents always made sure there was a get away of some sort. Long trips to Florida or Wisconsin, short trips to the nearby state park for a week or weekend of camping , it didn't matter, I don't remember too many summers or spring breaks that my family didn't go somewhere. My parents were pretty good at mixing it up, we did Disney, various beaches, and historical sites like Gettysburg. Most of these trips were spent camping in our Wayfarer pop-up camper which cut the costs and provided some excitement like the time it rocked back and forth in what seemed like hurricane force winds in Florida just outside of Disney World. Many times friends were included in our trips, taken along and treated like part of the family. As parents the lovely Mrs. Prosser and I have been trying to give our children those types of memories as well. We have had sort of an informal list of things we would like to see as a family. With Meredith in her junior year, we know our time for this list is running out, and so, we checked another one off this week with four days in New York City. While none of us want to live there, we all agreed it was fun to visit, and I think we came away with some lasting memories, like...

Seeing Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. The kids, especially Meredith have enjoyed the movie version, and since they are both involved in the drama programs at their schools, third row seats were a treat. We also took in Shrek! The Musical, Steven's choice, which was EXTREMELY funny and entertaining, I highly recommend it to anyone going to NYC.


A delicious dinner in Little Italy where we were enticed into the Bueno Notte restaurant by a charming man singing That's Amore and offering free sangria to Kathy and me.


The Statue of Liberty.




Standing where the Lovely Mrs. Prosser's great grandmother first set foot in the United States.





My two great kids getting along, which, as they get older, happens more and more. They actually seem to enjoy each other's company and laugh together often, it makes my heart smile! Being inspired by a beautiful cathedral and saddened by a sculpture damaged by terrorists.






...and having a laugh at Dad's expense when he had a hissy fit because he needed coffee and couldn't find a Starbucks soon enough!
Thanks for indulging me on this sort of personal post, sort of unusual for me, but it was a great week and I wanted to share it with you. Monday I'll return to school for the sprint to the finish and even though it wasn't a relaxing four days, it was energizing and awesome to reconnect with my family.

SPRING BREAK!! WOO HOO!!

KAREN

BILL

We're both on Spring Break this week and as you can see we are having very different experiences. While Karen relaxes in the sun on a cruise ship, I'll be fighting the crowds of New York City. I'll have plenty of time to read on the 9 hour drive, so I'm taking Dear Toni, and The Prince of Fenway Park, I know, I know that's Boston.

Picks From THE PIT Read Alouds

I haven't shared what I'm reading in THE PIT for a while, and there's been so pretty good stuff, so here goes!

Tsunamii: Awesome pictures and wonderful story about a wise elderly man who saves the seaside Japanese village from a killer wave. I've already put it on my Caldecott short list.

The Boy Who Went Ape: I love the pictures in this, especially those of the teacher, Ms. Thunderbum! The kids go on a field trip and Benjamin, the troublemaker, trades places with a chimpanzee at the zoo. Some very funny bits, but the ending left my first graders wondering why the book "just stopped."

Mighty Casey: Even though I chose this because James Preller was coming to visit, I would have read it anyway. It's a fun take on the classic poem, and when the Delmar Dogs tied the game, we were doing the wave!

Sneaky Weasel: My friend Beth at Cover to Cover pointed this one out to me. As soon as I read it while standing in the store, I heard the Sneaky Weasel's voice. Very fun and a great lesson on how to be a good friend to boot.

I Feel a Foot: I just started this one today and will continue after Spring Break. Another version of the classic tale of animals finding something mysterious in the dark. Each animal has its own
personal take on what the beast is due to their perspective. Great, colorful pictures on black backgrounds and fun dialogue made it a hit today.

James Preller's Bystander: Realistic Bully Story

Did you know that James Preller came to visit our school? NO!? Well just look here, here, and here to catch up. During his visit, he talked about his new novel coming out in the fall of 2009, Bystander. Fortunately for us, he had just received the advanced reader copies right before arriving in Dublin. Double fortunately for us, he left one behind for us to read and review.

This is a fabulous book. If I were a middle school teacher, I would make this required reading for all students. It is clear that James did his research on a hot topic in schools today. I sat down with the book and three hours later I was finished. For the entire three hours I was on the edge of my seat with that anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach that you get when you watch a suspenseful, thrilling movie. I was so angry at times that I absolutely could not stop reading until I had some resolution to this story.

James Preller does characters about as well as anyone out there in my opinion. In Bystander, he creates a bully so believable in Griffin Connelly that the reader can't help but feel nervous when Griff is doing his dirty work. In so many bully stories, the bully is a big dumb lug that isn't likable. In Griffin Connelly, James Preller presents a real bully. A kid that other kids are attracted to, a kid that the main character describes as almost "pretty", a kid that adults trust, but also sense that something isn't quite right. Griffin is the kid who stirs the pot, gets other kids to do his dirty work, and then somehow, always gets off scott free. He is the kid other kids both fear and admire at the same time. We have all seen a Griffin Connelly on the playground.

Eric Hayes is the perfect bystander. As the new kid, he is looking for friends and his first interaction at his new school is with Griffin, a few days before school starts. Due to intimidation, fear, not knowing anyone else, Eric is drawn into Griffin's circle. He doesn't really participate in the bullying, but he doesn't do anything to stop it either, classic bystander. My first reaction was to be angry with Eric, but then I realized that he was no different than a lot of kids. Real bullies, like Griffin, are extremely charismatic. Kids want the bullies to like them and so they don't buck the system, it's easier to ignore the behavior with the hope of being accepted.

David Hallenback is a sad victim. Hallenback is like a whipped puppy. He is so beaten down by Griffin and his gang that he will do anything to gain their approval. Griffin and his gang are constantly tormenting Hallenback, physically and mentally. The first time Hallenback appears in the story, he's running from Griffin and friends, and he's covered in ketchup. Later in the story they get him on the playground, making sure they are out of the teacher's line of vision and physically abuse him. Eric watches, angry at the treatment, but doesn't do anything. When Eric finally begins to stand up to Griffin, Hallenback is the one who lures him into trouble. My feeling for Hallenback went back and forth between pity and anger almost at the turn of every page.

The plot is believable, quick moving and well developed. At one point I had to keep myself from yelling out a warning to Eric as Hallenback lured him into the pet cemetery. Earlier, I said that I couldn't stop reading until I had some resolution and honestly, when I finished, I'm not sure I felt that I had resolution. When Karen and I discussed this, she reminded me of our conversation with Jimmy. He said that he purposely left the book the way he did, because realistically, bullies are seldom dealt with, and usually get away and move on to another victim, all true, just like this book. It's not an After School Special where everything is fixed in an hour, it's written to be believable.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

May the luck of the Irish be with you all today!

And, if you need a good laugh, check out these 5 Dublin bloggers bringing you a little St. Patrick's cheer! Many thanks to Franki and Mary Lee at A Year of Reading for a great laugh-out-loud moment!

Slice of Life

I recently had a medical episode (for lack of a better term) that, at first glance, really seemed to stink! I woke up in a hospital, hooked up to machines, not even sure how I got there. My family gathered around my bed, concern etched on their faces. I missed a full week of school, and the week I went back, I could only work half days. My doctor has curtailed my driving privileges for the time being -- no driving for 90 days. The episode happened at school, and I do worry about the lasting impact on any child that might have witnessed it.

However, when I got over my little pity-party, I began to realize that this episode, for all the stinky parts, has many silver linings as well.

Silver lining #1 - Since I can't drive right now, my husband takes me to work each day. As we make the short commute to my school, we chat about what lies ahead in each of our days. We touch base with each other in a way we never did in the mornings before. When he drops me off at school, we kiss each other, say, "I love you," and then I head into the building. What a wonderful way to start my day.

Silver lining #2 - On the weekends, I now do errands with my husband. We go to the grocery, the bank, the library, and the bookstore together. He even took me shopping last weekend for spring break clothes -- you would have to know my husband to know how much love that shows on his part! We spend much time in the car together, chatting about a wide variety of topics. Much different than the days when he had his errands to get done and I had mine; now, we have OURS, and it gives us some wonderful time together.

Silver lining #3 - When my husband can't drive me, I have a wide group of friends who have willingly offered to make sure I get where I need to go. One group of friends each took a day of the week that I could call on their services. Another friend at my school brings me home from school every night. In addition to being grateful for the rides, I've gotten to spend lovely time with people talking, laughing, hugging, and catching up with each other, these past few weeks. What a gift!

Silver lining #4 - The chuckle I get each time I arrange a ride for myself. After many, many years of arranging carpools for my daughters, I now find myself in the humorous situation of arranging carpools for me! :)

Silver lining #5 - My youngest child is a senior in high school who normally thinks the world revolves around her. She has impressed me throughout this whole thing. When I was in the hospital, she was there, even when I wasn't aware of her presence. Since I've been home, she is yet another taxi service and errand person. You don't realize how much you run out to get little items for dinner until you can no longer do it; now C does it for me, and without one complaint (ok, maybe once in a while, but not many). Having her be more responsible around the house is not a bad thing at all for our entire family.

Silver lining #6 - Even though I worried about scaring the students, I am so grateful this happened at school where the people around got immediate medical attention for me. If I had stayed home that morning because of my cold the week before, I would have been all alone. How grateful I am!

Silver lining #7 - I've worked at my current school for the past twelve years. I know I enjoy being with my colleagues, and my 5th grade team is the best, but I think I had started to take some of that for granted. After I got home, my school friends and colleagues overwhelmed me with their kindnesses. Their outpouring of caring and concern was amazing! I feel so fortunate to work in a setting where people care about each other like that.

Silver lining #8 - Because the car hasn't been available to me, it has forced me to have a much more calm, relaxing life at home. I putter in the kitchen, I grade papers, I read, I blog, I watch TV, I talk to my family. I have found that this pace of life is quite enjoyable.

Silver lining #9 - The food! Oh! My! Gosh! The food that has flowed into our home has been phenomenal, both in quality and quantity!!! Let's just say we haven't gone hungry recently!

Silver lining #10 - I saw my doctor last week, and I'm going to be just fine. This was just a bump in the road.


**editorial comment: I really want to stress that I am fine; what happened was a fluke. This "slice" is more about finding the silver linings in difficult times, NOT about a serious illness. **