I just finished reading the last three chapters of The Welcoming Classroom and for me, Chapter 4, Becoming a Culturally Competent Communicator, was the most relevant. The big idea I took away from this chapter is that culture influences communication and without this understanding in place, there’s a real danger of miscommunication. To communicate effectively with people from another culture … Read more
Thanks for joining me for a review of The Book Whisperer, Chapter 4. When I read this chapter, Reading Freedom, it made me think of summer time reading on the deck, cool drink in hand, not a care in the world; a book in my lap, iPad off to the side, the whole day in front of me, and the … Read more
Chapter 3 of The Welcoming Classroom: Understanding Social Identities and Cultural Frameworks This chapter is about understanding “our own perspective and the perspective of others” in terms of our own unique identities. If we’re able to do this, then we’re able to create a healthy, respectful classroom environment. Our social identity refers to how “we define ourselves as members of … Read more
Welcome to Chapter 3 of The Book Whisperer: There’s a Time and a Place. Chapter 3 focuses on three big ideas: 1. The importance of FREE READING TIME, 2. How to carve out time for more independent reading, and 3. Do we really need a dedicated reading corner? FREE READING IS KING Stephen Krashen found, in a 40-year investigative study of … Read more
Chapter 2, from The Welcoming Classroom, is about improving communication and collaboration skills with parents. As any teacher knows, effective communication is not always easy. It requires focus, patience, energy and skill. Ernst also stresses how important it is to be reflective: We need to pay attention both when communication goes well and when it goes poorly. If we learn … Read more
Chapter 2: Everybody is a Reader Isn’t that a fabulous chapter name? I mean, it really says it all. Everybody is a reader … we’re just all at different places in our development. That’s a crucial message for kids, of all ages, to hear and understand. In this chapter Donalyn discusses three types of readers (developing, dormant, underground). She also … Read more
Inside: Review of The Welcoming Classroom, Chapter 1 I just started reading this very interesting book, The Welcoming Classroom, by Johnna Darragh Ernst. As you can see from the title, it’s all about building strong home / school connections. Given the prevailing climate in BC right now (our province-wide teachers’ strike just ended) this book is very apropos. While it’s … Read more
Happy Monday, everyone! I’m very excited to be part of this book study that Angela put together. I’ve already read The Book Whisperer, but it’s such a good book, that I was more than pleased to read it again. Here we go! Chapter 1: There and Back Again The first chapter is a recollection of Donalyn’s personal reading history and … Read more
I just had the pleasure of reading this fabulous book by Barbara Gruener. In case you don’t already know, Barbara is also the author of the blog The Corner on Character. She’s a counselor and character-coach at a school in Texas. And happily for all of us, she shares years worth of counselling wisdom in her fabulous new book (BTW, … Read more