Million Dollar Grant

There are a lot of things I want for my classroom. An unlimited supply of quality crayons, new books, and even pillows for a reading corner. There are some things I want that I think of as less typical, more special finds. So I bring to you for your reading please a new feature...Things I would buy if I had a million dollar grant... 

C.L.A.W Pencil Grip: order of 500

I'm having trouble finding a picture, so stay will me through this description. Most pencil grips are pieces of rubber or plastic padding, children can still revert to holding the pencil incorrectly the moment you leave. Not with the C.L.A.W grip. The C.L.A.W has three finger slots, kind of like a thimble, where the fingers must stay. The grip has a hole that is slipped through the pencil and then you slide your fingers into the three holes. No movement, and more importantly no awkward grip. I have found kids feel at ease with this grip, and after only conferencing with them one time on how to use it they can adjust the length on their own and fix the grip after they erase. Most of all, they don't have to think about where their fingers go, there are three perfect spots. 

I'm in love, but more importantly it has really helped my students handwriting. It has built hand strength and stamina, and most importantly the students who use them can also hold a pencil correctly without the grip now, and isn't that the point? 

So, please order me up enough for all of my students in the fall and for crayons, markers, colored pencils, and paint brushes. Just send the bill to my million dollar grant. 

Uniting Kids Through Common Standards

I can list of the New York City kindergarten standards as fast as I can list off my mom's birthday and my address. In one year these standards have become ingrained in my head.

Students come and students go, but in my class the standards are constant. Unfortunately they are not constant through out the country. Even the level of rigor is unclear through out the city. Students move between boroughs and I find myself wondering, "what have you been learning this year?" 

Jim Rex, South Carolina's superintendent of education, discusses the possibility of national common standards in today's Huffington Post. There are a lot of concerns: the government taking too much control and making standardized tests, lowering standards, and my biggest fear is who these "best minds" would be that create the standards?

I think high, yet, achievable standards that are developmentally appropriate are needed. I think standards that are specific, citing exemplar work, are necessary. I think there are a lot of important things, and while I think common standards are a great idea in theory, I fear about who would be in charge of creating these standards. Standards does not equate to standardized tests, but to a higher level of national achievement. Standardize goals, but not the path to get there, because all kids are different. Ready for a buzz word, differentiate. 

Also, can I help write the standards?  

Nacho Day

 The Chicago Tribune released a horrifying piece of information. The second most common entree in Chicago public schools is nachos...does that even qualify as an entree? 

I think one of the best parts of my private school education was the quality of food. As I grew up in Chicago I was always a hop skip and a jump away from a nacho lunch. When I think "nacho" I think of side dish, appetizer, and snack, not main meal. Today I ate lunch with my students and I was a little scared of their food, I almost felt mean trying to convince them to eat more of the food...at least it wasn't nachos. 

P.S. I tried really hard to make a pun about this and failed. 

Whoops...

I am obviously not very good at updating this. 

But, I have epic, yes, epic, plans for the summer. One of which includes returning to the blogging world. 

GET. READY.

My growing list of people I admire.

So, I have for a while had a running list in my mind of people who possess talents, drive, and passion that I admire. It is oddly male centric, and full of writers. 

1. Dave Eggers

2. Mo Willems

3. Maurice Sendak

4. Anna Freud

5. Virginia Axline

This week I found a new person to add to my list.

6. Augusten Burroughs

I read Running With Scissors in three days and I'm just about done with Magical Thinking. Oh, and I also found his blog. His writing is captivating and I was glued to each book through out the airplane ride from NY to Chicago. I have about 45 pages left of Magical Thinking... and then I have another one of his books waiting for me...I love vacation. 

I think my list of people I admire is quite a hodge podge of different jobs. The link? All successful writers in some form. There is a variety of non-fiction writing (a lot of memoirs), Children's Literature, and psychology. 

Taking the Role out of Role Models.

Teach for America as Models? 

Thanks Russo for putting a comical spin on it all. See, in my interpretation TFA corp members are the models and charter schools are like the exclusive fashion parties. 

Why is this puppy sad?

Mo Willems, one of the best authors of all times, has drawn a sad puppy.

Why is this puppy so sad? 

1. He lost his bone

2. He is not dirty enough 

3. Merit pay

4. I don't read Mo Willems books to my students nearly enough.

5. Classrooms need more money...for books...that Mo Willems has written.