While you make plans for how to keep your students reading this summer, you might take the time to make your own summer reading list.

Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home and School by John Medina has so much more information on how our brains work than I previously knew.  Dr. Medina writes in a way that makes the subject accessible and his recommended brain rules make it actionable.  If you read this book you’ll get ideas for taking care of your brain in the summer and helping your students next fall.

Until next time . . .

. . . the 2008 Kids & Family Reading Report: Reading in the 21^st Century: Turning the Page with Technology, just released by Yankelovich and Scholastic (http://www.scholastic.com/aboutscholastic/news/readingreport.htm).

As kids head home for the summer, this is a good time to plan how to help families keep their kids reading in order to prevent the dreaded summer slide.  Here are possible actions you might take:

• Prepare summer reading lists for your classroom or school.  You can use the Scholastic Book Wizard if you need help (www.scholastic.com).  This will help parents help their kids make good choices of what to read.
• Work with the local library and bookstore to ensure that titles are available.  I just visited P.S. 71, an exciting place for young readers and writers, and they have already worked to have a book corner for their students in the local library.
• Visit Summer Reading Buzz on this website and find out how your students can join an online community of readers.  Kids can find out about books to read and do reading related activities.  If they read four books, they can enter that on the Read-o-meter on the site and for every four books read, one will be donated to a child who needs it.  I find that kids are really motivated by being able to help others.  For more information, go to (www.scholastic.com/summerreading)

Until next time . . .

As the school year winds down in most parts of the country, it’s a good time to think about summer reading.  A recent study by Richard Allington and Anne McGill-Franzen makes a compelling case for disadvantaged students to read 10-12 books over the summer in order to avoid the negative and cumulative effects of taking a vacation from reading. The authors called this phenomenon the summer “setback” and you may also have heard it called the summer ”slide” or “slump”.  What’s a school leader or teacher to do to avoid the summer setback?

·        Read up on the latest research- the study I referred to is Ameliorating Summer Reading Setback Among Economically Disadvantaged Elementary Students and an article on the study appears in the April issue of Educational Leadership (www.ascd.org)

·        Plan for how to get kids reading over the summer by using the Scholastic Book Wizard (www.scholastic.com) to choose books and make lists to send home to guide summer reading

·        Find out about and encourage kids and their families to participate in summer reading programs put on by your public library

·        Be a reading role model.  Do “commercials” for books by reading a chapter and encourage kids to read the rest.  Let everyone . . . colleagues, kids and the community know about your summer reading plans

This brings me back to Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett.  Al Roker picked it as his current book club selection (grades 4-8).  I had the great experience of joining him and the author as he discussed the selection on the Today Show (www.today.msnbc.msn.com).  The book is rewarding to children with a variety of interests as the author integrated big ideas, puzzles, an interesting mystery and characters kids will want to meet  . . . reviewers have called it a “Da Vinci code for kids.”  I think you would enjoy it, too . . . put it on your list.

Until next time . . .

Earlier this week, the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Bruce Cole, visited Scholastic and announced that Picturing America is coming to all of the schools in New York City.

Picturing America is a free program that provides schools with beautifully rendered visuals of paintings, photographs, sculptures and other works of art that are to be used in schools and libraries to help children better understand and appreciate American history.  Dr. Cole reminded all of us of the importance of arts education and about how pictures can inform our minds and inspire out hearts.  Dr. Marcia V. Lyles, the Deputy Chancellor for the schools in New York, expressed great enthusiasm for how students served by the program would be able to see that “I am America”.  For more information about this outstanding program, did I mention it is free, go to www.picturingamerica.neh.gov.

Until next time . . .

Schools will start closing in some parts of the country at the end of this month.  Each school and district has very specific guidelines for routines such as compiling student information, storing materials and on and on.  I think it is also a good time to establish the rituals for remembering and for saying “Good-bye” and “Thank you”.

• Remember Me – We all want to be remembered and time capsules, scrapbooks and yearbooks are important reminders of experiences shared and lessons learned.  My students appreciated the opportunity to reflect on the year in discussions and in writing.  As hectic as this time may be, I think it’s so important to capture the moment.  I kept a photo of each child that I taught with notes and reminders on the back.  In the era of Google, more students are able to get back in touch and it is nice to reconnect and share comments like “Your favorite book was . . . “
• Say Thank You . . . to colleagues, to parents and to students.  We all need to feel appreciated.  Some of my students framed my end-of-year thank you notes to them.  I think the original idea and wording is from Instructor magazine. The notes started like this:

     I loved being you teacher, (name of student),

    And I wanted you to know

   That what you learned will stay with you

   Wherever you may go

   (then add another few lines personalized to the student)

On the other side of thank you, I recently shared my ideas for end of the year teacher gifts from families.  Visit the Parent Spot at http://www.theparentspot.com/big-kids/end-of-the-year-thank-you/ to learn more.

Do enjoy this special time of year.

Until next time . . .

Schools will start closing in some parts of the country at the end of this month.  Each school and district has very specific guidelines for routines such as compiling student information, storing materials and on and on.  I think it is also a good time to establish the rituals for remembering and for saying “Good-bye” and “Thank you”.

• Remember Me – We all want to be remembered and time capsules, scrapbooks and yearbooks are important reminders of experiences shared and lessons learned.  My students appreciated the opportunity to reflect on the year in discussions and in writing.  As hectic as this time may be, I think it’s so important to capture the moment.  I kept a photo of each child that I taught with notes and reminders on the back.  In the era of Google, more students are able to get back in touch and it is nice to reconnect and share comments like “Your favorite book was . . . “
• Say Thank You . . . to colleagues, to parents and to students.  We all need to feel appreciated.  Some of my students framed my end-of-year thank you notes to them.  I think the original idea and wording is from Instructor magazine. The notes started like this:

       I loved being you teacher, (name of student),

And I wanted you to know

That what you learned will stay with you

Wherever you may go

(then add another few lines personalized to the student)

On the other side of thank you, I recently shared my ideas for end of the year teacher gifts from families.  Visit the Parent Spot at http://www.theparentspot.com/big-kids/end-of-the-year-thank-you/ to learn more.

Do enjoy this special time of year.

Until next time . . .

Schools will start closing in some parts of the country at the end of this month.  Each school and district has very specific guidelines for routines such as compiling student information, storing materials and on and on.  I think it is also a good time to establish the rituals for remembering and for saying “Good-bye” and “Thank you”.

• Remember Me – We all want to be remembered and time capsules, scrapbooks and yearbooks are important reminders of experiences shared and lessons learned.  My students appreciated the opportunity to reflect on the year in discussions and in writing.  As hectic as this time may be, I think it’s so important to capture the moment.  I kept a photo of each child that I taught with notes and reminders on the back.  In the era of Google, more students are able to get back in touch and it is nice to reconnect and share comments like “Your favorite book was . . . “
• Say Thank You . . . to colleagues, to parents and to students.  We all need to feel appreciated.  Some of my students framed my end-of-year thank you notes to them.  I think the original idea and wording is from Instructor magazine. The notes started like this:

  I loved being you teacher, (name of student),

And I wanted you to know

That what you learned will stay with you

Wherever you may go

(then add another few lines personalized to the student)

On the other side of thank you, I recently shared my ideas for end of the year teacher gifts from families.  Visit the Parent Spot at http://www.theparentspot.com/big-kids/end-of-the-year-thank-you/ to learn more.

Do enjoy this special time of year.

Until next time . . .

And I have a present for you . . . Scholastic’s new Book Wizard (http://bookwizard.scholastic.com/tbw/homePage.do), an amazing resource with useful information on books and authors.   The nation’s First Librarian, Mrs. Laura Bush, writes that:

Dear Friends,

The 50^th anniversary of National Library Week is a marvelous occasion for all Americans!  I am delighted to send greeting to readers, aspiring readers, librarians and library patrons throughout the United States.

Libraries make an important difference to our nation.  America’s business, education and creative pursuits run on the fuel of information and imagination that libraries provide.  Libraries strengthen our nation by enlightening readers to the interesting and exciting world around them and promoting a love of lifelong learning.  At the heart and soul of every library is the librarian.

My thanks and admiration go to these dedicated individuals for all they do to enrich their communities and the nation.

I am proud of President Bush’s commitment to America’s libraries.  He has increased funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services to recruit and educate the next generation of librarians.

You can help our nation’s libraries, too!  Ask you local librarian about ways you can volunteer and contribute.  And, in the words of this year’s theme, invite your friends to come with you to “Join The Circle Of Knowledge @ Your Library.”

President Bush and I send our best wishes for an interesting and enjoyable National Library Week.  Happy Reading!

Sincerely,

Laura Bush

I hope that you will celebrate by taking time to update your classroom and school libraries.  Others things you might do:

• Visit the Book Wizard and find out how to use this tool to choose and use books.
• Do something nice for your school or community librarian.
• Check out a new book just for you and one for your class.

I will always be grateful to the libraries that provided me with the first glimpse of the wonderful world of reading and the librarians who were personal and professional guides.

Until next time . . .

 . . . Scholastic for using research to bolster pro-social causes.  The Public Relations team here do many things well and making data and information available to a wide audience is one of them.    Scholastic received two honorable mentions from very important organizations in the public relations field for the 2006 Kids and Family Reading Report (see Have You Been Read to Lately?, 10/26/06) and Summer Reading Buzz! (see Have you heard the buzz?, 5/23/07)

• Honorable Mention (second prize) from Public Relations Week Awards
• Silver from the Bulldog Awards, judged exclusively by journalists

This report and the related campaign are good examples for all of us on how we can share and use research with the communities we serve.

Until next time . . .

I recently completed a massive amount of travel.  During one ten-day period, I was in eight cities!  My constant companion was a Kindle, the new e-reader from Amazon.  As a traditional book lover, I wasn’t sure that I could adjust to a new platform.  However, when I realized that I could travel with a stack of books by using one lightweight device, I was hooked.

The Kindle is attractive and easy to use and the wireless capabilities make ordering books a breeze.  Improvements that I hope to see in the next version are color and a better sense of the number of pages in the material version.

I also miss the pretty covers.  While it is great living in a “platform agnostic” world where I can read according to situation and text type, I will not ever stop adding to my collection of real books.

Until next time . . .

With all the attention on presidential politics, two recent surveys provide a glimpse at what our kids are thinking.  USA Today Snapshots® (2/5/08) used info from National Geographic Kids that showed the environment is top of mind with wars and terrorism next.  Scholastic did a similar survey with this same top two in reverse order

In response, we’ve just launched a new website Act Green (scholastic.com/actgreen).  Check it out and don’t forget to vote if you have the chance.

On a recent trip to Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to attend a City Council meeting.  My purpose was to congratulate the staff of the UCLA School Management Program as their contributions to education were being recognized (see my 11/9/07 blog, Happy 15^th Anniversary, UCLA SMP!).

Unexpectedly, I was also on hand to celebrate the start of 2008 African American Heritage Month in Los Angeles.  The opening ceremony was led by dancers and drummers followed by political and cultural leaders, including Antonio R. Villaraigosa, the Mayor, and Forest Whitaker, the actor who received a major award. I was thrilled to be able to hear his acceptance speech.  The standing room only audience was very appreciative of the entire event.  A beautiful calendar and cultural guide was made available.  The artwork selected for the cover was Dr. Scot Brown’s Book Reading by Zeal Harris.  Do hope all of you find wonderful books and cultural materials to study, reflect on and celebrate African American heritage in your schools and classrooms.

Until next time . . .

While in D.C. for the library and museum medal ceremony, I made museum visits a part of my Washington experience and decided to visit a museum that was tried and true and also one that was still new. My revisit was to the National Portrait Gallery and it was meaningful to reflect on the familiar faces and the new ones that are part of our shared history (http://www.npg.si.edu/).  For a new experience, this former Nancy Drew reader and fingerprint collector went to the International Spy Museum, which provides another perspective for looking at history.

These visits reminded me of three things to keep in mind this year:

• The arts are an indispensable part of learning and life.
• Knowledge of the arts provides background information and mental models that support learning in other areas such as building background for reading comprehension.
• Field trips are fun!

Until next time . . .

If you are experiencing award show withdrawal because the shows aren't going on for the movie and television industries, take time to find out about the museums, libraries and books being recognized this week.  I attended a ceremony at the White House for outstanding museum and library programs.  For a complete list of the winners, go to http://www.imls.gov/news/2008/011408.shtm. Plan to visit in person if you can or take a virtual tour to learn more about these institutions that received the equivalent of an Oscar.

The Newbury and Caldecott awards for childrens’ literature were also presented this week.  The Newbury winner was Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz (Candlewick).  I look forward to reading it aloud as these monologues were designed for students to read expressively in order to better understand the people who make history.  I’m a big advocate of reading aloud for all ages as you may already know if you follow this blog (Have You Been Read To Lately, 10/26/06).  The Caldecott winner, The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (Scholastic), is a new kind of book, not the traditional picture book that is usually recognized, but a novel told in words and pictures . . . a movie between two covers.  The award is a first for Scholastic so there is lots of excitement here and it was one of the books recommended “for your consideration” on this blog (Research and Recess Recommends, 4/27/07).  This book was also the first pick for Al Roker’s Book Club (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18179145/).  In addition, Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine was a Caldecott Honor Winner and Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis was a Newbury Honor Winner, both by Scholastic.

Until next time . . .

How many times have you asked a child to “use your words”?   PBS is broadcasting Word Girl, a Scholastic production that you may find an enormous (one of the words taught on the show) help in getting your students to learn more words.  The research on the connection between vocabulary and reading achievement is impressive (another word from the show) and while it is directed for kids from ages 4-9, you might find it a fun diversion (yet, another!) if your favorite TV program is on hiatus.  For more information go to www.soup2nuts.tv and find out how you can expand (you guessed it, from the show!) your students’ word knowledge.  As Word Girl, a superhero powered by an extensive vocabulary would say, Word Up!

Until next time . . .

If you’ve been part of the Research and Recess community and joined in the suggested activities for learning together, we have engaged in the following since October 2006:

• Read 18 books
• Reviewed 8 articles
• Shared 20 experiences

 Perhaps someone more clever could put it together to something catchy, like the Twelve Days of Christmas.  However, I’m too busy planning my holiday readings.  I will put the emphasis on recess.  So I will be looking for movies that come from books like The Golden Compass, Atonement and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and surely will be joining in vigorous debates and discussions on the books v. movies issue.  Mostly, I will be enjoying spending time with family and friends, reflecting on this year and planning for the next.

Do hope that your holidays are meaningful and memorable.

With gratitude and good wishes,

Until next year . . .

Here’s research that matches the mood of the season: researchers are finding that simply being thankful can have a positive impact on our lives.  Deborah Norville writes about studies showing that people who focus on gratitude rather than gripes are happier.  (Eammons and McCullough 2003)  

I read Norville’s Thank You Power (Thomas Nelson, 2007) over the Thanksgiving holiday and it was a nice reminder of what the holiday should be about.  As well as prompting me to think about all that I have to be thankful for, it also encouraged me to reflect on how important social and emotional well-being is to personal and professional success and happiness.  As we work with young people and each other, let’s remember to express our gratitude.

Until next time . . .

I had the opportunity to represent Scholastic at a celebration marking the 15th anniversary of the UCLA School Management Program.  The group has worked with hundreds of K-12 districts, supporting efforts to “sustain a school culture of consistent, universal, standards-based student learning and achievement.”  My CA teaching credential is from UCLA and I am so grateful for the experience as it has influenced all of my work.  In the same way, I think that the schools that were honored can inspire and inform your work.  For more information, SMP will soon be posting the winners at www.smp.gseis.ucla.edu/

Until next time . . .

Last night I attended an event put on by MOUSE, a nonprofit that provides technology opportunities for the kids who will most benefit.  The organization has spent the better part of its ten years supporting the New York Public Schools and has recently expanded to other states and internationally.

The New York schools chancellor, Joel Klein, made two key points when accepting an award from MOUSE on behalf of the district:

• Technology can transform the education sector as it has others.
• Technology can and does empower students in unique ways.

Nicholas Negroponte, the founder of One Laptop per Child (you may have seen a segment about it on 60 Minutes) talked about how “debugging” approximates thinking about thinking or learning about learning.  You may go to www.laptop.org for more information on the initiative.

The schools where MOUSE operates put these ideas in action.  Kids in the program are part of a “MOUSE Squad” that provides tech support at their schools.  In videos about the program, you could observe kids who were not only empowered to take care of tech matters but also could teach others.  For more information about MOUSE go to www.mouse.org.

These kids are putting the 21st century skills we’ve been discussing to work in school and beyond.  I wish I had a MOUSE Squad member available so that I could improve my tech skills.

Until next time . . .

Around this time last year, I wrote about lessons learned on a visit to a new school in Brooklyn, Urban Academy of Arts & Letters.  I met with the founding principal, Allison Gaines Pell and the enthusiasm and energy of all of the children and adults was palpable (see my previous blog “A School Grows in Brooklyn” 11/16/2006).

Now the school has been highlighted as one of the best in the city by Clara Hemphill in New York City’s Best Public High Schools (third edition, Teachers’ College Press). This guide for parents calls attention to the school’s “Four C’s” – courage, confidence, clarity and creativity.  Here’s another “C” – congratulations!

Until next time . . .

I had a wonderful experience at the Kodak Theatre (where they present the Academy Awards) as J.K. Rowling launched her Open Book Tour in the U.S. last week.  There were 1,600 excited young readers from the Los AngelesUnifiedSchool District.  It was so gratifying to see the kids from upper elementary through high school demonstrate such deep appreciation for the author and the Harry Potter series.

Their reactions served as a vivid reminder on the power of story to thrill, to move and to encourage a love of reading.  All of the kids who attended will remember the day and hopefully have made reading an important part of their lives.  The adults from the district and Scholastic appreciated sharing the experience as we are all about helping kids to learn to read and love to read.  Great authors and great books provide the motivation and the material to make that happen.

Until next time . . .

Scholastic awarded Dr. Kathleen Cashen, CEO of the Knowledge Network Learning Support Organization, with the 2007 Scholastic Leadership in Urban Education Award (The URBIE™) at a dinner attended by her family, the team she works with in the New York public schools and school leaders from throughout the country.  The URBIE award was created by Scholastic to honor individuals or organizations making significant contributions to improving urban education in the United States. The award also recognizes leaders who are focused on student achievement and have demonstrated that they have the vision, wisdom and persistence to improve education for those students who are in the greatest need. All of us at Scholastic have the privilege of observing success stories in schools and districts we work with throughout the nation and we want to do our part to get the important work that all of you do recognized.

Dr. Cashen has spent her career in the New York public schools teaching and leading. She has the reputation as an outstanding advocate for children, their families and her colleagues.   In accepting her award from Dr. Ernest Fleishman, a senior Vice-President at Scholastic, she said that “I have never regretted one moment of my life since I chose to serve children as life’s work.”  She went on to say:

“The great thing about education is that you are required to grow along with your child.  It is not a profession where you sit back, self-satisfied and act like you arrived.  It is a profession of continuous growth towards self-actualization.  Because of this human dimension you will continually learn.”

The audience was awed and moved by her eloquence.  Dr. Cashen’s inspirational remarks remind us that we are indeed fortunate not to have “arrived” and how meaningful it is to be on a journey of lifelong learning.

Until next time . . .

You probably think I should get over summer.  Maybe it’s the second summer weather on the east and west coasts where I’m spending most of my time that has me in a summer frame of mind.  Or it might be because I’m so excited about the results of Scholastic's and Target’s partnership to keep kids reading even when they’re out of school.

Here are the results of the second annual Scholastic Summer Reading Buzz!™

• Kids 8-14 years old logged in 120,800 books read – a 140% increase over last year.
• Every four books logged in by a child resulted in a donation of one book to Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) – 30,800 books were donated.

For a list of the top ten books read by the kids, look at the press release (http://intranet.scholastic.com/pressreleases/rx/2007/5789.doc).  It’s great to see kids reading all year long just like we do.  You may want to incorporate some of the kids picks into your curriculum this school year.

Until next time . . .

Last week, while it was still officially summer, I took off for vacation.  I spent most of my time in the beautiful Berkshires reading.  When I came home, I sorted out my books of summer.  Most of the “beach books” went to family and friends.  Here are two I just brought to my office for the permanent collection to keep me inspired and informed throughout the school year.

• Math Doesn’t Suck: how to survive middle school math without losing your mind or breaking a nail by Danica McKellar (Hudson Street Press) – The author graduated from UCLA where she majored in math and may also be familiar to you from her acting on “The Wonder Years” and “The West Wing”.  She has a great way of making math accessible for kids and I think parents and teachers would find the book helpful, too.  How can you resist a chapter on “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Pizza but Were Afraid to Ask” (fractions and mixed numbers)?  While the book was written for girls, I think boys would like the math advice and light touch, too.
• Piano by James Barron (Times Books) – This book carefully and compellingly details the making of a Steinway Concert Grand Piano.  The book is an elaboration of a series of articles published in the NY Times.  I remember when the California Literature Project and the late Dr. Marilyn Whirry (National Teacher of the Year, 2000) challenged all of us to think about our profession as “Teachers as Readers, Teachers as Teachers and Teachers as Leaders.”  This book helped me reflect on the challenges and the rewards of reading nonfiction on an unfamiliar topic.

As reading is getting increasingly social with Oprah’s Book Club (for all of us) and Al Roker’s Book Club (for kids), you might want to try on of these titles for a staff room book club.

Until next time . . .

I had the pleasure and privilege of giving the closing keynote at the National Conservation Summit: Connecting to Collections (You can find my presentation and more about the conference at www.imls.gov/news/events/CtoCsummit.shtm).  This was a unique opportunity for the staff of small and medium-sized museums and libraries to come together and share ideas on preserving endangered collections, using new technologies and engaging all of us.  I was certainly awed and impressed by the scope of what has been conserved; these wonderful collections inspire and inform our ongoing efforts to learn more about the world and to document the human experience.  I also appreciate what wonderful partners library and museum workers are to those of us who work in more formal educational settings.

While in DC, I had my first extensive look at the Donald W. Reynolds Center of American Art and Portraiture.  I wrote a children’s book “Dots! Dots! Dots! At the Museum” using pictures of museum quality art that looks “dotted.”  Kids who have read my book often ask if I’ve seen the “real” paintings or sculptures. I’ve seen most of the art in my book.  However, I had not seen the sculpture of the Bottlecap Giraffe (Anonymous).  You can imagine my delight when I met “my giraffe!”  This school year, I plan to make visits to libraries and museums as an important part of my ongoing learning – hope you and your students have the opportunity to do the same.

Until next time . . .

I had the opportunity to join Ronni Ephraim, Chief Instructional Officer, and 40 principals from the Los Angeles Unified School District as Scholastic’s representative to announce how kids would be selected to meet J.K. Rowling. (http://intranet.scholastic.com/pressreleases/rx/2007/5740.doc) It was so gratifying to share the excitement with the school leaders and with students from the leadership class at NobelMiddle School, where the event was held.

Here’s what I learned from my firsthand experience with Pottermania:

• It’s  really great when kids and adults share reading.  While the Harry Potter books were written for young readers, it was obvious that most of the school staff and the principals had read the books, too, and there was a lot of lively cross-generational chat about the books.
• Kids will tackle tough books when they are well-written, interesting and have characters that “speak to them.”
• Social networking doesn’t just have to be an internet phenomenon.  Really good books can bring people together in a unique and meaningful way.

Personally, like most of the kids I talked to in Los Angeles, I found the conclusion of the series to be very satisfying.  Like them, I was also sad that it was over and feel that 8 and 9 year olds who get to start the experience now are very lucky.  One of the positive outcomes of all the attention around this series is that kids, like the ones I talked to this week, feel more enthusiastic about reading and are looking forward to more excellent adventures with books . . . as I am.

Until next time . . .