Saturday, March 8, 2014

A spark to celebrate

8 of 31 at Two Writing Teachers!
One of things I love about the March Challenge is that it makes me make time for writing. I get to do all the writing that I always mean to do, but somehow never get around to. (Of course, every year I vow that when March is over, I'll continue writing more often... and then I don't!) Anyway, the Celebrate posts on Saturdays keep calling to me, but I haven't participated yet. Since I have to write today anyway, it's the perfect chance to join the celebration!

This week was the kind of week that leaves me collapsed in exhaustion, but with a proud smile. Since I've already celebrated most of those moments in other slices, I'll focus on a different victory today.

This week, a low-intermediate student who's lived in short comics and non-fiction readers all year picked up One for the Murphys from my classroom's "We recommend" bookshelf during reading time.
Before I moved into this room, this book display thingy held textbooks. Ugh. Now my students' best-loved books (that aren't in someone's hands at the moment) live on the top 3 shelves. On my shelf, I rotate themed collections of books that I want to introduce to students. I took this picture in mid-January (see, I told you I catch up in March!) so my shelf was related to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. 
Later, when I asked him what he thought, his face stretched into a wide smile and his eyes glittered. "It's so good! I thought it would be hard, but I can understand it!"

Not only has he found a magical book (it never stays on the shelf for very long in my room!), he's observed a noticeable improvement in his English. What a moment of pride for a student who has been in America for less than a year!

Even better, I know this book could be the SPARK that turns him into a reader. Now that's something to celebrate!

6 comments:

  1. Yay! That's fantastic and I love how you transformed that book shelf into a recommend space. I need to do something different with how my students post recommendations. I don't think our bulletin board is quite working. Thanks for giving me something to think about (and thanks for the Skype call connect!) We'll have to plan another call soon.

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  2. Hooray for books, and hooray for teachers who help kids find books!

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  3. Finding THE book that turns someone into a reader is such a pleasure. One For The Murphys is a great one. I have had several boys start the reading bug with Crispin this year, even when other things that I thought would get them for sure failed. Whatever it takes!

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  4. Book love is always a celebration!

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  5. Love your bookshelf! Books for ELLs! You would love my library bookstore!

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  6. Your spark has lit a fire in all your students. Absolutely LOVE your bookcase!

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