I was reading in the pool today, contemplating the end of the summer. Occasionally the brightness was disrupted by a soft cloud or large bird. Like study groups at the library, the filter’s hum provided that white noise that can be so comforting to a reader, and dipping my legs into the water provided temporary relief from the midday sun. There was a point while soaking in the heat and summer sounds, where I realized that this is what summer has come to be for me. It’s a sweltering day, my modest backyard pool, a raft, and a book in my hands that will help me when the school year resumes. As filtered water babbled into the pool from the jet, I felt compelled to conclude the summer with this blog. Compiled from personal experience, here are the Top 5 Books to Read on a Raft in the pool during the summer.
Honorable Mention #2. Reading with Meaning by Debbie Miller. This book was originally on my list, but it is too easy to debate it off. I read it this summer, and it’s an exceptional guide for teaching reading. But, the pool setting just doesn’t add as much to the text as it does for selections 1 – 4.
Honorable Mention #1. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. This one seemed too obvious. Terrific story, but it won’t necessarily help the elementary teacher.
5. There Are No Shortcuts by Rafi Esquith. This book is good anytime anywhere, but especially as a summer read for any teacher. It will have you ready to get back in the classroom, and motivated to do more once you get your self out of that pool.
4. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. It’s hard to cry on a raft on sunny summer day, but this book will make it happen. In my pool I felt as if I were watching the story unfold from the river.
3. Holes by Louis Sachar. When it’s 110 degrees out, and the sun is beating down mercilessly, you can experience the heat the way the kids did as they dug. Unlike Zero and the gang, you can just jump in to cool off.
2. The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. I read this on a raft rather than a swan boat. But, like Bridge, I felt like I was in an unnoticed corner of the pond watching the tale of friendship unravel.
1. Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry. Taking place in the Philippines, the indigenous people depend heavily on fishing. On my raft I was in the boat with Mafatu as he sought to overcome his fear of the sea. The story starts slowly, and I ordinarily do not care for that. Nevertheless, I consider this my current favorite book for many reasons. If I hadn’t read this book while afloat myself, it may not even be in my Top 5 Books.
Although the weather indicates that summer is still the season, the fact remains that teachers will report to work tomorrow. Getting used to having a baby in the house, finding time to relax more easily, and being productive in a variety of ways has highlighted an amazing break. In addition to the blog, my 0 followers may continue to follow me and our classroom this year on facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-Mikulas-3rd-Grade-Class/125464610878201?ref=ts
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
The ABCs of a Teacher's Summer; Part II
K is for Kisses. My son has the best cheeks for kissing! He turns 7 weeks old today. So many teaching obligations have made this summer busy and exciting. But, I still have been able to spend a lot of time with the Little Man. He has been the best thing about the entire summer.
L is for Leadership. I attended the Principal’s Leadership Academy of Arizona one Saturday a month during the past year. The course concluded with a week of meetings in June. It was a tremendous learning opportunity!
M is for Marketing. I had he chance to visit local businesses this summer with the goal of establishing meaningful connections. Managers and owners could not believe it when they realized I wasn’t asking for anything. In fact, I didn’t even know what “meaningful connections” could actually mean. All I knew is that I wanted our school to take a role in supporting the community. Now, we have coupons to the local businesses in our office, oil change deals for families at our school, sponsors for fund raisers, and a free car wash for the neighboring apartment residents in the works.
N is for Nose Picking. I tend to be a little more relaxed at home. Every time I go for a serious pick my wife notices and calls me out, rightfully so. She makes sure I realize that there’s a Kleenex box near me. Sometimes she just points. Good thing the summer’s only 7 weeks long.
O is for Organizing. I am pretty sure that most teachers spend 2 weeks organizing after the school year is over. Even teachers who claim to thrive with “organized chaos” utilize tubs, cases, and cabinets to sort master copies by subject and theme during the month of June. When you have 16 filing cases from Target full of resources, this is a good way to review what you have in there.
P is for Post It Notes. P is always for Post It Notes – even more effective then my Phone Calendar at reminding me of things I need to do.
Q is for Quality Time. As busy as the summer can be, it’s less hectic than the school year. I worked about 30 hours a week instead of 65. I spent time with my wife, my new baby, family, friends, and even just with myself. Sharpening the Saw!
R is for Roald Dahl. I purchased several titles this summer (see letter B). I love reading specific authors because students love to get to know the authors. Roald Dahl’s writing is perfect for 3rd Graders. It’s entertaining, creative, and he even pushes “it” a little bit. As always, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the perfect back to school read aloud. Next year, we’ll be using The BFG to practice deciphering unknown words using context clues, and Fantastic Mr. Fox to analyze characters.
S is for Summer School. I taught 2 -3 grade math for 2 weeks. Our course covered place value, graphing, and problem solving. Students created their own theme park by operating within a budget. They also had a significant amount of time to practice operations.
T is for Thematic Units. After organizing standards, last year’s lessons, vocabulary to be taught, and assessment plans on each subject’s curriculum map (see letter C), I developed units that combine lessons from different subjects. A World of Adventure, Family and Folk Tales, and Mr.Mikula Goes to Washington have been created to connect reading to math, science, and social studies.
U is for University. I finally started to work towards a masters degree by applying. It sounds minute, but the application process is something that I definitely don’t see myself finding time for during the school year. Somehow, I’ll have to find a way to complete the course work during the school year, however.
V is for Vacuuming the Pool. Before you wonder what a charter school teacher is doing with a pool in his yard, let me tell you that it is a modest above ground pool that I purchased at Wal-Mart. The padded flooring that I put under it cost more than the pool itself. But, with all of the massive dust storms we had this summer, I’m glad I invested $40 in a 30 foot hose that connects to the filter.
W is for the Weekend. The weekend during the school year never really seems like a break. One of the days is usually spent doing all of the things that you can’t get to when you are busy teaching during the week. Grading, planning, midterm reports, and creating things to go along with lessons can easily take an entire day. But, during the summer, Saturday and Sunday are truly relaxing.
X is for Exams and Expectations. Standardized testing is changing, and by 2015 most states, including Arizona, will be responsible for teaching the Common Core Standards. The idea is that the tests administered at the end of each year will be uniform among states and electronic. Some educators are panicking already. But, I feel that expectations need to be high. I believe our students will stack up well when Arizona students are compared to their peers from other states. The Common Core Standards are out now. Start adding them to your curriculum maps. Start looking for ways to improve what you have already been doing in the classroom using Common Core as a guide. And, for goodness sake, start avoiding thoughts such as this one in today’s Arizona Republic: “Arizona students won't look like they're doing very well when we get our first batch of results.”
Y is for Y Axis. We covered graphing and problem solving on a coordinate grid during summer school. There is a lot of vocabulary crossover between these two separate concepts. That’s one reason why the students (most of whom were entering 2nd Grade) experienced so much success from the pre- to the post- test that was comprised of questions from the 3rd Grade Galileo Benchmark Assessment.
Z is for ZZZ’s. In The ABCs of 1st Grade (a book published by my class several years ago) one of my students wrote that after a long day of school, he needs to go home and get some ZZZ’s. I had to borrow that. Thanks, T!
L is for Leadership. I attended the Principal’s Leadership Academy of Arizona one Saturday a month during the past year. The course concluded with a week of meetings in June. It was a tremendous learning opportunity!
M is for Marketing. I had he chance to visit local businesses this summer with the goal of establishing meaningful connections. Managers and owners could not believe it when they realized I wasn’t asking for anything. In fact, I didn’t even know what “meaningful connections” could actually mean. All I knew is that I wanted our school to take a role in supporting the community. Now, we have coupons to the local businesses in our office, oil change deals for families at our school, sponsors for fund raisers, and a free car wash for the neighboring apartment residents in the works.
N is for Nose Picking. I tend to be a little more relaxed at home. Every time I go for a serious pick my wife notices and calls me out, rightfully so. She makes sure I realize that there’s a Kleenex box near me. Sometimes she just points. Good thing the summer’s only 7 weeks long.
O is for Organizing. I am pretty sure that most teachers spend 2 weeks organizing after the school year is over. Even teachers who claim to thrive with “organized chaos” utilize tubs, cases, and cabinets to sort master copies by subject and theme during the month of June. When you have 16 filing cases from Target full of resources, this is a good way to review what you have in there.
P is for Post It Notes. P is always for Post It Notes – even more effective then my Phone Calendar at reminding me of things I need to do.
Q is for Quality Time. As busy as the summer can be, it’s less hectic than the school year. I worked about 30 hours a week instead of 65. I spent time with my wife, my new baby, family, friends, and even just with myself. Sharpening the Saw!
R is for Roald Dahl. I purchased several titles this summer (see letter B). I love reading specific authors because students love to get to know the authors. Roald Dahl’s writing is perfect for 3rd Graders. It’s entertaining, creative, and he even pushes “it” a little bit. As always, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the perfect back to school read aloud. Next year, we’ll be using The BFG to practice deciphering unknown words using context clues, and Fantastic Mr. Fox to analyze characters.
S is for Summer School. I taught 2 -3 grade math for 2 weeks. Our course covered place value, graphing, and problem solving. Students created their own theme park by operating within a budget. They also had a significant amount of time to practice operations.
T is for Thematic Units. After organizing standards, last year’s lessons, vocabulary to be taught, and assessment plans on each subject’s curriculum map (see letter C), I developed units that combine lessons from different subjects. A World of Adventure, Family and Folk Tales, and Mr.Mikula Goes to Washington have been created to connect reading to math, science, and social studies.
U is for University. I finally started to work towards a masters degree by applying. It sounds minute, but the application process is something that I definitely don’t see myself finding time for during the school year. Somehow, I’ll have to find a way to complete the course work during the school year, however.
V is for Vacuuming the Pool. Before you wonder what a charter school teacher is doing with a pool in his yard, let me tell you that it is a modest above ground pool that I purchased at Wal-Mart. The padded flooring that I put under it cost more than the pool itself. But, with all of the massive dust storms we had this summer, I’m glad I invested $40 in a 30 foot hose that connects to the filter.
W is for the Weekend. The weekend during the school year never really seems like a break. One of the days is usually spent doing all of the things that you can’t get to when you are busy teaching during the week. Grading, planning, midterm reports, and creating things to go along with lessons can easily take an entire day. But, during the summer, Saturday and Sunday are truly relaxing.
X is for Exams and Expectations. Standardized testing is changing, and by 2015 most states, including Arizona, will be responsible for teaching the Common Core Standards. The idea is that the tests administered at the end of each year will be uniform among states and electronic. Some educators are panicking already. But, I feel that expectations need to be high. I believe our students will stack up well when Arizona students are compared to their peers from other states. The Common Core Standards are out now. Start adding them to your curriculum maps. Start looking for ways to improve what you have already been doing in the classroom using Common Core as a guide. And, for goodness sake, start avoiding thoughts such as this one in today’s Arizona Republic: “Arizona students won't look like they're doing very well when we get our first batch of results.”
Y is for Y Axis. We covered graphing and problem solving on a coordinate grid during summer school. There is a lot of vocabulary crossover between these two separate concepts. That’s one reason why the students (most of whom were entering 2nd Grade) experienced so much success from the pre- to the post- test that was comprised of questions from the 3rd Grade Galileo Benchmark Assessment.
Z is for ZZZ’s. In The ABCs of 1st Grade (a book published by my class several years ago) one of my students wrote that after a long day of school, he needs to go home and get some ZZZ’s. I had to borrow that. Thanks, T!
Monday, July 4, 2011
The ABCs of a Teacher's Summer; Part I
A is for ABC Books. This activity is one of my favorite ways to review and conclude a unit. The class and I brainstorm vocabulary words that begin with each letter. Then each student creates his or her own page complete with illustrations. I can save the book for the next year or display it during conferences. With “vacation” half over, here is my ABCs of Summer Break!
B is for Book Stores. During the summer the average teacher makes 14 trips to book stores. Most of these teachers frequent specific stores for certain things. For example, Bookman’s for specific authors, St. Vincent DePaul for National Geographic magazines, and Half Priced Books when just looking. I have made 2 trips this summer spending less than $25.00.
C is for Curriculum Mapping. Creating a general plan for the year is helpful, and can ensure that all standards are accounted for. When better to update the plan then during the summer after a year has passed? If hindsight is 20-20 then it can be applied to the recently expired year to plan for the next. C could also be for Common Core, new, more nationally aligned standards. I started each subject map by placing these standards on a tentative time line.
D is for Day Time TV. I love sports. Around the Horn and PTI do not necessarily fit in to the Day Time TV category. But, out here in the West, these shows air at 2:00 and 2:30. Guess which shows I enjoyed this summer that I can’t watch during the school year?
E is for Eating. I ate 3 regular meals a day for the first time since last July excluding Winter Break. (You always exclude Winter Break when considering eating choices, trends, and habits.)
F is for Fiscal Year. That ends on June 30. Then you get to sweat out whether or not funds were left for an adequate Prop Bonus. (By adequate I mean anything over $100.)
G is for Grants. (Please notice that G is not for golf.) I didn’t have a lot of time to investigate possible funding opportunities during the hustle and bustle of the school year. To date, I have completed 3 applications this summer. If I don’t complete another one, I’ll be happy with that.
H is for Hiring. Site based decision making is huge at our school, and this is evident when filling positions. Teachers facilitate most of the hiring process. Sorting resumes, scheduling and conducting interviews, and making decisions has been time consuming. But, the result will be a strong cohesive team of teachers for the coming school year.
I is for Identity Verified Prints. My finger print clearance card expires in September. This is just another one of those little things that you have to be proactive about. Because the police department finger prints during specific – and quite limited hours – this is another task that needs to be taken care of during the summer.
J is for June and July. I used to cringe when people – even jokingly – said they became a teacher for three reasons: June, July, and August. Besides the fact that anyone making this point in seriousness shouldn’t be a teacher, statements like this have perpetuated the myth that teachers take 3 months off after Memorial Day. Our summer break only lasts for 7 weeks in June and July. Between, PLAA, summer school, the National Forum, participating on the Hiring Task Force, authoring grants, and refining the curriculum map, the first week after the school year ended will be the only week where I paused for a break. I’m content with that. I need to be active. And, I believe that most teachers care for the students they have, and will have, even during the summer.
B is for Book Stores. During the summer the average teacher makes 14 trips to book stores. Most of these teachers frequent specific stores for certain things. For example, Bookman’s for specific authors, St. Vincent DePaul for National Geographic magazines, and Half Priced Books when just looking. I have made 2 trips this summer spending less than $25.00.
C is for Curriculum Mapping. Creating a general plan for the year is helpful, and can ensure that all standards are accounted for. When better to update the plan then during the summer after a year has passed? If hindsight is 20-20 then it can be applied to the recently expired year to plan for the next. C could also be for Common Core, new, more nationally aligned standards. I started each subject map by placing these standards on a tentative time line.
D is for Day Time TV. I love sports. Around the Horn and PTI do not necessarily fit in to the Day Time TV category. But, out here in the West, these shows air at 2:00 and 2:30. Guess which shows I enjoyed this summer that I can’t watch during the school year?
E is for Eating. I ate 3 regular meals a day for the first time since last July excluding Winter Break. (You always exclude Winter Break when considering eating choices, trends, and habits.)
F is for Fiscal Year. That ends on June 30. Then you get to sweat out whether or not funds were left for an adequate Prop Bonus. (By adequate I mean anything over $100.)
G is for Grants. (Please notice that G is not for golf.) I didn’t have a lot of time to investigate possible funding opportunities during the hustle and bustle of the school year. To date, I have completed 3 applications this summer. If I don’t complete another one, I’ll be happy with that.
H is for Hiring. Site based decision making is huge at our school, and this is evident when filling positions. Teachers facilitate most of the hiring process. Sorting resumes, scheduling and conducting interviews, and making decisions has been time consuming. But, the result will be a strong cohesive team of teachers for the coming school year.
I is for Identity Verified Prints. My finger print clearance card expires in September. This is just another one of those little things that you have to be proactive about. Because the police department finger prints during specific – and quite limited hours – this is another task that needs to be taken care of during the summer.
J is for June and July. I used to cringe when people – even jokingly – said they became a teacher for three reasons: June, July, and August. Besides the fact that anyone making this point in seriousness shouldn’t be a teacher, statements like this have perpetuated the myth that teachers take 3 months off after Memorial Day. Our summer break only lasts for 7 weeks in June and July. Between, PLAA, summer school, the National Forum, participating on the Hiring Task Force, authoring grants, and refining the curriculum map, the first week after the school year ended will be the only week where I paused for a break. I’m content with that. I need to be active. And, I believe that most teachers care for the students they have, and will have, even during the summer.
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