Reading: Listening Writing: Talking!

This is the first time I've ever been responsible for teaching writing to kids that are older than eight, and WOW is it fun!

We're working on narrative writing right now, and something I find myself repeatedly saying to my students is, "When you're writing, just act like you're talking!"  I also say, quite often, "When you're reading, try to imagine the author is talking directly to you."  Once they began to wrap their heads around the concept that reading is listening and writing is talking, it's like a bunch of little light bulbs started going of in our classroom.

I think that many times, people get freaked out over writing, because they make it so much more difficult than it really has to be.  If someone in my class says, "I don't know how to write," my reply will typically be along the lines of, "DUDE!  I know darn well you can TALK--you've actually proven that you are quite good at it! Just write it down instead of saying it!"

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend.  I know I'm ready for some Lady Eagle volleyball, and then heading home for some rest and relaxation.  Have a great one!

~Mrs. Schauer

Settling Into Our Routines

Having our Reading and English periods back to back is great because it gives us time to finish stuff before we have to rush out the door, which always seemed to be the case last year.  Most importantly though, we have more time to read books we love.  Each day it seems a couple of additional students get "sucked in" by a book that completely captivates them.  (Some kids are tougher to crack than others, but I'm pretty tenacious when it comes to matching kids and books--and I've been "matching" longer than they've been "resisting.")  :)   In addition to reading though, we have time to write--about the books we're reading. Some of the students are starting to have some pretty amazing conversations with me about the books they're reading, through the letters that we write to one another.

In English, we are wrapping up learning characteristics of different genres of writing.  We've covered personal letters, journal entries, character-problem-solution narratives, personal experience narratives, and expository writing.  Tomorrow we will begin learning abut various summarizing frameworks.  We will also begin what will be an ongoing study of homophones.

Today, during class, I took a panoramic video of each of my classes as they worked.  The first group's video was taken during the last ten minutes of the period, so by that time everyone was settled pretty deep into their books.  The second group's video was taken as they started our independent reading/writing time, so some are reading and some are writing.  In both videos, one thing is the same:  It's SILENT!  :)  Gosh, I love it when the routine kicks in!

6-1 (3rd/4th Period)

                          6-2 (5th/6th Period)

Audio Books? Absolutely!

Currently in room B-3, quite a few students are using audio books during our individual reading time. Audio books are not a good fit for everyone, but for some kids, they can be powerful tools that help increase reading stamina, comprehension and speed. Some people may think that using an audio book might be considered "cheating," but I completely disagree!  Here are some reasons why I think audio books are fantastic additions to a middle school Reading classroom, and why I encourage my students to give them a try:

1.  Audio books of today are a lot different than many people might think they are.  I know that we all have memories of listening to some mono-toned guy droning on while we tried to follow along in our textbooks.  Professionally recorded audio books are nothing like that! If you have never listened to one, I encourage you to give it a try.  I think you'll be surprised at the quality.  Many times professional actors, or even full casts of actors lend their voices to the audio recording. Sometimes the actual author of the book does the reading, and that's awesome because it's read in the exact voice that the author had in his/her own head when they wrote the book.

2.  Sometimes, for kids that are easily distracted, it's difficult to "fall into" their book because of what's going on around them in the classroom.  In our room, I'm typically always talking to someone about either their writing or their book, and for some kids, that distraction keeps them from remaining completely focused on their own book.  The headphones and the sound of someone reading in their ear, combined with  following along in their actual book, make the distractions all but disappear for that particular reader.

3.  For slow, careful readers, listening to an audio book while following along in their own book, helps them with fluency and speed.

There are lots of reasons to give audio books a try, but the main one--for some people is, they just work!

Before, After...and AFTER!

I was told during the last few weeks of school last year that I'd be switching classrooms with another teacher.  At first, I wasn't very happy, because it meant moving all my books.  If you've ever been in my classroom, you know that I have a LOT of books!  The more I thought about it though, the more excited I became, because it meant that I would get to be next to two of my good friends, who also happen to be teachers in Pettus. (Mrs. Camden and Mrs. Staples)  Also, most of the time, change is good! Sometimes, change can mean an opportunity to start over fresh, and that's the outlook I took on switching rooms. At first, I was just going to arrange the furniture and paint a bookcase or two...let's just say...I got a little carried away.

My daughter Hailee came up and helped me get started with the painting.  I don't think either of us expected a couple of coats of paint to make such a huge difference to the overall vibe of the room, but it really did! We were pretty darned pleased with how cute everything turned out.  We took pictures before, and then again after, to show the transformation.

Before:

After:

As I collapsed into my chair today, during about the last ten minutes of my last class,  I just sat there for a minute, looking at all the stuff going on at the same time, and I realized something.  The "after" photos from the summer makeover can't hold a candle to  what that same classroom looks like when it's occupied and in full use by it's students.  

HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEKEND!!!

Letters, Letters, Letters

We are finishing up our first week of letter writing, and I have to say that this year is off to a fantastic start!  I've always had my kids write, but this is the first year, I've let them use the computers instead of doing everything with pen and paper, and I'm super excited about the results!  Each week, each student is responsible for writing a letter to me, about the book they're currently reading.  Then I read their letters and write back. Some of the kids in room B-3 are definitely on their way to being terrific writers!  I just love getting to know each and every one of the little beings that come across that threshold five days a week, and can't wait to see everything that this year brings.

Tomorrow is... Hump Dayyyyyyyyyy!

Anyone who works in a school, knows that, thanks to the popular (and overplayed!) Geico commercial, someone will walk into the classroom every Wednesday yelling, "What day is it," followed by several kids hollering, "Hump Dayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"   Someone today said, "Guess what day tomorrow is?"   I knew what was coming next and commented that I was so sick of that camel.  Then another kid asked, "How do they know it's on Wednesday?"  Yet another one answered, "Because it says 'happier than a camel on Wednesday.'" (Kind of in a way that had the tone of, "well DUH?")

As I listened to their conversations, I realized that there was a pretty big chance that few, if any of them, had ever even heard the term "hump day" used before seeing (and repeating) that commercial.  If they had ever heard it, it was probably highly unlikely that many of them knew the original meaning behind the words.  So I asked them.  I was right.  No one knew!  They just said, "I don't know...the camel says it."  LOL!  So I made this little graphic to share with my second group of the day.  We had a great discussion about how climbing a hill is a great metaphor for the school week.   The first two days and part of Wednesday seem to take forever and once you're over the "hump" of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday just seem to fly by.   I wonder how many other things we say all the time, actually have little to no meaning to kids?  Things that make you go hmmmmmmm.

Wow! Crazy Busy Day!

What a busy Monday!  It's finally starting to feel like we're being productive.  We're getting into our routines with the laptops, and the fact that we're all doing different things each day.  Some of us are reading, some are writing, and some are conferencing with the teacher.  It's still a little bit chaotic, but it gets better every day.  :)

I just had to share this today, because it made me laugh.  The bell rang for lunch, and we were spread out all over the place with books.  These photos show what my room looks like right now--I yelled, "Just leave everything where it is and go to lunch!"

They did exactly that!

Agustin

Hi, my name is AGUSTIN and I’m from Victoria, Texas. My favorite classes are science and reading. I’ve always had a hard time telling the difference between fiction and nonfiction, but I know Mrs. Schauer can fix that. I love reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. I like to play football and basketball. My favorite game is Call of Duty Black Ops 2.  I like to eat at Chucky Cheese with my cousin Mason. I have three sisters named Ana, Cece, and Ashlynn. I have a brother name Zaydian.

Off to a Great Start in Room B-3!

It's hard for me to believe that we're already finished with the third week of the school year! We have been having a great time so far in room 3-B, and I can't wait to see what the future brings with this great group of kiddos.

I know that some people were surprised to hear that we would not be using the AR program this year in grades 6-12, because it's such a vital part of the elementary curriculum in Pettus. The decision to do away with the program on our campus came about because I noticed that the kids that were coming to us were already mature readers that really don't need a program like AR any longer. That being said, I'm so VERY grateful for the way our teachers use AR in our elementary. I know, without a doubt, that our elementary teachers' proper use of the program is the reason my students are such great readers when they get to me in the sixth grade. So, THANK YOU, PETTUS ELEMENTARY TEACHERS!! :)

So far this year, we've worked on writing interesting beginnings to narrative stories, we've talked and talked and TALKED about all the different types of literary genres that are out there, and we've spent a lot of quality time just getting lost in our own, individual books. The goal we've set for ourselves is that each student in Room B-3 will do their best to read and reflect on at least forty different books this year, spreading those forty books over nine different genres. I can already tell that many of these kids are going to FLY past that goal, way before the end of the year, and that's awesome! (I think they're realizing that not doing AR definitely doesn't mean they won't be reading!)

This blog hasn't been incredibly active over the past two years, but since I'm now responsible for teaching Reading AND Writing to all of the sixth graders, I am hoping that we will be posting a great deal more this year. So check back often to see what's going on in Room B-3 at Pettus Junior High!

Lee

Hey, my name is Lee. My favorite sports are baseball, basketball, and football. I love country and rap music. My favorite trucks and cars are the 2014 Chevy Silverado, Ford F350, the Camaro, and the Challenger. My favorite NFL team is the Houston Texans and my favorite MLB team is the Corpus Christi Hooks. My college team is the Texas Longhorns.

Skyler

Hi my name is Skyler. I like to hunt and fish. I like to play football, but sometimes I like to stay inside too. I have a cube and I play it a lot. I mostly play baseball and hockey on it. My favorite sports are football and baseball.

Ryan

Hey, I’m Ryan and I’m twelve years old. I LOVE football, baseball and basketball. My favorite foods are pizza and cheeseburgers. I also like to hunt, fish, wake surf/wake board, and play video games. I am considered the “nerd” of the class, but I don’t think “nerds” are supposed to like sports or any other types of outdoor things. I really like sixth grade so far, but I think some of the punishments are a little harsh. Mrs. Schauer and Mrs. Camden are my favorite teachers. In fifth grade, I sort of lost my interest in reading. Mrs. Schauer has brought it back.

Mariana

WOOOHOOOOO, here I am! My name is Mariana and I’m eleven years old. Here are some facts about me. Ummm, I love to be happy and laugh all the time. I enjoy reading and writing letters. I love to eat pickles and Takis together. The DORK DIARIES series is my favorite out of all the books in the world. Rachel Renee Russell is the author of those books and she is the best. My favorite song is called “Love,” by Kiesha Cole. The subjects in school that I love are Reading, Math and Writing. My favorite animals are monkeys, horses and dogs. I want to be a pediatrician when I grow up. I love to play outside and play with my puppies. My favorite movie is Bring it On: Fight to the Finish. I hope sixth grade is the best year. Well, see ya!!!

Kayle

Hello! My name is Kayle and I’m eleven years old. I enjoy doing a lot of crazy, fun and awesome things! I’m originally from a small town/community called Choate, Texas. I love to be outdoors working with my dad. I’m not too much of a girly-girl but that not what my friends think! :) In my spare time I like to read interesting and thick books! I love to eat pizza, BIG burgers, and fudge pops! My hobbies include wrestling with my bros and admiring good looking trucks on the highway or by my house. I have another little dirty habit that not everybody knows…I like to go MUDDING on my bike or in my go-cart on the dirt road where I live! Well, those are all the fun and especially interesting things you probably would like to know. XOXOX See ya! :)

Joseph

Hi, my name is Joseph. I love Skrillex. He is my favorite artist. His music is dub step, also known as rave music. I totally love Mexican food. I love cats, dogs, animals, cars and video games. Reading is one of my favorite things to do. Most of the time at my house I’m listening to audio books or reading books off the internet. I love technology and I made my own bike at my dad’s house. I like hanging out with friends and playing sports. I like helping my mom, and especially like helping my grandpa. I like the barn we have at our ranch and I love driving the tractors. I’m a friendly person and I have several dogs and. I’m new in Pettus this year, and my favorite part about the school so far is the teachers. I play trumpet in the band, and my favorite teachers are Mrs. Schauer, Mr. Flores, and Mrs. Camden. Thanks for reading. Goodbye!!! XD

Jasmine

My name is Jasmine and I’m thirteen years old. My favorite color is blue and I love to read. My favorite book is TWILIGHT. I never liked to read when I was little, but Mrs. Schauer changed reading a lot, so now I read at school and at home. I live here in Pettus not far from the school, just two roads away. I love scary movies and my favorite one is called ONE MISSED CALL. It’s about a little girl who kills people who have missed a call from her. I love my whole family, but my favorite relative is my grandma. Well, got to go. TTYL, JJ.

Ebony

Hi my name is Ebony, I’m eleven years old and I go to Pettus Junior High. I love my family, friends, and sports! If I had to choose one sport as my favorite, it would be softball. I like to shop A LOT! My favorite stores are Forever 21, Wet Seal, and Rue 21. Hmmmm…there’s something else? Oh yeah! I love to read! Right now I’m reading a book called TEARS OF A TIGER, by Sharon M. Draper. Well, that’s really all about me for now.

Dexter

Hey guys my name is Dexter. Yes, I know you’re probably thinking Dexter’s Laboratory. That’s because I was named after the show. My brother Ross had a problem talking, but he was always able to pronounce Dexter, so that’s how I got my name. Now I’m eleven years old. I love football and baseball and my favorite food is Mexican food. I love Chevy cars and trucks and I want to go to A & M and become a mechanical engineer for them. I love country music and my favorite things to do are playing football and working on old broken down trucks. My favorite books are the DIARY OF A WIMPY KID books.

Darian

Hi my name is Darian. I am twelve years old and I like to play video games, eat pizza and do other fun stuff. In my spare time I go outside and build stuff. I like to draw and do origami. I like graphic novels and books by Jeff Kinney. I think sixth grade is going to go great this year.

Binjimin

What’s up, bro? I talk a lot. I mean it. Even teachers say I’m annoying. I’m Binjimin. Everybody knows me and I know everybody. My pal Dixon, he is no regular pencil, he is a number two pencil. I am from San Antonio, Texas. I like football, WWE and cars. My favorite person is me. I like country music.

Alyssa

Hey my name is Alyssa and I’m going to tell you a little bit about myself. I am eleven years old, I love music and of course, my phone. My favorite sport is volleyball, and my favorite book is DORK DIARIES. I love reading, but to be honest it does get boring sometimes. My favorite color is lime green and my favorite movie is the Twilight series—I can watch them all day! My favorite place to shop is American Eagle. So yeah, I think I told you enough. Bye. :)

Julien

My name is Julien! I am twelve years old and I have two sisters that are rockin’ awesome! My mom and dad’s names are Rhonda and Scott. (They are rockin’ awesome too!) My favorite food is mac and cheese and I love music. I play the piano and drums, and I want to learn to play the guitar. My favorite books are the WIMPY KID series by Jeff Kinney. I love sports! I play football, basketball, and baseball. Anything else outdoors is awesome too, but when I’m not outside, I play video games. That’s right, I’m a gamer! LOL!!! OK, well now you know a lot about me. See ya later! WooHOOOOOOO! :)

Slade

Hi my name is Slade and I am eleven years old. My favorite sports are football and baseball. I love going hunting with my friends John and Jacob. My best friends are Jodee, Samuel, Mariana and Diego. I like hanging out with Diego and Monico. I don’t think I have a favorite song but I love skating. I work out on the drilling rig with Caleb during the summer and I love my mom and my sister. ….SLADE OUT!!!!!!!!!!

Trent

Hi, my name is Trent! My favorite color is green. My best friends are Miranda, Dexter and Julien. My favorite place to eat is Texas Roadhouse. My favorite song is Radioactive. My favorite sports are basketball and football! My favorite teacher is Mrs. Schauer. I have a dog named Bandit and he is really wild. The best thing at my house is my pool because I love to swim. I have a little sister named Madi and she is really annoying. My favorite subject is Science and the teacher is Mrs. Camden. Peace Out!!!

Samuel

Hi my name is Samuel and I’m twelve years old. My favorite subjects in school are Reading and Science. My favorite genres are science fiction, realistic fiction, and historical fiction. If I were able to meet anyone in the world, it would be my favorite author, whose name is Tom Angleberger. My favorite sports are baseball, football and basketball. My favorite book is Number the Stars and my favorite movie is Despicable Me, and that’s me.

Miranda

Hi, my name is Miranda and I’m 11 years old. My favorite color is blue and my favorite teacher is Mrs. Schauer. My three favorite subjects are Reading, Science, and Writing. I don’t really like math very much because it’s very hard. My favorite food is roast beef. My BFFs are Alyssa, Matti, Kayle, Alexis, Mariana, and Jodee. I have one brother named Justin and one sister named Shanna. Shanna is disabled and can’t walk or talk by herself. Last year people made fun of her, but she is the best big sister ever. I don’t care what other people might say, because she is awesome. I love her soooo much!! Well anyway, my favorite sports are volleyball, softball, and track. When I get older I want to be a paleontologist, a vet, or a teacher. I have three dogs and one lizard. My hobbies are hanging out with my friends and doing gymnastics with my best friend Alyssa. Well, that’s it about me and my life.

Matti

Hey guys, my name is Matti. My favorite foods are grilled cheese, mac and cheese and PIZZA. I really love the color blue. I love playing sports with my family and softball is my favorite sport. Makenzy is my favorite friend, she’s really like a sister. I have three sisters and one brother. Their names are Ryan, Tori, Randi and Cody. I really love dogs. I have seven of them and their names are Jack, Maggie, Max, Pancho, Taki, Beethoven, and Bailey. I LOVE COUNTRY MUSIC. My favorite animals are dogs, horses, monkeys, and fat hamsters. A book that I really like is called Life on the Refrigerator Door. When I grow up I want to be a baker, because my hobby is BAKING.

Logan

Hey you—yeah you! I’m Logan and I’m 11 years old. I like to talk a lot, which I think is a good thing, but other people not so much. I’m not from Pettus, I’m from Huntsville, Texas. My favorite movie is The Help, my favorite song is Cruise Remix, and my favorite food is blackened redfish. I love to deep-sea fish. I’m not a really big reader. What I mean by that is, I don’t love reading, but I don’t hate it. Mrs. Schauer makes reading a lot better because she helps us find the books that are perfect for us.

Leo

If I were not able to have Social Studies I would not have a favorite subject but thanks to our past I have a great history. This might sound weird but I collect unique shaped sticks. Not bugs or rocks or coins. I collect sticks! Playing video games is a talent you cannot take away from me. I love and cherish Gordan Korman and his books.  I also cherish Mrs. Schauer, the best teacher in the world.   SWINDLE is a book that nobody can beat. It is a mystery, adventure book. I love soccer and karate. I am a yellow belt and really good but some people think otherwise. I love my dog Echo but sometimes he’s just too crazy.

Jodee

Hey guys my name is Jodee. I’m twelve years old and my birthday is December 4th. I like to play football and I have a lot of friends. I like to chill with my friends. I like to be out side all the time everyday all day. When I grow up I want to go to college. I don’t know what I want to do yet, but I know I need to go to school for whatever I pick.

Jakobe

Hi my name is Jakobe and I’m 13 years old. I like to play my PS3 and I also like to play Assassin’s Creed 3. My favorite thing to do is hang out with my friends Brandon, Albert, Briana, and Austin. My favorite class is Mrs. Camden’s class. My favorite food is pizza. My favorite relatives are my grandma and grandpa because they are the best ever and a also love my uncle Tim. But most of all I like hanging out with Dylan. I also like to play Yu-gi-Oh!

Dorian

What’s up? My name is Dorian. I like to play PS3 with my brother and my favorite food is chicken strips. My favorite subjects in school are reading and science and my favorite teachers are Mrs. Schauer and Mrs. Camden. I like to listen to hip-hop music. My friends are Darian, Brandon and Samuel. When I grow up I want to be an actor. My favorite celebrity I want to meet is rob Dyrdek a professional skater. I like to watch Rob and Big Tanked, Robs Fantasy Factory, and the Regular show. My favorite movie is Grown Ups 2, and my favorite relative is my grandma. My favorite dessert is ice cream andI like to eat at Golden Corral , Chili’s, and Grandy’s.

Brandon

Hi my name is Brandon and I’m 11 years old. My favorite book is a graphic novel called Peanut. My favorite book that’s been made into a movie is The Hunger Games. I like to eat BBQ. My favorite side dish is mashed potatoes and gravy. My best friends are Jakobe, Albert, Briana, and my brother Austin. My favorite game is Saints row IV, along with SR2 and SR3. My favorite thing to play is Yugi-Oh, which is a card game. My friends and I play it during lunch and tutorials. I’m a computer geek. I have my own laptop and computer, and if you need help with your computer you know who to call. I’m glad they don’t have AR this year. Well that’s all about me for now. I think it will be a great year.

Alexis

Hey what’s up? My name is Alexis, I am 11 years old and I absolutely love reading. My favorite book is Annabelle the Doll. The Little Rascals is my all time favorite movie. My best friends are Ebony, Kyndall, and Jodee. I love the Longhorns and pizza, and when you put together it’s awesome. My favorite thing to do is go to the lake and swim with my bffs. Mrs. Camden is my favorite teacher and we do all sorts of fun stuff in the science lab like looking at cells, the lizard, and planting seeds.

Joseph

Hi my name is Joseph, I love to play football, and basketball My favorite color is blue. I really want to attend Texas Teach University. My favorite football team is the Dallas Cowboys. I love to eat pizza, and hot cheetos. Mr. Ramirez, and Mrs. Schauer are my favorite teachers. I like to wear Nike shoes. American Eagle is my clothes brand. When I grow up I want to drive a Chevrolet when I grow up. I want to be a professional NFL football player, for the Dallas cowboys.