Ohio Voices-
Winter 2016
The OCTELA Newsletter, member of The NCTE Information Exchange, is a publication of the Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA), founded in 1957 as the English Association of Ohio (EAO). OCTELA is the only statewide affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) representing teachers of English Language Arts, prekindergarten through college.
table of contents-
Time for Books
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Contact OCTELA
Conference 2017 Preview
Heidi Weber shares support while answering your teaching-related questions.
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OCTELA honors dedication and talent in the field of education.
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Executive Board Spotlight
Member Spotlight
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Synergy!
Advice from the Green Room
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Learn about OCTELA member Cameron Carter, second grade teacher at Slate Hill Elementary.
Start planning for next year's conference!
Michelle Best provides an overview of the Spring 2016 conference.
Noah Waspe relects on the state affiliate's relevance in today's professional world.
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OCTELA Memberhip Information
Virginia McCormac, OCTELA President, shares her vision for the membership.
Presidential Welcome
Connectedness Synergy Diversity
Amanda Schear, Diversity Liaison, discuses world travels and connections to teaching.
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Leading by Example
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Join or renew your membership, connect with us online, and submit articles to Ohio Voices.
Jen Baker offers book reviews--for students, for work, and for pleasure.
OCTELA Executive Board
Carol Ann Hart Registrar/WROTE/ SLATE Karla Hayslett Executive Director Stacy Ludwig ODE Liaison Sue Malaska Bonnie Chambers Sara Marker Early Childhood Liaison Ruth McClain Advisor Virginia McCormac President Kristine Michael TESOL Liaison Debra Nickles University/ CAEO Pattie Niese Secretary/BCTBA Sarah Ressler Wright Exhibitor co-Liaison Colleen Ruggieri NCTE/ODE Liaision Amanda Schear Diversity Liaison Jessica Sharp Membership Liaison Debbie Thomas Bonnie Chambers Patrick Thomas OJELA Karen Tollafield LGBTQQ Liaision Chris Wagner Social Networking Noah Waspe Middle School Liaison Heidi Weber Elementary co-Liaison Molly Wendel Elementary co-Liaison Sam Whitaker Legislative Liaison Brandi Young OELMA Liaison Joshua Younge Vice President/
Jen Baker Secretary Michelle Best President-Elect Margaret Blevins Treasurer Nicole Brickman Exhibitor co-Liaison Karen Carney Conference Planner Stephenie Erikkson Past-President Andrew Ford Webmaster Marge Ford Associate Webmaster
Presidential Welcome I would like to extend a welcome to all teachers of Ohio. OCTELA looks forward to the collaboration of colleagues sharing literacy strategies through our publications. New ideas will flow into every classroom with the expectation of raising the bar of excellence as we teach literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Research (ACT, Inc. 2006) shows that those who have the ability to comprehend information of complex text will achieve higher on standardized tests than those who relate more to the processes of inference and main idea. OCTELA is an established organization of English Language Arts teachers that reaches out to meet the needs of every teacher in Ohio. We offer resources to help you develop lesson plans that will allow students to reach higher level thinking through all classrooms. Text complexity is a challenging skill to teach; however, OCTELA will support you with innovative ideas that will facilitate these skills and work as a liaison to give you creative, effective instruction and to achieve excellence in your classroom. Text difficulty has increased and, as Ohio students read more nonfiction, it is imperative that teachers in all content areas have the knowledge and skills to achieve this success. We have focused our education and experience on teaching text analysis and meaning, and we want to share our ideas and successes with all teachers. OCTELA looks forward to having you collaborate with us on our website, where you will find information that will feed into your classrooms on a daily basis. Ohio Journal of English Language Arts (OJELA) has many research driven articles, as well as articles written from the voice of experience of accomplished teachers. Our annual conference, OJELA, and this newsletter--Ohio Voices--are available for your continued professional development. Please join us and share with your colleagues! Virginia McCormac OCTELA President
Virginia McCormac OCTELA President
Rainbow Rowell, Keynote Speaker
Visiting exhibitors
Synergy: increased effectiveness that results when two or more people work together. There was no doubt that people were working together and excited about a dynamic and inspiring spring conference in Worthington, Ohio, this past February. In fact, the conference began early with sessions and a breakfast, sponsored by Pearson, for attendees who were interested in getting a sneak peek at the morning’s keynote speaker, Dr. Elfrieda Hiebert. Dr. Hiebert approached the stage in proud Buckeye colors, despite calling Michigan home, and entertained a crowd of nearly two hundred participants whilst driving home very important points to consider. Dr. Hiebert is a research associate at the University of California, Santa Cruz and has worked in the field of early reading acquisition for forty-five years. During her keynote, Freddy stated, "Words are us. They are the beginning of knowledge." This helped to emphasize the significance that the more you read, the more words you will be exposed to--even though a small group of words, in fact, do the "heavy lifting." For free resources to provide engaging and authentic model texts to support higher reading levels for your students, visit Freddy’s website and sign up for her newsletter. With smiles on their faces and steps just a bit lighter, OCTELA members went to various breakout sessions with topics that appealed to educators PreK-16. National Writing Project participants, National Board Certified Teachers, Master Teachers, college professors, and innovative educators from around the state shared best practices to standing room only crowds who wanted to know what powerful teaching truly looks like. Anticipation began to build as people filled the entire ballroom to capacity to hear the fireside chat with Buckeye Children’s and Teen Book Award winner, Rainbow Rowell. Author of three YA novels and two adult novels, Rainbow quickly charmed all with her vibrant personality and wonderful sense of humor. She says of the characters that she writes, “[they are] complex characters who are identifiable to the people who are reading the books.” If she had to weigh the two, Rainbow confessed that reading is more important than writing. You see, you need to hear what good writing sounds like. Once you can hear that, it helps you to develop your own voice. Her parting piece of advice to the crowd was to read widely and a lot--a piece of advice clearly observed by the next contributors to such an amazing day. The crowd was breathless and brought to their feet listening to two moving performances by students preparing for the Poetry Out Loud finals. Not to be outdone, Louise Borden tied the entire conference together in her presentation, the final of the afternoon. This Ohio author has written thirty books and practices what she depicts in her books as she leaves her desk to research in depth the fascinating stories brought to life through her words. She is truly a stellar example of Synergy in the world outside of the classroom. The fourth keynote speaker of the weekend was Dr. Timothy Rasinski, a professor at Kent State University, who challenged members to view teaching not just as a science, but as an art. This was repeatedly demonstrated as everyone joined in song and celebration, a skill that uses reading in a very subtle way for our students: singing is reading. Dr. Rasinski, sponsored by myOn Educational Resources, emphasized the philosophy that reading fluency develops deep repeated reading. For, you see, when children are able to see themselves progress, they gain confidence. To sincerely motivate our students, we must keep them engaged in authentic and accessible tasks. The final keynote speaker was Cincinnati native Sharon Draper. Mrs. Draper has been honored as the National Teacher of the Year, is a five-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Literary Awards, and is a New York Times bestselling author. Her experience has taught her that the importance of what we do cannot be measured, but she recognizes that good books change the lives of those who read them. Sharon Draper entertained the crowd with her personable approach, her honest reflections, and her student letters that have kept her doing what makes her happy through the years. She was forthright with the suggestions she imparted to everyone present. Over 475 professionals attended the OCTELA Spring Conference in 2016. What an amazing show of people who demonstrated how powerful we can be when we work together!
2016 Conference Michelle Best
OCTELA President-Elect
Dr. Nancy Mack Dr. Cindy Bowman Presentation Endowment Recipient Photo Credit: Dr. Nancy Mack
Jennifer Schroeder, Joshua Younge, and Carol Ann Hart 2016 Outstanding ELA Award Recipients Photo credit: Michelle Best
OCTELA Honors Educators
Jennifer Schroeder is the recipient of the Outstanding ELA Educator Award for middle school teaching. Jennifer is in her ninth year teaching seventh grade Language Arts at Brookpark Middle School in South-Western City Schools. She enjoys reading books that her students recommend and has a passion for instilling a love of reading into all of her students by reaching those students who rarely pick up a book. In addition to her regular classes, Jennifer works diligently to help students in her school who battle reading and seeks to further develop those students by utilizing new instructional strategies. Through these new methods, Jennifer helps impassion struggling students to turn a dispassionate reader into an avid one. Jennifer also supports others in her district by mentoring first year teachers as they begin their journey in education. In addition, she serves as a Co-Building Technology Coordinator for her school, is a member of the Building Leadership Team, serves on the Response to Intervention Team, and is the Student Council Advisor. Most recently, she has been awarded the Ambassador Award from South-Western City Schools. Joshua Younge is the recipient of the Outstanding ELA Educator Award for high school teaching. Josh is an eleventh and twelfth grade English teacher at Pickaway-Ross Career and Technology Center. He has taught for thirteen years in the district and has served in many capacities including being the co-chair of the LPDC, the co-chair of the Evaluation Committee, and the co-chair of the SLO Committee. Josh has been a mentor teacher and a local union president for several years. Besides Josh’s experience at the local level, he has also served on several state committees such as the OGT Content Committee, the OGT Reading and Writing Rangefinding Committees, and the ELA II Content Committee for Ohio’s Next Generation of Assessments. Josh also represents his colleagues on OCTELA’s Executive Board as the Secondary and Career-Tech Liaison. Additionally, Josh has written an article about the importance of career-tech education in the ELA classroom which has been published in OJELA. Josh’s inspiration to become a teacher comes, in part, from his mother and from the realization that he enjoys the daily habits of reading and writing. Josh invests in his students on a personal level, giving them both modern fiction and nonfiction literature. One of his favorite books is Erik Larson’s In the Garden of Beasts, and he uses material from sources like The Atlantic Monthly and The New Yorker in his classroom. Carol Ann Hart is the recipient of the Outstanding ELA Educator Award in the Special Distinction category. Carol received her undergraduate degree at Ohio University in Athens and taught for almost fifteen years before returning to school to get her Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from Kent State University. Much of her career was spent in the high school teaching eleventh grade American Literature and maintaining the high school library, both part time. She participated in the Northeastern Ohio Writing Project at Kent State in 2000 and found it to be a truly life-changing experience. In 2001, she became a National Board Certified Teacher in Adolescent and Young Adult English Language Arts. Throughout the years she has served as a department chair, a yearbook advisor, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Educational Panel, a member of Tri-County Journalism Association, a Martha Holden Jennings Scholar, and an active member of the YSU English Festival Committee. She has presented at NCTE, OCTELA, and various local writing conferences. Dr. Nancy Mack is the 2016 Dr. Cindy Bowman Presentation Endowment recipient. Nancy is a full professor of English at Wright State University where she teaches undergraduate courses to pre-service teachers, as well as graduate courses in composition theory, memoir, and multigenre writing. Her career started as a middle and high school teacher. Next, she taught in three prison programs. After joining WSU, she developed the Integrated Language Arts major and directed the Summer Writing Institute for teachers with Richard Bullock. In conjunction with a local PBS station, she designed two multimedia programs for teachers about journalism and Ohio authors. She enjoys being a judge for the NCTE Norman Mailer Writing Awards. She is a frequent speaker at national and state conferences and has won several teaching awards. Her publications include two books about teaching grammar with poetry, chapters in books, and articles in College English, JAC, Pedagogy, The Writing Instructor, Pretext, and English Journal. She edited a special issue on bullying for English Journal. Her most recent book is Engaging Writers with Multigenre Research Projects, published by Teachers College Press. She has two forthcoming chapters in scholarly anthologies about working class pedagogy and the imposter phenomenon.
Danny M. Cohen Matt de la Peña http://mattdelapena.com/
Dave Stuart, Jr.
Diversity
Annually, we get to press the reset button as we receive a sea of fresh faces to look at, a list of new names to learn. What happens when that child sitting in the desk is yours? We want him or her to be treated as both special and unique. Concerns swell in our brains about the idiosyncrasies that make our child who he or she is. We wonder: will the teacher understand...or simply be annoyed? The truth of the matter is that diversity is not a two dimensional descriptor that fits into a neat little box. Our students come to us with a messy assortment of needs that are rare and beautiful when looked at with a trained eye. Our 2017 conference will help us to do just that as powerful speakers share insightful practices that will inspire and change who we are as teachers. Danny M. Cohen is an author, an assistant professor at Northwestern University, and is the founder of the Unsilence Project, a new non-profit that creates and delivers memorable and engaging learning experiences that explore hidden, marginalized, and taboo narratives of atrocity and human rights. Matt de la Peña is the author of six young adult novels and three picture books, including Last Stop on Market Street, winner of the 2016 Newbery Medal. Dave Stuart, Jr. is a high school teacher in a small town who also writes a blog read by more than 35,000 people. OCTELA 2017 will be February 3 and 4, so be sure to mark your calendars now and prepare your proposal to be a part of this dynamic event. Follow the link https://goo.gl/sFYIzI to submit yours by November 30, 2016. Please contact Michelle Best with inquiries about OCTELA 2017.-
2017 Conference Preview
Millie Davis and Marge Ford Photo credit: Marge Ford
Connectedness. Synergy. Diversity. It’s the last day of the OCTELA conference, and we are all on the verge of tears. But in a good way. The last time I was in a room with this kind of energy, I was in fourth grade, sitting three rows back from Mrs. Turner as she belted out the final moments of Where the Red Fern Grows. My memory of this moment is vivid: holding my left hand up to my forehead to shield my watery eyes from my classmates’ collective view, and squinting as hard I can to keep the tears from spilling out like a punctured water balloon at critical mass. Then...Little Ann loses her will to live...and a...red fern grows between the two loyal canines. I’m now on the verge of a full on, body convulsing, meltdown. I sniffle messily and try to catch my breath. As I do, I look up, and it’s a miracle--I’m not alone. Every other person in the room, including Mrs. Turner, is crying, too. We were a pretty diverse group, but there we were, connected by this teacher, by this classroom, by this book, and now, to each other. We couldn’t put our finger on it back then, but this sense of community transcended the people in it. It was a kind of synergy like none of us had felt before. Twenty-five years later, I’m sitting at a classily dressed table with new and old friends in the banquet hall of the DoubleTree Hilton in Worthington, Ohio. Lunch is fifteen minutes behind us, and Sharon Draper’s stirring keynote is about thirty minutes ahead. Conference chair Ginny McCormac, after having organized this magnificent success of a conference, is accepting the presidential torch from OCTELA’s now Past-President Stephenie Eriksson. Though it’s a yearly tradition, joy permeates the room. Camaraderie is in the air as this massive group of educators, who have been learning together for the last day and a half, begin turning their minds toward the day’s educational crescendo. It’s the excitement of being around like-minded people who are just as excited as you are to bring new ideas to a classroom full of kids. And, then, this year’s Oustanding ELA Awards are announced, and Joshua Younge is called to the stage to accept the award for high school teaching. He begins his speech (while chocking back tears) by talking about his mother--also an award-winning educator--and about what it really means to be a teacher. Then, in lieu of the state report cards which were recently released to the public, Younge says, “The truth is: there is no metric to measure all the lunches I bought for hungry kids...” and almost on cue, my eyes tear up because I’m thinking of the homeless child in my class who stays after school to do homework or work on other projects. I think about how the times that he smiles at school may be the only times he smiles all day. Josh goes on to mention kids he has listened to, advised--all things that never really show up in a report or an evaluation. I continue to think of my student, and there I am, once again, trying to shield my eyes as the tears arrive--just like a fourth grader reading about Old Dan, Little Ann, and that red fern. I casually dab my eyes, hoping no one is looking, but then I notice everyone in the room is doing the exact same thing. Each one of us is choking back tears as we think of the kids into whom we pour all our energy, love, and hope. The diverse kids with whom we connect-- hoping we can tap into some kind of synergy to help them grow beyond their potential. Connectedness. Synergy. Diversity. This is what OCTELA is all about. This is OCTELA in a nutshell. Fittingly, we are in the middle of a group of conferences whose themes are Connected (2015), Synergy (2016), and Diversity (2017). These three ideas sum up what it’s like to be part of a group of learners brought together by a common cause, whether it’s a room full of fourth graders or a banquet hall full of educators. Inspired, I wanted to dig deeper into the nature of OCTELA--where it’s been, where it’s going, and what makes this organization so special. So I approached and interviewed eight OCTELA members, both veterans and people who are new to the profession, to see what would happen when I asked the simple question: Why OCTELA? Not surprisingly, the three themes outlined above came up again and again. The following quotes are taken from a series of podcast interviews I was able to record during the conference. Feel free to check out the links to hear the full interviews. Ruth McClain: “When you join OCTELA, you get a variety of things. You get not only camaraderie, but you get updates on legislative issues, you get this wonderful conference...there are many, many reasons to join OCTELA.” Connie Zitlow and her daughter, Beth Kletzly: “I think it’s so important to be around other people that care about the same thing you do.” -Connie Zitlow “It’s that new thing that keeps you fresh with constant learning--and really being able to model for your kids how you too are learning.” -Beth Kletzly Karen Carney, Cameron Carter, Stephenie Eriksson, Sarah Ressler Wright, and Michelle Best: “It is the most amazing collective group of great minds, great thinkers, and team players...all for the good of our children and preserving our English language.” -Karen Carney “I think that a lot of student teachers and pre-service teachers should come to OCTELA because...it really does inspire you...and it’s just a really great group of people to be around.” -Cameron Carter “It’s always refreshing, and it always reminds me of why I teach...It always comes back to inspiring my students and doing what’s right by them.” -Stephenie Eriksson “It’s always amazing to say I met all these awesome amazing authors, and I stood in a very short line to get their autographs.”-Sarah Ressler Wright And, last, but not least, I was able to chat with Michelle Best, who is in charge of planning next spring’s conference, centered around the idea of diversity. Here’s what Michelle had to say about what went into choosing this theme: “I had selected the idea of diversity--thinking not just of colors, because that’s what people often think of, but of the unique students that walk into our classroom every single year and how we can actually reach every kid. “I’m just so excited to see how everybody reacts to these people because they changed how I teach, how I view the profession, and how I view life.” Learn about OCTELA--past, present, and future--with the full interviews at https://soundcloud.com/octela/
Connectedness- Synergy- Diversity-
Noah Waspe OCTELA Middle School Liaison
Sharon Draper, Virginia McCormac, and Louise Borden Photo credit: Karen Carney
What is your favorite part of teaching? My favorite part of teaching would have to be watching the faces of my students when they have either learned something new, or when they have that bright smile of perseverance. Every day brings something new to the table, and I love every second of it! Do you have a least favorite part? If so, please describe. I would have to say my least favorite part of teaching would be that I do not have the opportunity and privilege to meet with my students on an individual basis more often than in reading and math groups. It is wonderful to listen to the amazing stories they have to tell. What has been your biggest success as an educator? Your biggest struggle? I feel my biggest success as an educator would be my duty as a positive male role model for all my students. I strongly believe in creating an environment in which all my students have empathy towards others, as well as believe they can achieve anything they set their mind to. Every day I come into class with a smile on my face, no matter what. My biggest struggle would have to be finding what works and what does not work in the classroom. It is a matter of trial and error. I may try one thing that sounds great with my students, and it turns we do not like the outcome. I see this struggle as a positive challenge because I think trying new things, as well as reflecting on my teaching practices, is important for my own educational growth. Why are you a member of OCTELA? Please describe some of the benefits you see in being a member of the organization. I became a member of OCTELA through my mentor, and personal friend, Karen Carney. At first, I did not know anything about this amazing organization. Three years ago, I attended as a volunteer and an avid observer. I marveled at all the inspiration I felt from the presenters, as well as the other attendees. For the past two years, I have helped host the conference at the DoubleTree and co-presented on two different literacy topics. I continue advocating for this great organization because, as teachers, we are a community of learners. We need the support and motivation of our colleagues to inspire us to achieve all we can! Every year, OCTELA puts a sparkle in my eye and truly reinforces the joys of our teaching profession! What did you enjoy most about this year’s conference? Please explain. I thoroughly enjoyed the keynote speakers Rainbow Rowell, Sharon Draper, Dr. Tim Rasinski, Louise Borden, and Dr. Elfrieda Hiebert. I was on the edge of my seat with every word the authors expressed to the crowd. I truly appreciate the acknowledgment each speaker gave to each and every teacher in the audience. All of us are in the profession together. We all make a difference in the eyes of a child every day. We need to keep that creativity alive! Describe your favorite teaching resource AND/OR share a tip for other teachers. One tip I would have to share is something I learned from Kylene Beers. I heard Ms. Beers speak at a conference a few weeks ago. She stated that students need to feel empowered and motivated while they are reading. I decided to hold my students accountable for their “read to self” time by incorporating a simple, yet remarkable, strategy. Students want to feel a sense of ownership, especially when they answer their own questions. While the students are reading, I asked them to think of one question, “What surprised you while reading?” It was a powerful question. I gave the students Post-it notes, and asked them to jot down something that surprised them! I modeled the process and said it could be a fact, statement, or opinion. The students loved the idea, it held them accountable, and it provided a quick formative assessment. At the very end, we came to the carpet to share. It truly made the students feel empowered--and it self-motivated them to read. What are you currently reading? I am currently reading Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. Member Spotlight is compiled by Jessica Sharp Photo Credits: Cameron Carter
I feel my biggest success as an educator would be my duty as a positive male role model for all my students.
Cameron Carter Slate Hill Elementary-
The room, ready for his breakout session at OCTELA 2016.
Dining with mentor--and friend--Karen Carney.
Madrid 2015
Amanda Schear Diversity Liaison
Amanda Schear teaches juniors and seniors at Withrow University High School in the Cincinnati Public School system, where the student population is comprised of 80% African American and 20% international. Be sure to check out her blog "Teacher on a Quest." In 2011, you received a Fund for Teachers Fellowship to travel to Iran. Why did you choose Iran? As a double major in English and Spanish, I spent time in Latin America, but I had little background in Middle Eastern culture and literature. Iran is the safest Middle Eastern country that also has a rich literary tradition. The 4,000 year old tradition in poetry is so important to the people that taxi drivers recite poetry. How has your experience in Iran impacted your classroom? In terms of curriculum, I designed a Persian poetry unit. But the most profound long-term effect has been on the connections I make with my Muslim students. I have a “Where Has Ms. Schear Been?” bulletin board in the back of my classroom with pictures of my travels. The pictures of me wearing Hijab in Iran help establish a mutual sense of respect with my Muslim students. They immediately know I value them. I am also the advisor for prom, and I’ve realized that our annual fashion show needs to better represent the student population. This year, I plan to include formal wear, styled with Hijab. In addition to Iran, you have traveled across Europe. How has your European travel affected your teaching? I’ve created content collections from pictures of Shakespeare’s birthplace and other landmarks, and those collections add interest to our studies. But more importantly, my travel experiences help me remember what it is like to be a student. I walked many more miles than I needed to in Russia because I could not read the signs and kept missing subway stations. I have empathy for my English Language Learners and struggling readers, and when designing lessons, I constantly think about how to make assignments accessible for all learners. I think about my experiences not understanding a language, and I plan with the questions, “What support would I need to be able to do this assignment?” and “How can I provide that?" What are some of your recent professional development experiences? In 2013, I studied Emily Dickinson’s poetry in Amherst, Massachusetts, through a National Endowment for the Humanities summer institute. And in both 2013 and 2015, I participated in the Smithsonian Summer Institute, “Teaching Humanities Through the Arts,” at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. I am currently collaborating with the art teacher in my building as my students finish an interdisciplinary study centered around slavery and the Great Migration. Students are selecting a text they have read or a text they have written and describing what has been most meaningful to them. Then they are identifying an image to use that supports or extends the story the text tells. The art teacher is helping them design a piece of art on canvas that includes the text of their choice with the image superimposed. At the end, students will write an artist’s statement explaining the rationale for their textual and artistic choices. Finally, their work will proudly be displayed on a gallery wall. Why are you a member of OCTELA? I’m a member of OCTELA because it is awesome! And because Dr. Gloria Flaherty at Wilmington College told me I had to be. And because it is full of English teachers I admire. What have you read recently? Book Love by Penny Kittle is the last professional book I have read. As far as pleasure reading, if I’m entertained, I will read it. I recently finished Carry On, the latest novel by Rainbow Rowell. OCTELA Executive Board Spotlight is compiled by Stephenie Erikkson. Photo credits: Amanda Schear
OCTELA Executive Board Spotlight
"I have empathy for my English Language Learners and struggling readers, and when designing lessons, I constantly think about how to make assignments accessible for all learners."
Looking for more recommendations? Want to suggest a book for review? Contact Jen at bibliophile1019@gmail.com
The Winner’s Curse - Marie Rutkoski
They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing 3rd ed. Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein
Red Rising - Pierce Brown
Student Recommendation Kestrel is the daughter of General Trajan, a great general who cannot wait for his daughter to follow in his footsteps and join the military. Not one for violence, Kestral’s only other option is to marry, but she doesn’t see that as much of an improvement. One day she witnesses an auction of Herrani, the people her father conquered and whose land they are currently colonizing. Kestral senses a kindred spirit in one of the slaves at auction, and before she knows it, she purchases a slave for whom she has no use. For Kestral, the consequences of this purchase constitute a winner’s curse, which occurs when the purchaser wins the bid, but only by overpaying. In this case, secrets, duels, love, danger, and betrayal constitute the curse, and leave the reader on the edge of his or her seat. While the initial premise of the book is entirely predictable, Rutkoski turns that premise on its head several times, keeping the reader guessing. The writing of this book is stunning, frequently moving me to tears at its simple beauty. Both characters love music, and the writing reflects this in its musical quality, marching, twirling, and dancing off the page. A must for fans of strong female heroines or Kristin Cashore, be sure to catch the final book in the trilogy, The Winner’s Kiss, on sale March 29! Professional Recommendation We all see it in our classrooms: students who understand the concept of claims, evidence, and warrants, but still struggle with writing a cohesive essay. We teach and reteach, revise and edit, analyze models and student examples, yet for every new essay we assign, we start back at square one. Graff and Birkenstein argue that academic writing is a mystery to students, but if teachers provide them with templates for the different moves we expect in academic writing, students’ ideas, thinking, and writing will improve. Divided into helpful chapters with model texts and sample exercises, Graff and Birkenstein offer templates for various academic moves, including introducing quotations, explaining quotations, and agreeing or disagreeing with the ideas of others--a must for any Common Core-style writing. This book has revolutionized my teaching of writing. I implemented a few of the suggested templates with the Article of the Week responses I have my students write, and the quality of the writing of both my honors freshmen and my junior/senior contemporary literature students has improved. My students’ writing is more complete, more thoughtful, and more academic. I was impressed to see more mature thinking. The ideas Graff and Birkenstein present, while originally intended for a college audience, can easily be modified to fit any educational level. I highly recommend this book to anyone whose students struggle to write academically. Pleasure Recommendation We all need to escape the stress of teaching sometimes, and Red Rising is just the way to do it! Darrow is a helldriver, mining Mars for a gas needed to make the planet livable so that humans may migrate there before Earth is destroyed. After the tragedy, Darrow discovers that it is all a lie--his dangerous job isn't as vital as he was led to believe, and the people of the highest caste, Gold, are using his caste, the Reds, as slaves in their well-established civilization on Mars. Darrow is given an opportunity to "live for more" but only if he can overcome the pain of the transformation into a Gold and survive the brutal test that awaits him at the Institute, where Gold leaders are trained. If he survives, Darrow stands a chance of toppling the vicious civilization that enslaves his people. This is one of my all-time favorite books. The action is so intense, and the description is so cinematic, that you cannot put this one down. Red Rising is well-plotted and fast-paced, with well-developed characters. At first I was skeptical--a story taking place on Mars is not at all my normal fare--but the tragedy that sets the story in motion had me loving the main character and I was committed to seeing his story through. If you're like me and don't like space books, don't worry--Brown wove a story that made me forget it took place in space. Read it before it becomes a movie! Book covers courtesy of Amazon.
Jen Baker- OCTELA Secretary-
Time for Books-- Reviews for All
From the Green Room-- Advice on Teaching and Learning in the ELA World Heidi Weber OCTELA co-Elementary-Liaison-
Print or Digital? One of the biggest questions I am asked as an ELA teacher by parents and colleagues alike is “which is better to use--print or digital sources?” I believe very strongly that the answer is BOTH. I think many ELA teachers are true book lovers at heart...the feel of holding a book in our hands, turning the pages…What is more satisfying? Yet today we find ourselves caught between the print and digital worlds. Nothing speaks to me today on this dilemma more than Lane Smith’s It’s a Book. (Check out this video; note the picture book ends with the donkey character being called “jack___”, which is a fun play on words but may not be right for your classroom). Lane captures the struggle we face as teachers today. If it isn’t flashy and interactive, how do we motivate our students? Do we really have to put everything on a screen to engage our students? I hope not. I believe strongly in using both print and digital sources side by side in my classroom. William Bass II and Franki Sibberson wrote a wonderful text called Digital Reading (NCTE 2015). In it they reinforce that “learning to read digital texts must be embedded in the ways we do our literacy work on a day-to-day basis” (11). I couldn’t agree more. One way I “sell” this idea to my students and families is by showing them the value both sources have. I made a video explaining what I like about each. Basically, I outline these points: Print: * Easier on eyes for some people * Interact with text through annotating (post-its) * Highlight, circle, underline, write on the text * Navigating is easy when flipping back and forth through pages to cross check and compare info Digital: * Quick, easy access to new content (fast, instant downloads) * Instant search functions (often with just a “tap”) * Hyperlinks to bonus and connecting content * Navigate with hyperlinks Even better...combine the two! Using digital and print resources side by side in our classrooms not only enriches the experience, it helps us better prepare our students for those “21st century skills” they need. Simply put, we can teach content and digital skills at the same time! For more ideas on integrating digital tools and resources in the classroom, check out my presentation: “Put It On a Screen...and Readers Are HOOKED!” (This was featured at the International Literacy Association 2015 conference, the 2016 Ohio Educational Technology Conference, and the OCTELA 2016 conference). Use this survey to get your students thinking about how they use digital reading in their lives. Be sure to make a copy before you use it so you can collect your own feedback!
Burning question? Looking for advice from the GREEN ROOM? Send your question to Heidi at weberhe@lovelandschools.org
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