Check It Out

It is “Nonfiction Monday.” My nonfiction is all about the nonfiction writing I am doing for the National Boards for Professional Teaching Standards.  After March 25, 2008, which is a month from now, I will have my box sent off and will only have the test prep to do for April or May.

I spent the weekend revising the entry entitled, “Fostering an Appreciation for Literature”.  This entry is actually cleverly disguised as a reading lesson.  I must show a connection to literature, demonstrate that students are inferring, have a curriculum aspect connected to the classroom and show it on a 15 minute tape.  A 2 minute video pan of the library with narration is also required.  Yesterday I was I school for more than 2 hours taping the pan. But it is completed. Hooray.

I am feeling a bit like the princess in Rumpelstiltskin these days.  Two of four entries are near completion but there remains more straw to spin into gold.  My last two entries are “integrating technology” and “collaboration with another teacher”.  I have been collaborating with a second grade teacher.  It has been  great to tie in the science of clouds with poetry.   The teacher said we could continue with the unit on animals later this spring.  This is where I feel so fortunate that my school is small enough that I can work with interested staff beyond the weekly 30 minute requirement.

The prompt at One Deep Breath was “ink”.  My haiku for that reflects my life over the last few weeks:

keys click, thoughts race
printer spits another draft
out, revision

entry completed
more straw in the mind waits to
become golden words

Have a great Monday. If you are interested in terrific nonfiction books, visit Picture Book of the Day. 

Happy Reading.

MsMac