Christmas Break 2008 - I'm posting from Duluth, Minnesota

Well, It has been quite awhile since I posted to my blog. I knew this was going to be hard for me to keep up-to-date with everything else I have going on in my life at this time. I think I am going to have to keep it as a personal blog vs. a professional blog. I will, however, keep updating my weblinks to help students, parents and teachers with reading resources. You may also go to my link at furl- http://www.furl.net/my/groups Here you can keep up with the links I am saving and organizing. The two groups I have created are called "ElemReadingTeachers" and "YoungAuthors". The other one I contibute to is called "Libraries".

My family is spending part of Christmas break in Duluth, Minnesota with my husband's family. The kids are enjoying sledding, skiing and ice skating. We are also spending New Year's Eve at the Mall of America in Minneapolis with Scott's cousins. I will upload photos when we get back from our trip. I hope everyone is having a great holiday! More to come soon!

Beginning a Blog

Hello,

I am beginning a blog site as a requirement for an online course I am taking. I never thought I would actually find myself blogging but here I go....

I am hoping this blog will help parents, teachers and students become more knowledgeable about the reading program we use in the Triad School District where I teach. This is my nineteenth year of teaching and my eleventh year as a Title I/reading support program teacher. I have taught in several school districts and have been in the Triad School District for over ten years. (http://www.triadunit2.org/education/district/district.php?sectiondetailid=1) My current assignment is at Silver Creek Elem. School which just opened this year in Troy, IL. Click here for demographic information - http://tinyurl.com/5vj2xe .

We just held our fall parent teacher conferences. As a result of them, I thought it would be worthwhile to create a blog to help answer reading questions and direct parents, teachers and students to websites that are fun, as well as provide practice with reading and language arts skills. I would like your help when it comes to updating this blog.

What helps YOU when dealing with struggling readers, as well as advanced readers??

What would you like to see added to this blog in the future??

I want this to be a safe place for sharing concerns about your reader or child. I will not personally have all the answers to your questions, but I do have a lot of professional colleagues and resources where we can try to provide some. Hopefully, other reading educators and parents out there will begin to share what works for them as well. Since I am just beginning with this blog, I will try to update it as often as I can. I will shoot for weekly updates to begin with.

I have an eleven year old daughter, L1, who is in sixth grade this year. This is also her first year of middle school. She says she enjoys reading, has a ton of books at home to choose from, yet I still find myself saying, "Why don't you go read a book!" She has to work hard as a reader to keep herself reading on level. She was in the Title I reading program in first, second and third grade. (Title I reading services in our school district end in third grade.) I was her reading teacher for two of those years which was a fun experience and a bit of a challenge. (Just ask me if she wanted to read with me when we got home in the evenings!!!) She is also not a big "risk-taking" sort of kid which I will explain in a future blog.

I have a 3 and 1/2 year old son, L2. He is in his first year of preschool. Our school district started a staff preschool for the teachers this year. It has been wonderful. He is in the same school building with me, right down the hall. He loves reading! He begs me to read several books to him each night and throughout the weekend. He loves getting on the computer to practice his A,B,C's and listen to stories. Two of his favorite websites are "Starfall" and "Raz-kids" (See my student links area). He is a big risk taker in more ways than one. I will share stories about him in future blogs.

How do you think taking risks relates to becoming a successful reader?

I will share some of my experiences with you on their "roads to literacy" as they are both unique individuals. Hopefully, from my parent point-of-view, you can also relate to what I have gone through and what I am currently experiencing while helping them become literate children.

This may not look like much to you but I have been working on creating this new blog site and my first post for over three hours now. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,
Readingmom