10/02

In reading the chapter on Poetry...getting through all the technicalities of it and the vocabulary...whew!...I liked that the book suggested to bring in fun, light poetry collections that children would certainly enjoy first. Once they are hooked, start adding other poetry, expanding the library; of course, being sure to keep their interests in mind. The common themes insert with poem collections and authors was also a nice tid bit. I also never thought to use poetry to supplement core subject areas.

I loved the idea of including traditional literature in the Social Studies curriculum. Even better, if there happened to be a child in the classroom of a particular culture they could have a relative come, or share themselves, a traditional story from their culture, then lead a discussion afterwards. I think it would be a great way for a child to feel special about themselves, their culture and for others to enjoy something special from their peer. Its a fun and entertaining way to learn about the history of others culture and also life's little lessons.

Now, to be perfectly honest, while I was working on the Author's profile I was doubling to meet some of my own immediate needs. I had a teacher conference with my son's teacher last week and was informed that although he exceeds standards for fluency and vocabulary knowledge he is somewhat lacking in comprehension. My son, Gavin, is in second grade. He is supposed to be reading 40+ wpm...he is reading 89 at the moment. His teacher isn't sure if he is trying to hard to get through it that he isn't taking the time to comprehend...or if he is just being lazy...for lack of a better word. He always seems to know the answer after a while. Who knows. So I figured I would look for ways to improve comprehension. In my search I found this website: http://www.literacy.uconn.edu/compre.htm . The website has links to many other sites that students, teachers, and parents can utilize to improve comprehension strategies.

Jan Thornhill is an author, illustrator and designer. She's a recipient of the Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award, The Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children's Non-Fiction and many others. She uses wildlife and nature in her books that are enjoyable for children of all ages. They are filled with a joyful charm and colorful illustrations. Some are academic and some of her books deal on a more emotional growth spectrum. http://www.janthornhill.com/

I'm including Sylvester and The Magic Pebble by William Steig today because it is one of my favorite books; I know its an old one. My first grade teacher, Ms. Dana, gave me a copy and to this day, I have it. Both of my children have enjoyed the story also. Sylvester collects unusual stones. One day, he finds a red shiny pebble. Scared by a lion, he wishes himself into a rock. The story is about his personal attempt to change back to himself and his parents search for him.