MRA 2024 - "This is such a great conference!"

Picture it.  Sturbridge.  Massachusetts Reading Association Conference 2024.  

Two crazy reading ladies are running late - per usual - and can't find our badges.  People jump to help us.  "This is such a great conference."

We sneak into the keynote, content to stand in the back.  We're quickly ushered to front row seats.   "This is such a great conference!"

They keynote was...chef's kiss.  All around us, heads are nodding.  Pencils are scratching.  Keys are clicking.  The audience is engaged, invested.  Again, we find ourselves saying, "This is SUCH a great conference!"  

As teachers,  we appreciate how rejuvenating and encouraging it can be to spend time with like minded peers. As a principal, Mary reminds us that participation in conferences is excellent evidence for Standard 4.  (Present and you might just earn an Exemplary!)  

The Sturbridge Host Hotel and Conference Center was such an accessible venue.  How lovely to not need escalators and a hover board to go from one session to another within the allotted transition time.  The lobby with the giant fireplace?  The courtyard with the live trees?  The exhibit hall that can be navigated without GPS?  Heaven.  

Gholdy Muhammad, author of Cultivating Genius and Unearthing Joy, spoke to our souls.  Her message was enlightening and truly validating.  Do curriculum designers study our students?  Take their measurements?  Or, when the dress doesn't fit, do they tell the kids they need to go on a diet?  Historically responsible education teaches identity, skills, intellect, criticality, and JOY.  

  

As presenters, we were given the VIP treatment.  Coffee and muffins, super accessible and helpful tech support.  And they gave us a session moderator / reluctant bouncer.  Jodi - call us!  We'll get coffee at An Unlikely Story!  

Perhaps the most cup-filling component of MRA 2024 was the caliber of attendees.  People didn't leave sessions.  They were attentive, taking notes, asking questions, fully engaged.  Dare we say, they were all in?  

And just when we thought the day couldn't get any better: Lauren Wolk.  (Just like Ms. Wolk's next book, Candle Island, more on this encounter is coming soon!)  

    

If you're a Massachusetts educator, you should join MRA.  You can learn more about them here.  And mark your calendars for MRA 2025: March 26 - 28 in Newton.  

It'll be such a great conference.  

"We can't wait for Monday!"

 On Friday afternoon, a pair of sixth graders appeared in my doorway. 

“We need a book,” they said in unison.

Sure! Do you have a title in mind, or do you want to look around?

“It’s The Honest Truth. It’s about this b--- THERE IT IS!”

One of them took a giant step towards the bookshelf, her hand outstretched as if the book might disappear.

“OH! And you have TWO! Can we have them?”

Of course! 

As the happy customers clutched their books, we had a spontaneous conversation about whether the bus driver would report Mark, what Jessie should do, and why Beau is the finest dog in all of young adult literature.

These are students I don’t have in class, but we have a connection now because of a book. Experiences like this can fuel me for days; quite honestly, they make me feel like a magician, but the real magic happened in their sixth grade homeroom. 

In an effort to maintain the expectation of our daily 20-minute reading block, we instituted “read aloud rooms.” One teacher on each team decides to read a book aloud, and students can either opt-in to that experience or choose to read a book on their own. A teacher had recently started The Honest Truth and these two were so invested in the story they needed the book for themselves. I’ll say it again: they needed the book.  Everything about them - from their posture to their gushing gratitude - told me about the emotional connection they had made to the story (and to each other) over the course of just a few days.

Even though I knew the teacher who had started the book earlier that week, the students continued to talk about what she had read and what had happened so far in the story.

“It’s soooo good! We couldn’t wait for Monday!”

If you need a reminder to keep reading out loud - yes, even in middle school - take this as your sign.

We're on TikTok!

Two Crazy Reading Ladies on a Friday afternoon, catchin' up on all this new-fangled social media all the kids are talkin' 'bout. Join us!

Book Expressions

Best. Dog. (or dog adjacent) Ever. 

Do-Over

This or That: Books

Books to Go!

Every once in a while, we get to focus on a positive that came out of the pandemic and its associated response.

 

One of the babies thrown out with the bath water was summer reading. It left in spring 2020 and would not return for three years.

The CRL felt a visceral reaction to this decision; we knew that this was not the time to let reading go. 

We also knew that, if we wanted kids to read, we needed to make ourselves (and our books) available. We decided to promote reading and put books in kids' hands by offering the school lending library during the summer. We set up a table in the lobby and scheduled specific days and times to invite families in.

The idea that was born out of necessity has since become an established practice. We call it Books to Go. It is one of the most well-received programs in our building, it has numerous benefits, and it is one of the simplest, cheapest things we do. 

This is how we launch Books to Go:

• Confer with admin for permission, scheduling, and payment.
• Set up a table or two in the lobby and display books to lend.
• Print sign-out sheets.
• Decorate with posters and cute summer props.
• Promote it (we use signs, Regroup messages, Principal newsletters, and social media.)

Books to Go accomplishes several things: it makes summer reading books accessible to all students, it brings families and students into the building in a comfortable, manageable way, and it promotes summer reading. I love visiting with established families as well as the chance to get to know some of the incoming sixth graders.

The success is in its sustainability - this is an easy set up, and - if scheduled correctly - it takes advantage of a time when the school is already open to the public. We choose the day and time carefully, being mindful of building coverage as well as dismissal times for town summer offerings.

Do you have a similar program? Let us know in the comments!

For the love of librarians

For over a decade, our school district has suffered the loss of librarians. Sure, our middle school boasts a big, beautiful library space - we even have a decent budget for books - but there is no librarian to cull the collection, to staff library time, or to help students select the books that will make them fall in love with reading. We know the science, and we know what a tragedy this is.

Teacher with Ms. Bree

Students at BLAST 2022

We are The Crazy Reading Ladies, after all. We know adolescents, and we know good books. We read YA and middle-grade literature almost exclusively. We're cool! We follow our favorite authors and publishers on Twitter and Instagram. We know how the use the internet. We can talk books all day long; in fact, we love nothing more than spending time with students and matching them to books. We also know that we are not librarians, nor do we have access to the thousands of books and online resources that await public library patrons.  Our students need more than we can give them.  Libraries are the answer. The public library is a wealth of resources - ours offers everything from books, to apps, to clubs, to social opportunities, and safe gathering spaces.

Ms. Caleigh at BLAST launch 2018

Weekly BLAST set up

Four years ago, we secured the necessary approval to get our library collaborative (we call it BLAST: Bringing Libraries and Schools Together) off the ground. We knew what our students were missing and, quite honestly, the town librarians were thrilled to be introduced to so many families. It was a win-win.

Ms. Bree and Erin teaching student to use a Playaway

We had a library card drive and scheduled BLAST to come in weekly (picture a Bookmobile minus the -mobile.) Our students are invited up to the library for an hour each week to browse, pick up requests, check out, and return. Several have made personal connections with the librarian and make an effort to bring their families to library events. In the years since BLASTs' inception, our program has now spread to four other schools in our district and is now extending to neighboring towns.

The youth services librarians from our local public library have reported faithfully each week for over four years. We want to take a moment to thank these wonderful people for the myriad of things they do for our students each week.

They collect requests.

They match books to student interests.

They respond to teacher emails.

They now coordinate with district administrators to get resources in the hands of students and teachers.

They magically manifest multiple copies of the latest Karen McManus or Ruta Sepetys.

They collaborate with us on author visits.

They invite our students to become advisory board members and ask them what they want for library programming.

They train kids to use the library app.

They talk to our kids about what they're reading (and about their pets, younger siblings, favorite teachers, and dance lessons.)

They bring read-alikes when 7th graders are lamenting the end of The Outsiders.

They bring books for teachers who are members of outside book clubs.

They are talented. They are extraordinary team players. They are flexible. They are irreplaceable.

To Felicia, Caleigh, Bree, Mitzi, and all the wonderful librarians who work tirelessly to put good books in the hands of kids: thank you.

Overwhelming

The following story is stuff of CRL lore.

Once upon a time, an 8th grade ELA teacher and the school reading specialist had a little idea: let's invite kids to read The Hunger Games with us, and maybe the Principal will allow us to take the kids to see the movie. One thing led to another, 220+ middle schoolers devoured the book, and we quickly found ourselves giddily in over our heads.  At one point, we were having a conversation with our assistant principal.  We were ourselves - excited and excitable and probably not using our best indoor voices.  At the end of the conversation, our Assistant Principal sighed heavily and said, "You two are overwhelming."  

She probably didn't mean it as a compliment, but we took it as such and continue to wear the word OVERWHELMING as a badge of pride.   

This post was drafted after several emotional texts and phone calls. We've recently experienced a flurry of moments, courtesy of our wonderful, all-grown-up students, who have overwhelmed us with their love and sincerity. Teaching is a special profession for a lot of reasons - our iron-clad immune systems, wireless lie-detecting abilities, the skill to end class at exactly 8:37 - but the greatest reward is when we become part of someone's story. 

Earlier this week, Mary got a message from a former student: 

Text from Bekah

She shared it with Erin, and we both fought tears. 

After ten years and thousands of students, All In! has run its course.  There is no reveal assembly or reaping or field trip or cornucopia games for the first time in a decade.  

After you've done something that long, it becomes part of your routine.  It's kinda like muscle memory. "It's March already?  We've gotta plan some crazy activities!  Time to put the kids in sacks!" This year, Erin spent March cleaning out storage closets and donating All In! supplies to various other school clubs.  As ridiculous as it sounds, we mourned the loss of those Hobbit swords and Unbroken shark cutouts.  How can we possibly part with our sack race sacks?  (Erin saved a Divergent rubber ducky for Mary.)    

We tend to go big: our default setting involves large assemblies, mylar balloons and confetti canons. When we decided that All In! had run its course, we let the appropriate folks know, but didn't make a big deal out of it. We didn't make some grand announcement; we had some personal conversations, and we let it trickle down. This put us in the position to be face to face with one of our alum as they hear it from our own lips.

With Grace on Reveal Day
 

Several months ago, high school seniors visited the middle school to talk to our 8th graders about what high school holds. Erin was teaching a class when two faces appeared at her door. "Hi Miss O'Leary! We had to come and see you!" Throwing all proper behavior aside, Erin stopped her lesson and went to wrap those two seniors in hugs. After the initial "How are you?s" the question came, "So what's the book for All In! this year?!?" 

Keeping a smile on her face, Erin told them about the decision to end after ten wonderful years. "It's not a sad kind of loss. It's a good thing! It was wonderful for a long time. Now we'll be ready for something else!" 

For a moment, it was quiet. "Oh," Grace replied. Her voice was soft; she looked at the floor, then back at Erin. "Well, thank you for doing it. All In! really meant a lot to me."

Now it was our turn to be overwhelmed. They weren't ready for the news, and we weren't ready for the response. 

Just this past week, another former student re-entered our lives. Zach is performing senior service hours and was warmly welcomed back to middle school by his former teachers and rapidly has achieved near celebrity-status in the eyes of our students (who think he's just about the coolest kid they've ever met.)

Ten years

When he stepped into Erin's room, he took a big breath. "Wow. So many memories in here! Oh! Unbroken!" He picked it up and started flipping pages. "You know, this book was All In! 2015. That was the year before I came here, but our first book was the one about the brother and the sister. It was World War II, and they were from one of the Baltic countries. I forget the title, but it was written by Ruta Sepetys." 

Ruta Sepetys - ask her and she'll tell you that she has spent a good deal of her life correcting folks on how to pronounce her name - but he knew it. Rolled right off his tongue.

Zach continued to walk the shelves. "You know the best book you recommended to me?" Erin strained her brain; no, she had no idea. Thankfully, he saved her from herself. "It was The Berlin Boxing Club. Seriously, that was the best book I've ever read. I still think about it sometimes. Thank you for giving that to me. That was really an incredible story."

We recommend books to kids all day long; to be honest, Erin's never even read that one. She has no memory of recommending that book to that child. It was likely just an ordinary day, just Zach coming in for another book (he was a book-a-week kind of kid), and Erin suggested a title. 

Reading Between Shades of Gray

These wonderful young adults have given us a gift.  How often do teachers get to see the lasting impact they have students?  We feel so blessed that these encounters have reflected back to us the importance of our involvement.  To think that these folks have such positive memories about their experiences...in Middle School...reading a book...by choice.  Well, I think it's safe to say.  

We're overwhelmed.  

Before he left, Zach noticed the poster-sized photograph Erin has stuck to her wall. "Oh man! That's Ms. Cotillo!" We laughed. Yep. There we are: us in our CRL shirts, kinda sweaty, standing in a gym full of kids during a Salt to the Sea activity.

"That's so cool - you guys are still friends!"

A CRL guide to using PONY in your classroom

Thanks for stopping in! 

 We hope you enjoyed the Booklist chat with R.J. Palaccio as much as we did.  We have so many ideas for how you can teach Pony in your classroom. Let's dive right in! 

  Pre-Reading 

1. Anticipation Guide 

The Crazy Reading Ladies love a good anticipation guide. There's nothing better than engaging early adolescents in discussion about prompts that have no easy answers. It's super satisfying to watch the gears turn. You can almost hear those synapses firing! Here are a few anticipation guide prompts we brainstormed: 

•  I believe in ghosts. 
•  A person is either all good or all bad; there is no in-between. 
•  I could survive on my own in the woods for a week. 
•  Everyone deserves a second chance.
• Kids are smarter now than they were 200 years ago. 
• Some secrets should never be told. 
• Sometimes you have to be scared or in pain in order to grow. 
• My family name is important to me. 
• Children lie more than adults do. 
• In order to be considered intelligent, one must complete formal schooling.  
• Speaking with correct grammar indicates higher intelligence.

 2. Pre-teaching literary references

Silas grew up reading the books that were available to him, reading stories like Arthurian legends and Greek mythology. When trying to find an appropriate name for Pony, Silas considers several characters. Students can do some quick online research about these characters and discuss the appropriateness of each name. 

• Bucephalus 
• Gringolet 
• Perceval 
• Aetheon 
• Telemachus

 3. Quick write

Provide students with copies of the black and white photos that begin each chapter and have them write short vignettes about the people they see. For a super quick write, go for 6 word stories. 

 4. Play the book trailer 

Ask students to predict the conflict of the novel based on what they see.  

During Reading

1.  Discussion and writing prompts

• Is Martin Bird right to leave Silas alone?  Why or why not?
• In what ways is your relationship to your parents similar to Silas' relationship with his father?  How is it different?
• When Silas leaves, he takes his mother's violin.  If you had to leave your home, what would you take?
• What happened in the Woods?  What does Silas see?  
• Have you ever had a special relationship with an animal?  Or have you read about other special human/animal relationships (Augie/Daisy in Wonder, Mark and Beau in The Honest Truth)
• Silas had a teacher whose words wounded him.  Has a teacher ever said anything to you -positive or negative - that you still think about?

2.  Textual Evidence practice

Consider the following.  Provide textual evidence from Pony to support the ideas presented.  

Watch your thoughts, they become your words.

Watch your words, they become your actions.

Watch your actions, they become your habits. 

Watch your habits, they become your character.

Character is everything.  

After Reading

1.  Writing activity

The book begins and ends with an article from The Boneville Courier.  Please write a Boneville Courier article for the beginning of each/select chapter(s).  

2.  Writing/discussion activity

Revisit your anticipation guide and choose a statement for which you have changed your mind.  Write a paragraph explaining how Pony changed your thinking.  

3. Textual evidence practice

After all of the secrets of the book are revealed (Mittenwool's identity, Marshal Farmer's history,  Sheriff Chalfont's connection to Silas, the location of the gold, etc.) please go back to the text to identify moments of foreshadowing.  (Hint! Start with page 3 and the description of Martin Bird's boots.)

We'd love to hear from you if use any of these!  

Happy reading!