Just Finished: Seeing Stars by Nanci Bell

Seeing Stars: Symbol Imagery for Phonemic Awareness, Sight Words and Spelling by Nanci Bell


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Excellent book on an exciting method to teach reading. It's a supremely well written book with superb examples throughout so that you can really see how the whole method is done (no pun intended).

In brief this is a method to help students learn to read by creating pictures in their minds of letters and then associating the sounds with them. It starts with individual letters or sounds (sh and similar combos are their own 'letters') and moves on to simple and complex syllables. It also has a sight word component. Underlying the whole process is the theory that the students need to learn to hold an image of a what they are reading in their heads so that they can compare and self monitor as they read. This skill is specifically taught on easier levels and then students earn to apply it to their more complicated reading material.

My co-worker has used this and we have really seen it work. I just started using it with some students and I am pretty excited about it.

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Additional information: The Seeing Stars Program

Defining a Patriot

1. A person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion.

September it seems is a month for reflecting on the War on Terror and the inevitable changes it has brought to our country. At times 9-11 seems so long ago, I was an underclassman in high school, my brothers were three, and some of my younger students had not yet been born. (My oldest student turned one the day after.) Yet it is still all around me, in the people I know who are off fighting in two wars, in the immediate and swift response to anything that happens with in a radius of the Hill, and in the news.



2. Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism

I was fortunate to have excellent history teachers in high school and one of them insisted that each and every one of us read the Patriot Act as it was signed into law (complete with gigantic margins). We were young and didn't understand much but we questioned it and debated for a while before we stored it away and moved on, but I have actually read it. Today, the AP released an article announcing that President Obama supports some extensions to USA PATRIOT ACT which would last 10 years. The text of the bill is here, but an excellent understandable explanation is given by Rep Smith (R- Texas) when he introduces the bill here.

I'll be interested to see where this goes especially with one of the most controversial provisions about libraries and such seems to have administration support for renewal.

3. It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the agitator, who has given us the freedom to protest. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, serves beneath the flag, whose coffin is draped by the flag, who gives that protester the freedom to abuse and burn that flag.”~Zell Miller

I wanted to know a little more of the administrations thoughts then was released in the article so I went looking on www.whitehouse.gov. I didn't find what I was looking for, but I did find this:

WASHINGTON – On Thursday, September 17th, the President will award Sergeant First Class Jared C. Monti, U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sergeant First Class Monti will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in combat in Afghanistan. Then-Staff Sergeant Monti displayed immeasurable courage and uncommon valor - eventually sacrificing his own life in an effort to save his comrade. Sergeant First Class Monti’s parents, Paul Monti and Janet Monti, will join the President at the White House to commemorate their son’s example of selfless service and sacrifice.
(From here.)

I happen to remember from the wonderful exhibit at the Museum of American History that there have been few medals of Honor awarded for the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (the most were given during the Civil War) and there is a group of Veterans advocating for that to change so I found this interesting and worth mentioning.



4. “A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.”~Edward Abbey

I think I like this definition best of all. Enough said.

Red Pens

It is considered "best practice" by most teachers not to mark in red pen (although other colors are acceptable). Today one of my students was writing a journal entry in pen that he found in my caddy, and I told him I didn't use it. He asked why and unable to explain the psychology behind people being scarred about markings with red pens, I just said I didn't like them. His reply?

"Do go you to church? Because in the Bible God's words are in red and those are important. "

A nine year old might have just turned my philosophy about marking pens on it's head.

Welcome/ Introduction

So I decided that it was time for a new blog and one that I could send to family and friends as I seem to be so far away from everyone and staying in touch has become harder, especially since I don't talk on the phone. If you don't know me and you want to know what I will write about read the about me section. That pretty much sums it up. The title comes from an inspiring talk I heard this past weekend at a retreat and mainly this blog aims to chronicle my journey of attempting to live up to the challenge to "jump off the roof." I hope you will join me.