SSR is being added to schools across the nation in Middle and High School. Practices that encourage SSR are list below as a resource for you.
A Nebraska school's SSR practice: https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/sustainedsilentreading.pdf
A dissertation about SSR: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED564957
A Middle School Teacher's perspective: https://thehungryteacherblog.com/2019/07/silent-reading-in-middle-school-ela.html
In the comments, describe what you have read tonight, and respond to at least two other classmates.
Twisted Love by Ana Haung
ReplyDeleteI am still reading Twisted Love by Ana Haung. I have not gotten far into the book due to other things coming up and not having the time to read as much as I wanted, but I am now finishing chapter 5.
As Ava adjusts to her brother's absence and spends time with her close friends Bridget, Stella, and Jules, her connections play a crucial part. They stand by Ava, but Alex's impending arrival disturbs her tranquility. As promised to Josh, Alex moves into the house next door, and tensions between him and Ava increase. Ava notices unexpected acts of generosity in Alex despite his seemingly icy exterior. Ava finds it difficult to concentrate on a photo shoot project because of her perplexity about Alex's actions and her developing feelings for him.
Alex and Ava's conflict grows more intensely. Even as Alex keeps up his emotionally distanced facade, it's obvious that his protective nature is taking over. As they spend more time together, Ava starts to notice more about Alex's shadowy, darker side. He divulges a little bit about his past, including the traumatic event from boyhood that left him emotionally damaged. Although Ava is intrigued to his sensitivity, she is also apprehensive about managing her own feelings because she is still getting over the emotional wounds from her own past. As their relationship grows, Alex's protective instincts become more apparent, particularly when Ava is put in awkward circumstances.
Alex starts to tear down his emotional barriers even further. He discovers that he is more involved in Ava's life than he had anticipated, and he finds it more difficult to deny their growing attraction. Meanwhile, Ava begins to wonder about her developing feelings for Alex after noticing that she is attracted to him despite his aloof appearance. The chapter further complicates their developing relationship by hinting at Alex's ulterior motives and unresolved problems pertaining to his thirst for vengeance. Ava is clearly drawn to Alex despite her internal turmoil being exacerbated by her growing curiosity about his secrets.
Don't feel bad; I haven't picked up my book since last week's class, either. I just have too much other stuff going on to read for enjoyment.
DeleteSo far, this book seems pretty interesting and something that piqued my interest. Would I ever get around to reading it? Probably not. So, for now, I am enjoying reading your weekly post summaries.
I am reading Friends with Secrets by Christine Gunderson. It is a novel written about a bid for governor by a really good man. The story is written between two friends, Nikki and Ainsley. Ainsley has a secret that could stop her husband's bid for governor in a scandalous way. The story unfolds when a man who is a coach at the school where Nikki and Ainsley's kids go to school, who has a lecherous past, threatens to expose Ainsley's past unless she pays him a million dollars, which she has at her disposal. I have just learned Ainsley's secret and it is a compelling argument on whether she should have told her husband this before they married.
ReplyDeleteOooh, this sounds like an interesting book! I love stuff like this, a good mystery!
DeleteI have been trying to figure out what books I like to read now since it has been so long since I have been able to pick up anything besides a school book. I really like my book, but it is about teaching. I am wanting something that is just solely for entertainment, not for my education or career. If that makes sense to even want?
That sounds like a pretty compelling and emotional narrative, whoa! There seem to be many moral and ethical issues with the way Ainsley and her husband interact, particularly with the secret looming over her. It forces you to consider if being upfront and honest is always the best course of action, particularly when it comes to relationships. I understand that she may have been protecting their relationship and his political career by keeping the secret, but there's also a chance that keeping it a secret could lead to more serious issues in the future. This book seems to be examining how past transgressions can affect not only private but also public relationships, particularly in light of the threat of complete disclosure. What Ainsley is hiding, and if she chooses to inform her husband before the embarrassing details emerge, intrigues me!
DeleteWow this story sound juicy. Without knowing any specific details to what Ainsley's deep dark secret is, I honestly think that if anything is worth being blackmailed about, then your partner should know about it. I also think that anyone that you love and value their opinion of you, you should consider telling because if I had a deep dark secret, then I would definitely tell my mom and my twin sister so that I would be the one sharing the news.
Delete-Niki Blair
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ReplyDeleteNo need to apologize about how far you've gotten into the book. We get it that there are a lot of things pulling for your time. I am so glad you get to read tonight!
DeleteTonight, my book was talking about perspectives. How as teacher we can sometimes get stuck on the "hard days" or "bad students" and then we start to think that we are not fit or cut out for the job. When in fact, we need to take a step back and understand that our students have a million things happening and sometimes they do have bad days, but that does not make us bad teachers or them bad students. It just makes for a bad day. Czaban talked about how as teachers we are always pressured into always thinking ahead, knowing what we are doing next, the next lesson plans, the next days ahead, but we also need to understand that it is important that we are in the present more often. He says that when we focus on the bad and what is to come more than the present we miss out on amazing moments with our students. This is something that I know I have to think about and work on a lot because there is so much to do in so little time. I need to be in the moment and enjoy my students as they are more often than not.
ReplyDeleteTeaching can definitely be overwhelming at times, especially when the focus is on planning for what's ahead rather than appreciating the present. It's important to remember that difficult moments don’t define your effectiveness as a teacher, nor do they define your students. It’s all part of the learning process, and both teachers and students have off days. Your insight about needing to be present and enjoy your students as they are really highlights the human side of teaching.
Delete"This is a viewpoint that I completely concur with. When educators get overwhelmed by the strain of preparation or the annoyance of a difficult day, we can sense it. I know that instructors are juggling a lot too, because I've had days when personally things aren't going well. However, a teacher who truly focuses on the present moment and is present makes a significant difference. I've had professors who, by simply being sympathetic and upbeat in the heat of the moment, can make a terrible day better. Students do experience difficult days, just like teachers do. That doesn't imply that we are both incompetent at our jobs; sometimes it's just a rough day. I think it's great that Czaban emphasizes the significance of striking a balance between preparation and presence since those small moments of interaction are what add value and enjoyment to learning for all students. When educators put their attention on the present, they can truly help us flourish."
DeleteI love this idea! I think it's easy to get caught up in curriculum, where are we going, how do we get there, whatever we have to do. But taking that moment to truly connect with your students will make those bad days better and those better days amazing.
DeleteAny time we are learning a new skill, things take longer to process and to do. That's why it is important to use strategies that give you a lot of bang for your buck.
DeleteAnna, I love how you said that! "It's important to remember that difficult moments don’t define your effectiveness as a teacher, nor do they define your students. It’s all part of the learning process, and both teachers and students have off days." This is so true. No teacher is going to always leave thinking, "oh this day was perfect" and the same goes with the bad days. They come and go, but if we only focus on the bad they are going to seem like they never go away.
DeleteI can most definitely relate to the perspective from your book. I definitely had one of those "hard days" this past Tuesday while teaching. I haven't cried that much or been that srtress from work in quite some time. I was definitely second-guessing my life choices. I don't think I have any "bad" students, just some challenging ones. It was nothing specific that they were doing; it was my confidence and my trying to find the correct place with my class.
DeleteWhat was the name of the book you are reading? Sounds like one I should read.
This week I continued reading "Get the Truth." The book talked about crafting a sincere, empathetic monologue when interrogating someone you have caught in a lie. They discussed their ability to empathize with someone without necessarily going through what they are going through. Michael, a CIA agent, interrogated a woman who's mother was sick with cancer. She had been stealing money from the company she was working for in order to pay off the medical debt. Michael concocted a story about his mother dying during child birth in order to empathize with the woman leading to her confession. At the end of the chapter we learn that Michael's mother was in fact not dead.
ReplyDeleteSo, the secret to getting the truth is lying and manipulating whoever you want the truth from
DeleteYikes. Is this ethical?
DeleteThat is an incredibly intriguing method of questioning! The book does an interesting job of emphasizing the value of empathy, especially in situations where it isn't entirely sincere. It demonstrates how effective it can be to ascertain the truth by comprehending someone's emotional condition. It's clear from Michael's ability to craft an engaging narrative—even if it's not true—how connection and trust may pierce someone's barriers. However, it also presents some moral concerns about controlling feelings in such a private manner, particularly when it comes to something as delicate as a family member's illness. It begs the question of whether there is ever a time or place where, even in interrogation, the ends justify the means. It's definitely a strategy that gets people thinking!
DeleteThis week I am reading Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Aldous Huxley. Truthfully it is a little bit hard to know what is going on in the book only 5 pages in. The title of the first chapter is "the education of an amphibian" if that gives any clue to the difficulty. So far, Huxley has drawn a comparison between amphibians and humans. The comparison begins with likening humans to being 5-6 different amphibians rolled up in one. A support for this is tadpoles know when to shed their gills and their tail in order to become a frog. He then posits that Humans having language is a double sword. Firstly it is what makes humanity not just a chimp, but on the other side it makes it harder for humanity to follow that same strategy as a tadpole. Humanity can't just shed it's past and know exactly when to transition.
ReplyDeleteThat’s a really fascinating comparison! It seems like Huxley is setting up a metaphor to explore how humans navigate change and growth. Amphibians like tadpoles have a clear, biological process of transformation, but humans, with our complexities, especially language and self-awareness, can’t follow such a straightforward path. Instead, we carry the weight of our past, memories, and cultural influences, which makes transitions more complicated.
DeleteI agree with Anna, it sounds like Huxley the author is working at the angle of comparing humans to be similar to amphibians. The unspoken likeness that they are one of the same if you only quint your eyes. Yet humanity is a little more complex than that of an amphibian because we cannot simply shed our form and transform into a new version of ourselves. As much as many of us try to do with make-up, plastic surgery, work-out routines and diets, a change in physical form is quite hard to achieve without the necessary resources like money. We might shed our skin every night, or loose our "baby fat" as we mature, but we don't completely transform into something... someone new over night. Humanity is an ever going process that has obstacles and baggage that make us who we are at the end of the day.
Delete-Niki Blair
I have to admit that I have not picked up my book since the last class. I am a bit overwhelmed with schoolwork and teaching this semester, and focusing on a book just because it is non-existent at this moment.
ReplyDeleteI will admit that I was getting into the part I read tonight. Where I left off last week, Lily had just got back from her father's funeral, where she did the eulogy. She escapes to a rooftop to get away and get some fresh air, where she encounters a man on the rooftop. She assumes the man is there to commit suicide, but it turns he is also there for the same reason. After making small talk with Lily, she learns that this man has moved to Boston with his sister and her husband to finish his last year of his residence as a neurosurgeon. That is pretty much as I far as I have gotten in the story tonight.
Hi Sarah,
DeleteI haven't picked up my book since this class either. I did purchase a new book while I was at a thrift store this week that sparked my interest. But in all honesty, I don't see myself reading it in the near future. At least it is a single book without a series therefore I have no guilt of potentially starting something that I know I will not be able to finish in a "timely" manner. I think life just likes to take the wheel a little more chaotically lately for most of us with the school season starting back up again. That being said, I hope it begins to slow down for you so you can take a seat and pick up a book or two to relax.
-Niki Blair
Hello everyone,
ReplyDeleteI am still reading Avatar the Last Airbender: The Search by Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante Dimartino. Tonight I read about another altercation that occurred between Zuko and his sister Azula. Last I left off, Azula was trying to run away and find their mother before Zuko could so that she could kill her. Zuko was able to catch her again with the help of his friends from team Avatar. But not before a giant Wolf Spirit decided to stand in their way. The Avatar gang was able to fend themselves from the angry spirit but it was only scared off when Azula used lighting to scare it. That night as Azula slept, Zuko found a letter from their mother that Azula was hiding from him. He learned that he could possibly be the son to another man and not the father who had "raised" him. With a sense of relief he discusses this new revelation with Aang to get his input. That is until Azula wakes up from a nightmare about her mother and confronts Zuko about taking the letter away from her.
-Niki Blair
I love the Last Airbender!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is wanting to read the books so I will have to look into this one. The suspense of each episode always got me so I bet the book is even better!