- Being a perfectionist is not good for my health, at least it seems that way. Our third annual Mrs. Yager's class, "World Feast" was Tuesday night. My job, after video taping the kids in front of my makeshift green and blue screens during the week, was to put them all together into one video. Did it not go as smoothly as I liked last weekend? Yes. Did I put in more hours than I'd like to admit? Yes. But, in the end was it worth it? Absolutely. The whole FEAST was amazing. The food, the costumes, the trifolds displaying their research, the energy in the library. Fourth grade "alumni" returning. What a culmination of a month's worth of work. BRAVO! Lesson learned (one that I will never learn, really): Do not leave things to the last minute. This time it really did not take just a minute to do.
- Jason Chin likes to exercise his IMAGINATION. We had a great Skype today with Caldecott and Sibert honor winning illustrator/author of Grand Canyon. It was optional for 4th graders to join us during their lunch (more than a third of the grade showed up) along with Mrs. Roe's second graders and a few fifth graders. Boy is he talented and so sweet and calm. "Nonfiction captures my imagination," he said. He also shared that when he sketches while he is doing research (i.e., at the Grand Canyon), it is an attention strategy that helps him hold on to his memories. When you sketch you are spending so much time looking that it will stick in your memory. Wow.
- I'm not as opposed to reading an ebook as I used to think I was. Lately I've been falling asleep with my iPad on my lap. Not the best thing since when it falls off the bed at 2:43 am, I am suddenly woken up with the crash. But, I am a night owl and always go to bed after my husband. That said, reading an ebook (Thank you Netgalley) allows me to sneak into bed without turning on a light and disturbing him. So far, I've only been the one stirred when the iPad slips down the covers.
- Sleeping at school is so much fun! The PTO sponsored a ReadOver/SleepOver Friday night. Nearly 90 second and third graders came for a Jigsaw Jones event with special guest, James Preller. Yes, the energy was high for an author visit but the kids still loved it. Shhh...a couple of them even said it was better than the gym part. Really?! Jimmy was a good sport. Look at him leaping at 9pm!
- Make sure others proofread your work (and I'm not talking about just grammar). I sent home an invitation to a REBOUND party I'm throwing next month. I wrote, "Bring a basketball or 1988 treat." What would you think that meant? At least one boy has already said, "I'm bringing my basketball!" Oops! I meant basketball TREAT. Maybe I need to move the party into the gym.
- I'm super stoked about TXLA18. The workshops. The book creators. The books. The Texas sun. Old friends. New friends. However, what conclusion did I come to this week? I'm going to need to take off AFTER the conference. While everyone else will be refreshed and tan, I am going to be 200% professionally refreshed but it will come with a huge serving of exhaustion. Don't get me wrong--this North North Texan cannot wait to step into Bluebonnet country.
- Melissa Stewart rocks. There I was at our first grade morning program today that was all about robots and one of the kids shared her book. The second grade teacher turns to me and says, "Oooh, Melissa Stewart!" That's because last year she taught 4th grade and we did our Sibert Smackdown together. Then, I share Melissa's newest book about seeds with a third grade teacher and she loves it. "This is a great book to use in our science unit. Wow! Seeds travel!" she exclaimed. Even her hydroponic Herbie liked the book!
- Your "look" is everything, right? Well, goodbye blue glasses; hello cat eyed clear ones. Now I'm ready to rock and roll! Speaking of rocking and rolling...We're getting ready to plan for Matthew Cordell's visit and HIS new book ROCK-N-ROLL SOUL by Susan Verde. That's next week...
Now...maybe I can get a few pages in before my bedroom floor does....
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