Summer = Personalized Learning

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     It is summer and that means sunscreen, ball fields, sand volleyball, camps and lots of summer reading.  Summer break allows me to figure out what I want to focus on and how I want to go about learning it.  I love that I can personalize my own learning!  There is so much to learn and time is already ticking away.  Here are a few books from my stack that I am planning on reading and discussing with my colleagues.  

     I also plan on reading the Units of Study by Lucy Calkins and rereading the book titled Reading in the Wild by Donalyn Miller.  I am so excited to participate for the first time in the #cyberPD which is going wild.  The #cyberPD is hosted by Laura Komos, Cathy Mere and Michelle Nero.  This seems like a wonderful way to connect and share my thoughts about the book titled Reading in the Wild by Donalyn Miller.  If you would like to find out more about the #cyberPD here is a link to Cathy Mere's website: Reflect and Refine: Building a Learning Community which has the assigned readings and the dates.   I am super thrilled because I read the book over winter break so I can't wait to rediscover new things and gain new perspectivies from this cyber experience. 

    I really want to focus on how to integrate more technology into my reading and writing workshop, so on top of reading professional books and blogs I plan on doing some exploring with new apps.  I want to take some time to get to know Educreations and Padlet.  I took Deb Frazier's and Cathy Mere's class titled "Sharing, Collaborating and Connecting."  They suggested to play around with a few apps so you feel confident to implement these apps with students. I love how Deb and Cathy said, "When implementing new ways to use technology it is just like teaching a new reading strategy or writing craft.  You will use the gradual release model."  

     My students will continue to use individual kidsblog as a way to connect, celebrate, and collaborate with others inside and outside our classroom walls.  I am going to think about and explore ways for each student to have a digital portfolio.  My teaching partner, Sara Firestone, and I are pondering over whether to use Kidsblog, Google Docs, or Weebly.  So, that will require some exploring and collaborating over the summer to help us visualize how this will work with the students. 

     In August I will be participating in EdCampILECbus, and my school will have a retreat where we can choose to participate in workshops that show different ways to use technology as a tool for assessments, collaborating, and connecting with others.  Both of these well be a great experience that will continue to help me grow as a connected educator and think about different ways to use technology in my workshops with students.

     As a literacy coach, I need to be an avid reader and know tons of books so that I can help our students develop stamina and passions as readers.  I also have another stack of books I am reading to help me connect with the intermediate students in my building.  I already finished a book called A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd.  I loved this book so much and I highly recommend it.  Here are some of the other books I plan on reading so I can help our students become "wild readers." 

I look forward to lots of learning, relaxing, and reading this summer.  Happy reading and rejuvenating!