Happy 3rd Birthday, Dear Blog!

Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.  Ryunosuke Satoro

via blueskycollection.com

Seriously, where does the time go?  It's hard to believe it has been three years since I started this blog after encouragement from Mary Lee Hahn and Franki Sibberson of A Year of Reading.  When I first began the blog three years ago, my intent was to reflect on the learning in my classroom.  My hope was that by sharing reflections of our classroom, professional reading, and other learning conversations I'd improve the work I do with students.

However, after three years I've learned something else;  it isn't about the blog at all, but instead about the learning community I've become a part of over the last three years.  Honestly, it isn't writing the posts that helps me to rethink learning, but the reading of posts written by other bloggers.  It isn't the time I put into posts that causes me to pause, but the thoughts of readers who take the time to comment.  It is the conversation that carries across blogs that really pushes my thinking.

It's not just a blog, it's a community.  A couple of days ago I was reminded of this when Tracy at Thinking Stems  wrote a post reflecting on a comment I made on her blog nearly six months ago.  Like Tracy, I often find that the comments made by each of you stay with me for a long time.  Your thoughtful reflections bring me pause and give me energy.  On this, my third blog birthday, I'm reminded of how significant it is to be able to learn with other educators from around the world.  I'm reminded of how much I appreciate all of you who stop by to chat with me.

So, in celebration of 3:

3 Favorite Post from the Past Year

• Do You Reply to Comments
• My Bag Has Been Replaced with an iPad
• Six Ways to Use Evernote to Capture Learning

3 Collaborative Events I Enjoyed

• #cyberPD:  Changing My Frame
• #pb10for10:  3rd Annual Picture Book Event
• Slice of Life Challenge:  The Habit of Writing  (Note:  I participated in this event from my other blog:  Merely Day by Day)

3 Resolutions for the Next Year

• Return to my goal of posting AT LEAST once a week.  (Yes, I've been struggling a bit.)
• Respond to all comments as I appreciate all of you that stop by.  
• Return to reading and commenting on at least 3 other blogs each day.

October Favorites

Nothing quiets a classroom of first graders like a good book. My students sit spellbound through many a read aloud. In our classroom we read aloud several books across our day. As we read books in our classroom we place them in our "This Week" basket. The basket's contents grow all week long. At the end of the week students vote for their favorite. There are always so many good books to choose from in our basket. It's never an easy decision.

As the month ends we take all of the favorites from the month and vote to find the book we loved most of all. It is always hard to choose. Here are our favorites for the weeks of October. Our very favorite is at the end of this post.

At the beginning of the month we chose Birdie's Big-Girl Shoes by Sujean Rim. This book was recommended to me by my friend,

Deb, as a good book for talking about choosing just-right books. Students enjoyed the story of a girl who loves her mom's shoes and wants to wear them, but finds them all to be a bit too big. These beautiful shoes make it hard for Birdie to do the fun things she loves to do.

Another favorite we read was What Am I? Halloween! by Alain Crozon. This is a favorite every year. The pages in this book are filled with flaps which hide many of our favorite Halloween characters. Rhyming clues help children guess what might be hiding behind the flaps and make the book fun to read aloud.

Where has Jan Thomas been all my life? I was looking for simple pictures for our study of illustrations. Our media specialist quickly recommended Jan Thomas. Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas is still being checked out each evening in our classroom. It is a book which begs to be performed. Jan Thomas's other books are quite popular, as well, each day in Reader's Workshop. This author has now earned a place on our author shelf as students just can't get enough of these stories. We love that Thomas writes and illustrates her own books just like we do!

I Stink! by Kate McMullan and Jim McMullan is one of the books I chose in my picture book 10 for 10. It is a book I just can't live without, and another book passed across the hall (Thanks, Deb!). My students can't live without it either. "I Stink" is the story of a garbage truck who loves his work! He's a truck with attitude. The illustrations are captivating. Students enjoyed watching his lunch be consumed alphabetically.

I've had this book for a long time and it is ALWAYS a favorite. Shake dem Halloween Bones by W. Nikola-Lisa and illustrated by Mike Reed is our very favorite book in October. In this story the rapping host encourages all the characters to shake dem Halloween bones. Students enjoy seeing Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, the Three Pigs, and others dance at the Hip Hop Halloween Ball.

September Favorites:

Marley Goes to School by John Grogan and illustrated by Richard Cowdrey.

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Chalk by Bill Thomson (also featured in my Picture Book 10 for 10 list)

Where's Spot by Eric Hill

Good Boy, Fergus by David Shannon (our very favorite for September)