Hello Book Bums families!
We close out this February reflecting on being good teachers and parents. Dr. Christy also shares a book she loves, some fabulous music, and Book Bums' very first podcast!
Read on and enjoy!
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Word of the Week
prodigy (pra-dih-jee) noun/person, place, or thing - a person, especially a young one, gifted with exceptional abilities
Stevie Wonder is considered a prodigy because he could sing, play piano, harmonica, and drums, and write his own music - all at age twelve.
Literary Calendar
- March 6 is the birthday of Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
- This popular, nineteenth-century, English poet was admired by critics and readers in England and the United States, including Emily Dickinson.
Sonnets from the Portuguese 14:
If thou must love me, let it be for nought
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
If thou must love me, let it be for nought
Except for love's sake only. Do not say
I love her for her smile ... her look ... her way
Of speaking gently, ... for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day'—
For these things in themselves, Belovèd, may
Be changed, or change for thee,—and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry,—
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love's sake, that evermore
Thou may'st love on, through love's eternity.
From our Bookshelves
I don’t recall how I learned about Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted, but I purchased it and read it about a year ago; and I must have thoroughly enjoyed it because Suleika Jaquad’s story plays in my mind like a movie. It’s her story of learning she had leukemia, spending four years in a hospital bed, a life-saving bone marrow transplant, remission, and re-entry into “normal life.” The story is told by a woman who is fierce and tender.
At that time, I hadn’t heard of Jaquad nor had I heard of her husband, Jon Batiste.
That seems impossible, because Jon Batiste is a seven-time grammy award winning artist and only the second black composer in history to win an Academy Award for composition. (Herbie Hancock was the first.) Batiste is also known for his work as the bandleader and musical director for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert from 2015 until 2022.
If you watched the Superbowl this year, you likely saw Jon singing the National Anthem at his piano. I know some folks didn’t care for his rendition, but I loved it. (When you love someone, it just doesn’t matter what naysayers are saying, does it?)
Check out the following Batiste songs:
I have never seen The Garfield Movie, but this video of the song “Good Life” is one of Jon Batiste’s songs, and it’d be perfect to add to a playlist you enjoy with those kids you love.
Here’s a video of Batiste’s song “It’s All Right” from Pixar’s movie Soul. It’s a perfect song to encourage kids when things don’t go their way.
Freedom is one of my favorite songs by Jon Batiste. It’s on my “My Jams” playlist because it never fails to make me want to move ‘n’ groove with a smile. It, too, is a good song to play with your kids. In the video, it’s clear that Jon was born and raised in New Orleans (which made him the perfect artist to do the National Anthem for the Superbowl).
Interestingly, Jon Batiste was considered a child prodigy. He began playing drums at age eight and released his first album at age 17, so he may be someone your kids find interesting too.
Wordology Workshop
- Prodigy comes from the Latin word prodigium which means an omen or portent. The talent of a prodigy was considered a sign of something supernatural.
- The word prodigious, which means remarkable because of size, extent, or quality, comes from the same Latin word.
- The word prodigal, which looks like it would be related, comes from a different Latin word.
Tips for Families
This graphic inspired me to be more productive outside of the areas of life where I typically measure my productivity.
If I had made the graphic, I feel certain I would have added a section focused on my kids. That got me thinking . . . What ten things would I challenge myself to do as a parent that would promote productivity and happiness?
Here’s what I came up with:
- Write a note listing some of your favorite things about each of your kids and give the note to them.
- Find a photo of the kids you love and write a journal entry that you can share with them.
- Think of a ‘just because’ gift to share and make a plan for thoughtfully giving it to them.
- Plan one brand new experience to enjoy together.
- Arrange an “I’ll help you clean your room” session where you promise to help—and not criticize.
- Make a playlist of fun, inspiring music and enjoy it with your kids in the car.
- Ask, “What can I do that would be a help to you today?” and try to do at least one thing.
- Commit to reading a chapter book with your kids that everyone looks forward to every night.
- Plan to Facetime a loved one and have each of the kids chat with them.
- Take a family walk when the weather’s nice and challenge everyone leave a sticky note on one mailbox complete with kind words to brighten the recipients’ days.
Tips for Raising Readers and Writers
Brian Tome, of Crossroads church, shared that he’d failed at his reading goal last year. He set the goal because he thought he should read more. His level of reading wasn’t frustrating him, and he didn’t find himself lacking knowledge to do his job. He just felt it would be a good idea to read more. He went on to share that good ideas without a good amount of frustration never lead to change.
He stated that frustration is necessary to accomplishing goals because change is hard. Until we are sickened more by the pain of the problem than the potential pain from resolving to change, we won’t follow through.
That’s big. For us and for our kids. What is required for change? Frustration.
According to recent data from the National Endowment for the Arts, around 48.5% of adults read at least one book for pleasure within a 12-month period, representing a decline in reading participation compared to previous years.
Key points about reading for pleasure statistics:
- Studies show a downward trend in the percentage of people reading for pleasure, with the most recent data indicating a significant drop.
- Younger adults tend to show the most significant decline in reading for pleasure.
- Recent surveys from the National Literacy Trust report that only around 43% of children and young people aged 8-18 enjoy reading in their free time.
Is it possible to create frustration that would inspire our kids to move from not choosing to read for pleasure to prioritizing time with books?
Perhaps this is something to think about.
Tips for Teachers
To be your best, teachers, I challenge you to be reflective. Think deeply about your instruction for the day or for the week. Jot a note on your lesson plans at school (or on your lesson progression guide if you’re tutoring at Book Bums) about what you’d like to do even better with your student/s next week. There’s always room to improve. When we begin to think we’re the best teachers we can be, that’s a sure sign that we’re not. We must remain curious about what we’re doing and how we might do it better.
One of my newest tutors at Book Bums, said, “I was so glad you didn’t have a student while I was teaching. I’m hoping you can share about how you feel I am doing. I want to do a great job with my students, and I’d love to hear what you’re thinking.”
That’s impressive.
Some teachers are shy, and they don’t like to have anyone listening in while they’re teaching, but it’s really difficult to grow and improve if we aren’t inviting folks to share what we’re doing well and, perhaps, to offer ideas for enhancing our effectiveness.
I’m in a role where lots of adults I respect and admire are watching me teach most every day of the week. It can be intimidating. Being reflective helps me to critically examine the decisions I’m making with the kids I serve. I actively observe my own teaching practices, identify areas in need of improvement, and determine to make the needed adjustments.
We owe it to ourselves, to our students (and their parents), and to our employers to continually strive for excellence. When we actively monitor our own effectiveness, we’re more likely to focus on improving and offering the instruction that moves the needle for our students.
Reflect on your instruction this week. What did you do well? Where did you find a shortcoming? What will you focus on improving for next week?
News from Book Bums
We did it! Podcast number one is in the books. You can listen to it here.
On Your Way is a podcast created to equip teachers who are on their way to using science-driven practices in their classrooms . . . while they’re on their way to work.
With each podcast, Dr. Christy shares practical, bite-sized teaching tips that are sure to make lasting, positive impacts within any instructional setting where beginning or struggling readers and writers are being served.
Teachers have a lot on their plates. On Your Way helps educators to cut the fluff and to get really intentional about helping kids to master the essentials (with a strong focus on FUN--for the teachers AND the kids they're serving) while moving students from struggling to soaring, fast!
A "whole child" approach to education focuses on a child's physical, mental, and social-emotional health, and though our focus is primarily on early literacy instruction, you're sure to come away better equipped and inspired to support the children you serve with each episode of On Your Way.
Dr. Christy served for thirty years in public education teaching first, second, third, and fourth grades, teaching reading intervention with fifth and sixth graders, teaching graduate students at Xavier University as an adjunct professor, and teaching teachers and students at Book Bums, a thriving tutoring center she opened in 2005 to extend her reach beyond the classroom setting.
Today, after retiring from being a full-time classroom teacher, Dr. Christy and her team serve hundreds of families each week through multiple Book Bums tutoring locations, The Faith Alliance (a local nonprofit organization that strives to alleviate local poverty and demonstrate Christian love by equipping struggling students to read and spell well), and through contract work with a large local school district.
We hope to serve you well, too, with the new On Your Way podcast.
Practical Grammar
recently heard someone misuse the word guffaw. I believe he meant to use the word gaffe. While we’ll always applaud folks who experiment with using new words, we acknowledge that it’s a tricky business—for we all will surely err. How about we all agree to have grace with one another as we strive to add words to our working vocabulary? Deal? Now let’s examine those two words, so we can try using them too.
To guffaw is to laugh in a loud, boisterous way.
A friend, who knew I was nearby because he heard my distinctive guffaw from the other side of Skyline, came over to our table to say hello.
A gaffe is a mistake or an unintentional remark that causes embarrassment to the speaker.
When I saw my friend and her gray-haired father, I said, “Oh, hello! You must be Amy’s grandfather,” and I became instantly aware of my gaffe.
It is possible for a gaffe to make us guffaw! (Moreso perhaps if the gaffe is not our own.)
You should know that there is another word, gaff, that is an iron hook with a handle that is used for fishing.
Just for Fun
Need to update a space in your house? Perhaps you’d consider getting custom wallpaper with an excerpt from a love note, a recipe, or some precious message your child wrote. I love this idea. What do you think?
I have a cutting board with my recipe for making French Toast that my granddaughter wrote for me. I have a tea towel with my mother-in-law’s banana bread recipe. Hmm. Is wallpaper in my future?
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