1) Discuss Readicide online with Kelly Gallagher

Join Kelly Gallagher in an online discussion about his new book, Readicide, at the English Companion Ning (ECN) in early June. Started by English teacher and author Jim Burke late last year, ECN is an online community with over 4,000 members and 80 groups organized by interests such as creative writing, teaching vocabulary, and department chairs.

The Readicide book club on ECN will run for three weeks and gives you the chance to ask Kelly questions and share ideas with other readers. Each week will focus on a key topic from the book, tied to specific chapter readings.

To participate, simply join ECN and check back there next week for a detailed announcement:

http://englishcompanion.ning.com/
(Click on the "Sign Up" link in the upper-right part of the page.)

In the meantime, if you don't have a copy of Readicide already, be sure to get one before June 1. If you order at stenhouse.com with code NLP by Monday, May 25, we'll waive the shipping charge:

http://www.stenhouse.com/0780.asp?r=n167w

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2) Author Conversations: Lynne Dorfman and Rose Cappelli

School situations should mirror what's happening in the real world, and kids should be writing real-world stuff—they shouldn't just be writing for their teachers...nonfiction opens up that range of possibilities.

We recorded our latest Author Conversations podcast with Lynne Dorfman and Rose Cappelli, authors of Nonfiction Mentor Texts, at the IRA Convention in Minneapolis. Listen as Lynne and Rose talk about how nonfiction engages kids and how mentor texts build on this engagement by showcasing the passion and voice of nonfiction authors in a wide range of genres:

http://www.stenhouse.com/html/nonfictionpodcast.htm?r=n167w

You can still preview Nonfiction Mentor Texts in its entirety
online:

http://www.stenhouse.com/0496.asp?r=n167w

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3) PD Corner: Using notebooks

Knowledge cannot remain external, inert, untouched. Learners must do something with information: connect it, draw it, weigh it, manipulate it—metaphorically they need to grab ideas by the throat and demand that they make sense.
—Harvey Daniels and Marilyn Bizar

As a confident writing teacher, Aimee Buckner reflects on her practice and sets goals to use writing and notebooks to extend student learning in science and math (June 2008 podcast):

http://www.stenhouse.com/html/mp3aimeebuckner1.htm?r=n167w

Check out Aimee's new book, Notebook Connections—the story of how she uses reader's notebooks with her fourth graders. Through classroom conversations, Aimee shows us how to get to know our readers, guide their thinking and responding, and ultimately support students as they take off:

http://www.stenhouse.com/0782.asp?r=n167w
(Scroll down to the Table of Contents to preview the entire book.)

Interactive notebooks provide just the place for students to wrestle with ideas. Jump-start your thinking by exploring online resources cataloged at the Interactive Student Notebooks wiki. From general guidelines to subject area examples, the wiki will get you thinking about the how and why of using interactive notebooks with students:

http://interactive-notebooks.wikispaces.com/

See notebooks in action in Mrs. Gannon's virtual classroom. Begin with her slide share presentation, rich with student examples. Downloadable rubrics and assignments are easily modified to fit your own students and classroom:

http://www.stenhouse.com/rdgannon.htm?r=n167w

Bogged down with notebook checks? Dana Huff suggests creating an assessment during which students may use their notebooks—a natural check. Can students share their opinions from their September 3rd journal? If not, they quickly learn to become better organized. Read more on Huff's blog:

http://www.huffenglish.com/?p=318

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4) Empathizing with ELLs

As you cooraptoriliate these words, make sure you flimp the scoglottora in proper schimliturn. You will only understand this column if hickitow glisps in baggaduanation. Use your joomering and begin.

Put yourself in the shoes (and ears) of an English language learner as you read this practical article by Rick Wormeli, from the April issue of Middle Ground. Rick asks, "What can those of us not trained in working with English language learners do in our regular classrooms to help them succeed?" and answers with twenty tips:

http://www.stenhouse.com/rdwormeliell.htm?r=n167w

This article was adapted from Rick's forthcoming book, Metaphors & Analogies: Power Tools for Teaching Any Subject, coming this fall. Take a peek at three other Stenhouse titles that are in the pipeline:

http://www.stenhouse.com/html/pipeline.htm?r=n167w

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