Robert Billings

My students recently did a Facebook project as part of a character analysis for a book they just finished reading. Here's one of my students' work. Please note the final "Activity" listed. Hee haw.

"People know me."

So begins my reign as the Class of 2013 sponsor...

Volleyball Banquet

I loved celebrating our girls' efforts at the Volleyball Banquet! A few pictures to share with y'all:

A few little gifties I put together for our girls

Coach Garcia, I, and Hunt

My girls munchin' on their BBQ

Reading Aloud

Pulled this from the NY Times Education section; the bold words are mine: 

In “Heard Any Good Books Lately, Zelda?” an article about “Gatz,” a seven-hour performance focused around a reading of “The Great Gatsby,” Charles McGrath reminds us that “listening is how we begin our acquaintance with books, as our parents read them to us.” (Read the rest of the article. It's awesome.) Reading aloud recreates the early magic of reading for both our students and ourselves, and is valuable in classrooms at all levels and in all disciplines, as well as at home. (Not to mention, anything Shakespeare was meant to be read aloud, not as a novel).

Teachers might try a few of the following techniques to engage their students:

• One New York teacher uses a technique he calls the “Spirit Read” in his classroom. Students take turns reading when “the Spirit” moves them, taking turns as they see fit. [Try and tell me they didn't rip this idea off from charismatic churches]
• A variation on this, which helps keep student readers on their toes, is the ever-popular “popcorn read” — one student begins reading and when he tires (or reaches the end of a paragraph, or whatever ground rule you set), he yells “popcorn” to get everyone’s attention and calls out another student’s name. The “popcorn” gets everyone’s attention and the named student takes over reading. This means everyone has to be following along, as anyone’s name could be called any time.
• To increase student participation in reading aloud, try an Interactive Read-Aloud, a technique from the National Writing Project. Read aloud, stopping every few paragraphs or pages depending on your goals and the density and level of your text. Then, ask either classic literacy skills questions like “What predictions can you make about what happens next?” or mix those up with more whimsical questions like “If this character could say what he really wanted to say right now, what would he say?” or “Draw a quick illustration that could accompany this part of the text.” Invite students to turn to a partner and share what they’ve written or drawn, then have a very brief whole-class share before you continue reading.

The March issue of Parenting magazine offers more ideas for how to make reading fun and engaging. If only I could send a copy to every parent at Northbrook.

Do you trust me?

1st period moment just now:

Ms. H: Soooo we're missing Maricruz and Vanessa this mornin'?

Idalia: Miss, we need to call Vanessa to wake her up.

Ms. H: Does her Mom not wake her up? 

Idalia: Nah, her Mom works early.

Ms. H: Well how is she going to get to school if her Mom's not there?

Idalia: Miss, you have a car, right?

Ms. H: Mmm hmmm. 

Idalia: Do you trust me?

BAHA YEAH RIGHT.

Why do we need grammar?

 As we all know, the English language is dynamic, and it will continue to change. Still, I feel it is important to pass on the “rules of engagement” to my kids to the best of my ability. In my opinion, reading is the best way to internalize a strong feel for grammar, but I also teach it. I have yet to shove grammar workbooks under my kids' noses, but I make it a point to review it with my kids in their reading and their writing. I also find it best to have them look for and find their mistakes to make corrections.

I ran across these 10 Grammar Rules and literally laughed out loud...

1. Verbs has to agree with their subjects.

2. Remember to never split an infinitive.

3. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.

4. Never use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice.

5. Use words correctly, irregardless of how others elude to them.

6. Use the apostrophe in it’s proper place and omit it when its not needed.

7. Eliminate unnecessary references. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “I hate quotations.”

8. Who needs rhetorical questions?

9. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.

10. Last but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.