On Thursday evening, I started reading Educating Esme. Thanks to a snow day yesterday leaving me plenty of spare time, I finished it this morning.
I really loved this book. Codell writes with enthusiasm, passion, honesty, intelligence, and wit. Having a window into the life of another beginning teacher was brilliant. I rarely highlight in books that I read for pleasure, but as phrases resonated with me or she presented ideas I hope to try in my own classrooms, I couldn't resist.
I used her mentor Ismene's words to fuel my weekly practicum journaling as I reflected on lessons that did not go as planned this week. I thought back to Esme's ideas and lessons as I wrote out discussion points for our assigned reading from Understanding By Design. She inspired me to think big, think creatively, write down my hopes and dreams of teaching and then remember to read them. (Speaking of which, this blog may soon link to a Google site so I have somewhere to maintain documents like that...stay tuned. Winter break project?)
Educating Esme was a quick and delightful read, and I would encourage any new or veteran teacher to take a look at Codell's irreverent and unconventional classroom -- which, in my opinion, more classrooms should look like.
(Man, this reading 20 minutes every night shtick is working for me! Love it! Thanks for the idea CB <3)
**********
Currently reading: What Teachers Make by Taylor Mali
Current high: beautiful snow, everywhere!
Current low: the beautiful snow has cancelled my meeting with my future employer for tomorrow :(
No comments:
Post a Comment