Pernille Ripp

Small Reading Ideas for the New Year

August 18, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I keep stumbling across amazing reading ideas that I cannot wait to implement. The only problem is that since I am pregnant I keep also forgetting these amazing reading ideas and no matter how many times I bookmark them, I still cannot keep them all straight. SO why not make a list to help me and perhaps help others as a new school year gets ready to start?

Create a “Hot Books” bin in my library. This idea came from Choice literacy and I love it. Last year The Maze Runner, The Lions of Little Rock and anything by Adam Gidwitz were the must reads of the room. So why not acknowledge with its very own book bin? I think I may have to get a red colored one just for this purpose.
Create a “New Books” bin. I book talk all of the books we received and when you are addicted to books like I am, that means we get a lot of new books. But once they have been booktalked they seem to disappear in the many bins of books. SO this year I will have a bin specifically for the latest books to our library. I just need to figure out where I then want to put it. Thanks Choice literacy for this one too.
Doing a book meeting time. I love this idea from Ann of having students grab a whole bin of books and a sheet of paper and then sit on the floor looking through all of those books writing down comments and starting their to read list. I can see this being great at the beginning of the year especially, but also when reading slumps hit. I think it is a must for students to have several books to choose from next so that there never is a book lag.
Continue book speed dating. I love this idea from Colby Sharp of grabbing huge piles of some of my favorite books and then letting students browse through them. I set a time limit of a few minutes so that we stay purposeful. Messy and loud, sure, but totally worth it.
Sharing reviews on Mrs. Ripp Reads. I started a book review blog for my old students and have kept it going over the summer, now I think it is only natural if the kids who want to also get to add their reviews to the site. I cannot wait to see which books they want to review.
Figure out the “Just Right” book. I despise the way the term “just right” has been manipulated into being all about levels. Instead I want to lead discussions on what it means to find the just right books for ourselves. Just right can mean perfect interest, length, subject, theme, or anything else that makes a child gravitate toward that book. I want my students to be aware of their own book picking patterns so they can find more books to love.
Invite in Book Buddies. This year I will be opening my doors to parents who want to come in and read with the kids and for the first time it will not just be those kids who needs someone to read with them but open to any child. And where before we would book talk books, this year it will be all about sharing a great picture book or chapter book and developing a love of reading a book together.
Hype the picture books. I have been spending a lot of money on getting great picture books into the classroom, the only problem has been wrestling them out of Thea’s hands to actually bring them in. I think my students tend to forget how wonderful picture books truly are and so we will be carving out specific time every few days just to love a picture book and then share that love with each other. This will also be great for our 1st grade buddies who will have a lot more books read to them.
Create space for students to share the book love. My students last year loved showing off the covers of their books on a bulletin board but this year brings a new group of kids so I will be asking them how they would like to display their books read. Perhaps in their lockers? Perhaps on the wall? Perhaps Biblionasium or our blog? Wherever it ends up we need to find a place to show off how much we read.
Ask for donations. I have never done a DonorsChoose project before but when I added up all of the money I spent on books last year I realized now was the time. With our 4th child on the way and having my salary frozen, I need to stop spending so much out of my own pocket. So I am asking for books for our library to replace the ones we have lost, to get kids hooked on the right book, and to just make sure that every 5th grader that flips through it finds something to love. I am hoping someone will help us get more books.

Those are just some ideas bouncing in my sleepy head, I am sure there will be more to share soon.

Be the change, being a teacher, new year

Are You Ready to Stand Behind Your Words?

August 16, 2013 Pernille Ripp

One week left of vacation as I write this from Chester, Massachusetts. One week until 25 students walk in through our door, eager to learn, not quite sure what to expect. One week until I put my money where my mouth is and live the things I preach.

It is easy for me to write about all the things I am going to do this year. It is even easy for me to tell others to do what I do, try what I try, believe what I believe. But when those students show up with all their wonder, with all their personality, with all their quirks, that’s when the real test begins. That’s when I have to live what I say. That’s when Common Core meets ELO’s meets learning plans meets IEP’s meets unique personalities. That’s when my expectations meet reality and I quickly realize that these kids are not quite where they will be by the end of 5th grade and that I need to go back to the beginning. That’s when I realize that even though I have thrown out punishment, thrown out rewards, thrown out grades, and limited homework for 3 years now, every year it still feels like I am starting over.

And yet, because I put my beliefs out there, because I tell my kids this is our classroom, because I believe in giving the classroom back to the students this year will be a challenge once again. A challenge I cannot wait to embrace. A challenge I cannot wait to tackle with my students.

What about your words? Will you stand behind them as the year starts? As the challenges come? As the pressure grows? Will you stay true to who you say you are or will you cave into easiness?Let’s face it, it is easy for us to say what we will do but hard for us to do. The real challenge is not saying it, the real challenge is doing it. Are you ready? I know I am.

inspiration, new year

Some Videos to Inspire at Back to School

August 12, 2013August 12, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I wrote my post asking administrators to inspire us back to school simply because of my own hopes and dreams. I wrote it in the hopes that it would make someone think while they prepared their own meetings and activities, and it seems to have done just that. One question I have then gotten is which videos to show at back to school? And while I had a few in mind, I asked on Twitter and got many great responses. So in no particular order, here are some of my favorites. (I tried to pick shorter ones because I know my own attention span is limited at the beginning).

Brave by Sara Bareilles – I will be showing this video to my students as well, but the message in it applies to everybody; I would love to see how big your brave is!

The Fairy Scientist – to remind us how kids wonder and we should cultivate that.

Suli Breaks – Why I Hate School but Love Education. I use this with my students to discuss what the difference is between education and school and how we can change it. I would love to see this as an all staff conversation.

Suli Breaks – I Will Not Let an Exam Result Decide My Fate. Again, phenomenal spoken word that is sure to get discussions started.

Rita Pierson – Every Kid Needs a Champion. Phenomenal video discussing those kids that need us the most.

Diana Laufenberg – How to Learn? From Mistakes. Another phenomenal Ted talk from someone I admire greatly, this will spur a great conversation with anyone.

Introduction to Genius Hour. I am super biased here since I do both Genius Hour and Innovation Day so why not spread this wonderful way of learning.

Kid President – A Pep Talk. One of my favorite videos from last year and one that still resonates with me; It’s time to do something!

Jimmy Casas shared the videos he shows, there are some great ones here too I haven’t shared.

And then why not create your own school vision video like we did a few years back. Let everyone know what we stand for.

new year, Uncategorized

Administrators, Please Inspire at Back to School

August 10, 2013August 10, 2013 Pernille Ripp

The countdown has officially begun in my home. Thea keeps asking me when I go back to school knowing that this year she will go as well. I keep looking at my to do lists wondering when I can send the welcome letter, when I can label my lockers, when I can start to really get excited. And yet before the year really begins, we all have to get through the back to school days. You know, those days filled with meetings, even more new initiatives, and even more changes. Where you leave the day with your head spinning and your spirits sometimes bruised. Where you go home and think you just need to get through all of the information so the greatness of the year can begin. I think it’s time to reclaim those back to school days. To make them relevant and spirit-lifting. To make them exciting and something teachers cannot wait to come to. To make them the best start to a very new year. So here are some ideas, and if you already do this, thank you. Or if you have better ideas than me, please add them.

Use email – We know you have a lot to cover, but keep it brief, send us an email if you can with all the basic stuff that we can read and refer back to when needed. Expect people to read it and make that expectation clear. Bullet points work great!

Show videos – funny, inspiring, and with a point, and the ones that quickly get to the point. Often a video of an educator doing something inspiring is betetr than sharing the story.

Keep it local – Bring in our superstars of the district to share their knowledge. Show videos created by our students. Show videos of our teachers teaching, our supports staff helping, people learning. Too often we go outside of districts to bring in experts and forget about the experts right at home. Highlight the greatness that comes from your district or school.

Give us the why – often so many changes are thrust upon us at the beginning of the year and while I don’t need a lengthy explanation, i would love to know the why. It is hard to believe in something when you don’t understand why it is being implemented.

Highlight the past – Bring up what worked last year. What parents said, what students did, what people saw. Build our success on the success of last year.

Foreshadow the future – If you know something incredible is going to happen in the future year, bring it up, give us something to build to ward, to look forward to.

Give us time – we know you have a lot of information to give us, so give us time to process it with our teams. There are so many meetings determined by others, give us time to figure out who we need to meet with before school starts.

Do a mini-edcamp – why not start the year with a mini edcamp where people can choose what they need to learn about. Contact some people beforehand and ask them to highlight and be ready to share certain things, then leave room for others to bring up discussions. Even a few sessions of choice can do incredible things for teacher preparedness and buy-in.

Cut it short – Most people think they are great public speakers, most people are not. Not because their heart isn’t in it, not because they are not wonderful and knowledgable, but because they stray off the path, they add to o much information, or they ramble. So keep it short and to the point.

Don’t kill us with the negative – I know we face a lot of challenges and I am not asking for you to shield us from them. But one person can only take so much beating down within a few days to where they simply become deflated. So don’t spare us, but do think of what the most important challenges are that face us and focus on them. Frame them as a challenge not as a failure.

Inspire us – I know it is a lot to ask, but I would really like to be inspired by the start of the school year. I would really like to have the opportunity to feel uplifted and energized, believed in and trusted.

Spread the burden – Don’t just feel that you have to do the inspiring; ask others to contribute. We should all be a part of the back to school days, we should all contribute positive energy to start the year right. Don’t think as an administrator that it all falls on you, because it shouldn’t. Bring in a team of people to start the year off right. Bring in people who others may not see as leaders or speakers. Bring in people that have a purpose and have an energy that can rub off.

What did I miss? How can we make these back to school days inspiring, something to look forward to? There has to be a way for them to lose their reputation of being a waste of time.

I am a passionate 5th grade teacher in Middleton, Wisconsin, USA, proud techy geek, and mass consumer of incredible books. Creator of the Global Read Aloud Project, Co-founder of EdCamp MadWI, and believer in all children. I have no awards or accolades except for the lightbulbs that go off in my students’ heads every day. First book “Passionate Learners – Giving Our Classroom Back to Our Students Starting Today” will be released this fall from PLPress. Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

books, Literacy, picture books, Reading

10 Picture Books I Cannot Wait to Share With My New Students

August 10, 2013July 31, 2015 Pernille Ripp

This Is Why I Teach — The drawing of me as the giving tree

I am excited to take part in the August Picture Book 10 for 10 event taking place all over the blogosphere today thanks to Mandy Robek and Cathy Mere. So as this list needs little explanation, here are the 10 picture books I cannot wait to share with my new students. (And, of course, there are about 100 more…)

Chu’s Day by Neil Gaiman – a more simple yet deep story is hard to find. I love this book for how simple its message is, ilove this book for how funny it is, and I love this book because before I read it aloud I get to tell my new students about how Thea giggles every time Chu almost sneezes.

Pete & Pickles by Berkeley Breathed – I fell in love with this book this summer after Carrie Gelson recommended it. A deep story of love and friendship with simply beautiful illustrations. I cannot wait to see how my students react to it.

Bluebird by Bob Staake– I never got wordless picture books until last year. Now I love this book for how the students will be able to go beyond the pictures and tell the story in their own words. And the message? Oh my, what a message.

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen – we love all of his books but this has been a favorite for a while now. I think my students will find it just as funny as Thea does.

Open This Little Book by Jesse Klausmeier – we were lucky enough to see Jesse in person this summer and the way she pointed out all of the details in the illustrations and made the story come alive made me want to share this early with my new students. I cannot wait to see which discussions this will lead to.

The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman – I love Neil Gaiman but there is a reason for that. He writes such a variety of books, he is brilliant, and this book is scary and funny at the same time. I use this as an all school secret read aloud every year and there is a reason it continues to be a favorite.

Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman – I have been slightly obsessed with this book for about a year now, I don’t know what it is but it just makes me smile. And it makes my students smile. So one day very early on we will all settle in for the story of a beautiful friendship between a boy and a robot.

It’s a Book by Lane Smith – This book crack sme up every time I read it and I think my blog savvy students will as well. I love the message of this book as it shows the power of a book and cannot wait to share it.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein – This book takes on a deeper meaning every time I share it with someone. I once had a student call me the giving tree and I cannot help but tear up a little every time I think of that. I have yet to decide whether the tree is foolish or simply in love, I cannot wait to discuss it with my students.

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes – My great friend gave me this book shocked that I did not own it or know it. After I read it, I saw why this is a classic for any classroom as we build community and try to see how we all fit together in this new constellation.

These 10 books barely scratch the surface of what I cannot wait to share with my students, but these represent some of the first ones I will pull off the shelves as I ask them to enjoy a tale, to sit back and listen, to discuss and explore the deeper meanings of these books. Another year awaits, a new groups of kids await, and I can’t wait.

mystery skype

Mystery Skype Jobs Created by My Students

August 8, 2013 Pernille Ripp

my students during a call — My students during a call

Last year was my personal best for Mystery Skype. We did one almost every week, and by we I mean my incredible students. They took ownership and pride in ding the calls quickly, professionally, and efficiently, and I often stood back in awe watching them unfold. My kids were Mystery Skype masters by the end of the year and I look forward to start over with a new group of 26 students this year.

So it was only natural for my students to develop the original jobs into something that worked better for them. So here you have an updated list of possible jobs for a great Mystery Skype call.

Greeter -1 student – Does exactly that: greets the incoming class by speaking about our class and going over the rules. At the end of the call they are also the ones that thank for the call. Once their job is done they merge into the think tank.

Questioner – 1 or 2 students – they are the kids that ask the yes or no questions, often it is beneficial if these kids have a decent grasp of geography and can come up with questions on the fly.

Filter – 2 kids or more – These kids act as a filter between the runners and the questioners assessing the questions that are coming their way. They have to pay close attention to what answers are and what has already been asked as the think tank often misses an answer. They can then use their common sense to filter the best questions to the questioners.

Answerer – 1 student – answers yes or no to the questions and should have a good grasp of geography.

Runners – 3 students – the runners are responsible for communication between all of the different posts and often wear signs or their shirts to identify them. We love the runners because they keep the chaos down.

Google Mappers – 2 students – Use Google Maps to try to help with questions or find the answer. Should be connected to think tank.

Wall map & atlas mappers – as many kids as you want – part of the think tank but are using any map tools they can to come up with more questions.

Lead thinker – the boss of the think tank – this kid needs to be a gentle leader that can keep everyone organized and on track. They ensure the think tank runs smoothly.

Supervisor – 1 student – this student oversees the entire operation and takes notes on what works and doesn’t work. They lead the debriefing we have after every Skype call to discuss what we need to work on and be proud of.

Note taker – 1 or 2 students – writes down all answers and questions during the call for easy access by filters and if any confusion occurs.

Tweeter – 1 or 2 students – these students are in charge of the backchannel whether through Twitter or TodaysMeet and add the extra layer of connectivity to the world live tweeting results and questions.

Reporters – 2 students – these two take pictures and notes throughout the call to then write a blog post on our classroom blog after the call is done. That way we can show off all of the great calls we get to be a part of.

Often at the beginning of the year I ask students to try various jobs so that they can figure out which ones they are really good at. I cannot wait to see how the kids do this year and if you want to do a Mystery Skype with us – reach out – school starts September 3rd!

Great Mystery Skype Questions to Get You Started

So You Want to Do Mystery Skype

How to Do Mystery Skype