Reading With My Two Tiny Readers

Sitting on the Couch Reading a Book

A kid is snuggled up to me on one side

A baby is in my lap

A kid holds the book

The baby drools on the pages

A kid turns the pages

The baby swats at them

A kid laughs at the funny parts

The baby laughs at the kid laughing

Now the kid

laughs at the baby

who is laughing at the kid

who is laughing at the baby.

Day 29 SoL Story Challenge: A Mash-Up

Join hundreds of students and teachers as we share stories every day in March!

You know that phenomenon where once you learn about something, you start to see it everywhere?  Well, a few years ago, it seemed like  everywhere I turned, "mash-ups" were coming up. I'm a fan of the show Glee, where mash-ups were in vogue on the show for a while, and maybe they still are. Friends kept posting mash-ups to their Facebook "walls," and even in my doctoral program courses colleagues were taking on the concept of the mash-up as a tool for researching student identity and culture.

Here's an example of a mash-up, in case you're not familiar. DJ Danger Mouse mixes The Beatles with Jay Z to create this mash-up:

Mash-ups are so interesting to me because they often bring together elements of style, culture, and identity that might at first seem disparate, but when juxtaposed or mixed, the common threads pop out. The Beatles are larger than life, Jay-Z is larger than life (if you're a New Yorker especially), and there's a demographic that is attracted to both. The mash-up demonstrates how some of the same people who love the Beatles can also love Jay-Z. I find it very cool.

Anyway, I hadn't thought about mash-ups in a while. Then, tonight Little L. did this:

Go Little L., mixin' it up. Why let the limitations of one genre get in your way, when you can mash them up into a Poem/Song/Story combined?

What I love about L.'s mashup is that she's included her classic go-to's for each genre. She starts with a poem that goes "I am a wish box…" Earlier this month L. made up a similar poem about a "hello box." I loved it so much, that she repeats variations of it often--in the car, at the dinner table, while playing...  Next she moves into ABC's… classic. Finally, a chipmunk story. If you've been following Little L. and I this month, then you know she loves a good chipmunk story. All in all, her mash-up does a nice job summarizing the recurrent themes in her body of work to date!

Day 27 SoL Story Challenge: The What Is It Poem

Join hundreds of teachers and students as we we share stories each day in March!

It's also Poetry Friday! Join us!

Once again, Little L. knows that Mommy cannot resist allowing her to stay up a little bit past bedtime to tell stories, or in this case a poem.

What Is It

What is a bag? 
A bag is something you carry something in.

What is a person?
I am a person.

What is an eyeball?
It is on you.

What is a baby?
It is a kid when it is not grown up yet.

What is hair?
It is on your head is this.

What is a nose?
The nose is what you smell with.

Done!


UPDATE: Wow, so I later realized that it is actually only Thursday, so Little L and I are a little early for Poetry Friday. But doesn't it feel like Friday?

Day 14 SoL Story Challenge: She's A Poet And She Knows It

Join hundreds of teachers and students as we we share stories each day in March!

It's also Poetry Friday! Join us!

Little L loves to create songs and poems. In this poem, she starts out by creating a sort of list, with a pattern to it. Then she begins to make up rhymes. Please enjoy this little "slice" of my life:

***

I’ve got a shoe on my head

I’ve got a shoe on my foot

I’ve got a cloth on my head

I’ve got a cloth on my foot

I’ve got a brush…I don’t use

I’ve got a…neck I have choosed

I’ve got a earring that I don’t care

I’ve got a ring that I don’t spare

Haha…That’s silly.

I’ve got a phone that ran out of known…that ran out of drone

I’ve got a blanket that has a canket

That doesn’t make any sense!

It’s just a silly song.

I’ve got a fan that has a ban

I’ve got a mirror that has a birror

I have a pictures that have a wictures

I have a house, got mouse, got a pouse

I have a shoe on my head

I have a shoe on my foot

I’ve got a house, I’ve got a brouse, I’ve got a touse

I’ve got a mouse

I’ve got a brush I don’t wear I don’t care I don’t share I don’t spare

 ***

This goes on and on for about three more minutes! As you can see, using rhyme in a poem is challenging. Not the actual rhyming words part. She's got the hang of that. But once her attention is on the rhymes, she gives up trying to make sense! For now, that's okay. We can make silly poems and have fun. But as time goes on, I'll keep nudging her to create songs and poems that have meaning.

In the classrooms I work in, kids and teachers often ask me why I don't teach them how to write poems that rhyme. Well, as Carl Anderson often says, meaning comes first. And I believe in that. I want kids to know that poems are powerful tools. We can use poems to describe objects and experiences. We can use poems to express ideas or feelings or to tell a story. I devote my teaching to meaning in poetry, because that is usually the part that kids and adults need more help with.

And yes, we can use poems to have fun and be silly too.

Day 7 SoL Story Challenge: The 'Hello Box' Poem

Join nearly 200 teachers as we practice our own writing by sharing a story from our lives each day in the month of March!

It's only been one week, working on the March Slice of Life Story Challenge, and I've already learned so much!

I've been watching the way my colleague, Stacey, uses technology on her blog, Raise a Literate Human: Vines, Skitch, ThingLink, and other cool techno doodads pepper her blog. There's always something neat there.

I've been inspired and awed by the way some bloggers are approaching this challenge with so much bravery and courage, the way Kris Shrontz has been doing on her blog, I Survived Today. As I learned from my colleague Betsy's thoughtful post, this is Kris's first time participating in the challenge, so visit her and give her some love. Betsy's post in and of itself is an inspiration for this post-- why had I not thought about using my blog to recommend other blogs before? Thanks Betsy!

And I've been loving the way Kevin Hodgson has been commenting all over the blogosphere using poems! It's creative and thoughtful and lovely. So cool.

This morning, I discovered Margaret Simon hosting the Friday Poetry Roundup on her blog, Reflections on the Teche and this inspired me to ditch my original plans for this morning's post and write create a new one.

Little L. has poetry in her veins, I think. Watch her make one up on the spot:

Hello, hello.

I'm a Hello Box.

And I have a pet bunny saying boing boing boing

And a owl pet that says hoo hoo hoo

And a dinosaur pet that goes roar roar roar

And a bird pet that goes chirp chirp chirp

And a chipmunk pet that goes snk snk snk

And a mouse pet that goes squeak squeak squeak

And I let them say hello hello hello hello!

Whenever they want.

And I don't let you say hello hello hello hello

Everyone

Heeeello

Hello HELLO

Heeeello hello hello.

I just like it when my animals say hello

Hello. Hello lo lo. Hello.

And… the end.

Maybe Little L.'s poem will be inspiration or for some other tiny poets somewhere?

A few strategies I notice Little L. uses to create her poem:
* she pretends that the object is alive (metaphor)
* she organizes/structures her thoughts (a pattern, and "parts" of the poem, or verses)
* her poem has a clear beginning and ending, starting and and ending in similar ways (in the classroom I might call this a "sandwich structure" when the beginning and ending of a poem are similar, with the rest sandwiched between)
* she uses interesting word choices (precise animal sounds)
* she elaborates (not just one animal--lots!)
* repetition (lots of it)
* she's got rhythm (mostly)

Howd'ya like them apples, Common Core State Standards! (Just kidding. She's four years old. We're trying not to worry about that right now. I can't help thinking like a teacher… It's not like there's a switch to turn it off.)

Poetry Friday!

This Is Just To Say: A Story Told Through A Poem by Indigo, the Dog

Each Tuesday my colleagues and I at the blog Two Writing Teachers host a Slice of Life Story event. Teachers, students, and writers from all over the world share a short, focused story from a small moment in their own lives. See more Slices by clicking here.

Little L. and I read this book over and over again.

She decorated this gingerbread house all by herself.

"Nobody is allowed to touch this. Not even you, mommy."

This is Just to Say
a poem by Indigo, the dog

I have eaten
the gumdrops
that were decorating
the gingerbread house

and which
you were probably
so proud of
having done it all by yourself

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so delicate

Guilty doggy!

Poetry All Year Long!

Why limit poetry to just poetry month?

Here are a few ideas to add a little poetry to your life, and the lives of the kids around you:

1. When you come across a poem you love, share it! Read it aloud to somebody, stick it to the refrigerator with a magnet, put it on your bulletin board at the office.

2. Look for children's books that are written in the form of poems, and read them over and over again. Babies and young children LOVE repetition.

3. When something new or important happens, write a poem about it! Keep a notebook or a file on your computer to save all your poems, so that you can reread your writing from time to time, looking for themes or big ideas that pop out at you.

4. Poetry is everywhere! Keep your eyes peeled. You'll be surprised at all the places where you see poetry in the neighborhood. On billboards, written in graffiti on buildings, taped to lamp-posts, on display at the public library, at the grocery store even!

Happy poetry year!

Dedication

I had this idea,

that I could write a poem,

and give it as a gift.

And I knew that

nobody else

would appreciate it more

than kids,

and teachers,

readers and writers,

who live and work and teach and learn,

together.

So this is my gift to you.

* Day 30 (the final day!) of the KidLitosphere Poem-A-Day Challenge for National Poetry Month. Dedicated to NYC teachers, administrators, literacy coaches, and most importantly, KIDS in the amazing schools where I work. I wrote a poem-a-day this month for YOU!

Untitled Poem

* Day 29 of the KidLitosphere Poem-A-Day Challenge for National Poetry Month.

Readers' Best Friends

Biscuit,

Mudge,

Clifford and Harry.

Walter, Benji, Willie,

Buck,

Shiloh,

and of course,

Lassie.

* Day 28 of the KidLitosphere Poem-A-Day Challenge for National Poetry Month.

Poetry

Drenched in butter and
Bubbling
Salty, crispy edges

* Day 27 of the KidLitosphere Poem-A-Day Challenge for National Poetry Month.

Multiple Choices

What would you like to do today?

A) Take a test

B) Take a test

C) Take a test

D) Take a test

* Day 26 of the KidLitosphere Poem-A-Day Challenge for National Poetry Month.

Baby Testing

There isn't a test for drooling skills.

Or an assessment for how well she can roll from side to side.

There isn't a quiz on thumb sucking-- that I'm aware of.

Or any evaluation on how well she can

coo, or gurgle, or screetch with delight.

Maybe we ought to start cramming, though.

Just in case.

Start preparing.

We could practice sitting up.

Maybe teach some strategies for choosing the best teether,

when presented with three choices.

Or maybe give her points for each nap she takes,

Or bite of peas she eats,

Or on the quality (and quantity) of poosplosions per day?

* Day 25 of the KidLitosphere Poem-A-Day Challenge for National Poetry Month, with thoughts of tomorrow's New York State ELA Test on my mind.

Different Kinds of Cries

There's the

fire engine,

you know,

the five alarm fire?

Sometimes it's a

grouchy

yelling-at-mama,

"Hey!" type of cry.

There's the rolling,

sort of lazy cry,

not really crying,

just complaining.

Sometimes there are syllables

"Ning ning ning," or "Raa raa raa,"

a tiny lion roaring in her den.

Then there's the

real cry.

The scared, truly hurt, in pain cry.

That one

makes me cry too.

* Day 24 of the KidLitosphere Poem-A-Day Challenge for National Poetry Month.

Baby L. Looks In The Mirror

Her eyes meet her own eyes

Her hand meets her own hand

She flashes a smile and giggles.

Hey, I know that person!

We move in and out of the picture frame,

Playing peek-a-boo with ourselves.

Who's that looking in the mirror?

It's you!

It's me!

It's us!

* Day 23 of the KidLitosphere Poem-A-Day Challenge for National Poetry Month.

A Poem For Earth Day

Dear New York,

If it isn't too much trouble,

would you please

put your litter in the trash cans?

Also, it would be much appreciated

if you recycled a bit more.

And while you are thinking of it,

would you mind taking the subway

instead of driving?

Or at least carpooling?

It would also be nice

if you could bring

your own bags to the grocery store.

And could you please

bring a reusable mug to Starbucks?

And maybe, just maybe,

stop buying bottled water.

Sincerely,

The Earth

* Day 22 of the KidLitosphere Poem-A-Day Challenge for National Poetry Month.

How To Read At Six Months Old

Look at the pictures.

Take your time, if you can.

Touch the pages.

Scritchy scratch across the pages.

Try to pick the pictures right off,

and discover that they are stuck.

Maybe drool a little on a page or two,

Maybe chew on a corner, or two.

Giggle with delight at the sight

of a familiar book--

Brown Bear Brown Bear,

Or Goodnight Moon,

Or The Peace Book,

Or Where's Baby's Belly Button?

Help mama turn the pages.

Put your hands on top of hers.

You can even close the book,

before mama's ready...

That's how to read at six months old.

* Day 21 of the KidLitosphere Poem-A-Day Challenge for National Poetry Month.

Coffee and Writing

Sweet

Drips

Of java

Bitter and chocolaty,

Smooth

Comfort

Coffee

And writing

Go hand in hand.

* Day 20 of the KidLitosphere Poem-A-Day Challenge for National Poetry Month.

So Much To Read, So Little Time

Racing through pages,

Running across chapters,

Flying through texts of all kinds,

There's smoke coming out of my ears,

I'm reading so much,

I've got articles and books,

Websites and blogs,

Poems and stories,

So much to read, so little time.

* Day 19 of the KidLitosphere Poem-A-Day Challenge for National Poetry Month.

Favorite Foods

Bean

and

cheese

burrito

with

guacamole

on the

side,

Gooey

brownies

with

walnuts,

Grilled cheese

with

french fries

and a

chocolate

shake,

Peppermint

patties,

Homemade

sesame

noodles,

Strawberry

shortcake,

Juicy pork bun

from

M. Shanghai,

Jelly

beans,

Gnocci

with

tomato

sauce,

Molten

chocolate

cake,

Potato

salad

and a

glass of

lemonade,

Ben

and

Jerry's

ice

cream,

Popcorn

with

lots of

butter,

Creme

brulee,

Chicken

and

biscuits,

Chocolate

chip

cookies

fresh

out of the

oven.

* Day 18 of the KidLitosphere Poem-A-Day Challenge for National Poetry Month.