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Duty calls! (Dance Duty)

Many people dread and despise duty…morning, lunch, car, recess, etc. I can honestly say that this is my favorite part of my day! I really love it all! I have had car duty and crosswalk duty people out for the last two weeks, and I jumped at the opportunity to take that duty. At the crosswalk and morning drop off I grab my Bose Soundlink Resolve portable bluetooth speaker and turn up the tunes. Passerby’s may see me scooting around and dancing as I work the duty process, and sometimes I even get the kids to do a jive or even the “floss” as they exit cars and walk to their destinations. Even my other staff on duty were shaking it and “be-bopping” as they opened car doors! Music can really help get the day moving! The best part is seeing the huge smiles on everyone’s faces! I see parents smiling in the car. I see siblings in the car smiling (and I mean hormonal middle school kids and nothing is cool at that age!). I see grandparents smiling and laughing!

IT. IS. THE. BEST. WAY. TO. START. THE. DAY!!

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The Joys (and pains) of Book Talks with Upper Elementary by Carrie Rodusky

Nerdy Book Club

Teaching upper elementary in a pre-k to eighth grade school with one class per grade is no easy feat. If you are a teacher of fourth and fifth graders, or a parent of a child around this age, you know that some days are better than others. I won’t go into the developmental characteristics of 9-12 year olds, but suffice it to say that by this point in the school year there are a lot of “too cool for school” looks, attitudes and dramatic situations that teachers end up moderating. So, with all of this growing and changing and maturing, how in the world am I supposed to keep their interest with reading and writing? I try to stay on top of new book releases, topics that interest my individual classes and students, and projects that help them see the bigger picture. I also do book talks as much as…

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Top Ten Reasons Students Should Read More Whole Books and Fewer Passages and Packets by Cari White | Nerdy Book Club

This seems like a list that should be written by Captain Obvious, right? Of course students should read whole books from beginning to end! But does that really happen at your school? Or does the workroom copier groan under the load of stapled packets with  “passages” and related multiple-choice questions? Are students unable to find…
— Read on nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2018/08/18/top-ten-reasons-students-should-read-more-whole-books-and-fewer-passages-and-packets-by-cari-white/