Happy Back to School to Us All!

Last month in WinkWorld, I shared a little about the Mallorca international education program and Prairie Pedagogy. Dawn wrote Pokémon Pedagogy and another Potter Pedagogy. All previous WinkWorlds are archived at Archive

This month, we have a parent/teacher newsletter from Texas, some activities for the classroom, a letter to the editor regarding NCLB, a draft of one syllabus for this fall, and a new section, Play Ball, with references to Home Run Reading and the contributions of Steve Krashen, Fay Shin, and Dawn Wink. Those of you who have followed Wyatt's (age 7) literacy development, do not want to miss Dawn's Boxers or Briefs.

I appreciate the contributions from: Lisa Westbrook, Fay Shin, Le Putney, Sharon Whitehead Van Loben Sels, Joanne Yatvin, Steve Krashen, and, of course, Dawn.

One Branch Newsletter: Information for Lifelong Learners, www.OneBranch.org Lisa Westbrook has formed a non-profit organization with the goal of creating an interactive library for families and teachers. Enjoy. OneBranch-winter03.pdf

Library Mapping

This activity originated with Le Putney and is published in A Vision of Vygotsky, which Le and I wrote. Sharon Whitehead Van Loben Sels adapted the activity, and I have continued to explore its possibilities. I will be using this as the beginning activity in one of my classes this fall. I hope you will find it useful in your own context. If so, I will be very interested to know what you learn and how you adapt it. The activity posted here is a section of the activity, which will be published this fall in Teaching passionately: What's love got to do with it? which Dawn and I have just finished. Figure 5-1 Library Mapping

Joanne Yatvin, who retired from a 43-year career in public schools, now teaches part time at Portland State University. She was the sole member of the National Reading Panel who dissented from the majority report on the basis that it did not represent a full and balanced view of the research or address the concerns of teachers.

Letter to the Editor by Joanne Yatvin.

Susan Ohanian

Many of you know that Susan is a courageous and committed colleague. However, you may not know how generous she is. This week, she saved us in a flash with a correct citation for our next book. Thanks, Susan, for all you do.

Visit her website: http://susanohanian.org

Check out one of her cartoon archives:
http://susanohanian.org/cartoon_fetch.php?id=217

Play Ball

This week I learned from Steve Krashen that Jim Trelease coined the term "home run book," inspired by a quote from Clifton Fadiman (1947), in reference to his earliest experience in reading, a book entitled The Overall Boys. "One's first book, kiss, home run, is always the best."

And, speaking of courageous, committed, and generous colleagues, please look what Steve Krashen has to share on his web pages.

Now available for free download from http://www.sdkrashen.com

1. The Home Run Book: Can One Positive Reading Experience Create a Reader? (2000) Debra Von Sprecken, Jiyoung Kim and Stephen Krashen 3 pages

2. Another Home Run (2000) Jiyoung Kim and Stephen Krashen 2 pages

3. Home Run Books and Reading Enjoyment (2002) Joanne Ujiie and Stephen Krashen 3 pages

Wyatt hits a home run with Captain Underpants.

Boxers or Briefs: A Tale of Literacy

Tanesha hits a home run with the Goosebumps series.

Title: Should we just tell them to read? The role of direct encouragement in promoting recreational reading.
Author: Dr. Fay Shin
Knowledge Quest
Volume 32, no. 3
Column: Home Run Research

NCTE INBOX from the National Council of Teacher of English Many wonderful professional groups enhance teaching and learning in multiple ways. NCTE is one of my favorites. I particularly appreciate their electronic INBOX, which arrives monthly with a great balance of theory and practice.

Blackline Masters for Teachers
As you begin the school year, please feel free to help yourself to any of the blackline masters. Masters

Teacher Websites, which teachers shared with me last May.
Links

Syllabi, EDML 5001 Multilingual Education Evaluation, Fall 2003
5001-Fall 03

Syllabi, EDML 5400 Theory of Multilingual Education, Fall 2003
5400-Fall 03

Prairie Pedagogy