The Sisters!

My homeroom students and SFA students are flexible and patient. We have been using pieces from The Sisters’ Daily Five since March, and their reading habits have shown tremendous growth.

On Wednesday, I was walking to Pilates when I saw a sign in the window at Barnes & Noble. I did a double take, then a triple take, when I realized that The Sisters would be HERE THIS SATURDAY!

Today, Ms. Nietering and I had the chance to hear Gail Boushey and Joan Moser speak. These are two incredible women — Gail is an instructional coach in Kent and Joan teaches in my district at Green Gables Elementary! They talked with us about the CAFE menu for reading instruction, which is used along with the organizational format laid out in The Daily Five.

Gail, Ms. Nietering, Me, Joan
Gail, Ms. Nietering, Me, Joan

Wow. They also spoke with us at length after their presentation. So many consultants and people who write teaching books have lost touch with the classroom, but these women know exactly what we’re going through. I emerged from the event inspired and re-energized.

I’m finishing up a few fantastic books by Debbie Diller, but I know what I’m reading next…

My signed copy of The CAFE Book!
My signed copy of The CAFE Book!

Olive, one of my cats, was also re-energized this weekend. However, I think it was the sun that rejuvenated her, not research about literacy instruction.

Olive in the kitchen
Olive in the kitchen

Oh, wait. Maybe she wasn’t as re-energized as I thought…

Olive yawning
Olive yawning

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