|
|
Welcome to
iCommunicate, IRC's monthly e-newsletter! Here you will learn, share, and enjoy information on timely topics and cutting edge projects. We'd love to hear your thoughts. Please contact us with your comments, suggestions, and ideas at
[email protected]
.
|
|
IRC Book Club
By the Illinois Reading Council
Join educators from all over the state in an online book club! Choose one or two books!
Read, reflect on, and respond to
The Reading Strategies Book
and/or
The Writing Strategies Book
by Jennifer Serravallo. These seven-week online discussions, beginning June 25, will be your guide to developing skilled readers and writers as you delve deeply into your choice of 5 goals from the texts. Participants who complete all assignments will be eligible to receive 15 PD clock hours for each book club. Participants who participate in one book club during the summer will have the opportunity to participate in the other one during the fall session, which will be offered in October after the 2017 IRC Conference.
Required for participation:
Gmail address (free at
https://mail.google.com/
). The Book Club uses Google Sites which does not work with Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail, etc.
Texts:
The Reading Strategies Book
and/or
The Writing Strategies Book
by Jennifer Serravallo. Both texts are available through Heinemann (http://www.heinemann.com).
Register online at www.illinoisreadingcouncil.org by June 19, 2017 to participate in the book club. Registration is FREE for IRC Members. The cost for non-members is $45, which includes IRC membership for one year. Book club participants also have the opportunity to attend sessions with Jennifer Serravallo at the 2017 IRC Conference. PLEASE NOTE: Conference registration and cost of book are not included.
|
|
A Letter to Literacy Coaches
By Tinaya York
Goodbye School Year 2017, Hello Summer!
It's time to let go of the 2017 school year, but not completely. Keep a smile on your face about the good times and determine what new learning will help you in the upcoming school year. You may be tired of hearing me say it, but I'm going to call it out again -- it's a good time to reflect, take time out for you, and plan (please take more time out for you over anything else). NO excuses, even if you have to work during the summer months.
As teachers, coaches, administrators, etc., our every day life consists of constantly thinking about and doing things for other people. It is the path we chose or that chose us but as such, most of us in the field of education have to force ourselves to take time out for ourselves. My encouragement for you is to do just that. Take advantage of learning opportunities that you are interested in, take time to evaluate yourself (I have provided a link to a quick personality test), check out a concert or just sit on your porch with a good read.
I have listed a few learning opportunities and music festivals below.
Enjoy your summer.
Professional Learning Opportunities
Music Concerts/Festivals
Literate Life Update
I finished reading the following books:
- The South Side of Chicago by Natalie Moore
- Nightfall by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski
- The Art of Coaching Teams: Building Resilient Communities that Transform Schools by Elena Aguilar
- March: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell (not on my original list)
- No Laughter Here by Rita Williams-Garcia
I am almost finished with:
- March: Book Two by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell
- My Harley-Davidson manual
And I added (I know, I'm crazy):
- Life Under Blankets by Kimberly Mitchell (written by one of my teachers -- AWESOME, RIGHT)
- Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
I have 230 days!!!
|
|
Literacy Links
By the IRC Educational Media Committee
Take a moment to review some of the Literacy Links provided by the IRC Educational Media Committee to help Illinois educators in today's classrooms. These links and past links will be available on the IRC Website under "Literacy Links" on the homepage.
Comprehensive Resources
Noredink is a comprehensive resource that builds stronger writers through a curriculum of high interest activities, adaptive practice, and authentic assessments. It also records the data to track progress in real time.
Interactive Resources
All of the best K-5 online, interactive, educational games and simulations in one place. There are resources for all subject areas.
Videos
This is a collection of interesting videos organized by category; they can be searched as well. These videos have a special focus on STEAM topics and can be used for a variety of purposes, including Genius Hour, inquiry-based learning, flipped classroom activities, integrated studies, and inspiring hands-on experiments, projects, challenges, and experiences.
|
|
| |
|
