Meet the Author: Lisa Donohue from 100 Minutes

I am super excited to introduce the author of 100 Minutes, Lisa Donohue, to you all today!

First, I love that she is so excited about this book study.

Second, I love love love that she is a fellow Canadian.

And, thirdly...I love her answer to my coffee or tea question.

Read more and you'll see what I mean.

Beth: First and most important, coffee or tea?

Lisa:  At first, I thought this was an easy question... and then, I discovered how complex my caffeine needs are.  First, coffee, definitely coffee.  But, not coffee from the fancy coffee shops that make it seem like you need a degree in coffeeology before you order. For me, just the regular old standard Canadian double-double.  Second, only coffee before noon.  If I drink coffee after noon, I have restless, anxiety filled dreams - like I'm late for something, or I'm being chased, or I've forgotten something really important.  Third, tea.... definitely tea.  A warm cup of tea and a good book makes me think of comfort and security.  I love curling up in front of a fire and sipping a hot cup of tea and spending time with some of my favourite authors.

Beth: Where is the world are you?

Lisa:  While I was born in the Caribbean, I now call York Region, Ontario (just north of Toronto) home. It's just a little further North, and maybe a whole lot colder than my native country, Grenada.  :)

Beth: What grades and subjects do you teach?

Lisa:  In the past 17 years, I have taught almost every grade in elementary school (except kindergarten).  Right now, I'm teaching Grade 6, but when I wrote 100 MINUTES, I was teaching Grade 3.

Beth: Tell us a bit about your blog.

Lisa:  My blog is a place where I think-out-loud, I blog about teaching, learning and life in general.  Often there are times when I just need to reflect on my learning and my blog is the place where I do that.  As an active classroom teacher, my practice continues to evolve and I use my blog as a place where I can share my successes, challenges and failures!  I love the collaborative nature of my online professional network and my blog is one place where I can share my learning as it is happening, get support from other teachers and reflect and refine my own teaching practice.

Beth: Tell us three interesting things about yourself.

Lisa:

1.  I have a slight gardening addiction and can spend small fortunes at garden centers at the drop of a hat.

2.  I wrote six books in six years... and in the seventh, I rested.  :)

3.  I am a rather over-the-top-soccer-mom and spent countless hours on the sidelines of soccer pitches across Ontario.  However, when it comes to playing sports, I'm uncoordinated and ball-phobic!

Beth: This summer I really want to...

Lisa:  My summer fantasies involve Paris and Greece... but my summer realities involve Peterborough and Guelph.  I know I will spend countless hours drinking Gatorade on the sidelines of soccer fields across Ontario… but in my fantasies, I will be sipping champagne in the shadows of the Eifel Tower and gazing at the azure waters of the Aegean Sea.

Beth: What do you hope the book study participants take away from reading 100 Minutes and discussing it together? 

Lisa:  100 MINUTES was written as flexible, adaptable framework that teachers could use and adjust to suit the needs of their learners.  As participants make their way through 100 MINUTES, I hope that they will find practical ways of introducing these routines into their classrooms.  However, I think one of the most important messages in 100 MINUTES comes in the conclusion "Good Routine Gone Bad".  

While routines are important to establish, they need to evolve throughout the year.  Expanding learning tasks, encouraging students to dig deeper and adding new elements to the ones suggested, will allow teachers to personalize 100 MINUTES in a way that will support and enhance the learning of all students.  100 MINUTES is not a formula, it is a framework that teachers can use, adapt and expand.

I look forward to joining in the learning this summer.  I can't wait to see the ways in which the participants personalize 100 MINUTES and think about innovative ways to enhance student learning.

Don't forget - the book study starts TOMORROW! 

So check back here for my post on Chapter 1.

I've been speaking with Lisa via email about the topic of teacher-bloggers creating products based on 100 Minutes... and she is on board!

There are a few guidelines that she and her publisher have asked that people follow.

Please read through these carefully in case you plan to create anything.

Guidelines

- Anything created for 100 MINUTES should be shared for free. 

- Anything created and shared based on 100 MINUTES should include a disclosure statement - Adapted from 100 MINUTES and not endorsed by Lisa Donohue.  

- Cite the complete publication information:  "100 MINUTES, (2012), Donohue Lisa, Pembroke Publishers" in order to make it easier for others to find the book.