100 Minutes- Chapter 3- Reading Around the Literacy Block

The host for Chapter 3 is Kelly from An Apple for the Teacher.

When you visit her blog be sure to check out the freebie she's offering as well as the giveaway!

This chapter is called Reading Around the Literacy Block and I am very excited to see what everyone has to say about it.

Head on over to check out Kelly's post and then come back here tomorrow to see what I'm saying.

Guided Math- Chapter 1

I first participated in a book study for Guided Math by Laney Sammons two years ago when it was hosted by Brenda from Primary Inspired.  Then last year I helped to host the Building Mathematical Literacy Book Study, also hosted by Brenda from Primary Inspired.

So, when I saw that The Primary Gal was hosting Guided Math for this summer I wanted to do it all over again! 

Why?

Well, first of all...this book changed how I teach. 

Not just math but all teaching.

I love teaching math now and love using a guided approach in all subject areas when possible.

I am also on a year long mat leave with my second daughter and thought a refresher would be a good idea before I return to work in September.

I've included parts of my post from two years ago...they are the parts in italics and pink. 

I have been devouring this book. Each night after I finished my feverish typing of my reports I snuggled into bed with my copy of Guided Math, a yellow highlighter, a pen and some post it notes. And my mind has been exploding! At one point my husband actually asked me to stop because the squeaking from my highlighter was waking him up!! LOL 

I can definitely say that this book is going to change EVERYTHING about my math teaching. For those of you that are new here, or are new followers, math is not my thing. I spent the first 6+ years of career teaching Grades 7 and 8 on rotary. This means I only taught Language Arts, Geography and History (with a few other subjects...French!..sprinkled in), but two years ago I loved to teaching Grade 4 and ALL the subjects. Which meant that 7 years into my teaching career I was a first time math teacher. YIKES.

I now have 4 years of teaching math under my belt and it has become one of my favourite parts of the day!

After reading Guided Math for the first time I successfully implemented Math Stretches, Math Huddles and some Guided Math. I think I have become very good at differentiating my math instruction and providing my students with instruction at the level that they need. My use of manipulatives to teach as increased and I am much more comfortable using and teaching with manipulatives.

Last year I started Math Journal with my students and LOVED every minute we used them. I followed the outline provided by Tales of Frogs and Cupcakes and found them to be a valuable part of my math program.

Here are my thoughts from two years ago...

My current school follows a problem-based teaching model for math and we have been doing a lot of work surrounding this in the past few years. However, when I read on page 16 that "the traditional, whole-class instructional method continues to be what most students encounter in today's schools" I wrote TRUE in the margin. Even though I try my best to differentiate as soon I feel a time crunch or a little uncomfortable with the material I revert back to this teaching method in my math classes.

I don't want to do this anymore.

I love then Laney Sammons writes "It is no longer acceptable to have a portion of our students underachieve in mathematics". YES! YES! YES! We have to make sure our student are achieving in math, and we have to do this with the same passion we bring to our reading an writing lessons.

I need to get MUCH better at planning and integrating guided math lessons. In the past they were a goal for me but something always seemed to pop up, or I just couldn't make them work.

I've spent a lot of time this year thinking about my current program and have done a tonne of blog reading and research. You can check out my Math Work Series here. It's not done yet...I still have more to look at, blog about and decide...but all in good time!

On pages 29-31 Sammons lays out a weekly instructional plan for integrating Guided Math and a Math Workshop approach in your classroom and I had TOTALLY forgotten about this outline.

Oh dear!

I'm bookmarking it and will be back to look at it more deeply in order to use it in my class this coming school year. 

Are you loving this book? I really hope so.

Make sure that you link up with your post below and enter the giveaway!

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100 Minutes- My thoughts on "The Building Blocks"

Thanks to Kelly Anne from Appleslices for hosting Chapter 2 of the book study.

What a great post!

I'll probably say this a lot over the next few weeks...
but, wow, I love this book. 

Chapter 2- The Building Blocks

The three main components of Lisa Donohue's structure for your 100 minute literacy block are quite common actually... something you probably all already use in your class. But it's the way in which Lisa has organized the 100 minutes and the activities that your students are working on that is sheer genius. 

No kidding. I actually wrote that in the margin quite a few times.

Anyway, the main components are time for whole class reading instruction, time for whole class reading instruction and time for independent practice on literacy skills.

Lisa recommends that teachers start with the two whole class lesson blocks and slowly build in the independent time. This reminded me a lot of the stamina building that is done with the Daily 5. The Sisters have a great description and method for building your student's stamina for independent reading and writing. If you haven't looked at that section of The Daily 5 before, it's definitely worth a look.

I think it would also be beneficial to continue to use the T-charts (I-charts?) that are recommended by the Sisters to build the routines and procedures of your literacy block.

Some things that really stuck out for me...

I think Lisa's description of how to build in the independent time makes a lot of sense and allows for more flexibility for both teachers and students. Starting with the two whole class lesson blocks and then adding in only independent reading and independent writing really makes a lot of sense to me. It allows for the time needed to complete all the necessary assessments at the start of the year and doesn't set the entire system up for failure because too many components are added all at once.

On page 23 there is a sidebar on giving students choice in their learning...but that as the teacher we are still ultimately responsible for providing options. I like that the structure described by Lisa for the 100 minute literacy block provides choice for students BUT in a limited way. I think this was why the Daily 5 never really seemed to work for me...too many students doing too many things and I like having more control over the schedule and activities within my class. I think this quote on page 23 sums it up nicely, "the teacher choose what the student is learning, the students choose how they are learning it".

First of all, I think I will feel comfortable allowing myself and my students more time to build in our routines for independent work and small-group instruction.

As we begin to construct our AWARD time I can cluster the independent time as I see fit. There is no one prescribed way of structuring the 100 minutes...nor does it even have to be 100 minutes in the beginning!! I teach Grade 3, which means in September I really teach Grade 2's. I can slowly build our literacy block to 100 minutes- the ultimate goal.

The tracking board is a great idea and the phrase that jumped out at me over and over again was intentional sequencing. I think this is where the Daily 5 really fell apart in my class. By providing so much choice to my students it never really felt like they were practicing the skills we covered in mini-lessons and small-group instruction. With the intentional sequencing described by Lisa students are consistently using their skills in a logical and constructive way. 

- how many groups will work best in my class? 

- how often should the groupings be changed?

- which activities/ components do I want to build in to my literacy block once independent reading and writing have been established? in which order?

- how many days will be in my cycle of intentional sequencing so that I can meet with my students who need a greater amount of support more often?

Please join the discussion! Link up with your thoughts about Chapter 2 using the linky below. 

If possible, leave a comment for the blogger before and after you on the list. 

Next up- Chapter 3: Reading Response

Be sure to visit Kelly over at An Apple for the Teacher on May 31st to continue this learning journey with us. Not only is she hosting the chapter but she's going to have a freebie and a giveaway too!

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

Please read through these carefully. 

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.

Don't forget to submit any questions you have for Lisa Donohue for our upcoming question and answer post!

100 Minutes- Chapter 2- The Building Blocks

Welcome back for Chapter 2: The Building Blocks

The co-host for this chapter is Kelly Anne from Appleslices.

Please head on over to her blog to check out her post and then come on back here tomorrow to see what I'm saying about this chapter!

I'll give you a hint...I'm in love.

*****************

Also, do you have any questions for Lisa Donohue? 

She will be doing a question and answer post on my blog as we work through the book study!

Please fill out the Google Form below to submit any questions you have. 

100 Minutes- Chapter 1: 100 Minutes to Balance Literacy

Welcome to the book study!

<a href="http://thinkingofteaching.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Thinking of Teaching" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SJ1AwljVyTUUDaNRRqzNn1nnSk4I7SwrrCCbJ8007CKmPjhmRomfJi8hD1n3pivnG4W2OFqhT-Zv5fkGUtuBXvID0cQ9ceqqy3_UgDz67fRxN4oLDAOF3TNjbEkVAINXsldVQn0hhzEC/s1600/100+Minutes+Button2.jpg" /></a>

It's finally here. 

This is my favourite time of the year...book study season.

It seems like every year since I did my first book study there are more and more book studies popping up each spring/summer, 

and I LOVE it. 

I can't wait to dive into 100 Minutes, to share my thoughts and to hear all of yours as well. 

As we work through the book please feel free to "grab" any of the images associated with the book study for use on your own blog.

If you would like me to email them to you please contact me at 

thinkingofteaching (at) gmail (dot) com

Chapter 1

There was a whole lot of highlighting and margin writing going on as I read through this first chapter!

(And yes, I am that person that writes in her books. I figure they're mine...so I can write in them! I like having a permanent record of my first thoughts as I read so I can refer back to them later. )

I think it's important to recognize that balanced literacy means integration and that all the components of teaching literacy- explicit teaching, time for guided practice, and time for independent work (p 14) have a place in a literacy block. Therefore, it becomes very important that we "truly understand what balanced literacy means (p 14). As Lisa states, our students were born into a vastly different world than the one we were taught  in as students ourselves and therefore their methods of learning and our methods of teaching must adapt. 

I also liked how Lisa stressed the idea that balanced literacy isn't just about the fundamentals anymore but also about the "model of instruction" (p15) and the "vehicle through which we learn and communicate" (p 15). This is especially important now that BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is so prevalent in our schools and classrooms. We must consider all the ways that we want our students to be literate and if you look at the sidebar on page 16 there is a great definition of modern day literacy from the Ontario Ministry of Education.

I was very excited to read about the idea of adding layers as the year progressed in order to deepen and enrich the literacy block. It reminded me a lot of the idea of "stamina" from the Daily 5 and how important it is to spend the time necessary in the beginning to develop good routines and procedures. But Lisa adds a vital new idea that we can't stagnate within these routines or our students will no longer be engaged in our literacy block. 

As we build upon the routines we develop in our class we are "fostering independence" (p 16) and this reminded me of the new learning skill that has been added in recent years to the Ontario Report Card: self-regulation. What an important life skill that can be practiced every day during our literacy block!

- I want to be comfortable and proficient at "monitoring and providing immediate feedback", "setting realistic goals" with my students (CAFE?) and differentiate my instruction based on the "learning targets and expectations for each group of students" (p 16)

The Basics

This section provided a very interesting preview of what's to come in the book and I must say... Wow, did I get excited! When I think back to what I already have in place in my class the Reading Time is very similar to my Book of the Week routine and the Writing Time is a lot like my Writer's Workshop. What often wasn't happening was enough guided lessons, conferencing or small group instruction. I also didn't often teach both a reading and a writing lesson in the same day. 

I am interested in learning more about how this might function in a class.

This quote from page 18- "Teachers should be one part artist, one part scientist, one part psychologist, and one part gymnast- remember that flexibility is always the greatest gift we can give ourselves and our students."

Plus...the entire passage entitled "100 Minutes in Action".

I want that. 

Please join the discussion! Link up with your thoughts about Chapter 1 using the linky below. 

get the InLinkz code

If possible, leave a comment for the blogger before and after you on the list. 

Next up- Chapter 2: The Building Blocks

Be sure to visit Kelly Anne over at Appleslices on May 27th to continue this learning journey with us. 

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

Please read through these carefully. 

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.

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.

Meet the Co-Hosts- Croft's Classroom*

I'm very happy to introduce you all to Tina, from Croft's Classroom!

Beth: First and most important, coffee or tea?

Tina: I don't drink either coffee or tea! When I was in high school my basketball coach would bring his coffee to our 5:00am practices. We would run our guts out to the smell of his coffee. To this day I can't stand the smell of coffee. I am also a Mormon and we don't drink coffee or tea. I do love a good green smoothie in the morning though :)

Beth: Where is the world are you?

Tina: I live in the south east of Utah near the four corners area. Love it here! Small town, slow life. It is the best.

Beth: What grades and subjects do you teach?

Tina: I am currently teaching 4th grade and teach all subjects. I am in heaven in 4th grade! We have so, so, so much fun every day. I honestly love my job!

Beth: Tell us a bit about your blog.

Tina: Oh my little, wonderful blog. I like my blog so very much! I started it a few years ago just to have a place to collect and share ideas. Being part of the teacher blog community has made me a much better educator and hopefully sharing some of my ideas has helped other people.

Beth: Tell us three interesting things about yourself.

Tina: Three interesting things, huh?
1- I grew up on a farm and am a total country girl. When we visit the city I have to get my 'city-driving' pants on and can't wait to get back to following tractors on the back roads of my small town. No offense to those of you who live in the city. You are probably better equipped to live there than me.
2- I dislike shopping very much. Amazon Prime and I are the best of friends. So, I should probably restate that...I dislike all shopping except online shopping. I guess having the closest Walmart 90 miles away doesn't help either.
3- I have killed more than one mouse with a tennis racket. If the little varmints get into my house, I WILL chase them down any possible way.

Beth: This summer I really want to...

Tina: Relax! I spent last summer going to training after training and it was tiresome! I want to stay home this summer, take my kids to the park, enjoy the pool, and play as many board games as possible. I have a two and four year old and can't wait to spend as much time with them as I can. I won't mention everything I have planned to make for my classroom. The list is too extensive.

Beth: Why did you want to be a co-host for the 100 Minutes Book Study?

Tina: I totally stumbled across this book and was thrilled that Beth was going to do a book study! My literacy block is fantastic right now, but it needs a little tweek. I'm hoping this is what I am needing and can't wait to implement what I learn.

Check out Tina's TPT store here!

Meet the Co-Hosts- Emmy Mac's Class*

Today's co-host feature is a fellow Canadian and Ontarian...whoo hoo!

I'm very excited to have another Canadian in the book study as I think it gives us more depth and perspective. Emily and I can speak to our experiences working within the Ontario Language Arts Curriculum and then we can all compare it with our American blogger friends and their ideas!

Beth: First and most important, coffee or tea?

Emily: TEA!!!! My favourite right now is English Breakfast tea. I actually had my first coffee in January. White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks...surprisingly it was really good. But unfortunately I don't get up early enough in the morning to get to Starbucks.

Beth: Where is the world are you?

Emily: I'm originally from Cambridge, Ontario. (Only and hour and a half from me!!)

Beth: What grades and subjects do you teach?

Emily: I teach everything grade 1 except French and Music. I cannot sing...and am not musically talented at all. So it is good that someone else teaches them Music.

Beth: Tell us a bit about your blog.

Emily: My blog is a fairly new endeavour. It seemed like the next steps. I started my TPT store last April, Facebook page in November (I think). So the blog seemed like the next stepping stone. At this point my blog is a work in progress.

Beth: Tell us three interesting things about yourself.

Emily: hmmm....interesting? Let's see...
1. I have two little girls (8 and 6, well the one just turned 8 and the other one will be 6 in month) The number 24, 25, 26 run in my family.
2. I love crafts, knitting, sewing, cross stitch and embroidery but I've never learned how to crochet.
3. maybe not surprising since I sell on TPT but I find creating things for my classroom relaxing. I also have a clip art obsession.

Beth: This summer I really want to...

Emily: Relax and Spend time with my kids! This has been a stressful year. Our school had a huge renovation put on, that was suppose to be done in the fall. But of course it wasn't. We started the school year with the Kindie teachers teaching out of the intermediate classrooms. All the junior teachers in portables that they had just moved out of in June, and our intermediate students and teachers were bussed across town to a school that had been closed. The kindies got into their classrooms after the first week. The juniors moved in before Christmas but we didn't have a gym until the February. Do you remember how cold it was this winter? We couldn't even go outside for gym. QDPA in our classrooms for months on end. Not fun. So now that the construction is done I hope to relax and not think about school for at least a couple of days. :)

Beth: Why did you want to be a co-host for the 100 Minutes Book Study?

Emily: There are a couple of reasons. The obvious one is to improve my own practice as a teacher. I'm always looking for ways to make better use of my time. Different ideas/ways to teach my students. I think that's why I love TPT/Pinterest/Blogs so much because you can always find something new.
The other reason is I'm always looking for ways to become involved and get to know people better.

Beth: What should we check out in your TPT store?

Emily: Click here to visit Emily's store

I'm working on a math strategy product that I'm super excited about but it isn't ready yet. So my Personal Recount Unit. This is one of my favourites. It includes Learning Goals, Success Criteria, way for students to self and peer assess, checklists.

I guess that's it! Thanks so much for hosting Beth. I'm super excited.

Emily :)

Meet the Co-Hosts- Primary Inspired

I am super excited to introduce Brenda, from Primary Inspired!

She and I have worked together on a number 

of book studies in the past 

(Guided Math, Building Mathematical Comprehension, Guiding Readers, The Book Whisperer...whew!)

 We have done a lot of reading together!

Actually, every book study I've hosted or participated in has involved Brenda. 

That's pretty awesome.

Brenda is also the brains behind the collaborative blog, 

A Class*y Collaboration.

 She's one fabulous lady. 

Beth: First and most important, coffee or tea?

Brenda: Tea! Iced preferrably!

Beth: Where is the world are you?

Brenda: I am in Southern Indiana.

Beth: What grades and subjects do you teach?

Brenda: I teach a 1, 2, 3 Multi-age. All three grades at the same time. My teamie also teaches a 1, 2, 3 Multi-age. So really, what we have going on is 54 kiddos...2 teachers. We love it!

Beth: Tell us a bit about your blog.

Brenda: I blog over at Primary Inspired, and focus on sharing ideas and resources for primary teachers, classrooms, and kiddos.

Beth: Tell us three interesting things about yourself.

Brenda: I have four grown up children, and 2 adorable granddaughters.
I LOVE to read, & read voraciously. If I start a good book, I'll read it until it's finished....so I can't start books during the school year.

Beth: This summer I really want to...

Brenda: RELAX and sit in the sunshine by the pool! After the LOOOooooong winter we had, I am so looking forward to basking in the warmth!

Beth: Why did you want to be a co-host for the 100 Minutes Book Study?

Brenda: I am excited to learn about strategies and structures that will help me make the most of the time we have for literacy block.

You will not be disappointed with a visit to Brenda's TPT store, and while you are there make sure you check out her Beanie Baby Decoding Strategy Posters. 

Meet the Co-Hosts- A Piece of the Apple*

Today's co-host interview is with Erin from A Piece of the Apple. She is a fairly new blogger, just launched on Spring Break (!) but is ready to hit the ground running. I love how cute her blog template is (you have to check it out!).

Beth: First and most important, coffee or tea?
Erin: I am a one venti coffee with two inches of cream and one Splenda kinda girl. When it's summer, I go for a Venti iced green tea, again with one Splenda.

Beth: Where is the world are you?
Erin: I am in Carlsbad, California. Carlsbad is in the North County part of San Diego County. Lego Land is a mile away from my house.

Beth: What grades and subjects do you teach?
Erin: I teach first grade. I have 30 students, all day, with no assistant. I teach all subjects, but we are so fortunate that we have daily specials that include PE, library, computer, science lab, and music. This is my first year in first grade. I taught fourth grade for 13 years. I dearly loved fourth grade, but I needed a change. We had two first grade teachers retire last year, so I asked to move, and my wish was granted!

Beth: Tell us a bit about your blog.
Erin: I just launched my blog over Spring Break. I never followed any teaching blogs when I taught fourth grade because I was on auto-pilot. I wasn't really looking for new ideas and my team and I were such a cohesive unit, I felt like all my needs were being met. When I knew I was moving to first grade, I went into major research mode, and started following every first grade blog and Pinterest board I could find! Little did I know, I would fall in love with all the outpouring of ideas and support I saw from the blogging community. I knew I wanted in! My vision for my blog is to share the goings-on of my classroom, and also connect with other educators to further my own professional development and growth and hopefully inspire some people along the way!

Beth: Tell us three interesting things about yourself.
Erin: When I was in second grade, I wanted to be a part time hair dresser and part time psychologist. I majored in Political Science, and here I am..a teacher!

I am an avid quilter. I started making quilts in 2000, my first year of teaching. I am still BFFs with the gal I started teaching with and quilting with that year.

I have never been off the continent and I really, really want to!!

Beth: This summer I really want to...
Erin: -enjoy my annual trip with my mom and teenage son. This year, we are island hopping in Hawaii.

-create TPT products and work on the blog.

-enroll my dog in agility classes.

-continue losing weight for the LAST TIME!!!

Beth: Why did you want to be a co-host for the 100 Minutes Book Study?
Erin: When you wrote about trying the Daily 5 and not quite being able to wrap your head around it, I almost spit out my drink! I thought I was a lone outlier who hadn't/couldn't jump on the bandwagon. I thought maybe it was because it was my first year teaching first grade that I didn't get it. I am excited to explore another avenue. I am an avid reader and currently a Book Club orphan. I miss the camaraderie and connectedness one feels when participating in a shared read. I also want to make new bloggy friends!

Beth: Do you have a TPT store?
Erin: Yes, but it is currently empty because I just started... I have some things in the works, but don't want to promise they will be ready.
Click here to check out Erin's new TPT store!
Thanks!

Erin :)