Summer Work Update

I see that it's been more than a month since I last posted. This indicates that I have been busy doing many things other than blogging: visiting family, traveling, reading, shopping, driving, and most recently, recovering from jet lag.

This also indicates that my list of tasks to be done over the summer should have been done (see previous post). Here's my update on that work:

Twilight Series: I finished reading all four books, and have decided they have little to recommend about them. However, it's good to know this so I can talk about them with kids. The Twilight books were 4 of the 13 young adult books I read, posted and reviewed on Shelfari (which I recommend highly).

Time for Meaning: I re-read this 1995 book and found it just as rich and meaningful as before. I love Randy Bomer's easy-going self-deprecating yet confident style of writing.

Teaching Grammar in Context and Fair Isn't Always Equal: I didn't get to these two books, but I did order and begin reading through several other books on teaching conventions:
• The Power of Grammar: Unconventional Approaches to the Conventions of Language by Mary Ehrenworth and Vicki Vinton
• Catching up on Conventions: Grammar Lessons for Middle School Writers by Chantal Francois and Elisa Zonana
• Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction (4th ed) by Donald R. Bear, Marcia Invernizzi, Shane Templeton, and Francine Johnston (and I got the related books for middle school spellers)
• Vocabulary Their Way: Word Study with Middle and Secondary Students by Shane Templeton, Francine R. Johnston, Donald R. Bear, and Marcia Invernizzi

Beatrice And Virgil: This was a fascinating read, and I did decide to use it for Book Club this year. I’m anxious to see what others think about the relationship between the two main characters, and how they interpret the ending!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: I read this too, but was not thrilled by it. I won’t read the other two, nor will I go see the movie.

Oh yes, summer was busy. Busy with holiday reading, busy with professional development, busy with travel and family, busy with the day-to-day business of shopping and cooking and cleaning, busy with movies and talk and other entertainments. But also busy with reading for pleasure and lifelong learning. Wonder what I'll want to read next summer?