Since you don't have any budget could you perhaps get a local business to "adopt" your classroom and donate money to buy new books? We do that in my school district and the donating business gets a letter of thanks, their name in the school newspaper and their name on the school marquee with a big "Thank You". business' usually donate an amount between 150.00-300.00. Maybe a local service organization like the Rotary, Elks, Moose, Knights of Columbus etc would be willing to hold a fundraiser for classroom sets of books or hold a book drive where people could donate new or used books for your classroom. Perhaps you could work out an arrangement with the local library that when they get donations of books, they would allow you to come and pick out a few for your classroom library. Do you have computers in your room? There are some sites that offer online stories for reading. I wish you all the best. Susan Joyce Palm Harbor, Fl
-----Original Message----- >From: "Waingort Jimenez, Elisa" <elwaingor...@cbe.ab.ca> >Sent: Oct 4, 2009 7:14 PM >To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" ><mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> >Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] SOS > >Maybe you can put curtains on your door?? You could site distractions as a >reason, if asked. Maybe that will make administration actually walk into your >classroom and see what you are doing first hand. Just a thought. >Elisa > >Elisa Waingort >Grade 2 Spanish Bilingual >Dalhousie Elementary >Calgary, Canada > >The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even >touched. They must be felt within the heart. >—Helen Keller > >Visit my blog, A Teacher's Ruminations, and post a message. >http://waingortgrade2spanishbilingual.blogspot.com/ > > >So what do you do when administration is not buying into your reading program? > I believe in the reader's workshop and taught successfully in Arkansas for >years. Many thanks to Ken Stamatis and everyone at Harding University for >opening my eyes and guiding me in the ways of the workshop. Since beginning >to teach reading with the workshop model, I've devoured books by Chris Tovani, >Kelly Gallagher, and others who are passionate about teaching reading. > > > >Now I find myself in Missouri working with 7th and 8th grade readers. The >first inkling that things could go terribly wrong was obvious from the start. >When I was hired, I was told that I would have the 7th and 8th graders on >alternating days for the entire school year. I swallowed hard and thought I >could work with that. Two days before the beginning of the school year, the >new principal tapped me on the shoulder and informed me I would be teaching >7th grade reading for one semester, and 8th grade reading the second semester. > I will admit I did not take this news well. > > > >It seems as if the school does not truly value reading instruction. No other >subject is allotted only one semester of instruction. I did manage to box up >and get into storage the twenty pound reading anthologies that the school had >used for many years, and brought in my own library. However, administration >nixed a plan to work with the local public library. The public library had >agreed to courier in titles of the student's choosing. Administration >response to that was no, saying the school could not be held responsible for >these books. I have since told the public librarian this. She said we could >possibly get around this if I checked out the books in my own name. I am >waiting for the right moment to present this radical idea to my principal. I >have zero funds for ordering new materials. That's okay. I know we are >living in hard times, although the district did find over a hundred thousand >dollars to bring in a consulting firm to "help us" make AYP. But I digress. > > > >Any ideas on how I can bring this small district into the 21st century? We >are a rural community with many children reading below grade level. As I >reread this message, I realize it sounds somewhat harsh and judgemental. I do >my very best to come across as a team player, and am polite and deferential >to administration. Even my students notice the hostile vibe, however. One of >my students actually said, "You know, they watch you like you was a bigtime >drug dealer." To which I replied, "Huh?" And the children went on to explain >that there was frequently someone peering in the door, watching our every >move, much like the police drive by and monitor drug-house activity, >apparently. > > > >I'm thinking of quitting and going back to nursing, which is what I did years >and years ago. Any suggestions? > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. >http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141665/direct/01/ >_______________________________________________ >Mosaic mailing list >Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org >To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > >Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > >_______________________________________________ >Mosaic mailing list >Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org >To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > >Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
