tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36648763483719022272012-02-17T14:32:31.793-05:00Musings of a teacher, writer, reader, foodieKathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.comBlogger821100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-57463075679432547152012-02-17T14:32:00.002-05:002012-02-17T14:32:31.801-05:00

Last week I assisted a teacher in planning an extensive writing project for his science classroom. The writing was based on a piece of high level, challenging text that the class read and discussed together. There was direct instruction and inquiry into challenging vocabulary, followed by a series of scaffolded reading comprehension questions that gradually increased in depth and higher order

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-31866169340675347332012-02-10T17:58:00.001-05:002012-02-10T17:58:15.112-05:00

I meditated today in the oddest way possible. I spent five hours in a dusty room sorting boxes and boxes of old books and dusting bookshelves. At every shelf I removed each book, placing it into a cardboard box just the right size to hold them, dusted the shelf, then returned the books to the shelf making sure to remove any books so old I would be insulted to be handed that copy were I a student,

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-49430951892515859062012-02-08T13:38:00.000-05:002012-02-08T13:38:16.864-05:00

I imagine that in nearly every writing classroom a version of the same poster hangs somewhere. The one that I used to hang in my own room was a long banner where a cheery yellow Ticonderoga pencil lay against a blazing blue background. Down the length of the pencil a step-by-step process of writing was numbered in crisp Times New Roman. Maybe yours looks something like this! This simple step

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-6816239932193505812012-02-06T09:43:00.000-05:002012-02-06T09:43:12.829-05:00

     When I was little, I despised the Sunday afternoons when my dad decided to watch football. He wasn't any sort of superfan who insisted on watching every game. In fact, if I had to, I could probably count the number of times he tried to watch a game on one hand. It was always when Mom was out doing something, and before my brother was born and needed constant care as babies do. There was this

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-5365512058126397952012-02-04T10:41:00.002-05:002012-02-04T10:41:12.829-05:00

It's the end of my first week of a sabbatical about teaching writing, but I have yet to write a word of "actual writing". I have written notes, made lists, added to lists, crossed off lists- so many lists. I am reading, and thinking a bit, but not nearly as much as I would be thinking if I were actually writing about it. I'm trying to be a good model of a writer for my students. I tell them that

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-30552525564337666632011-12-21T19:44:00.000-05:002011-12-21T19:44:13.958-05:00

Last week I had this elaborate plan for my students. It involved examining Ben Franklin's 1754 political cartoon urging the colonies to "JOIN, or DIE". We were going to divide up by colonies and explore points of view, advantages and disadvantages, and take roles and write speeches. There was a lot to do, but it all felt a bit contrived. Then yesterday in class one young lady asked a very

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-1102944800146321672011-12-16T08:25:00.000-05:002011-12-16T08:25:45.015-05:00

The protesters in Zucotti Park started something big. Were they the first to organize a long-term demonstration against a government not meeting the needs of the people? No, not nearly, but for some reason this idea took hold at this moment in American history and occupy movements are sweeping the nation. But for those of us who are educators, and who also consider ourselves 99%ers, we can't go

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-51177825211942939442011-12-14T11:27:00.000-05:002011-12-14T11:27:14.799-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about the movement it will take to restore sanity in public education. This might be one tiny step forward.

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-38292985259659816912011-11-04T07:10:00.000-04:002011-11-04T07:10:17.331-04:00

Since Tuesday all five sections of my classes have been going strong with their NaNoWriMo novels. Yesterday alone our class wrote over 52,000 words- and that's only by the handful who have registered online!   I can't even begin to tell you what a relief this is. It's a scary thought to introduce such an enormous project with such a tight deadline to so many people. I've always worried a bit

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-49235140190737950032011-10-30T22:04:00.000-04:002011-10-30T22:04:48.906-04:00

Which I know is no real surprise. I usually try to have one professional book going while tackling some YA lit on the side.  For the past few weeks I've been reading A Sustainable Start by John Spencer, one of my favorite teacher bloggers. I originally picked up this "guide to first year teaching" since I am the partner of a first year teacher and I thought it might help me be a good mentor, but

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-74015614263953249352011-10-26T20:18:00.000-04:002011-10-26T20:18:28.149-04:00

This school year has felt like it's full of impossible tasks that I'll never accomplish. Between teaching more students than ever, a new set of standards that I'll be held accountable for, RTI, PLC, Co-teaching, and common assessments I've been wondering where the joy of teaching has gone. My biggest fear in all of this is that all of these top down impositions actually take students and learning

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-48913327349890100682011-09-05T00:00:00.002-04:002011-09-05T00:00:05.985-04:00

This first workshop builds off of a professional development seminar that I hosted with another TC from the Seven Valleys Writing Project.  To learn more about our writing project site visit 7vwpTo find a writing project in your area visit the NWP site map. This workshop is designed to be interactive. The workshop is built around a series of short reflective bursts of writing. I suggest keeping

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-65484612862985720282011-09-04T19:46:00.001-04:002011-09-04T20:56:43.754-04:00

As any teacher who has gone back or is going back this week knows, the new Common Core Standards are the focus of pretty much everything this year. I know that for some, the delivery of the CCS has left a bad taste, and left teachers wondering whether it's time for a change.   I have spent the entire summer working with the CCS and at this point feel like I've developed enough of an understanding

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-25686137781238285692011-08-01T15:02:00.000-04:002011-08-01T15:02:35.104-04:00

This entry is the third in a two week series chronicling my research during the Summer Institute with the Seven Valleys Writing Project. To learn more about the project visit 7vwp.com. If you're a teacher looking for a community of thoughtful teacher learners visit nwp.org to find a local site. I can not begin to explain how joining the writing project has transformed my professional

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-91433982835942764272011-07-27T11:55:00.000-04:002011-07-27T11:55:32.766-04:00

This entry is the second in a two week series chronicling my research during the Summer Institute with the Seven Valleys Writing Project. To learn more about the project visit 7vwp.com. If you're a teacher looking for a community of thoughtful teacher learners visit nwp.org to find a local site. I can not begin to explain how joining the writing project has transformed my professional life.

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-50105269228488911142011-07-26T07:26:00.001-04:002011-07-26T11:21:56.478-04:00

This entry is the first in a two week series chronicling my research during the Summer Institute with the Seven Valleys Writing Project. To learn more about the project visit 7vwp.com. If you're a teacher looking for a community of thoughtful teacher learners visit nwp.org to find a local site. I can not begin to explain how joining the writing project has transformed my professional life. It is

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-78852185078084544422011-06-28T10:17:00.000-04:002011-06-28T10:17:28.503-04:00

I took a while to get into Twitter, but once I discovered a practical purpose I was hooked.  I started using Twitter as a way to connect with my NWP friends to share ideas, links, articles, book titles, and general good will.  I found it to be a great tool for me in my professional development, but I was still skeptical about a classroom application. Every spring I introduce my seventh graders to

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-4286901724695568882011-05-09T07:16:00.000-04:002011-05-09T07:16:48.545-04:00

This is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Bookjourney. For a full list of participants and links you should really visit her blog.I had a full and complete week of reading that took me far far away from my normal comfort zone. Usually I am a realistic or historical YA girl all the way, but I was feeling a little bit bored and wanted to try some new and somewhat grittier reading this week. I also

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-22068980385964636022011-04-25T08:00:00.000-04:002011-04-25T08:00:01.613-04:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey . Not only does she provide encouragement to the online read and share community, but she also hosts weekly giveaways! I had a little slump this vacation. I usually try to participate in the book a day challenge over breaks, but this week I wasn't feeling myself and reading was pretty far from my radar. I did read one book worth mentioning

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-76264250241948652852011-04-24T20:45:00.000-04:002011-04-24T20:45:42.807-04:00

Yesterday I had an amazing opportunity to spend the day at an extremely thoughtful conference on feminism in Science Fiction and Fantasy Media at Ithaca College. The conference was pretty near to my heart since it was the realization of a dream of my beloved undergraduate advisor had over 12 years ago when I was a student in the first senior seminar for feminist science fiction. Being back in the

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-4563932166849530802011-04-04T21:23:00.000-04:002011-04-04T21:23:49.664-04:00

This week has been pretty light for my reading since I was involved in the school play. In fact,  it took me more than a week to get through just one book. Don't worry though, now that the show is over I'm back to a more stringent reading schedule. I even started and almost finished a book today during workshop. Recent Read: As I started this book I couldn't stop thinking about Looking for Alaska

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-85922247669991054242011-03-28T07:44:00.000-04:002011-03-28T07:44:52.215-04:00

My reading has been a little bit sporadic these past few weeks. We're in the final stages of our school musical (performances start Thursday) so that has taken a lot of my time. The surprise gift of a snow day last Wednesday did make a bit of reading possible though. The other day I started listing my reading progress on the window behind my desk (in dry erase marker) so far this school year I

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-31315131608657483412011-03-07T08:15:00.000-05:002011-03-07T08:15:39.988-05:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Be sure to check her blog out for a list of participants and a chance to win prizes just by reading about reading! Even though the groundhog predicted a short winter, it's still coming down here. We've had over a foot of snow fall in the past 24 hours. The county roads are closed and 250 area school districts are closed today. That means that

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-52256222727294117812011-03-04T18:41:00.000-05:002011-03-04T18:41:06.710-05:00

Every day I find myself becoming more and more affected by the hostile anti-teacher trend I see taking over our nation. I have been trying to construct my own thoughts into anything coherent, but instead was beaten to the punch by Savanna Kucerak, who does such a beautiful job speaking out in defense of us all. Thank you, Savanna for allowing me to repost your words.  Dear America, When I

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-36016140202196488852011-02-28T07:08:00.000-05:002011-02-28T07:08:47.133-05:00

Every Monday I will post about what I have been reading for the past week. Since I am a 7th grade teachers, who uses a Reading Workshop in the classroom I unapologetically focus on YA Lit. Recent Read:This is the second book in what will be at least a trilogy (though since this was just published it will be a bit of a wait). Laurie Halse Anderson continues the story of Isabel and Curzon, escaped

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-17398723072336248392011-02-22T12:06:00.000-05:002011-02-22T12:06:09.955-05:00

     Almost every time I assign a book in class I am faced with the same question about prologues, commentary, historical accuracy questions, and acknowledgments: "Do we have to read this?"  I remember asking this question as a student myself. For me, and for many of my students, this question is not a sign of laziness. It simply comes from the idea of how stories are constructed and how they

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-27131762536494042882011-02-21T07:56:00.000-05:002011-02-21T07:56:20.672-05:00

In an effort to bring any type of structure to this blog, I am joining the network of bloggers who participate in "It's Monday! What Are You Reading?" This is actually perfect for me since Mondays are always Reading Workshop day in my classroom, and the day that I start my new book or books of the week.  When school's in session I try (and have succeeded so far) to read at least one book per week

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-6329919169964634152011-02-08T07:05:00.000-05:002011-02-08T07:05:17.185-05:00

    One of my students came into my homebase the other day and started talking about how his reading has been challenged lately. He's still reading (pretty voraciously I would say) but nothing is really getting him excited anymore. I told him that I completely sympathize, having hit a major slump myself. I've been reading a lot lately, keeping up on my at least one book a week pledge, but I

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-81345333237233027092011-01-27T07:14:00.001-05:002011-01-28T20:24:23.270-05:00

Breakthrough: a moment of breaking away from something or breaking into something. A moment of realization where you discover that you're not going to do "that" anymore. David led a wonderfully gentle, reflective workshop at DeWitt yesterday afternoon about this idea of a breakthrough. We wrote about student breakthroughs, and then our own teacher breakthroughs, then we identified what

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-73332935794820242692011-01-13T06:46:00.001-05:002011-01-28T20:24:48.651-05:00

      I think my Study Hall is trying to drive me insane. Not in a malicious torturous way. More in a "we're still really kids but instead of letting us have a recess in the middle of the day they throw us in these classrooms to work on homework that either hasn't been assigned yet or is already completed and expect us to be "quiet and productive" for the entire time" sort of way. They're not

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-13947250797639140382011-01-09T11:46:00.001-05:002011-01-28T20:25:18.941-05:00

I am lucky to be a part of the National Writing Project and to have formed such amazing friendships with such incredibly smart people.  One of those people is my dear friend Carol, who just posted the most amazingly insightful and inspirational post on teaching philosophy.  This is the type of teacher I try to be on a daily basis. Of course I am always a work in progress, sometimes in need of a

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-39143535663484841782011-01-02T20:50:00.003-05:002011-01-28T20:47:12.431-05:00

This vacation I got myself involved in a super endeavor. After reading and following Donalyn Miller both on her blog and on Twitter (@donalynbooks) I decided to get involved in the Book a Day Challenge. Which is pretty simple- read 1 book per day for every day of break. I brought home a nice tbr stack for the 10 day vacation, but knew that one of the benefits of break is also being able to just

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-30058337131692220702010-12-13T06:46:00.001-05:002011-01-28T20:27:50.936-05:00

I view my writing the same way I view working out. Both are essential for my health and happiness. Each requires effort, the strain of muscles and organs honed for efficiency, or screaming out from a lack of use. While in the act there can be discomfort, annoyance, a desire to just get this over with, and move on with life. Often the act gets pushed aside; excuses made: I'm too tired, too busy,

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-30622568287198337332010-11-24T18:03:00.001-05:002011-01-28T20:28:18.613-05:00

I guess I'm having a Thanksgiving that is all about novelty, since I seem to be making only novelty desserts this year! Tiny Pecan Pies And "Roast Turkey" cupcakes! Yum! Enjoy your holiday, everyone!

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-51951563814708667432010-11-21T08:17:00.001-05:002011-01-28T20:29:13.035-05:00

I've been really short on internet time this week since I've been attending the National Writing Project Annual Meeting, but I do have some love to share. Since I was at the meeting I clearly need to point you to the NWP site.  If you're a teacher of any level I highly recommend that you consider getting involved in the NWP. There are sites all across the country. I could go on and on about how

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-9391562394041889632010-11-14T08:56:00.001-05:002011-01-28T20:29:46.547-05:00

I'm hoping to bring a little bit of regularity to Thriftyschoolmarm, and I think on great way to do that would be to share some links that got me reading and thinking this week.   For right now, I think I'm going to try to keep my links related to thinking, learning, and teaching, but who knows. I may suddenly find something so yummy it must be shared. Earlier in the week I got into a heated

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-14224764373814202812010-11-13T21:41:00.001-05:002011-01-28T20:30:23.178-05:00

So, of course I've been a bit distracted from blogging lately, I'm trying to write the entire first draft of a novel right now, but I wanted to take a few minutes to check in here and give an update of what I've learned so far in my first ever attempt at NaNo.  Now, I've always credited myself with being a fairly skilled, but impulsive writer.  I would write whatever flashed through my mind when

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-53261299400660076372010-11-02T06:58:00.000-04:002010-11-02T06:58:58.109-04:00

     NaNoWriMo started yesterday to much hurrah.  We have sixteen declared novelists at our school, and more sign-up every day. I'm trying to build a buzz to keep everyone supported and motivated.  Since this is my first WriMo as a participant I imagine it's easy to stay motivated during the first week, but that during week two a bit more support may be needed.  I am considering starting a "

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-11618363008937371072010-10-18T20:46:00.001-04:002010-10-18T20:47:41.149-04:00

 Last week I wrote about my intense love affair with all things pumpkin.  The romance continued this weekend with a second batch of pumkin whoopie pies, which  are the most amazing thing I've had in a REALLY long time.Last night I decided to also try a new dish using some other seasonal ingredients like cauliflower and butternut squash. I started with some garlic parmesan cauliflower which was as

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-24177689189926676272010-10-10T09:42:00.001-04:002011-01-28T20:32:27.580-05:00

I've loved baking for as long as I can remember. One of our frequent rainy day activities as kids was cookie baking. I never had an easy bake oven because I was always using the real oven. (This did not however take away my desire to cook by miniature light bulb, yes, I'm still a bit bitter.) As a college student I discovered how much I loved cooking as well once I moved into an apartment with a

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-61867195494586865772010-10-10T08:39:00.001-04:002011-01-28T20:33:18.779-05:00

Each year we have a number of professional development days where students do not have to come to school but teachers do report.  In a way most of these days are just like six hour staff meetings (sounds fun, right?).  We just had one of these on Friday where we found out one little detail that sent a few of my colleagues into a complete tailspin- we will no longer be using letter grades on

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-44057623455089901122010-09-26T16:01:00.001-04:002010-09-26T16:14:05.031-04:00

A few weeks ago Missouri professor (thankfully not of education) Wesley Scroggins wrote an editorial for his local paper calling for a removal of novels from the curriculum of the local middle and high schools, including a recent read of mine, Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak.  The blogging and Tweeting community spoke out quickly (check out #speakloudly on Twitter to read more) against Scroggins

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-69997125570571927352010-09-09T18:27:00.001-04:002010-09-09T18:29:55.082-04:00

     Many motivated teachers have made millions on packaging their approach to the first day of school.  Between the camp that tells you to create a safe and caring environment full of hugs and smiles,  those who believe in allowing students the right to create the rules in a truly democratic process, and the "Whatever you do don't smile until January" teachers it's hard to know how to proceed. 

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-14178957528304746352010-09-06T10:29:00.001-04:002011-01-28T20:35:12.608-05:00

Photo by Trevor Morris The little songs of summer are all gone today. The little insect instruments are all packed away: The bumblebee's snare drum, the grasshopper's guitar, The katydid's banjo, the cricket's violin, The dragonfly's cello have ceased their merry din. Oh, where is the orchestra?  From harpist down to drummer They've all disappeared with the passing of the summer.~ by Rowena

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-47250791630922005002010-09-03T10:21:00.002-04:002011-01-28T20:36:16.378-05:00

Those of you who have been following me for a while know that this year I am planning on making Independent Reading Workshop a part of the weekly routine in  my seventh grade classes.  One of the biggest tips that I took from my summer reading about successful reading workshop has to do with having a well developed classroom library and library system.  I spent most of my week preparing my

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-54712579447225307662010-08-18T14:54:00.000-04:002010-08-18T14:54:23.460-04:00

     So, a few of you may remember that a few weeks ago I tried to file away all of my blogging into separate projects.  Turns out that keeping up with four active blogs is a bit intense.  I've decided to keep Schoolmarmstyle as a style blog and use Thriftyschoolmarm for teacher talk, food love, and general writing.  It may sometimes come across as a little bit scattered, but that's how I am so

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-69664222604723348442010-08-09T12:37:00.000-04:002010-08-09T12:37:07.548-04:00

     I debated whether a work of fiction can really count as a "teacher book" and therefore worthy of a review like this, but ultimately I decided that this book works on two different levels, as a fiction book that is just an engaging read, and as a resource for teaching.       I discovered Jodi Picoult's fiction a few years ago when I picked up The Tenth Circle and then revisited her last

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-71441048951875283352010-07-28T23:06:00.000-04:002010-07-28T23:06:20.245-04:00

I've been thinking critically about purpose for reading, and motivation for reading, and pretty much all things reading related for years, but for the past month I've focused in on this idea with laser precision.  I've been reading, and writing, thinking, and talking the idea in circles, but it wasn't until this afternoon that the need for this conversation really struck home with me.   I had

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-27176897183095811712010-07-26T11:53:00.000-04:002010-07-26T11:53:22.242-04:00

The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller is a bit of a companion piece to Nancie Atwell's The Reading Zone.  Again this is a real classroom teacher working in a middle school using an independent reading based program to foster a love of reading and an authentic real life reading experience for her students.  While the philosophy in both book is the same, Miller gives more practical approaches to

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-75237875985580904032010-07-20T18:14:00.000-04:002010-07-20T18:14:16.468-04:00

I've mentioned a bit about the Summer Institute that I am a part of but haven't really given much information or background.  For the past year I have been part of the Seven Valleys Writing Project (7VWP) which is part of the National Writing Project (NWP), the only federally funded organziation of teachers in the country.  Each summer small groups of teachers across the country volunteer to come

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-16473046224416291242010-07-06T21:35:00.000-04:002010-07-06T21:35:18.305-04:00

Today at Summer Institute we had a conversation about teacher heroes, the teachers (both traditional and those who would never consider themselves "teachers") who have influenced your own practice and inspired you.  One of my new teacher friends introduced Taylor Mali a slam poet and teacher, and his poem, "What Teachers Make".  I had never heard of him, but was so impressed with his passion and

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-7751285656121277942010-06-19T17:36:00.000-04:002010-06-19T17:36:18.974-04:00

    I was sitting with a few friends for lunch the other day when I mentioned that I had just signed up for a friend's first ever pork CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  My friends over at Lucky Duck Farms have ventured beyond ducks and turkeys and are raising their first set of Tamworth pigs this year.  I have been following their progress since the day that they brought the little piggies

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-27642052794856553832010-06-06T17:03:00.001-04:002011-01-28T20:41:26.146-05:00

I was reading Katie's blog Sneaker Teacher when I ran across this wonderful post.  This was originally intended as a sort of unspoken graduation speech for new teachers, but I think it's a powerful affirmation and reminder for all teachers.  It really moved me.  It's so easy to lose sight of the big picture of teaching between the day to day necessities and the large scale politics.  This

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-43194307035901721402010-05-31T20:10:00.000-04:002010-05-31T20:10:20.144-04:00

J and I are not a fancy couple.  In fact when his mom asked this weekend what marked the first date I had to tell her that we worked on my house, got caught in a rainstorm, and then ate wings together.  Most of our big events are marked by a homemade meal and an evening alone on the couch. This weekend I wanted to do something special for J to show him how much I appreciate him so I got up early

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-88495685761921096562010-05-06T20:18:00.001-04:002011-01-28T20:46:12.914-05:00

J and I often talk about building our own home.  We're both really interested in building something small and sustainable that fit into the beauty of the land we will surround ourselves with.  I don't know if I can convince him but right now my dream house looks pretty much like this: 

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-16897375609555744472010-04-06T19:20:00.000-04:002010-04-06T19:47:32.392-04:00

Yesterday I was extremely productive around the house.  I got more done in one day than I usually do in a week.  I decided to reward myself with a healthy and delicious dinner of baked tofu cutlets, lemon parm pasta, greek cucumber salad, and a steamed artichoke.  Everything on this menu was pretty simple and pretty light.  There could have been a few substitutions to make it even lighter but I'm

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-2530309154782891062010-04-06T16:38:00.000-04:002010-04-06T16:38:23.016-04:00

The lovely Reva from Reva's Rags 2 Roses gave me two awards this week.  One was the sunshine award which she gave to me for schoolmarmstyle, the other was the Cherries on Top Award for Thrifty Schoolmarm!  Reva is so sweet and supportive and I appreciate her for being a very active reader and commenter on both blogs.  The Cherries on Top Rules: 1. Thank the person that gave it to you. 2.

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-36828451586563728892010-04-05T17:18:00.000-04:002010-04-05T17:18:27.483-04:00

That you can make your own air popped popcorn in the microwave with only a brown paper lunch bag, some popcorn kernels, and a piece of scotch tape?  Neither did I until I found this link.  I predict that this will end up being a snack of choice as I launch into my "struggle into your skinny pants" challenge!

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-80003656339326193232010-03-16T06:53:00.000-04:002010-03-16T06:53:11.675-04:00

I'm so giddy with the extra light that daylight savings time has given us in the evening.  The warmer weather is making me a bit giddy and giving me spring fever.  Last night's dinner was meant to capture that spirit of spring. Spring Green Pizza crust for 1 pizza (I used wheat crust which I found in grocery store) olive oil 1/2 C pesto 4 oz part skim ricotta 1/2 small sweet onion (sliced

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-84907592870754598142010-02-25T19:42:00.000-05:002010-02-25T19:42:40.395-05:00

Around my house we like to play with meals.  We don't always follow the rules of what to eat for a meal depending on the time of day.  One of our favorite meal options is brinner, when we eat breakfast for dinner.  It's been snowing all day so a nice cozy brinner sounded like a great plan.  Tonight's meal was a pretty simple sausage and spinach quiche with a side of sweet potato chips.  Yum,

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-76232017646375864222010-02-07T17:52:00.000-05:002010-02-07T17:52:54.975-05:00

Having actually caught up on grading with time to spare before tonight's big game left me a bit of time to prepare some quick lunch items for the week.  I started by chopping up an entire pineapple so that all I have to do is dole out a little bit each day.  Then I created a yummy chickpea salad that will make a delicious topper for lettuce or baby spinach.  I just threw it together and didn't

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-89893120551120901222010-01-27T06:09:00.000-05:002010-01-27T06:09:45.068-05:00

We are about to round the corner out of January, but we have passed the official day of broken resolutions.  One of my resolutions this year was to start a running routine with the goal of a 5K in June. This was one of those dishonest goals.  The real reason I want to start running is to lose some weight and get a bit healthier.  So far I have not yet run, though I have found a routine that I

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-18411674860839727142010-01-17T17:16:00.000-05:002010-01-17T17:16:55.144-05:00

Some people are very good at being alone.  They revel in being single and independent. They are empowered by their ability to drop everything and float away at any given moment.  I am not one of those people.  I crave the stability and comfort that I find in being part of something, yet I struggle with how much a part of something I can really be.  In some cases I am hesitant to become part of

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-78509722791877365632010-01-17T08:15:00.001-05:002011-01-28T20:43:20.501-05:00

Sleepwalker I've been having crazy nights again. The kind where I climb out of bed and wander around the house trying to make sense of my subconscious, but all that comes out is nonsensical mumbles about how I need a thing for a thing or how cold my nose is. I woke up last night tears streaming down my face. I had dreamed that you were leaving. Only you were not you and I was not really me

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-23996328948117327412009-12-04T06:58:00.007-05:002009-12-18T07:29:58.310-05:00

I remember mine. April 1986. TJ Mahr in the tree house that my father hadn't finished building. The last time we had been alone together in the woods it had almost happened, then that pesky chipmunk bit his ear and our romantic encounter took us to an emergency room for rabies shots. This afternoon was equally memorable.When I first started directing middle school plays I knew that they would

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-39272455648409447562009-11-24T13:27:00.003-05:002011-01-28T20:43:41.055-05:00

This weekend I attended the National Writing Project conference in Philadelphia. While I did not get out into the city enough to feel like I was really there, there were a few highlights. On Saturday morning 2 time poet laureate Billy Collins addressed the room and shared many of his simultaneously funny, profound, heartbreaking poetry. I have no aspirations of reaching laureate status, but

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-70669066456173359462009-11-07T07:33:00.004-05:002011-01-28T20:37:49.530-05:00

I knew going into this year that I was doing the right thing. I had fresh perspective, an immediate group of supportive co-workers, and most importantly a belief in myself as a professional. I always knew that I had some pretty good ideas, and was a "good" teacher, yet I always doubted that I knew what I was doing. Maybe that's because I spent the first 5 years of my professional life

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-35615079339188549562009-10-26T07:18:00.004-04:002011-01-28T20:44:28.861-05:00

I stayed late on Thursday, manipulating names on paper, weighing the options. trying to find a balance. This girl's a stronger dancer. But that one sang so sweetly. This boy's voice has finally changed, but now it's too low. That boy can be counted on to catch a girl in his arms without dropping her, but he's only a sixth grader. This makes me feel like a terrible person. In no other place do I

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-75263377528983375612009-10-09T06:29:00.004-04:002011-01-28T20:42:09.343-05:00

The other day I asked my students why they thought people wrote and told stories. I wanted them to think about the purpose of writing, but I also wanted to introduce them to a new way to get at poetry. As they shared their ideas I wrote any striking, important, or well written phrases or words on the overhead. I then told them that this list could be the basis for a new poem. Even though

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-60702005750417010172009-10-07T19:58:00.003-04:002009-10-07T20:10:14.590-04:00

My family is friends with a paranormal investigator. I know that it doesn't sound like a legitimate job title, but I'm completely serious. Basil is an expert on ghosts, communicates with otherworldly spirits, and recently learned to bend spoons with his mind. A few years ago he introduced us to orbs. Orbs are friendly spirits that could be around at any time. There's something in the

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-57266890652052499572009-10-06T06:53:00.002-04:002009-10-06T07:18:31.933-04:00

I've been known to rant and rave, especially out of frustration. My voice gets high and very loud, there is occasional slamming of things for effect (there's nothing like the resounding thwack of a cheap wooden clipboard against a laminate desk to get some attention), if I'm at home I cry. It's not that I intend to be such a drama queen, but intense emotion has always been my go to.But, I also

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-58062187116226568972009-10-01T16:49:00.006-04:002009-10-01T19:52:19.146-04:00

When I was a little girl I had a serious shoe tying problem. I tried everything- bunny ears, swirly airplanes, double knots, triple knots, anything. I drove my mother insane with my constantly dragging, potentially trip inducing laces. But then something magical happened. Parents of similarly shoe challenged children united and spoke up. The manufacturers of children's footwear listened, and

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-27277057010903310352009-09-24T20:18:00.002-04:002009-09-24T20:26:46.242-04:00

Optimism: a senruFirst writing workshopideas flowing wildlywe conquer chaosI was fairly nervous about starting writing workshop. I had envisioned a classroom full of misbehaving students without any ideas. I had nightmares that involved a lot of whining of "I can't". But the kids came through. New ideas came out. Some people were revising, some were starting brand new stories, but everyone

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-44379142552082911742009-09-21T19:40:00.004-04:002009-09-23T08:47:50.054-04:00

I struggle with time, mostly with not having enough of it- ever. I make lists and develop plans and try to come up with ways to make the most of every minute. This is my own personal compulsion, but does it need to be my student's as well? Nothing frustrates me more in the classroom than "wasted time". I've always used rapidity as a classroom management approach. If my students are working

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-35754536330442579732009-09-10T20:52:00.003-04:002011-01-28T20:38:17.383-05:00

The day was frantic. Hurried students herded through construction zones- no maps to guide their way. Harried teachers feeling unprepared for the monumental tasks that lay ahead. Twenty eight minutes, done over nine times sandwiched between long periods of rules and regulations. Nothing felt natural. There was attendance to take, Names to learn, Supplies to be gathered, Information to be

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-90990835835258876582009-08-19T10:29:00.006-04:002011-01-28T20:45:12.961-05:00

Every year I try to incorporate at least one new specimen into my garden. This year I added a few, all of which have been more successful than most of my old standbys- except for the kale. I'm pretty sure that kale, like cockroaches, and twinkies, could survive a nuclear holocaust. By far my favorite new vegetable has been the onion. I don't know why I avoided onions in the past. Raising

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-70858800810109887582009-08-11T08:27:00.003-04:002009-08-11T08:38:31.980-04:00

I had my first "teacher dream" of the new year last night. We were writing. It wasn't a full fledged writing workshop, but just a quick burst. I was writing too. Suddenly one girl stands up, followed by another, and another, and they walk out of the classroom. They are not even talking, but this huge display of Ghandian resistance unnerves me. I follow the girls out of the room yelling and

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-87615515927666648372009-08-09T09:27:00.013-04:002009-08-09T09:54:07.193-04:00

.I've been feeling a bit guilty this past week. I haven't been writing or thinking too much about the upcoming school year. I was feeling a little bit tapped out of creative energy and overall ambition. Then I went to my camera and realized that I have actually been extremely creative and manipulative all week.On Tuesday I created an entire Italian feast completely from scratch. We had Pasta

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-13900519697370676582009-07-30T20:30:00.001-04:002011-01-28T20:44:07.766-05:00

I'm not normally the type to go out on a school night, but an invitation to my favorite beer bar was undeniable. This is an establishment that I tend to avoid when Cornell is in session, but during the summer the near emptiness is enjoyable. This night was something else. Monday Evening The Chapter House was teeming. Filled with the indecipherable din of out of towners taking a break from the

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-70368280334651887142009-07-30T20:24:00.001-04:002011-01-28T20:44:47.725-05:00

Sunday evening was so unbearably hot that I was still awake for the intense thunderstorm we had in Dryden. The next morning I heard someone saying that the difference in writers and non-writers is that non-writers experience amazing moments, while writers commit those moments to paper. I thought that idea was as beautiful as the moment itself. Summer Sky I want to capture the smell of a

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-16221434680705969172009-07-29T07:01:00.001-04:002011-01-28T20:42:30.594-05:00

Yesterday morning there was an impromptu bake off at the Seven Valleys Writing Project. I'm not really sure how that happened, but all of the sweet deliciousness made for an amazing day. I adapted this recipe from bakingbites. They were amazingly delicious and the first plate to be completely consumed! Fruity Oatmeal Crumble Bars Filling 3 cups fresh or frozen fruit (I used 2 c peaches, 1 c

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664876348371902227.post-6606148970370972382009-07-24T07:03:00.001-04:002011-01-28T20:39:39.215-05:00

I recently started on a personal challenge of trying to write a poem a day to help develop the discipline to be a "writer". In true teacher fashion I committed to not only writing when I know what I want to say, but also writing when I had nothing to say. Here's the result of day 2: Anaphora Staring at a blank page, I am unsure of what to write. I hope my words will be accesible, relatable,

Kathryn from Schoolmarm Stylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05088173471960294467noreply@blogger.com2