Reading Reconsidered

Reading Reconsidered

There is no doubt that the face of reading instruction has changed in the dawn of Common Core state standards, and for many teachers, they were left wondering "what does 'rigorous' reading look like?'" As teachers, we hear terms like lexile, close reading, and increasingly complex text  but are rarely given the training or tools to fully grasp their meaning, and if an explanation is given its message varies among school districts. 

In Reading Reconsidered, the authors want teachers to inspire students to "read like champions". In this book, the teacher is given a guide to practical literacy instruction including close reading, and how to engage students in increasingly complex text. The one proven tool to assist students become more proficient readers is to have them read. Doug Lemov implores teachers to do the same in this book, which made me feel relieved to hear this message. There is no replacement for carving out time in the school day to allow students the freedom to choose a book, and time to read it. With so many other choices at students' disposal, it is critical that teachers say "what can I do to instill a love of learning in my students?" 

This text is a book you would buy for a budding students teacher, or anyone looking to broaden their understanding of reading instruction and its shifts. The practical digital clips allow the teacher the opportunity to "see it live" which is the best sort of professional development. Seeing students utilize the strategies and tools that you read about in the book makes it simpler to say "I can do that!" This book is more expensive than other books that teachers could read for professional development, but growth and improvement is more important than anything. Please read the following synopsis to see if this particular text would be the best suited to your classroom needs.

Synopsis 

TEACH YOUR STUDENTS TO READ LIKE CHAMPIONS--WITH RIGOR, INDEPENDENCE, PRECISION, AND INSIGHT

The world we are preparing our students to succeed in is one bound together by words and phrases. Our students learn their literature, history, math, science, or art via a firm foundation of strong reading skills. When we teach students to read with precision, rigor, and insight, we are truly handing over the key to the kingdom. Of all the subjects we teach reading is first among equals.

Grounded in advice from effective classrooms nationwide, enhanced with more than 40 video clips, "Reading Reconsidered" takes you into the trenches with actionable guidance from real-life educators and instructional champions. The authors address the anxiety-inducing world of Common Core State Standards, distilling from those standards four key ideas that help hone teaching practices both generally and in preparation for assessments. This 'Core of the Core' comprises the first half of the book and instructs educators on how to teach students to: read harder texts, 'closely read' texts rigorously and intentionally, read nonfiction more effectively, and write more effectively in direct response to texts.

The second half of "Reading Reconsidered" reinforces these principles, coupling them with the 'fundamentals' of reading instruction--a host of techniques and subject specific tools to reconsider how teachers approach such essential topics as vocabulary, interactive reading, and student autonomy. "Reading Reconsidered" breaks an overly broad issue into clear, easy-to-implement approaches. Filled with practical tools, including: 44 video clips of exemplar teachers demonstrating the techniques and principles in their classrooms Recommended book lists Downloadable tips and templates on key topics like reading nonfiction, vocabulary instruction, and literary terms and definitions.

"Reading Reconsidered" provides the framework necessary for teachers to ensure that students forge futures as lifelong readers. 

Spotlight Feature: Platinum Doll by Anne Girard

Spotlight Feature: Platinum Doll

The story of Jean Harlow, famed movie star comes to life in this book by author Anne Girard. Read the synopsis to discover a if this new book is all you have been waiting for. 

Set against the dazzling backdrop of Golden Age Hollywood, Platinum Doll tells the enchanting story of Jean Harlow, one of the most iconic stars in the history of film.

It's the Roaring Twenties and seventeen-year-old Harlean Carpenter McGrew has run off to Beverly Hills. She's chasing a dream—to escape her small, Midwestern life and see her name in lights. In California, Harlean has everything a girl could want—a rich husband, glamorous parties, socialite friends—except an outlet for her talent. But everything changes when a dare pushes her to embrace her true ambition—to be an actress on the silver screen.

With her timeless beauty and striking shade of platinum-blond hair, Harlean becomes Jean Harlow. And as she's thrust into the limelight, Jean learns that this new world of opportunity comes with its own set of burdens. Torn between her family and her passion to perform, Jean is forced to confront the difficult truth—that fame comes at a price, if only she's willing to pay it. 

Featuring a glittering cast of ingénues and Hollywood titans—Clara Bow, Clark Gable, Laurel and Hardy, Howard Hughes—Platinum Doll introduces us to the star who would shine brighter than them all.

On sale from MIRA Books and available January 26, 2016

Author Anne Girard

dianehaeger.com

Diane Haeger, who currently writes under the pen name Anne Girard (Madame Picasso), holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from UCLA. A chance meeting with the famed author Irving Stone 25 years ago sharply focused her ambition to tell great stories from history, and write them only after detailed research and extensive travel to the place her character lived. That determination has provided a fascinating journey that has taken her from the halls of Chenonceaux, to a private interview with one of Pablo Picasso's last surviving friends, and most recently an invitation inside Jean Harlow's home.

Since the publication of her acclaimed first novel, Courtesan, in 1993, a novel that remains in print today, her work has been translated into 18 different languages, bringing her international success and award-winning status.

Platinum Doll, a novel about Jean Harlow, is her 15th book. She lives in Southern California with her husband and family.

Connect with Anne via her website, Facebook, Twitter or Goodreads:

Facebook: facebook.com/annegirardauthor

Twitter:@annegirard1

Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/Anne_Girard

To order your copy of Platinum Doll, please visit one of the links below: 

Amazon:  amazon.com/gp/product/0778318664?keywords=platinum%20doll&qid=1445039447&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble:  barnesandnoble.com/w/platinum-doll-anne-girard/1122095473?ean=9780778318668

Happy Reading!

Anchored by Brigitte Quinn

Anchored by Brigitte Quinn

Curtis Brown Unlimited

Any female fledgling reporter had aspirations to become the next Barbara Walters. She was the epitome of poise in the news, and Barbara King, the star of this broadcast is not any different than anyone else-she wants to be Barbara Walters. For newscasters waiting to move from one rung of the ladder to the next, in search of the coveted prime time line-up, it is run of the mill news stories: car chases, and interviews that lack luster and appeal to the wider audience.

When Jack Stone is behind the lens, Barbara cannot help but swoon. He is, after all, sexy and unwielding in his dynamic news delivery style. Barbara could even describe the initial encounters with Jack as aloof and stand offish. It isn't long before the two find themselves in sync, and finishing one another's sentences. Pretty soon it becomes obvious to everyone that Jack and Barbara have some chemistry, and in that kind of environment, it is all anyone can talk about. The inter-office gossip is abundant. One's limits are tested with a co-worker like Jack, and Barbara soon finds herself, and the bonds of her marriage tested. Is it worth everything to obtain stardom? Find out what happens in Anchored, a new novel by Brigitte Quinn.

About the Author
Brigitte Quinn is the morning anchor at 1010WINS radio in New York City and a former television news anchor at Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and NBC. "Anchored" is her first novel.

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Satisfaction by Andee Reilly

Told in alternating points-of-view, and with an honesty about what happens when you have to find yourself, but you and your life's circumstances are a mess, author Andee Reilly draws out the stories of Bree and Ginny. When they meet each other in a diner, Ginny gives Bree the lost opportunity to be a mother figure, and Bree finds the nurturing side of herself that she thought she'd long since given up. These two women are drawn together by separate circumstances, but they learn what friendship means, how to forge a path to happiness, and what it means to find out who you really are. The truth is, sometimes you have to lose yourself to be found.

Synopsis
When 22-year-old Ginny Martin discovers her husband has been cheating on her, she strikes back by purchasing tickets to every concert on the Rolling Stones North American tour with their shared credit card, packing up the car, and taking to the road. As she follows the Rolling Stones from Los Angeles to Oklahoma City, Ginny experiences freedom for the first time—and begins to deal with the insecurities and limiting beliefs that have kept her suburban life far too small.

Bree Cooper is a nomad, a free-spirited drifter, and a mother who abandoned responsibility—and her young daughter. When Ginny meets Bree at a roadside diner, they impulsively make the decision to throw their lot in together. In each other, they find a friendship that they have both longed for: Bree gives Ginny a chance to have a mother figure who inspires independence and encourages confidence, while Ginny gives Bree a chance to get parenting right on the second try. Together, they find the courage to break free of the past—and to blaze new paths to happiness.

About the Author
Andee Reilly was born and raised in Los Angeles. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of California, Riverside and teaches literature and writing at California State University Channel Islands. As a teenager, she fell in love with the Rolling Stones, and their music has long served as an inspiration to her writing. She currently divides her time between Los Angeles and Maui. To learn more, visit www.andeereilly.com

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Star Craving Mad

Star Craving Mad by Elise A. Miller

Sparks Press 

As a former private school teacher, author Elise Miller knows all too well the drive of private school parents, and the elite status they tout around like a badge of honor. In Star Craving Mad (a delicious play on words I might add), Ms. Miller sets her novel in an uber elite private school. Anyone who has visited New York's Greenwich Village knows that it is unique, and charming, and that it carries its own special breed of parent and child. New York is not unlike Los Angeles, home to numerous A-list celebs clamoring to get their children into the best schools.

Maddy Braverman is a 30 year-old teacher in a hip downtown school that is known for its unique style, and its privileged students. teaching in a school like this is not easy, and dealing with her fellow staff members can be just as difficult as dealing with her spoiled students. Though first grade is a wonderful grade level, and she's been at this teaching gig for 6 years, Maddy is single, and looking for love. When she finds herself building a bond with a new student Lola, a last minute addition to her class, she finds out that Lola is none other then the daughter of Nic and Shelby Seabolt. Nic and Shelby are A-list celeberities who are, unfortunately, not immune from tragedy. Maddy finds herself in a different role as the story unfolds in Nic's Tribeca apartment, and what you think you may want turns out to be the opposite of what you get.

Being a teacher is a tough job, and Maddy learns that the line between personal and professional, when crossed, can cost you dearly. Can Maddy save herself from becoming Star Craving Mad?

Synopsis
Maddy Braverman, thirty and single, has taught first grade at an uber-elite private school in Greenwich Village for the past six years, a hip downtown school lauded as much for its progressive pedagogy as its priveleged progeny̵and its multitude of sex-crazed staff̵including the headmaster, AKA the Head Molester. Angry at herself for not moving on, Maddy gets distracted from her pity party with a new student̵Lola Magdalena, daughter of A-list celebrities Nic and Shelby Seabolt̵a last-minute addition to her class roster. 
When tragedy strikes Lola, Maddy has the chance to meet with Nic in his TriBeCa apartment. Maddy’s sexy celebrity fantasies turn to reality, leaving her breathless and spellbound. But from her front-row vantage point, Maddy learns the hard way that celebrity is not all it seems, and gets dealt a devastating blow that could leave her jobless, loveless and alone. If she could just see things clearly she could save herself from going Star Craving Mad.  

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Rome in Love by Anita Hughes

Today's feature is brought to you by my fellow Californian, Anita Hughes. Anita is a celebrated writer with many books set in a variety of locales, so the reader has the experience of reading a wonderful book while also learning about vacation spots to add to their bucket list. Her newest book will definitely encourage you to book your next flight to Italy! Though Audrey Hepburn was an actress before my time, I still find her endearing, and it's no wonder the main character of this new novel uncovers letters written by Audrey that help right the pieces of her broken life. The trouble is that sometimes choices are difficult, especially when choosing between love and the truth. Rome in Love is certain to delight readers this summer.

Rome in Love by Anita Hughes

Synopsis

When Amelia Tate is cast to play the Audrey Hepburn role in a remake of Roman Holiday, she feels as if all her dreams have come true. She has a handsome boyfriend, is portraying her idol in a major motion picture, and gets to live in beautiful, Italian city of Rome for the next two months.

Once there, she befriends a young woman named Sophie with whom she begins to explore the city. Together, they discover all the amazing riches that Rome has to offer. But when Amelia's boyfriend breaks up with her over her acting career, her perfect world begins to crumble.

While moping in her hotel suite, Amelia discovers a stack of letters written by Audrey Hepburn that start to put her own life into perspective. Then, she meets Philip, a handsome journalist who is under the impression that she is a hotel maid, and it appears as if things are finally looking up. The problem is she can never find the right time to tell Philip her true identity. Not to mention that Philip has a few secrets of his own. Can Amelia finally have both the career and love that she's always wanted, or will she be forced to choose again?

With her sensory descriptions of the beautiful sites, decadent food, and high fashion of Rome, Hughes draws readers into this fast-paced and superbly written novel. Rome in Love will capture the hearts of readers everywhere.

I hope you are enticed to pick up your own copy of Rome in Love.

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Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street by Susan Jane Gilman

From the outset, the author of this novel captured my heart when one of her dedications was to none other than Frank McCourt. When USA Today calls your book "A rich literary feast", you know you have a book that will delight readers. To think of a child being abandoned on the streets of New York, and rising from that tragedy to transform her life is a marvel. There was something truly endearing about the thought of selling ice cream across America, rising from the ashes of ruin to make something of yourself. As with most people who rise to fame, often that popularity can involve infamy.  Fate can deal you both a full deck, and the next card could involve you losing everything. Lillian is a character who believes in fate, and the story is one readers will not forget. Fans of the Historical Fiction genre will truly enjoy this novel, which is now available in paperback.  

The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street by Susan Jane Gilman

Synopsis
As a child in 1913, Malka Treynovsky flees Russia for New York with her family--only to be crippled and abandoned in the streets. Taken in by a tough-loving Italian ices peddler, Malka survives. When she falls in love with Albert, they set off together across America in an ice cream truck to seek their fortune; slowly, she transforms herself into Lillian Dunkle, "The Ice Cream Queen of America"--doyenne of an empire of ice cream franchises and a celebrated television personality.

Spanning 70 years, Lillian's rise--fraught with setbacks, triumphs, and tragedies--is inextricably linked to the course of American history itself, from Prohibition to the disco days of Studio 54. And when her past starts catching up with her, her world implodes spectacularly.

Happy Reading!