Book Club Authors Online

I've been really impressed with my students' Book Club discussions that we've been having in class lately.  They've picked up the mini-lessons on social issues and piggybacking so well, it's as if they've been doing this work all along.  Because of their observations and how they're discussing in class, they're really picking up on some important themes and noticing how the characters are reacting to their situations.

Revisiting these great books made me wonder what these authors are up to lately.  It turns out, they've got some pretty cool websites, and with my recent posts on technology, I couldn't help but think that these authors are using captivating techniques that help them connect with their readers including video clips and tweets.

Check out these sites and let me know which one(s) you like the best and why.  Better yet, tell which books of theirs I should buy next for our classroom library.

Gennifer Choldenko (Al Capone Does My Shirts)

Ellen Potter (Slob)

Jerry Spinelli (Maniac Magee)

Sharon Draper (Out of My Mind)

Edward Bloor (Tangerine)

Be Your Own Angel

Me, looking angelic

When Mr. Ruhter first mentioned that I would be a devil and an angel in front of the entire C Side group, I said, "No way!"  You see, I'm not the kind of guy who likes to get up on stage and be silly, but you know Mr. Ruhter and how persuasive he can be.

So a couple of weeks ago, we put on a skit for all of our students about how we all tend to get off track sometimes.  Mr. Ruhter pretended to be a student, and I played his conscience as both a devil and an angel.  The point was that when we make choices, sometimes we forget what is really important and what needs to get done first.  Instead of getting our homework done first, for example, we may chat with friends online which can really get us in a pickle.

To be honest, I don't know which was more fun to play, the devil or the angel, but I do know this:  setting priorities and make good choices really matters when it comes to balancing a demanding workload and after school activities.

I'm wondering if we left any tips out when presenting this topic.  What do you think?  What works for you?

The World We Live In

I've been thinking a lot about the world we live in and how it is so fast-paced. I don't know about you, but I have a hard time keeping up with it.

I think some of it has to do with technology. Don't get me wrong, I love my gadgets as much as the next guy. In fact, everyone in my family has their favorite gadget, Mrs. Riley and me with our iPhones and our girls with their DSs. They're amazing, and they allow us to connect with our family at home, pursue interests online, and create family memories with photo albums and movies.

Having said that, I can't help but think that technology has some downers. It seems to fragment my thinking when I try to process and respond to the overwhelming numbers of emails. During dinner our phones ping with incoming texts. I also find myself behind the computer screen a lot more than I used to. (Of course the irony is that I'm behind the computer screen to write this post!)

Anyway check this video out from youtube on the world we live in. Pretty fascinating. What do you think?