Welcome!

I am excited to have a common area for all of us to utilize as we all go our separate ways this summer.  I would like for us to all agree to read two books this summer.  Book # 1 I'd like for all of us to have the SAME experience with.  It is Educating Esme...pictured above.  You may also enjoy perusing Esme's website
http://www.planetesme.com/
I can assure you this is an quick, easy, and enjoyable read.  I warn you that there is some profanity in it but the diary was straight from her experiences in her first year teaching and she chose NOT to edit what she experienced.
Each week I will put a prompt here to promote discussion around this book so that when we all gather together in August we'll have ONE book that we all can use for discussion and reflection.

The second book I'd like for you to read can be chosen from one of the following children's books.  These are either my favorites or current favorites of my girls.  You are free to read more than one...but please select at least one to read between now and August.  We will do something with what you've read when we gather back together.  Here are your choices:

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle---Avi
The Great Gilly Hopkins---Katherine Patterson
Maniac MaGee---Jerry Spinelli
Harriet the Spy---Loiuse Fitzhugh
Promises to the Dead---Mary Downing Hahn
The Lightning Thief---Rick Riordan
Are You There God?  It's Me Margaret---Judy Blume
The Watsons go to Birmingham: 1963---Christopher Paul Curtis

Even if you've read one of these in the past...pick it back up and re-read it this summer with what you've learned about child development. learning styles, and integrated curriculum in mind.
If you would please respond to this post letting me know which of the 8 books you've chosen to read.

I will start posting weekly blogs and prompts for Esme discussion the last Wednesday in May...May 25th.  From that point forward I'll post each Wednesday a new prompt for discussion.

As we wrap up your last week EVER as college juniors, I hope you all know how incredibly proud I am to be your mentor leader.  I'm proud of the individual growth you've each made since August but more importantly, I'm proud of the team you've become!
Love ya!
Mean it!
Dr. VW