To Turn Out the Lights or Keep Reading, THAT is the Question...

 *Statistics cited in this blog come from http://www.ksl.com/?nid=968&sid=15431484.

It’s 12:00 AM. You have to be up at 6:30 AM to get ready for school. You know it’s time to get some sleep. When that alarm beeps its annoying beeps, or chirps its annoying chirps, or sings its annoying song, you will regret this. You play the game in your head. “Okay, if I get to sleep at 12:30AM, that’s still 6 hours of sleep and I can manage.

12:30 comes and goes. 1:00AM. 1:30 AM. You keep playing the “If I fall asleep at _______, I'll get _____ much sleep” game. Finally, you realize it’s a must. You have to get some sleep.

You finally put the book down. 2:00 AM. 4 ½ hours of sleep.
And it’ll probably happen again tomorrow night.

This is what a good book does to us. It causes us to throw out all logic that is built into our very nature in order to help us stay healthy, to stay alert, to stay with it enough to be a fully functioning human being the next day. And a good book can destroy this very logic at its core!

And it’s one of the best things ever!

Of course we don’t want to condone not getting enough sleep. Sleep is one of the most important actions we take as human beings. Without it, as mentioned, logic goes out the window. Our ability to focus declines, our irritability shoots off the charts, and we generally don’t function well when lack of sleep becomes an issue in our lives. There is even a story about a hot-air balloonist who was attempting to set a world record for a hot-air balloon flight. The journey was a days-long journey, and while attempting to set the record, he didn’t sleep much. At one point, the balloonist became so extremely tired that he had to get some sleep. During his sleep, the balloon descended to an unsafe level, which set off alarms in the balloon. Due to the lack of sleep and what this had done to his reasoning and logic, the man heard the alarms and in a frantic, sleepy, exhausted state, his first reaction was to “get away from the alarms”. In doing so, he nearly climbed OUT OF THE BALLOON in his attempt to get away. Thankfully, he stopped himself with one leg dangling from the balloon, realizing at the last second that this was not what should be happening!

I bet he read stories about hot air balloons growing up.

Reading is one of the most important life skills someone can hone. Not just for tests. Not just for job skills. But just because it increases the mind’s ability. It takes our capabilities to new levels. A research study conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found that “Reading is the single most important skill necessary for a happy, productive, successful life.”

Think of that? The single most important skill for a happy life is reading.

Yet 10 million children struggle with this, and of those 10 million, 10 to 15 percent will drop out of high school. That’s one to two MILLION kids who will drop out of high school. What repercussions does that have on a society? While the trails that students who drop out can go down are endless, we know one thing. According to the article listed above, 86 percent of juvenile offenders have reading problems, and 60 percent of prison inmates are illiterate.

86% of juvenile offenders have reading problems. 86%!!!

That’s nearly 100%.

The approach YOU as a teacher take to reading can determine your kids' approach to reading. The crucial nature of showing kids that reading can be exciting, that it can take them down new and better roads, that it can lead to a great life is more important now than ever. Did you know the average kindergarten student has watched more than 5,000 hours of television? That’s more time watching television than it takes to earn a bachelor’s degree in college.  More TV for a 6 year old than earning a college degree for a 22 year old.

This has to stop. And with the accessibility to tablets, PCs/laptops, smart-phones, google-glasses and so much more coming at an increasingly quick pace, the emphasis on picking up a book and reading is critical. And whether it’s for the good or the bad, it starts with you, the teacher.

Put the pride aside. Nobody wants to look silly or dumb in front of their students. But open up a book, create new voices, act out the scenes in the read-aloud, interact with the kids as you read. When I started teaching, I was in love with reading. And if my kids learned anything from me through the whole year, I wanted it to be to learn to love reading. It’s not innate in everyone. Some people (especially some kids) really hate reading, usually due to the struggle with it.

But I wanted THOSE kids to learn to love it. So, I decided my first year that I would put myself 100% into the stories I was reading aloud in class. Jumping on desks, using accents and different voices for the characters, rolling and falling on the ground, throwing things across the room, screaming, yelling, “NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” during intense moments!

It changed everything for some of those who hated reading, and motivated those who loved to read to dig in even deeper.

Whatever you do, whatever you emphasize in your classroom, I hope that reading is one of those things.
Reading can literally change someone’s life.

Don’t believe me? Check out Malcom Mitchell’s story here. A football player for the Georgia Bulldogs, this guy has an amazing story. I won’t give away the plot, but I do want to end with a quote from this dude.

He is asked: “Looking at your life now, with all you’ve accomplished, what are you most proud of?”

This is a guy who is a college football player for one of the most elite football programs in the country. And what is his answer?

“I finished the Hunger Games series in about 2 days.”

Astonishing. Inspiring. Motivating. Watch this guy’s story, friend.
Thanks again for reading.
Seriously, thank you for READING this blog. I am glad you have the ability to.

Best Wishes,

Joshua Lee

Click Here to check out Malcom's inspiring story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPLwQm2y83E

For even more about his story, check out http://deadspin.com/georgia-football-player-joins-a-book-club-with-some-ver-1621115748.


Friendly Feature: In honor of the importace of reading, we'd love for you to check out our friend Teacher Karma's snazzy looking Fall Reading Logs. An important message about the motivation that reading logs can create is included in this product. Check it out by going to http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Reading-Logs-for-Fall-FREEBIE-Autumn-Theme-Squirrel-Guided-Reading-1463481.

Those That Don't Know The Past...

A few years ago, I had a chance to attend a national seminar on the Constitution in Dallas, Texas. Thousands of people gathered to learn about what the Constitution was. Why wi it important, what does it have to say, is it applicable to today? It was one of the richest, most amazing events I’ve ever been to. I learned more that week about the Constitution than I knew possible, and it set a fire in my heart and mind. I knew then and there that this would be a life pursuit, and helping others understand the importance of the document, of the context, of the history behind our founding documents would be a main focus.

Too many times we don’t give kids enough credit for what they are capable of. In the days since that week long seminar, I have seen some of the tests and standards from the late 1700's and early 1800’s. Difficult? That would be an under-statement.

In ancient Jewish culture, students would go through a system of education similar in structure to what we have now. They would start young, work their way up and eventually move on to the highest level of study if they were capable of doing so. One thing that I find amazing about this is students at the early ages knew the entire first 5 books of the bible. Memorized. Contextually they knew the stories, the meanings, and the deeper understandings behind them.

Then, if they made it to the 2^nd level, they would come to know the entire Old Testament. Not just a story here and there – the WHOLE thing. The meanings, the context, the deeper understandings – all of it.

Do you have students who struggle reading even a book? How about getting them to focus on a lesson for more than 20 or 30 minutes without needing a substantial break?

This isn’t a judgment on our society by any means. It’s an observation. Our kids are EXTREMELY capable. I would venture to say they are more capable now than ever before. With the technology available to them and the tools there to help, the capacity for learning has never been higher.

So let’s tie this back to the beginning of this blog, the Constitution seminar. I’m sure you’ve seen the clips on various comedic late-night shows where the host walks around with a microphone asking people if they know various historical facts about our nation. I’m always horrified to think people don’t know some of the basics! Then, I ask people I know – friends, colleagues, relatives, associates, and students…and often, the answers are not so much answers, but blank stares with the, “Um, gosh, it’s been so long since I’ve had to know that, I really don’t know.”

The problem with that line, to me, is “since I’ve had to know”, as if the senior year history test is the only time we should know American History.

Wrong!

A philosopher from the late 1800’s once said “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it".

We must become more fluent with our own past, our own heritage, our own history. We need to know, at the very least, the basics. Why did this American experiment work? Who were key players in the American Revolution? Why does it matter today?

Obviously, no 5^th grader, no 9^th grader, not even a 12^th grader needs to become a political scientist and have the ability to break down the intricacies of the American Revolution and what the economic impact around the world would be had the British Navy not been as capable and strong as it was, and what role that played in determining the outcome of the war. But the basics of who we are, where our country came from, why it matters today – these are all things that adults AND kids are capable of knowing.

If children in ancient times knew by heart and could discuss in depth the complexities of ancient scripture, then surely our kids today with the tools and resources available to them can know the basics of American History, yes?

So, how does this fit in to a Mom’N’Me store on Teachers Pay Teachers. My mother, Lana, and I are passionate about US History. Major nerds, for sure. And we would love to be a source or a place you can go for history lessons, for tools to use with your kids to help them grow in their knowledge of all-things-American-history.

Our TPT store will be moving in that direction soon, and we are excited to create some things that you might be able to use in your classroom that will tie directly in with the core standards, will be at a high level that will help kids learn, and hopefully will give you more time to develop and craft the learning that your students are capable of. In-depth reading and analysis of text, being able to break down a passage or situation and know why it is important and how to approach the reading, and moving into an ability that isn’t just reading and finding definitions, but knowing how to come to a difficult piece of reading and understand it for themselves. Independent learning as well as cooperative learning can be abilities we pull out of kids. We can’t be shocked when it happens – we know it can happen. We know they are capable of this. We have seen so many kids come through our classrooms who we know will go on to bigger and greater things. Why can’t we use some rich, American History to help these skills in the process?

I think we should! We don’t want to see our kids on that late-night talk show being asked a simple American History question like “Who was the first president of the United States”, only to hear them say something like “George….George…George…oh, George Bush, yeah!”

Along with the resources we will be creating and making available to you, we believe strongly in supporting American History education locally and nationally. You’ll notice the prices on all of our products end with $0.76 cents. This is for 2 reasons – to remember the founding of our country (1776), as well as for donation purposes. 76 cents from every product sold in our store will go towards a non-profit history-based educational service somewhere. Each quarter of the year, we will highlight a new history-based foundation, and your purchases will help to fund that organization!

This month, we would love for you to check out The Mount Vernon Organization. This is the historical place of George Washington’s home, and they do some amazing work here. If you get a minute, check it out, and we’d encourage you to show your kids around the website! If you or they are ever in Washington D.C., this is a must-see-place on yours or their trip!

With that, we’d like to present our Constitution QuestActivity Lesson. Constitution Day is September 17^th, and we would be honored if you would check out our Constitution Quest Activity Lesson at our store by going to http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Momnme, or go to the link directly by clicking on Constitution Quest Activity Lesson.

Thanks friends! We hope your Constitution Week goes fabulously! More soon.

Best Wishes,
Josh Lee


And...just in case you were wondering…this is what we’re talking about.

Americans Don't Know Why...
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRkFDcX_72c)

FRIENDLY FEATURE: We would like to feature other TPT seller's amazing activities as well! Check out this one from our friend at Education to the Core! It's a great Community Helpers activity that features great stuff like Close Read, Writing, and Craftivity Units.

Say Something

We all have that story.

You know that story…the story of tomorrow, September 11^th. Where you were, what you were doing, who you were with, what time of day it was when you heard, the expressions of the people around you. Everyone has that story. It’s the story that at some point down the road (if you haven’t already), you will tell your kids, and your grandkids, and maybe even your great grand kids. On a side note, I highly encourage you to write your story down. While these stories are a dime-a-dozen because everyone has a story, it is uniquely your story, and there can be no value attached to that story for your family and your kids.

So you have that story. Here’s a crazy thing about September 11^th, 2001. Every kid now in an elementary school across America was not born on that horrific day. Think of that – every kid that wakes up today and heads off to an elementary school wasn’t even alive on that morning.

Where did the time go?

I was watching the news earlier this week and they were doing story after story of negative after negative happenings. It is what it is. I’m a news-junkie, so I have become accustomed to whatever it is they are reporting on that isn’t really “news” but more sensationalism to get viewership, but it keeps me up to date on certain things, and then I can go do my own homework on the story to find out what is really happening.

But that day, September 11^th, there wasn’t really any denying what we were seeing. It was happening all on live television, and those memories are as fresh in my mind as anything could be. They probably are in yours too. You don’t forget things like that.

But the kids in today’s elementary schools weren’t even alive for it. If you take a quick poll in your class asking students if they know what happened on 9/11, you may even find that some of them don’t even know the reason that day is important in American history.

So why bring this up? Why a 2^nd “downer” blog (I promise I’m not a downer!! This is heavy stuff, I know!)

The most recent news story to capture the attention of America is the story of the now-former NFL player who punched his then-fiance while they were at a casino, knocking her out cold in an elevator and then dragging her body into the lobby outside of the elevator once they had reached their floor. And how many facebook posts have you seen about this story? How many news segments have talked about this? It’s ALL OVER THE PLACE. And maybe it should be.

But there’s a lot of psycho-analysis going on here. I saw one blog post that had nearly 50 comments on it, and it was going back and forth about women’s rights and men needing to step up and be men and this and that and blah blah blah…

I chimed in with a simple thought, really: In kindergarten, we learn to not hit each other.

Period. You don’t hit someone else.

Did either of these 2 people in this incident ever learn that in kindergarten? What are their kindergarten teachers thinking right now? Is it an, “Oh my goodness, what did I do wrong?” moment for their former teachers? Is it a, “Yeah, I saw that coming years ago…” moment for their past educators?

Is it a, “What am I doing now to do everything I can to ensure my students don’t do this someday to their significant other?” moment for you?

We are held to high standards as teachers – not only as professionals, but in your personal lives as well. And just like the standards we are held to, we are hired to teach to the standards of whatever state we live in – right now, most likely, a common-core standard for you. But is there any time in the day for teaching kids to not hit? Is there time in the day to remind kids of what it’s like to be good to each other? To love each other? To be generous with your time, with your money, with your heart, with your life? I hope there is.

I hope you are finding even 5 minutes a day to just tell your kids the value of love.

The value of kindness.

The value of standing up for what is right and good and true and noble and honorable and peaceful.

I hope that you don’t ever look back and think, “Should I have said something”, or “Should I have done something” or “Why didn’t I say or do something?”

We’re in a unique place as educators. Eluding to the last blog, we spend more time with the kids in the 9 months we have them than many of their parents or older siblings do. And so often it feels we are told we aren’t the parents of these kids and to just stick to the standards and don’t say anything controversial ever in a classroom.

But I would submit that teaching kids – nay, showing kids what generosity looks like, what kindness looks like, what doing the right things looks like, is just as important as any lesson from the standards you are held to teach to. Because they may be the best mathematician in the class, or the most scientifically inquisitive minded, or the best writer, or the best speller or the best ___________ (you fill in the blank.) But best or not, if they hit someone, if they resort to violence like we see too many people do today, then they still have a lot to learn.

Much of this world still has a lot to learn.

You can make a difference today for those kiddos in your classroom. Just like we learned in kindergarten, it might be a good reminder to those 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, 9^th, 10^th, 11^th and 12^th graders that it’s not okay to physically assault someone. You may not be able to fix the brokenness inside the student that you suspect may be assaulting or is being assaulted, but you can say something to someone. Don’t let it go friends. If you suspect, say something.

The news will tell you stories of sadness, of physical assault in elevators and abuse around the country and sadly, planes flying into towers. It happens on a world-scale for too many people all over this world and it’s big and heavy and hard and not fun to deal with on any level – but you can do your part in your classroom of 20 to 30 kids today. Show them love, show them kindness, show them good. Again, referencing the last blog, “Be Them”.

Happy teaching today friends! More soon.

Josh Lee

If you’d like a good cry for a minute, here you go. Don’t stay silent on abuse – say something. (Or if I want to be cool, I guess I have to type it #saysomething). Yep!



 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtNYA4pAGjI