encouragement

I went to the RPC fellowship group tonight, after e-mailing back and forth with Megan several times. There were only five of us there, but it was such an encouragement, both spiritually and socially! Megan and Laura (both of whom I met at church) live on the Upper West Side, so we rode the subway uptown together and spent time getting to know each other.

Today was also day two of the Reading Workshop Institute, and I should be doing my reading and working on the paper due Thursday. I'm learning more about the organization of the Columbia Model, as some call it, which Lucy Calkins developed. I think many of the things we're talking about can be used in the Four Blocks model, or in any balanced literacy program. Yes, I know - teacher talk. Sorry. I also chatted today with some girls who teach in New York. Their schools require them to use the model, and I'm shocked and appalled by the stories they're telling of how controlled by policy, law, and administrators they are in their classrooms. Another girl I met teaches in California, where basal readers are mandated, and she told me she's going to use the model secretly. I'm becoming more and more convinced that I will never be able to teach in public schools in the US! However, I'm also getting fired up and encouraged to teach, and I am disappointed to know that I won't get to do that this year.

ALSO...

Happy Birthday, Bryson! (August 20)
Happy Anniversary, Mr. & Mrs. v! (August 20)
Happy Birthday, Uncle Bret! (August 22)