Yesterday was the kind of day that I’ll remember. We had been working with our specialized reading teacher throughout the last few weeks before our holiday break to have stories both fiction and nonfiction, short stories and picture books about the holidays. She wanted to count down the days with her groups and make it special but incorporate activities to build the skills necessary for students who are still learning to read. One of the last elements to put in place was some hot cocoa and coming in as a mystery reader with my favorite holiday picture books because you’re never too old to be read aloud to.
We organized the the urn for hot water and the teacher brought in some accoutrements (candy canes and marshmallows). Then I picked out my favorites: Snowmen at Night, Snowmen at Christmas, and Bear Stays Up For Christmas. The first two are part of a series by wife and husband, Caralyn and Mark Bruehner in which the paintings on each two-page spread of snowmen having fun (at night and at Christmas) have hidden items like a Santa face and T-rex. The Bear book by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman detail the hibernation of Bear who is staying up for Christmas with his woodland friends… until he falls asleep.
I read through the books with the small classes, talking through and asking questions before they refilled their hot cocoa and we rounded out the class with a YouTube tutorial on drawing a holiday character. First up, the elf. Second, a penguin. And third, the Grinch before my colleague came in to do the other classes because we like to share the fun.
This is the best job ever. We got to connect with a veteran teacher new to the high school who had a vision for the last few weeks before the holiday and we helped to make it happen and were able to partake in the fun. (Only to be tied with listening to our choir sing a handful of carols in the library eighth period).
Readers Be Advised 