Literature-based comprehension (reading and listening)

This is probably the BEST literature-based comprehension website I have ever seen to help me with my language disordered students (since I attempt to make my therapy literature based). It even comes with TONS of short passages (perfect for our 30 minutes of therapy time slots), comprehension questions, and tons of recommended read a loud books.

www.readworks.org


and the best part? Totally free for everything I need: book recommendations, printables, questions, and short passages.

Goals for 2011

These are not New Year's Resolutions.

I have a New Year's Resolution.

It's a longstanding one that I've only somewhat been able to keep over the years:
I will not let my metabolism slow down and weight catch up.

That aside, these are (hopefully reasonable) goals inspired by this post from earlier this month.

Personal:
Read the Bible 6 mornings per week (I'm currently at 5).
Exercise 6 days per week (I'm actually at 6-7 right now post P90x and 30-Day Shred), but I'm not sure how long I can reaslistically continue that regimin as cold/flu season sets in.
Get 7+ hours of sleep each night (This means going to be at 9pm, which I have been pretty good about this year!).
Read 3 books per month (I've read 2 books/month on average for the last 5 years and I'm ready to up that number slightly).
Take Spanish classes (I got a head start on this and signed up for a weekend immersion class next month!).

Family:
Go on a date monthly with Professor X (Currently we go on about 2 per year!).
Go away for a night with Professor X.
Find a source for a cheap/used lightweight, fast wheelchair for Professor X.
Encourage the kids to love reading by reading great books (that even I want to read) at least 5 nights per week.
Sponsor another child from Africa New Life (I jumped on this one last week and we are now the sponsors to an adorable 4 year old in Rwanda).
Change our family story to somehow reflect something great. Something that we are all inspired to live for (Possible visit to Rwanda in the future??).

Required Reading: Schuyler's Monster

I'd heard of the book Schuyler's Monster before, but shelved it in the back of my brain. However, after Chicory Blue blogged it as one of her most recommended books for 2010, I put it on hold at the library. And on Monday I attended a fabulous professional development course which gave away two copies of the book. And showed pictures of Schuyler (pronounced "Skyler"). Because the speaker had met her! In typical fashion, I won neither copy of the free books, but my library hold came in the next day and I read the book within 2 days.



Schuyler's Monster is written by the author of Schuyler's Monster Blog (and since all bloggers are awesome, he must be as well!) and is the intimate journey of his family as they fall in love with their new daughter, follow a painful journey of discovering her disability, and then fight the status-quo to give her everything possible to help her thrive, including a voice. Is is a story about the power of Augmentative Communication, a dedicated family, and caring friends and family that helped it happen (blog readers raised $10,000 to pay for her AAC device in 5 weeks! Wow!).

This was an easy and powerful must-read for all parents, educators, and anyone affiliated with the world of special needs.

Books I read in 2010

Yet again I have failed miserably in my quest to read a book a week (on average). You know...like I did pre-children!

My favorites:
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: Potentially life changing autobiographical memoir by Don Miller. Don decides that he wants to have a good "story" to tell about his life. And it makes me want me change my life story to be great.

What Strength Remains:Fantastic biography of an amazing genoicide survivor from Burundi and his journey to the United States. And back to Burundi. Inspiring and amazing.

The Art of Racing in the Rain: Sad and pensive fiction about a Northwest man surviving the loss of his wife and the battle to get custody of his daughter. All narrated by the family dog.

Outliers: I learned so much from this book!

Catching Fire: Awesome 2nd book in the triology The Hunger Games (although not as good as the first)

Books Read in 2010

• Harry Potter and teh Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
• Guardians of Ga'hoole--The Capture
• Among Schoolchildren
• A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
• Wind in the Willows
• What Strength Remains
• Mokingjay
• Gregor the Overlander
• Jesus for President
• The Magician's Nephew
• The Middle Place
• It's All Too Much
• How Children Raise Parents
• Sidetracked Home Executives
• Surrendered
• Outliers
• Catching Fire
• The Art of Racing in the Rain
• The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
• Adopted For Life
• Shanghai Girls
• Creating an Intimate Marriage