FOR-PD Literacy Blog

From FAME Website: Governor Charlie Crist extends his sincere wishes for the observance of School Library Media Month, April 2008. Each year our school districts and Florida citizens celebrate this month to showcase the programs, services, and resources provided by school library media centers. This celebratory month provides opportunities across the state to highlight school library media contributions for improving the quality of education.

Findings from research studies conducted in nineteen states, including the Florida statewide library media study entitled, Making the Grade: The Status of School Library Media Centers in the Sunshine State and How They Contribute to Student Achievement, report that school library media programs make a measurable difference in assisting students function successfully in school, preparing them for lifelong learning and enhancing their reading enjoyment. Additionally, it is appropriate that this month, which recognizes school library media services in Florida, also coincides with National Library Week that highlights the impact of all types of libraries on the nation’s citizens.

Click here to read the proclamation.

Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month (NPM) brings together publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools, and poets to celebrate poetry and its place in American culture. Thousands of businesses and non-profit organizations participate through readings, festivals, book displays, workshops, and other events.

The goals of National Poetry Month are to:

• Highlight the extraordinary legacy and ongoing achievement of American poets
• Introduce more Americans to the pleasures of reading poetry
• Bring poets and poetry to the public in immediate and innovative ways
• Make poetry a more important part of the school curriculum
• Increase the attention paid to poetry by national and local media
• Encourage increased publication, distribution, and sales of poetry books
• Increase public and private philanthropic support for poets and poetry

Looking for some ideas on how to integrate poetry into your instruction? Check out the following resources.

• FOR-PD Reading Strategy of the Month: Poetry
• Astronomy Poetry: Combining Poetry With the Content Areas
• Practical Poetry: A Nonstandard Approach to Meeting Content-Area Standards
• Poem in Your Pocket
• Read*Write*Think: Poetry
• Scholastic Poetry Page

New FOR-PD Audio Interview with Dr. Douglas Fisher Now Available

Douglas Fisher, Ph.D., is a Professor of Language and Literacy Education in the Department of Teacher Education at San Diego State University, the Co-Director for the Center for the Advancement of Reading at the California State University Chancellor’s office, and a classroom teacher at Health Sciences High & Middle College. He is the recipient of an International Reading Association Celebrate Literacy Award, the Farmer award for excellence in writing from the National Council of Teachers of English, as well as a Christa McAuliffe award for excellence in teacher education.

He has published numerous articles on reading and literacy, differentiated instruction, and curriculum design as well as books, such as Creating Literacy-rich Schools for Adolescents (with Gay Ivey), Improving Adolescent Literacy: Strategies at Work (with Nancy Frey) and Teaching English Language Learners: A Differentiated Approach (with Carol Rothenberg). He has taught a variety of courses in SDSU’s teacher-credentialing program as well as graduate-level courses on English language development and literacy. An early intervention specialist and language development specialist, he has taught high school English, writing, and literacy development to public school students.
Listen to and/or read this interview via the FOR-PD website at http://forpd.ucf.edu/resources/fisher.html

We’d love to hear from you on your thoughts about the interview and your experience using the words of Dr. Fisher. Please click on the “leave a comment” word bubble below.

Do you know a teacher or administrator who would like to take FOR-PD course this summer? FOR-PD has opened registration for the summer 2008 sections today, March 3 and will close registration on April 14 at 5PM EST. The spring course will begin on May 12 and end on August 18.

Please have those interested visit our registration page, http://forpd.ucf.edu/register/register.html, for more information.

From “The Core: News from the Florida Department of Education“: The State Board of Education (SBE) recently approved the revised Science Sunshine State Standards (SSS). Based on leading national and international science standards, the revised Science SSS incorporate the latest scientific research, concepts, and techniques that form the educational foundation for students to compete in the global economy of the future. District science curriculum will be aligned to the revised standards beginning in the 2008-09 school year and the Science Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) will begin testing students on the material in 2012.