Our new hamster is a biter.

Oh…Why Lit Maven????

According to the internet search, he is afraid. Afraid of what, you ask?

Well, we noticed that he was bringing his cage bedding to his wheel, packing it in and resting there.

Then it occurred to us, he is uncomfortable, he does not feel cozy in the cage so he made his own space cozy as he could…but good enough is not great.

Then the Eureka moment…

We had forgotten to purchase a sleeping hut.

Lesson learned…the Hamster needs a sleeping hut or he will bite us.

So…we bought a sleeping hut.

Lit Maven…is there a point?

Yes! I work in an open space and although I don’t bite, I could use a lower ceiling and added physical barriers so I can feel cozy enough to work.

But enough about me!

Educational Application:

Our students need to feel comfortable in order to learn. We need to provide cozy spaces of their own design.

Now I know…the hamster is my teacher and I have been schooled.

Until Next Time,
Lit Maven Out!

So I have a new job starting in the fall, same school district and same office.  However, the job is brand new!  I am excited that I can “make it my own!”

Right Paula?

Yes, Lit Maven!

The job is Literacy Supports Consultant for grades 1-12.  This means I will be supporting Literacy, cross-curricular, in approximately 88 schools.

In our school district, consultants visit the schools when needed.  We are not fee for service. This means any teacher or administrator, can request my advice/assistance at any given time.  I can model strategies in a classroom and plan with teachers.  I can present to groups of teachers and admin. It is my dream job and an evolving consultant journey I have been on since September 2007.

For this new job I have been reading these books:

• Leading the New Literacies by Heidi Hayes Jacobs and her other books in the series: Mastering Digital Literacy, Mastering Media Literacy and Mastering Global Literacy

And…

• Reading in a Participatory Culture: Remixing Moby-Dick in the English Classroom by Jenkins, Henry and Kelley, Wyn

If you have any other suggestions please let me know in the comment box below.

I am also working on defining my new job.  It is not the same as being a Language Arts consultant nor is it a “special education” job.  While the job has layers of those, it is not as simple as that.  Of course that is what I like about the job change, the openness and the wild and craziness of it.

Stay tuned for my updates on this adventure! Hopefully I will be breaking new ground and not just hitting it.

Until Next Time,

Lit Maven Out!