TheApple

What are you ready right now? Maybe some of us will be reading the same books, and we can talk about them!

I'm reading 'Monster' by Walter Dean Myers. It is adolescent literature about a boy who is on trial for murder. The story is written from the perspective of him writing a movie about what is happening to him, and also has some diary entries that he wrote. We are going to be reading it in the 8th grade class that I am working in now starting next week. It is a very fast read, but so far, it is fantastic!

Ipaulas, 'Monster' is a great book. I read it a few semesters ago when I was working in a sixth grade classroom. There are some awesome quotes and many opportunities for classroom extensions. Very powerful especially in an urban classroom. The students could really relate to the main character. It's also written as a screen play which is not very common in young adult literature.

Right now it's all textbooks for me and essays on the bill of rights.

The Assassins Gate. It is the book everyone who has any interest in current events should read.

I am reading James Patterson's You are warned. I have read all of his books, and enjoy them very much. The chapters are short, and the person who did it, is never the person you think it is.

I just finished "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy, a fellow resident of Santa Fe, NM. I've read all his works since
I was stunned by "Blood Meridian or the Evening Redness in the West" back in 1985. "The Road" is the most frightening, devastating, yet in the end redeeming, apocalyptic tale I've ever read. McCarthy writes like an angel - an angel named Lucifer.

Just finished "Water for Elephants" Not only a great look into the life of the train circus and the people who tour with the circus, but a great insight into the lives of the elderly. As I approach 60 I remember visiting my mother in a nursing home and the feeling of helplessness and an inability to understand her problems. This book is taken through the eyes of an elderly man as he remembers his days with a train circus right after the death of his parents. Tragedy seems to follow him after the shock of losing his folks but he discovers his love of animals and the circus. A great book about values and friendships and the adventure of a full life.

I just read the latest book by Nicolas Sparks over the weekend called "The Choice." It's not a keeper. Terribly slow plot with trying too hard to be a heart breaker ending. Not his best book.

Well, like vegas_art_guy I am reading mostly textbooks right now. One of them "The English Teacher's Companion" by JIm Burke is a wonderful read with a lot of practical advice and examples.

I am currently reading research based articles and textbooks for my masters class. I did, however, slip in a couple days for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I thought it was a great book and an awesome way to finish the series. After Christmas, I plan to finish the Artemis Foul series (I will have a week off between classes). Those of you looking for ways to improve or gather teaching strategies I recommend Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement, Student-Involved assessmet for learning, Teach like your hair is on fire, What keeps teachers going, and On being a teacher: The human dimension. References and ISBN are below.

Reference

Esquith, R. (2007). Teach like your hair's on Fire: The methods and madness inside room 56. New York: Viking. ISBN-9780670038152.
Kottler, J. A., Zehm, S. J., & Kottler, E. (2005). On being a teacher: The human dimension. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. ISBN-9781412960540.
Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. ISBN- 0871205041.
Nieto, S. (2003). What keeps teachers going? New York: Teachers College. ISBM- 9780807750995.
Stiggins, R. J. (2005). Student involved assessment for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. ISBN- 0536066310.

I just finished reading Ex-Libris by Anne Fadiman-great book, especially for English/Lit teachers!!

I'm reading Bored of the Rings. It's a spoof off of the Lord of the Rings. It's quite funny.

Working on Eragon currently.

Dear tolistefi65,
Now that's one of my all-time favorite short stories. It's one of those that, once you've read it, it stays with you forever. "Ah Bartleby! Ah humanity!"
Another one that's stayed with me for, lo, these many years is "Paul's Case" by Willa Cather.

If you're interested, you can read it at this site:

http://www.enotes.com/pauls-case-text/