Getting Ready for College
Notice the the old toys in the upper left of the picture.

This and That...

Slowing Speech Eases Child's Ability to Listen By Suzanne Perez Tobias The Wichita Eagle Toddlers can be a tough audience lively, distracted, always on the move — but Amy Hockenberry knows how to grab them. "Let's get in a circle," she tells her class at Wichita State University's Child Development Center. "We're going to sing some songs." Hockenberry speaks slowly and clearly. The children... Click here to read the rest of the article.

My favorite summer read was The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield. All children mythologize their birth...So begins the prologue of reclusive author Vida Winter's collection of stories, which are as famous for the mystery of the missing thirteenth tale as they are for the delight and enchantment of the twelve that do exist. The enigmatic Winter has spent six decades creating various outlandish life histories for herself -- all of them inventions that have brought her fame and fortune but have kept her violent and tragic past a secret. Now old and ailing, she at last wants to tell the truth about her extraordinary life. She summons biographer Margaret Lea, a young woman for whom the secret of her own birth, hidden by those who loved her most, remains an ever-present pain. Struck by a curious parallel between Miss Winter's story and her own, Margaret takes on the commission.The Thirteenth Tale is a love letter to reading, a book for the feral reader in all of us, a return to that rich vein of storytelling that our parents loved and that we loved as children. Diane Setterfield will keep you guessing, make you wonder, move you to tears and laughter and, in the end, deposit you breathless yet satisfied back upon the shore of your everyday life. (Amazon description excerpt)

Dear Parents and Friends,

Welcome to the September 2008 Grandview Library Newsletter.

Life Stories
What a summer. This was my year to experience the emotions associated with sending a first child off to college. Now you'd think Charlie's choice to attend a school just fifteen minutes from home would have diminished my angst. However, friends who've been through it told me that whether it's eight hours or fifteen minutes, I was likely to experience the same feelings. They were right, of course. The good news is that this new phase of his life is beginning just in time to keep us all sane -- try to tell an eighteen year old what to eat, what time to come home, or anything else for that matter. So, I stood in lines purchasing dorm room bedding, school supplies etc. I even purchased my favorite cleaning supplies and put them in a bucket so that my son and his roommate could do a weekly clean-up -- gosh, what was I thinking. Still, I like to imagine the little darlings waking up on Saturday morning, looking at each other and saying, "Hey, let's get this place tidied up before we get some breakfast." I'm an optimist and a dreamer.

Kid Cards
In June of 2008, I collaborated with Grandview's art teacher, Mrs. Geertz, to create notecards using children's artwork. The pieces were scanned and reduced to create beautiful notecards which you may purchase from the Grandview Library website. Proceeds from sales are managed by the PTA and funds are used to build classroom libraries. This summer, we purchased chapter books for one of our second grade classrooms. Before you buy your next box of notecards, visit our store and buy Kid Cards instead. You will be supporting Grandview's literacy initiatives and enjoying children's artwork!

Getting Ready for Our School Year
This summer I prepared several Project Organizers to support our library units of study. I will share one of them in this newsletter and many more each month. The research process will be a major focus this year. This summer I worked with a cartoonist for the New Yorker Magazine to create images which complement a new Research Steps Overview organizer which will be used to teach mini-lessons. The images were enlarged to create posters and bookmarks.

Once we've reviewed the research steps and completed several collaborative research projects, 3rd grade students will tackle their own research projects on self-selected topics using our Student Choice Research Project Organizer. Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd graders will work on topics I've selected with step-by-step guidance.

I look forward to seeing your children again. Stop in to say hello if you get the chance -- you are always welcome!

Warmly,
Mrs. Chauncey