What happened at the fourth book club meeting?

Once again, falafel sandwiches and lemonade were consumed, big ideas were discussed, and a good time was had by all...!

Sarah, Sheila, Sonia, Katherine, Emily, Jake, Rhonda, Patti and I met up at Push Cafe this afternoon to discuss the Faber and Mazlish book, How to Talk So Kids Can Learn (At Home and in School). We discussed the ways we talk to kids and the subtext of those comments. People shared examples of interactions they had with students where they tried out some of the strategies in the book, as well as interactions where they did not use the strategies and now wondered what might have happened if they had done so. We also discussed the relationship between how we interact with students in school and how they interact with their families at home, and the ways in which parents often need or want support in how to talk to their children. Overall, people seemed to find the strategies in the book helpful. A lot of us mentioned that reading the book had already made us more conscious of what we say to kids and how we say it (we're all working on our descriptive praise these days!). Thank you to Jake for suggesting this book. (Feel free to borrow a copy from someone who attended this month's book club if you're interested in checking it out!)

For our next book, we'll be reading The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander: From Preschool to High School--How Parents and Teachers Can Help Break the Cycle of Violence by Barbara Coloroso.

We'll be meeting on Tuesday, November 21st at 4:30 PM at Push Cafe (just in time for Thanksgiving -- you can give thanks that you work with such interesting, smart colleagues!). Grab a copy of the book, mark your calendar, and make plans to join in!