The Giveaways Just. Keep. Coming! Enter To Win THIS Bit of Genius!

As we all gear up for this school year (and word on the street is some of you have already STARTED!), I think we need to take a moment and think some positive thoughts.  Try to find something that will keep us motivated when times get tough (read: the classroom phone won’t stop ringing, your friends are busy picking their noses and/or there’s a last minute assembly and you’re late).

Clearly, today I am feeling very zen. 

But I know I’m right.  Because no matter how difficult one day in our classroom is, we have to go back the next day and do it all over again.  With a smile on our face. 

Friends, I have found a bit of inspiration to help you smile when all you want to do is hide under the covers with a cocktail and perhaps burn your planner.  Lucky for us, this inspiration comes straight from my internet BFF, Rebecca Branstetter (PhD – ha cha cha!) who writes the brilliant blog, Notes from the School Psychologist.  And while her blog is also all sorts of wonderful, today I’m talking about something Rebecca has given us that we can take with us under the covers along with that cocktail.

Yes, girlfriend has written a book and it is fabulous.

The Teachable Moment: Seizing the Instants When Children Learn (Kaplan Voices Teachers)

The Teachable Moment is a collection of essays (edited by the wonderful Dr. Branstetter) written by real teachers about real moments that are not sugar coated or glossed up for the movies.  (I’m looking at YOU Michelle Pfeiffer!) 

This book begins with a wonderful introduction written by Rebecca herself.  She very candidly tells us about one of her first (and most difficult) moments as a school psychologist.  (Imagine telling a whole class of sixth graders that their friend’s father has recently been shot and killed ANNNNDDD their teacher was arrested for sleeping with a student…yeah, THAT kind of difficult.)  Armed mainly with good intentions and a whole lot of graduate school readings, Rebecca learns to seize the moment and take what could have been a disaster and turn it into a learning opportunity for herself and the children. 

Now don’t get it twisted.  You know Mrs. Mimi is pretty anti-tying everything up with a neat little bow.  But that’s not what this book is about at all.  As you continue to read these stories, written by real teachers far, far away from a Hollywood sound stage, you can hear the truth behind their words.  You get sucked into the moments they cherish as the reasons why they continue to teach.  And you feel inspired and ready to face another day. 

With my love of Naughty Boys well established, you know I focused on stories of moments with this particular batch of challenging student.  I read about Carlos and his teacher’s struggle to get him to cut the comedy and recognize his own abilities.  I read about Ryan, a child suffering from Fragile X syndrome who challenged his teacher in so many ways yet, many years later, thanked her for all her work in a way that brought tears to my eyes.  And I read about Max.  A little boy who actually BIT AN ADULT’S ANKLE, but still found a way to work his way into her heart. 

Read them all at once, or save them to read one by one on the days when you really need a pick me up.

These are the real moments that make teaching worthwhile.  (And, you’ll notice that I contributed my own moment to this fab anthology!  A never-been-told-before moment between me and my sweet little Muppet.)

How excited are you?  I mean, are you grabbing your keys and running out the door to Barnsey yet? 

Well, today is your lucky day!!  YOU can enter to win a SIGNED copy of The Teachable Moment right here!!!  (August just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it?)

Three ways to enter:
1.  Leave a comment on this post.  Fabulousness welcome.
2.  Scoot on over to Rebecca’s blog, check it out, and then leave a comment HERE telling us what you love about her.  (It will be hard to narrow down, I promise.)
3.  Join the Notes From The School Psychologist Facebook fan page.  Leave a comment on her wall or email me and tell me you’ve signed up for the fabulousness.  (Remember, the comment/email part is required or else how am I supposed to know you’ve been over there??)

I’ll put all your entries together, assign them a number and, using my trusty random number generator, I’ll pick a winner.  The contest starts TODAY and runs through Sunday, August 22nd.  I’ll announce the winner on the old blog on Monday, August 23rd

Good luck!

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51 Comments
  • Clicked on "Like" on Facebook. 🙂

    August 12, 2010 at 2:26 pm
  • I loved her post on "Did you hear the one about. . . Interventions." As an ELL teacher, I spend a lot of time sitting in meetings where kids are being tested for special ed, and it is surprising how many of the teachers think that ELL/ESL services are an intervention.

    August 12, 2010 at 2:26 pm
  • I would love that book. I already read Rebecca's blog. 🙂

    August 12, 2010 at 2:26 pm
  • Rebecca's blog really is amazing! I am always on the lookout for really positive teaching ideas, and I loved this post about making mistakes: http://studentsgrow.blogspot.com/2010/08/mistakes-are-not-my-cup-of-tea.html

    She explains how she tells her kids about babies "making mistakes" when they learn to walk. I am definitely going to share that with my students.

    August 12, 2010 at 2:26 pm
  • Great giveaway! How did I not know about this amazing book before?

    August 12, 2010 at 2:26 pm
  • looking forward to reading this book.

    thanks.

    russ

    August 12, 2010 at 2:26 pm
  • I follow Rebecca's blog, FB page & on Twitter, which is how I came to your blog! Would love to get my hands on her book too!

    August 12, 2010 at 2:58 pm
  • I absolutely LOVE stories like this, they are the reasons we keep teaching!

    August 12, 2010 at 3:50 pm
  • Awesome! I've been reading Notes from the School Psychologist for ages now–it's another amazing blog. I love reading her personal stories, because as I am starting my first school job in a few weeks, it is very interesting to me to see how ridiculous it can get (answer: very!) while still being so, so worth it. Anyways, I am now also following her on facebook. This book seems like an amazingly inspirational read and I would love to win it!

    August 12, 2010 at 3:50 pm
  • I would love to read this book and share it with my daughter who is also a teacher!

    August 12, 2010 at 3:50 pm
  • This sounds like a wonderful book. I love everything that you share with us.

    August 12, 2010 at 3:50 pm
  • Ooh, I want to read this book.
    thanks,
    Sharla

    August 12, 2010 at 4:47 pm
  • Great giveaway, Mrs. Mimi! I've been following Rebecca's blog for a while, after looking at your blog. I love how she doesn't really sugar-coat things (like someone else I know) and it's great to get another perspective on this whole business of educating children. Is it rude to say "Pick me – please"?!

    August 12, 2010 at 4:47 pm
  • Isn't Rebecca the best? So glad you are all pumped about this giveaway! I feel pretty lucky to have her as aninterney BFF! Good luck and enter away!

    August 12, 2010 at 4:48 pm
  • I'm already a follower of Notes from the School Psychologist, and it's a big treat whenever there is a new post. I think my favorite thing about the blog Rebeccas periodic narrations of how she spends her days, especially as she interacts with the yoots!

    August 12, 2010 at 6:23 pm
  • I'm intrigued! I would really enjoy reading this book.

    August 12, 2010 at 6:23 pm
  • Would love to win this book. Drawing is on my birthday, so maybe that will bring me luck!

    August 12, 2010 at 6:23 pm
  • I love Rebecca's blog! Reminds me of our beloved school psychologist! I'd love to get a copy!

    August 12, 2010 at 6:23 pm
  • Reading Rebecca's blog makes me want to read her book even more! Her overall outlook and enthusiasm for quality education reminds me of the wonderful school psychologist I work with.

    August 12, 2010 at 6:23 pm
  • I am such a huge fan of any Teachable Moment, but to have a book talking about it? Yes, that would make my day.

    August 12, 2010 at 6:23 pm
  • Definitely want to read this book! I love her post on cell phone etiquette!

    August 12, 2010 at 6:23 pm
  • To Rebecca: Ahh.. it's good to hear stories from peeps who are on a traditional calendar! I only have one week between school years, YEA! It's the worst part of the school year! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my year round calendar but I do miss my summers when I hear everyone else talking about it.

    August 12, 2010 at 6:23 pm
  • I love how enthusiastic about students she is. That's the biggest reason I read her blog; everything is couched in a love for the kiddos.

    August 12, 2010 at 7:04 pm
  • Oooh, I want this book!

    August 12, 2010 at 7:04 pm
  • Just from a first look at Rebecca's blog, I can tell this will be one to check in on frequently! I'm a sucker for those kinds of stories, and I'd love to read the book!

    August 12, 2010 at 8:22 pm
  • Would love to read this book and be inspired – and thx for the blog recommendation, too!

    August 12, 2010 at 8:22 pm
  • I read Rebecca's blog regularly and love it as I am a school psych. also.
    I would love to win this book!

    August 12, 2010 at 8:22 pm
  • I started to read Rebecca's blog after you mentioned her a while ago. Now I have another fabulous teacher to follow! And, I figure adding her book next to yours on my bookshelf would look chic.

    August 13, 2010 at 1:38 am
  • I could use this book after the year I've had. 🙂

    August 13, 2010 at 1:38 am
  • This book sounds awesome. I may have to get a copy at the library if I don't win it. 😉

    August 13, 2010 at 1:38 am
  • From one Bad Boy fan to another…If I don't win it I may have to buy it.

    August 13, 2010 at 1:38 am
  • would love to read this book and share it with my daughter who is also a teacher.

    August 13, 2010 at 1:38 am
  • OMG! I am soooooo going to print this up and put it in a special place to reference when I am writing reports or filling out special education paperwork. It will surely give me the boost I need to keep going!

    Thanks Mrs. Mimi and fabulous readers!!! I hope y'all enjoy the book!

    August 13, 2010 at 1:22 pm
  • Would really be able to use the inspiration in this book!

    August 13, 2010 at 1:22 pm
  • wow! thank you so much for recommending her blog 🙂 you are right, is hard to narrow down what we like about her, but I think what I like the most is that she is a psycologist, that's what I wanted to be first 🙂

    August 13, 2010 at 1:22 pm
  • this is such an awesome opportunity, to be able to win her book! thanks so much!

    August 13, 2010 at 1:22 pm
  • Great giveaway! This looks like an amazing book! I already sent a link to several people in my building to see what we need to do to get a copy or 5 in our staff PD library, but I hope I win because I want my own copy!

    August 13, 2010 at 1:22 pm
  • I would LOVE to win this book! On my way to Rebecca's blog and Facebook now!

    Susan @ Lenses on Literacy

    August 13, 2010 at 3:30 pm
  • I would LOVE to win this book! It's one I hadn't heard of before…guess I should climb out from under my rock now!

    August 13, 2010 at 6:05 pm
  • YAHOO! Fabulousness AND free? The best! Here's to an amazing school year!

    August 13, 2010 at 6:05 pm
  • Great giveaway! I <3 you're blog!

    August 15, 2010 at 2:40 am
  • Unfortunately, I don't have time for any teachable moments because 1) we can't keep any "data" on it 2) it is not one of our GLE (grade level expectations, not to be confused with the quirky TV show) and 3) it is not tested on our state test. (Just kidding—a little.)

    August 15, 2010 at 9:33 pm
  • I would love this book. I already read her blog and think it is fabulous!

    August 16, 2010 at 2:35 am
  • I have been eyeing this book since it came out…my Barnsey gift card is burning a hole in my pocket. WOuld love to win it!

    Rebecca's blog is awesome – been reading her for awhile. Keep it up!!

    August 16, 2010 at 6:16 pm
  • Looks like a great read!

    August 18, 2010 at 6:38 pm
  • I just discovered both of your blogs! Consider them bookmarked. Love your wit and humor. It is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

    August 19, 2010 at 10:47 pm
  • I would love this book! I love her blog!

    August 21, 2010 at 12:52 am
  • I have been so interested in this book since I read about it on your blog. As a new teacher (this is my first year) I would love to have a great book to remind me what teaching is all about.

    August 21, 2010 at 12:52 am
  • As a fourth year teacher (who feels like a first teacher…anyone else??) and avid reader of your blog, I would love this book. Looks great!

    August 21, 2010 at 8:15 pm
  • Love the blog, want the book. (love your blog too)

    August 23, 2010 at 6:12 pm
  • The teachable moment that comes to my mind right now is not one that I bestowed on my kids but rather one that they gave to me. It was the day after 9-11. (On the actual day, our school was in lockdown. We were about 90 minutes away from the PA crash site.) Anyway, the kids came in the next day and during recess, a group of them began building the Twin Towers out of Legos. When they were done they gathered EVERY STUDENT around the model where they held hands in a circle and sang "The Star Spangled Banner." This was done completely on their own as I watched crying from my desk. They definitely taught me that hope, love, and friendship are pretty darned important. It's a great memory from a terrible time.

    August 23, 2010 at 6:12 pm

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