two favorites & showtime

top, Banana Republic Factory Store

Joseph A. cardigan and petite trouser jeans, Macy's 

     This green tee got a lot of wear when I was in the classroom. Why? It's a fun color, has a work-appropriate neckline, has embellishment for a little something special, and is comfy. Definitely one of the best things I've ever purchased on my annual pilgrimage to the factory store. :)
      Pairing it with another favorite - this exuberantly patterned cardigan - made it perfect for work. I always read and hear that petites are supposed to go with small and shy prints, but I really yearn for the big splashy ones. ; )
      Today the students I've been working with this week will present their Aesop's fables readers theater. Having never taught readers theater in my classroom, I really appreciated the chance to experiment and add something valuable to my teacher's toolbox. The fables and scripts are very short, and at first I wondered, how am I going to stretch this into a week's worth of hour-long lessons? It turns out that it was very easy to find activities.  
     Some things I liked about readers theater: it is a great way to engage students of all abilities.  The performance aspect really helped student get excited. Students really built their comprehension of the story by repeated readings and examination of the text. In the classroom, sometimes I feel rushed to move on to the next thing, but I saw how valuable it was for students to use a familiar text. Also, it was gratifying to see the English-language learners grow comfortable reading aloud and experience reading with expression.
   P.S. The above photo makes these pants look crazily bell-bottomed, but I think that in real life they look more like this ... amazing what an angle can do. :)