Flowers and Foul Play: A Magic Garden Mystery by Amanda Flower

The theme for January's book club is Mystery.  We can read any mystery we want, and when you think about it, there's an overwhelming amount of mysteries to choose from, and it can be hard to decide. Do you go classic, with Agatha Christie, or Sherlock Holmes? Do you go with historical, or contemporary? Cozy, noir, or police procedural? What if you just want to read a stand alone mystery? Do they even exist anymore, in a genre that is mostly built on series? 

Phew. A lot to think about. I started reading the second in Louise Penny's series, after reading Still Life last year and falling in deep like with everything about her writing and storyline. Then I was perusing through my stacks of books, and found a few cozy mysteries that I had received from a publisher last year and hadn't read yet. So I read Bad Neighbors by Maia Chance and it got me on the cozy mystery bandwagon. I've read them before, but mysteries have never been a huge part of my reading life. I've attempted over the years to dig in, and I always get distracted. 

I have discovered that I do love a good cozy mystery. And yes, it is weird to think of a novel that involves someone being murdered as cozy, but essentially they are pretty cozy. They usually involve a main character who isn't a detective; but generally a female who runs a cafe, a bakery, a quilting shop, a bookstore, an antique shop...you get the picture. They're usually set in a small town or village, and there isn't any graphic violence; there's just a dead body that appears to throw a wrench into the everyday happenings of the main character. I find myself gravitating towards cozy mysteries that involve a bit of magic, and that's how I picked up Flowers and Foul Play. I was checking in returned books at the library one day, and thought it looked intriguing AND it met my mystery requirement for January. 

So, a quick synopsis: Fiona Knox has come to Scotland to claim her inheritance from her godfather, who was killed in an overseas military battle. Duncreigan is a little stone cottage and one interesting garden, a few miles from the village of Bellewick, near the coast of Scotland. Running from a failed flower shop, and an ex-fiancee who ditched her for another woman, Fiona is heartbroken at her Uncle Ian's death, but welcomes the chance to get away from Tennessee for awhile. She's only arrived at Duncreigan and greeted Hamish, the elderly groundskeeper, when she stumbles upon a dead body in the garden. Not the welcome she was expecting!

What follows is a mystery revolving around Alastair Croft, the village lawyer who  was murdered by someone in Bellewick, but who? Chief Inspector Neil Craig has everyone on the suspect list, including Hamish. Can Fiona clear Hamish's name, and find out who killed Alastair and left him in her garden?

Oh--the garden is magical, by the way. As soon as Fiona arrives, what was a garden full of dead plants, trees, and ivy begins to transform into a beautiful, blooming wonder. Fiona is confused, and a letter explaining all sent by her Uncle Ian never arrived, so she's clueless about the magical garden. What's in that letter?

Aside from a few editing boo-boos, this was an entertaining read over the weekend. I will definitely read the second in the series, Death and Daisies. 

I can't wait to see what else unfolds for Fiona at Duncreigan. I've found a delightful series that will keep me exploring cozy mysteries all year long. 

Rating:  4/6 for a fun cozy that was a quick read. The setting, the potential romance between Fiona and  Chief Inspector Neil Craig, and the characters who populate the village of Bellewick all make this a series I'll continue to enjoy. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.

from Bookalicious Babe Book Reviews http://bit.ly/2TywcKY

Default Setting or Mindful and Intentional?

Honoring the Past While Moving Toward the Future

A couple of things that I have been thinking lately:

1. When we say, “We want our students to change the world” or “solve tomorrow’s problems,” I wonder if we are acting like the generation of teachers before didn’t?  A lot of the great things that are being created by people today is because of teachers in the past having the same intentions of teachers’ today.  We have to realize that for the best educators, no matter the generation, the intent was the same, but the access to information and each other is different.  Many of the things that I do today are DIRECTLY because of the opportunities that I had in school BECAUSE of those teachers.  I know that not everyone can say that for their school experience, but I know that many can and do.
2. I struggle with the idea that some schools were terrible until one person got there and changed the whole thing.  This can be hurtful to the people that were in the building before and is giving credit to “one” while not realizing that it takes a group to improve and move things forward.  We might have a different vision and different skills, but understand that in any building we walk into, great things were happening before and after.  Find the strengths of the new people you encounter and build on those to help them grow. You are not to fix people, but every great leader helps people develop and reach a higher potential.  Maybe I am naive, but I do not believe anyone goes into education with the intention of making things worse, no matter their position.

Neither of these thoughts is pointed at anyone other than myself. I am focusing on becoming more thoughtful of my language when I work with groups, and I want to find the balance of push and support. My work is to help people grow and see better opportunities, WHILE learning from them and growing alongside.  I think it is essential to write this stuff down as a reminder to myself to honor those that had done so much in education long before I was a student and/or educator.

• November 25, 2018 Teaching Responsibility or Compliance?
• October 14, 2013 4 Assumptions We Shouldn’t Make in Education
• March 31, 2011 Respect
• February 10, 2011 The Ideal Classroom?
• November 14, 2017 Only Schools Can End Schools

Source: George Couros

from Connected Principals http://bit.ly/2AzK40r

Kick off January with #oneoword2019 and other activities with your class/campus!

We get back to doing what we get to do on Monday. Our staff has a day of in-service and while the bulk of our day will be spent in planning, both vertically and as grade level teams, we do have a time set aside for us to come together as a staff and do a few fun […]

The post Kick off January with #oneoword2019 and other activities with your class/campus! appeared first on Technically Yours Teamann.

from Connected Principals http://bit.ly/2sbTj2k

Honoring the Past While Moving Toward the Future

A couple of things that I have been thinking lately:

1. When we say, “We want our students to change the world” or “solve tomorrow’s problems,” I wonder if we are acting like the generation of teachers before didn’t?  A lot of the great things that are being created by people today is because of teachers in the past having the same intentions of teachers’ today.  We have to realize that for the best educators, no matter the generation, the intent was the same, but the access to information and each other is different.  Many of the things that I do today are DIRECTLY because of the opportunities that I had in school BECAUSE of those teachers.  I know that not everyone can say that for their school experience, but I know that many can and do.
2. I struggle with the idea that some schools were terrible until one person got there and changed the whole thing.  This can be hurtful to the people that were in the building before and is giving credit to “one” while not realizing that it takes a group to improve and move things forward.  We might have a different vision and different skills, but understand that in any building we walk into, great things were happening before and after.  Find the strengths of the new people you encounter and build on those to help them grow. You are not to fix people, but every great leader helps people develop and reach a higher potential.  Maybe I am naive, but I do not believe anyone goes into education with the intention of making things worse, no matter their position.

Neither of these thoughts is pointed at anyone other than myself. I am focusing on becoming more thoughtful of my language when I work with groups, and I want to find the balance of push and support. My work is to help people grow and see better opportunities, WHILE learning from them and growing alongside.  I think it is essential to write this stuff down as a reminder to myself to honor those that had done so much in education long before I was a student and/or educator.

• November 25, 2018 Teaching Responsibility or Compliance?
• October 14, 2013 4 Assumptions We Shouldn’t Make in Education
• March 31, 2011 Respect
• February 10, 2011 The Ideal Classroom?
• November 14, 2017 Only Schools Can End Schools

from Connected Principals http://bit.ly/2TtV6eP

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

I had heard buzz about this novel and decided to place a hold at my library, then promptly forgot about it during the holidays. A handy email reminder from my library that it was being held for me jolted my memory--another book I've managed to start since January 1st. 

I have, however, finished this one; it's a pretty quick read and you can read it in an afternoon. It's also pretty darn good, in a serial killer kind of way. 

Korede is a nurse at a local hospital, and she's been in love with Tade, a handsome doctor she works with, for months. Korede is the elder sister to Ayoola, who is physically the exact opposite of Korede: small, trim, and stunning. Her looks make men stare, and she's used her power over men to get her way in practically everything. She's even gotten away with murder. 

Korede knows her sister is a serial killer; after all, she's "accidentally" stabbed three boyfriends, and left Korede to clean up the messes. She's an expert at cleaning up bloodstains and making sure all evidence is wiped away. Ayoola is simply amazing in her ability to remain unaffected, spending time on social media, and quickly finding a replacement for the boyfriend who is now dead. 

Things change when Tade meets Ayoola at the hospital, and quickly falls for her. Korede is heartbroken, and worried he'll end up dead. What can she do to prevent it?

The relationship between the two sisters is the crux of this novel. Anyone who has a sister knows what it's like-you can fight one minute, and then defend each other the minute someone else tries to harm them. Korede is horrified, pissed, and disgusted at her sister's behavior and lack of remorse, yet at the same time, she keeps covering Ayoola's tracks. Some insight into the girls' behavior comes from flashbacks to their father, and the horrible man he was--did he somehow influence Ayoola's murdering mind? There's a nice twist at the end. 

This wasn't the novel I thought I'd kick 2019 off with, but I'm glad I did--I think it would make a great movie, if the dark comedy was done right. Set in Lagos, Nigeria, the food, clothing, and customs were fascinating to read. It's also an examination on how society treats women based solely on looks, and how familial loyalty is universal and, when it comes down to it, always wins out--especially between sisters. 

Rating: 4/6 for a quirky, dare I say darkly humorous look at two sisters: one a serial killer, the other the cleaner-upper.

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

from Bookalicious Babe Book Reviews http://bit.ly/2sbzwA5

What’s More Professional?

Is it more professional to teach in a traditional manner, the way you remember your teachers teaching you? 

Or, is it more professional to teach in innovative ways that might be more relevant to today's world with today's students? 

Is being professional dressing a certain way, fulfilling your obligations consistently, or having a certain type of professional demeanor?

Maybe some of those things matter for professionalism. But what matters most?

What exactly does it mean to be professional?

It seems to me that being a professional is doing things in the best possible way to meet professional goals. If the ultimate goal is the best possible learning for students, then being professional isn't about doing it like it's always been done, or doing it the way you prefer, or doing it by some personal code that might communicate professionalism for the sake of professionalism.

What's most relevant for being a professional educator is taking actions and designing learning in a way that works best for the learners you are currently teaching, this group of kids, the ones you are working with right now.

Being a professional is understanding the needs of the students. It's seeing things from the perspective of the learner, and then seeking to meet their needs to create the strongest learning environment possible. It's being curious about how your students are experiencing learning. And it's having enough empathy to understand and adjust.

It's only natural to teach in the way that's most comfortable for you. I think most people have a teaching identity that says, "I'm the type of person who teaches such and such way." I've even heard teachers make comments like, "That just doesn't work for me." 

They have a certain idea of their teaching identity. And then they build a story for why their students need the type of teacher they value, the type of teacher that fits their identity.

I'm the strict teacher. These kids need discipline.

I'm the lecturing teacher. These kids need to learn to take notes for college.

I'm the cool teacher. These kids need me to be their friend.

I'm the old school teacher. These kids need to value the things my generation valued.

I'm the dominion teacher. These kids need to fall into line and comply with authority.

But what if your teaching identity isn't really what your students need? Are you willing to reinvent yourself to do what's best for today's learners? All of them?

Being professional means doing beneficial things that aren't necessarily your natural inclination.

To me, that's being a professional. It's creating a classroom environment that will engage and ensure maximum learning even if that's not what's most comfortable for me. I'm going to step out of my comfort zone to make this better for my students.

The most professional educators I know are the ones who are willing to do just about anything to make learning better for students. They are willing to adjust their practices to meet the needs of the students. 

In fact, they are actively seeking ways to adjust their practices to meet the legitimate learning needs of their students.

Well, I'm not here to entertain. I'm not doing a dog and pony show.

Is making learning come alive a dog and pony show? Is cultivating curiosity being an entertainer? 

The kids need to learn grit. They need to learn to do the work, even if they think it's boring. They need to learn perseverance.

Grit and perseverance are connected to things we find meaningful, relevant, and purposeful. Do students find your class meaningful, relevant, and purposeful?

I bet you apply effort to things you find meaningful. In fact, every action you're motivated to take is because you attach some meaning to it. You might even hate doing it. But you attach some meaning to it. Or you wouldn't do it.

What about your students? What are you doing to make learning more meaningful for your students? If they aren't motivated, it's because they don't see the meaning in what you're asking them to do. At least they don't see enough meaning in it, yet, because when they do, they will engage.

What adjustments are you making?

A professional educator is seeking to make learning irresistible. 

A professional educator is seeking to meet the legitimate learning needs of the students.

A professional educator is willing to set aside personal preferences for peak practices.

A professional educator is enthusiastic, excited, and energetic about learners and learning.

A professional educator isn't satisfied with going through the motions or arriving at good enough. There is a desire for continuous improvement that starts with the person in the mirror. What are the actions, attitudes, and approaches I need to take to succeed with these students?

What do you think about this riff on professionalism? Does it resonate with you? Leave a comment below or respond on or . I look forward to reading your comments.

        

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from Connected Principals http://bit.ly/2BZC6hb