BAND January Discussion: Books to Support Goals and Resolutions

Kim over at Sophisticated Dorkiness (my Christmas Card Exchange partner) has another blog that she co-authors titled BAND: Blogger's Alliance of Non-fiction Devotees and if you want to participate, this is what you do...from the About Us section:

How to Participate 

Our main online headquarters is this blog and this is where you can find any updates you need.  

Each month, a different nonfiction blogger will post a topic for discussion, which we’ll post a link to here. To participate, write up a response to their topic — as long or short as you’d like — for your blog at any time during the month. Please also leave a link to your response at the original topic post so the host can write up a wrap-up at the end of the month. 

January's topic

This month's post plays right into my need to create lists so I can see things on paper...

I joined 4 reading challenges this year and I'll be using several books to help with those projects. To find out more about these challenges just click here. This year I want to read more classic novels as well as keep and exceed my reading challenge of 55 books, I've downloaded many free books for my third challenge and most of the books needed for the first two challenges. I also know that I'll be reading loads more YA and Middle Grade fiction for my blog and my classroom as we've implemented an Independent Reading Initiative through MRI (Missouri Reading Initiative). From the MRI website:

Missouri Reading Initiative Connection: Middle & High School

Program Overview

Overview

• The Missouri Reading Initiative is a comprehensive approach to professional development in all aspects of literacy. It was first organized in 1998 under the auspices of the Missouri Learning First Alliance, consisting of fifteen major educational organizations. The initial mission of the Missouri Reading Initiative was dedicated to working with Missouri public schools' teachers and administrators to ensure every child would be able to read proficiently by the end of third grade. However, because of the successful results of the program it has been expanded to include literacy assistance at all grade levels.

Goals

The Missouri Reading Initiative works with Missouri public schools to achieve the following goals:

• Provide ongoing, systemic professional development to enhance the quality of literacy instruction leading to improved student achievement throughout all grade levels.
• Examine and disseminate research in reading and writing to educators throughout the state, assisting schools with the implementation of instructional best practices in literacy through modeling lessons, coaching, and collaboration.
• Assist schools with assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of school improvement efforts in literacy toward a comprehensive model.

So, I guess my list will go a little something like this...YA novel, YA novel, classic, non-fiction book, chunkster, chunkster, blog, blog, blog, YA novel, YA novel, classic, non-fiction book, chunkster, chunkster, blog, blog, blog until we ring in the new year 2013. Should be fun!