Reflections on Chapters 5 and 7. Is your thinking about the teaching of reading changing? If so how? What do you think about in your teaching now that you did not think about before? If these questions do not "speak" to you then you can write your own reflections...
I suppose an analogy is on order. I’m looking at reading more like exercise now. Good exercise, the kind where you warm up and cool down. Of course just putting on your shoes and hitting the pavement is great: gains will be made. But to maximize the benefits, stretching before and after is critical. Loosening up the muscles, preparing them for what’s coming, is essential. Those activities designed to ready readers to read, to prime them for the workout that is coming, so that their muscles are used most efficiently—those activities have become standard for me now. They weren’t before.
ReplyDeleteOut with the old and in with the new A refreshing feeling.
ReplyDeleteAfter finishing the chapters I definitely felt overwhelmed. It is a great feeling though, as I now have some wonderful strategies in store for my students. I am looking forward to putting them into practice- tomorrow!
Why overwhelmed? There was SO much in those two chapters.
The thinking that goes on as we read is incredible -I will be reading those chapters over again and again .
What an insightful way of allowing the students to “experience “reading. Not by listening or answering questions on a worksheet or in a group/or a finished project after they have finished a book to check for understanding. As a teacher I can now receive instant understanding of how our students are grasping the literature.
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DeleteMy thinking about the teaching of reading is definitely changing. I never really defined myself a reading teacher. After all, my contract states that I have been hired to be a science teacher, not a language arts teacher. Of course, it does help students in science if they are good readers. But there are many ways around reading problems in a subject like science. We can discuss, role play, experiment, build models, and watch demonstrations. A reliance on reading is always one of the options students can choose when given a project menu, but there are always many other options that require minimal reading. Why? Because it is clear in class that some students are just not good readers. Why? I was never really sure. Perhaps they couldn’t remember what they had just read. Perhaps they would get caught up in the minutia and miss the big picture. It has been clear that some students read by moving their eyes from left to right across the page. I knew they were not thinking as they read. But, I did not know how to get them to think except to ask them to think as they read. In the meantime, I would provide every opportunity for students to do well in class without ever having to rely on their reading abilities. In an effort to help every child succeed, I found a multitude of ways around reading.
ReplyDeleteMy focus as a teacher has always been to try to get the students to think. I never even considered that I could guide them to thinking as they are reading. The process of thinking has always been a focus in my classes but it has always been outside the process of reading. I knew there were some skilled readers in my class as well as some less skilled readers. I never heard of the term dependent reader. I never knew that there were things I could do to help these readers, other than just offering them an easier reading option or a no reading at all option. It has been exciting to me to learn that there are specific ways I can help my students get more out of the material they read. I will still offer many options to my students. I recognize that students all learn in different ways. But now I can also help them grow as readers. I have learned strategies that I can incorporate in my lessons. I can extend my focus on thinking to thinking as you read. Everything I have applauded in class – thinking outside the box, making inferences and connections, making an error that leads us down an even more exciting path – I have applauded outside anything to do with reading. Now, I find that we can have even more to celebrate – all of the discoveries that come as we read!
Okay... so I am having blogging issues so I will reply to Kathy! These two chapters were so helpful. I do find myself using the Think-Alouds so much more now in all that I do. As a social studies and language arts teacher I can use these strategies in all aspects of my day. The struggling readers for me are the ones I am always trying to reach. The chapters really opened up how so many of my students may be feeling at one time or another. I just need to keep plugging along. In one of my social studies classes, I have a high concentration of "dependent" readers. Every year, I forget how much of a difference there is is for these type of students and how much they can learn when taught the strategies to help them become "independent"! These chapters also gave me the alternatives to help all my readers...Like Kathy said..I will be rereading these chapters to use them...creating independent readers from dependent readers is my goal for June!!!
ReplyDeleteAfter some technical issues, here's my response... finally!
ReplyDeleteWhen reading chapter 7, I noticed many of the strategies mentioned are ones I already use. However, I didn’t always realize what I was doing was actually an important teaching tool. When I do a think aloud, I let my students hear my thought process; questions I have about what’s going on, the characters, specific words… I also stop and reread aloud if I don’t read something correctly or if I find myself getting confused. I find that I do this, however, I don’t feel that I do it enough.
On the other hand, when having student read aloud or if I’m reading aloud to student, I do stop very often (when I think there is something confusing, a new idea, etc.) to ask students what they are thinking. Although it’s not quite the same thing, I think it helps students realize that stopping to ask questions, go over a word or phrase to understand meaning, inferencing, etc. is all part of the reading process.
I have not, however, really ever tried the rereading strategy. Like many of the teachers highlighted in the book, it was not something I necessarily thought of to teach. I’m curious to know that when I try this strategy if I get the same kinds of results as those noted in the book. I’m going to plan on trying it out with the book we are currently reading, Freak the Mighty.
Please pardon my absence from class, everyone. In the midst of family turmoil, we keep on pluggin' on...and here I am. Sorry to be so out of touch....
ReplyDeleteSo....reading. How are my thoughts changing? I notice that several folks have acknowledged reading about strategies that you've been using....and now we can be pleasantly surprised to see them in our reading for class. I had a similar thought when I was reading about the cool strategy, "Somebody Wanted but So." Ten years ago, we adopted the HRW anthology at the 7th and 8th grade levels. As this program was overwhelming with a million (hyperbole) ancillary pieces to accompany the anthology, many pieces were useful and user-friendly. The SWBS strategy was one strategy I learned about from these materials, and now, as I look back and gather up those dusty materials again, there's Kylene's name right on one of our resource books! (didn't realize that!)
Anyway....I like the SWBS strategy, in that it gives kids a black and white manner to organize content from their reading and then summarize it. After using the strategy in a few different manners, I have adapted this it for my own "liking." I will have the students fill out a SWBS sheet for each character. Then, after doing this, the students have multiple characters dissected and multiple conflicts "on the table." From there, we will work together to get make decisions about which ones are truly integral to the plot. This has worked for me. (don't we teachers always tweak things to make them our own?)
I remember years ago when I used the strategy and my seventh graders would have several different characters scattered around the graphic organizers. Then, when starting to summarize, their work would be disjointed and choppy. Anyway, the strategy of helping them to organize by character and their respective conflicts, has helped us to use the SWBS in a manner that suits us pretty well! Haven't used this yet this year....so this was a nice reminder to give it a whirl! :)
I've been trying to use the strategies from this book as much as possible in my social studies classes. I want the students to be able to use the strategies to understand what they are reading. I've used the KWL, SWBS, and Say Something. At first, Say Something was very difficult for the students, but after a couple of times doing it they've gotten the hang of it. I told them that this strategy is important because it lets them check their understanding. I've been encouraging all of my students to re-read the chapters in LA and SS. Some of them feel that isn't important. We have had many discussions about this topic. We have also talked all about answering specific questions about our topic.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed reading everyone's responses because it lets me see what they are doing in their classrooms and gives me ideas on what I can do.
Kim CFeb 15, 2012 09:51 AM
ReplyDeleteHere's the response to a quote from long ago....
pg. 38. "Teachers--not programs--are the critical element in a student's success."
Unbelievable. Can we please put this front and center somewhere??? It is incredible. As an SRA kiddo, I didn't read. Actually, I did read a little...I just couldn't answer the questions correctly, so I spent all my time trying to find the right answers....and very ltitle time thinking about what I was reading....
When did I first read for enjoyment? As a Sophomore at UNH. I'll never forget that day when Jane Hansen told me to "please stop working so hard while reading...." LOL. She was referring to my constant reading of "self-help" books. I remember her asking me why I wasn't reading "light" or "fun" or "enjoyable" books....My answer?! "I don't know how to find them!" Here I was.....a college student ready to embark on teaching. AND---I didn't know HOW to find what I LIKED as a reader. Incredible.
So...thanks, Jane! Now here I am all of these years later...I spend my summers being paid by the city of Dover to align curriculum and lessons and common formative assessments to programs and GLEs and standards.....I spend my time reading young adult literature and "fun" fiction books "for me." I try to empower my students to find books that they like...books that are challenging for them....books that make them think.
I agree with this "bullet" on page 38. It IS about TEACHERS and NOT programs. Thanks, Jane! You were an important reading teacher for me. I really kinda needed one!
Kim, I remember the first time I read this book for a reading course at Plymouth State, and we had a huge discussion in class about it. Everyone in my class agreed with the statement.Everyone thought that it's important for teachers to teach to meet the state standards, and student needs. We talked about how teachers can use a basal program and make it their own so that they are meeting everyone's needs. I also agree with the statement "Teachers--not programs--are the critical element in a student's success."
ReplyDeleteDuring the last lesson that Tomasen came into my class to do a lesson on inferences. This was our focus in the class for a couple of days. I was getting nervous about if my students were understanding the concept and how to apply it during reading. While watching Tomasen read to my class and have a discussion I was able to see that my students did understand how to make an inference. The next day they were making inferences with another book and the students were able to use the strategies I showed them, and the strategies Tomasen showed them to make inferences about the book. I find it challenging to teach students about inferences and theme. This book had a lot of wonderful ideas, and so did Tomasen. I'm looking for help on ideas on how to teach theme.
I'm excited to try some of the strategies that were mentioned in chapter 8. I'm going to use the anticipation guide for Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters and I'm thinking about using a rating scale after the students read the story. I think this will allow students to have a wonderful discussion about the story, and the themes in the story. Has anyone used a scale in their classroom?
ReplyDeleteMy other goal is to use Text Reformulation in my Social Studies class. I think this will help some of my lower readers understand the text. Explaining the story in a different way will help the students understand the important information.
One idea I have is to make an ABC Book for the 13 Colonies.
Susan Manah Says...
ReplyDeleteChapters 5 and 7 – Think Aloud (February)
I have always tried to get students to read the headings and look at the pictures and captions before they started reading the text as a way of getting an idea of what the text is about and what do I already know about the topic. Even though the students were not cooperative, I still learned from your demonstration. You looked at the diagram and questioned it – What was it? What was it showing you?. I especially like turning the heading into a question (leaving out the singular and plural discussion) – I could see how this could really help a struggling reader have purpose for the material. When I’m done reading, can I answer the question?
The students wrote letters about their poor behavior and asking for your forgiveness for their poor conduct. An interesting idea often popped up in their letters. They were concerned and afraid to give the wrong answer. We discussed their behavior as a class; one young man who often is willing to raise his hand and give an idea told me he was afraid to give the wrong answer. I said “you have given your ideas before when you were unsure”; he said he would have tried if I had asked him but that he wasn’t comfortable. I wonder if asking students about “what they are thinking” is more intimidating and maybe a bit revealing for them. To ask a question about science is not about me – it is about science. To ask what I am thinking (which I confess is something I am asking myself more) is more personal – more about me. I explained to the students how fortunate they were to have you come in and work with them and me. As I told them, some of the learning that makes us uncomfortable is the things we learn from the most. I also informed them that we would be employing more of these strategies because to be able to interact with the text and understand the material is a gift not just for school but for life in general.