Monday, May 01, 2006

Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? Chapters 7 and 8

(Page 92) “We (did) something called a fishbowl in front of the class…we would sit in front of the students, modeling what we wanted them to see, while they watched and then talked about what they saw.”
I loved how Tovani and her colleague acted as if they were in a group working together in front of the students. The students were easily able to pick out what were and were not good practices while working in a group. It was obvious to the students what was expected in group work after a demonstration and discussion of it. It took me a while as a teacher before I figured out just how important modeling is. There were times when I just told students to do the work but never showed them HOW to do the work. Once I figured out I really needed to model to them exactly what to do, their production greatly increased.

(Page 103) “The aim of assessment is primarily to educate and improve student performance, not merely audit it.”
So often we get caught up in the cycle of teaching the material then testing the students on it, but who does that help? (Other than helping us have something to put in the gradebook, of course.) Really, how often do we have to take tests in the day-to-day activities of being an adult? If we spent more time looking at where kids are performing and how we can get to them to the next level, they will be better served. I heard Ellin Keene (Mosaic of Thought) speak in January, and one thing she said that really resonated with me was “Kids who think well test well.” I think if we really concentrated on finding out where our kids are and teaching them how to think (more modeling!) then we wouldn’t have to worry so much about end of course tests and HSAP because they would be good thinkers and do well on those tests without us freaking out about them.

4 comments:

Pam Lorentz said...

Chapter 7 - p. 103 "This means I give students multiple opportunities to demonstrate thinking. I don't want a student's final attempt at a task to be a failure. Rarely do I give students a poor grade if they are willing to try again. I want kids to take risks and try again, because that's the only way they are going to get better at reading and writing." I think this quote really applies to my students in Academic Support. They need teachers who will develop different types of assessments or will give them a choice in their assessment. So many of them, because of their disabilities, don't perform well on multiple choice type tests, but given the chance to display their knowledge in what might be considered an unconventional format, they just amaze us. My students are currently working on posters advertising their top 5 books read during independent reading this year, and they have done a wonderful job!

Chapter 8 - p. 106 - Conversation Calendars - I actually read this book last year, so I am rereading to participate in the blog. I did the conversation calendars with my eighth graders at Fulmer last year during the last nine weeks in lieu of a writing journal. I liked them, but I will say that I have gotten to know my kids better this year with 10 lines of writing. I know it's easier for me with smaller classes, but you might want to think about rotating classes through a regular writing journal and the conversation calendar. I agree, though, with all of the comments about getting to interact everyday with your students. I really enjoy the conversations I have with my students through their writing journals. I get to know the whole kid!!!

jspires90 said...

Chapter 7- I think Tovani’s point (p.104) that ‘meaning is constructed over a period of time’ is something that teachers sometimes forget especially when looking at group work when they haven’t been given the opportunity to read prior to group work. I think Tovani is also correct when she points out one of the greatest values of (p. 98) group work is that students who are given the opportunity to participate in small groups express themselves in ways they can’t express themselves in whole group learning/discussions. Often the small groups also give you an opportunity to truly assess the students’ mastery on a certain topic as well.

Chapter 8- I agree with Andrea and Tovani that it is the student’s job to show teachers what they are thinking and I loved the conversation calendars. There are so many times that teachers disseminate information and aren’t given the opportunity to really know their students and this is a perfect opportunity in their journals to communicate things for which the 90 minute block doesn’t allow. Another thing that is beneficial is collecting the students’ work over the course of the semester for the students to examine for themselves their own growth over time which is an assessment of the truest kind.

Kelly Weber said...

Chapter 7 - page 92 “I will model how the group is supposed to do something. I will also observe groups and share what went well and what isn’t working, in order to help the groups run smoothly. I will be available whenever possible to answer questions.”

Cris has mentioned modeling and sharing examples throughout the entire book. As a first year teacher I have come to the realization of how true this simple statement is. This strategy can be used not only when students are doing group work but for many things that are done in the classroom. I am sometimes baffled at how much my Academic Support students struggle if I don’t model something before they begin. After they try it on their own or in a group I will have them share with the class so we can talk about good examples or how to add more depth to their answers.

Chapter 8 – page 103 “Many unsuccessful high schoolers come to ninth grade with multiple Fs from middle school. They just didn’t do the work. Many times they didn’t do the work because they didn’t know how. Any teenager would rather be perceived as lazy than stupid.”

This statement is sad but true; I see it a lot with my students. I truly wonder sometimes why they won’t allow us to help them if they don’t understand. I know that I am still learning how to do this “teacher thing” but so many of my students don’t seem to care (perceived laziness) but yet do not take advantage of help when it is offered. They give excuses or like Tovani says act lazy – but I want to help them and it is so hard for me to do this if they won’t open up and let me. Another problem I have is that I think some of them are actually just being lazy because in one way or another they have proven to me that they have the ability if they put forth the effort needed. How do I tell the difference and what can I do to reach both types of students? (I am open for suggestions on this subject)

Jeanette said...

Page 103
"It's important that my assessments be ongoing and purposeful, useful to students as well as to me."
Portfolio equals one project six components, several rubrics, and each student shines in his or her best talent. I have found that letting students select at least one of their favorites shows me what they take away from all the reading or avoidance of reading.