Bonita DeAmicis
Wed, 18 Jul 2007 20:30:28 -0700
> I guess when I think back to my own beginning into this teaching I remember > how I had NO CLUE what I was doing. I was the lone ranger in my building > giving it a try.
I wonder, does everyone go through this teaching evolution? I really responded to your description on a personal connection level. > > I started co-teaching 2 graduate courses using MOT and STW as our texts. I > was so psyched about strategy instruction that I just HAD to spread the good > word. It took me several years to accept the reality of the change process. > Because the teaching felt so right for me and my kids, I just wanted that > for all the teachers and kids. In all the grades. I thought that if I > could share my own journey and the foundational pieces in the books, that > all the teachers in our classes would just embrace the teaching as I did. > > Well, as you all know, teachers are not so quick to embrace change. And > what we were offering them was never forced on them so........ some took it > on and some didn't. When I had the opportunity to coach the teachers who > had taken our courses (they volunteered to work with me), I realized it is > not that easy to sit in a graduate class and then go and "do it". I have also found this to be so true and so important as we think about how to change teaching in a systemic way. I do not think we can just give teachers a book, or professional development, or "training" and expect them to wholeheartedly change teaching. It has to be an evolution (perhaps ignited by a revolution?) > Actually I would love to know what Anne and Stephanie mean in more detail. I am hoping a future chapter clarifies some of this, too. > > Gosh I am so longwinded here! Didn't feel like it to me. > I also think children who have had previous teachers who teach thinking will > certainly not need isolated strategy instruction like children who have not > had previous strategy instruction. Yes, I am curious to hear from people who are in schools and districts where the students come to them already having experienced strategy instruction. I looped once and found that second year to be awesome when it came to strategies and thinking aloud and especially student discussion. > It feels good to get this off my chest. It's been on my mind all day. Glad to have you jump in! :)Bonita _______________________________________________ Stw2chat mailing list Stw2chat@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/stw2chat_literacyworkshop.org. Search the STW2 Chat Archives at http://snipurl.com/stw2archives.