[Understand] Chapter five...savoring the struggle

[CNJPALMER]

Happy Holidays everyone!
I am hoping that your holidays have been full of family, fun and  relaxation! 
If your students were as over-excited as mine the last few days  before 
break, then I know you needed the break as badly as I did! :-)
 
I am hoping that as your mind and body start to relax, you will find some  
time to reflect a little on the concepts of chapter five. Chapter five, to me,  
seems to be all about time. Where do we find the time to teach children  about 
the nature of understanding? How do we find the time for kids to struggle  
with ideas...to figure out things for themselves? I find myself so easily swept 
 
up in the demands of my schedule that it is hard enough to find time for 
myself  to reflect on practices let alone figure out how to give my students 
time 
to  struggle with and learn ideas in depth. What kinds of things are you doing 
in  your classroom to find this time? What cherished activities have you 
tossed this  year (or will you toss NEXT year)? Are you trying to teach from 
what 
Ellin  describes as most essential and leaving out some things you used to 
teach?
 
Also Ellin makes a statement on page 104 that I think is key: "The question  
isn't how we motivate them to read; it isn't how we work harder to get them  
excited about learning. Instead we should think about helping kids build their  
own internal drive to learn. Our work is not about making things easier or 
more  fun or more entertaining, but about helping them to discover the powerful 
 
capacity of their own minds..."  I would love to hear everyone's  
feelings/reactions to that statement. What questions do you have when you read  
that 
statement? What are you wondering about? 
 
Chapter five also includes a discussion on the deep and surface structure  
systems. Feel free to ask questions or comment upon those as well.
 
I hope we can restart some of the great discussion we have had on this list  
so far!
Jennifer
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