We have teachers with varied experience, but this year we all participated in a study group focused on Comprehension using Non-fiction texts anchor text L.Dorn, we have worked on teaching the stratetgies ala D. Miller and Mosaic and some STW. I wonder about the common understanding of what good comprehension looks like and sounds like across the grade levels....but I had an AH HA moment when I watched the D. Miller DVD. I listened and watched the conversations that were happening and really realized that we can 'model' til the cows come home but it is in the conversations that our thinking grows and is challenged. I realize this to be true even more-so once I sat with individual students and had these conversations with them based on the texts they just read. Some were giving very brief answers and one even answered "I just answered that question" when I asked "Why do you think that?" What are we accepting as teachers? I realized that we need to have a clear understanding of what great literature conversations can and should be! So, we really need to talk MORE with our students and also teach our families how to do deeper in their own conversations! I need to go deeper and get better clarity on how to really teach kids how to have these conversations and why they are so important and really FUN! I sent home ideas of conversation starters for families to use over break and beyond and some classrooms even laminated them! Of course so much goes into developing into good readers and I teach 1st grade....but I feel this is so important! What advice do you all have? Any good books to read? Any good video? I always love to see it in action!
Thanks ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lisa Szyska" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv" <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 7:52 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies become thereasonforreading. . . > Hello Mary Helen! > > What are the teachers already doing to help > w/comprehension? > > Lisa > 2/3 IL > --- Mary Helen Chappetto <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > >> This 'conversation' is so interesting! We just >> finished our 2nd quarter and >> we completed 1on 1 reading tests on all students >> k-3. We are finding that >> comprehension is holding many of them back....it is >> in the coversation about >> their thinking that really holds them back, as well >> as recalling >> information. The types of questions that require >> explanation (inferential >> and critical thinking) really require having >> experience talking about our >> thinking and how the text and/or our own experiences >> have influenced our >> thinking. If any of you have great suggestions as >> to how to really deepen >> our conversations within our day and how to get >> across to our parents the >> importance of having conversations about what they >> may be reading with their >> child, I would greatly appreciate it! My winter >> break is going to focus on >> this topic! >> >> Thank you! >> >> Mary Helen >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Jones, Rex" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies >> Listserv" >> <[email protected]> >> Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 1:38 PM >> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies >> become the >> reasonforreading. . . >> >> >> > Ellin, I agree about the importance of >> discussion--and it can't just be >> > unthoughtful discussion. I think we need to >> reflect on and continually >> > try to elevate the quality of the talk in our >> classrooms--and to expect >> > our students to be able to rise to that level. >> I'm reading Around the >> > Reading Workshop in 180 Days by Frank Serafini. >> He cites Martin >> > Nystrand's suggestion that the quality of student >> learning is closely >> > linked to the quality of classroom talk. And at >> some point, that talk has >> > to translate into written response. When my >> students take the Connecticut >> > Mastery Test, and I get the results, I'm always >> shocked at the scores of >> > students who should have done so much better >> because I know those students >> > are smart and chock full of content knowledge. >> What they lack, however, >> > is a sense of urgency about being able to >> communicate what they know in >> > the social process that reading is. They >> completely get the cognitive >> > part of reading--they don't get the social part of >> it. >> > And typically, those students are boys. My >> girls seem to be much better >> > at written response than my boys. >> > >> > I envy you that snow in Denver! We haven't had so >> much as a flurry in the >> > Northeast all season. I'm ready for some snow! >> > >> > Happy Holidays! >> > >> > Rex Jones >> > >> > -----Original Message----- >> > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Behalf Of Ellin Keene >> > Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 1:38 PM >> > To: 'Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies >> Listserv' >> > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension >> strategies become the reason >> > forreading. . . >> > >> > >> > I have read with interest everyone's comments >> about strategies becoming >> > too >> > much the focus of children's reading and want to >> just throw in a quick >> > thought or two. I, too, am concerned with the >> strategies assuming too >> > prominent a role in children's understanding and >> that is the central idea >> > in >> > the book I just finished, To Understand, which, >> like the second edition of >> > Mosaic, will be out in 2007. In it, I argue that >> the strategies are >> > necessary tools to enhance children's >> comprehension, but that we need to >> > discuss (with colleagues and children) what >> results when someone uses the >> > strategies and understands. I pose the question - >> what does it really mean >> > to understand and write about some "mentors" - >> writers and artists - I've >> > studied in an effort to discover how people come >> to understand deeply. >> > >> > >> > >> > In To Understand, I argue that it is fruitful to >> have the discussions with >> > children about what happens when we really know we >> comprehend. In it I >> > talk >> > about what I've observed, cognitively and >> behaviorally, when children and >> > adults are truly understanding and that we talk >> explicitly with kids about >> > those behaviors in order to increase the >> likelihood that they understand >> > at >> > deeper levels. Ultimately, I think you've all >> been right - the point >> > isn't >> > the strategies, the point is what they help us >> understand that we may not >> > have understood without them. >> > >> > >> > >> > I'm not a big fan of prompts - I think that >> children have much more >> > authentic conversations when they are focused on >> the ideas in books and >> > when >> > we have modeled what great book conversations look >> and sound like. I just >> > try to think about what the talk is like in my own >> book club and to >> > articulate some of those characteristics to >> children. >> > >> > >> > >> > I'm so fascinated that you all started posing and >> responding to these >> > questions because I have found them important >> questions, too, and though >> > there aren't any "right" answers, I've tried to >> explore the very thing >> > you've been talking about in this book. I do so >> hope it will shed some >> > additional light on your important conversations. >> > >> > >> > >> > As I write today, Denver is buried under more than >> 2 feet of lovely, soft >> > snow and everyone is home and loving the fire, the >> Christmas tree and >> > books >> > we've been hoping to read. My best to everyone >> for a magical holiday. >> > >> > >> > >> > ellin keene >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Mosaic mailing list >> > [email protected] >> > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go >> to >> > >> > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >> > >> > Search the MOSAIC archives at >> http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Mosaic mailing list >> > [email protected] >> > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go >> to >> > >> > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >> > >> > Search the MOSAIC archives at >> http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >> > >> > >> >> > === message truncated === > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
