Joy you refer to the House lesson. What is this? Did I miss this in an earlier discussion? Phyllis
---------------------------- Original Message ---------------------------- Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Nancy Atwell From: "elaine garan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sun, June 3, 2007 5:29 pm To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" <[email protected]> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > "Although the things I do are well researched, the research does not > blend the various approaches together, so some have told me that I > really am NOT using researched based instructional practices. Some have > said you can't pick and choose, that following a best practice needs to > follow the research as closely as possible in order to be valid. The > way I see it, I am teaching children, not lab rats. I have to try to > tailor what I'm doing to fit the needs of the particular set of > children in my classroom." > > Joy-- Oh fiddle dee dee to whoever is criticizing you. You ARE > following the research. The FEDERAL research actually states that > teachers need to be flexible, to be decision makers and to balance > their instruction. If someone can show me true, federal research that > indicates that instruction must be standardized, follow a set sequence > of skills, so help me I'll eat it. And I mean that. You are doing > exactly right by your students by thinking and reflecting. > > What i love about this listserve is how it pushes my thinking and > causes me to reflect on issues that to me were somewhat settled in my > head. I'd bet there's not a person on here who hasn't grown in their > approach and in their thinking as a result of the conversation here. I > am so weary of people who don't know what they're talking about quoting > research that's already been misquoted. Kids indeed are not lab rats > and NEITHER ARE TEACHERS. So fiddle dee dee to all those people who are > so arrogant as to tell you what to do when a) many of them wouldn't > know a real kid if one jumped up and bit them on the leg; 2) either > don't know or don't care about what the research really shows us. The > next time someone says that to you, just smile sweetly and say, "Could > you please show me the data to support that statement?" That will shut > them up. If it doesn't, send it to me and I'll deconstruct it or put it > in context and send it back to you. I'll give you who to quote and > bullet- proof data. > > That reminds me, I need to dig out the research on SSR. I'm finishing > up my little children's book but as soon as it's done, I'll do what I > promised. > > On Jun 3, 2007, at 2:54 PM, Joy wrote: > >> Thanks so much for this rich and diverse discussion. I love that we >> can disagree yet still respect each other's opinions and practices. >> I've been following this thread with great interest, because I've >> always felt I didn't do a good enough job teaching the strategies. >> I've been a bit heistant to talk in too much detail about my >> practices, because my approach is so casual. I feel inadequate >> sometimes among all the skilled and talented teachers on this list. >> >> I model using the strategies through read/think alouds. I don't >> drill, test, or do long drawn out lessons about them. We focus on the >> literature. (Except determining importance, the kids LOVE the "House" >> lesson, and I find it really helps them understand how they can have >> different purposes for reading the same text.) I use whatever we are >> reading in other subjects as a springboard for strategy instruction, >> based on what the students need, and the type of text we are reading. >> (It's not uncommon to hear a student say: "Hey, I thought this was >> math!" >> >> This past year I reviewed each strategy briefly, since some of my >> students this year had me in second grade (where they first learned >> about reading strategies) and we had some new students who I knew >> nothing about. (Plus, I'm not really sure what they did in third grade >> and felt we needed to come together with a common vocabulary) Then I >> dove right in with modeling as I did read alouds. I didn't focus on >> any particular strategy, just pointed out my thinking while I was >> reading. Sometimes this was during whole group instruction, sometimes >> it was during Lit. Circles, sometimes during our individual SSR >> reading conferences, or while students were doing research for their >> projects. I tried to make it more of a conversation than a didactic >> speech. >> >> Some of the students would tell which strategy they found helpful >> during book-tell, and I think that helped many of them realize how >> natural using a particular strategy could feel. I'm all about them >> enjoying their books, but I do have them keep track of what they are >> reading, and what they are thinking while they are reading (even if it >> is that they were surprised at a turn of events.) It has been very >> powerful for my students to see the stacks of reflections of their >> reading at the end of the year! (I keep them in a file and have them >> reflect on them each month (Thanks Lori for your help with this one!)) >> >> I think it's important for me to remain flexible in my approach to >> reading instruction so I can always give my students what they need >> when they need it. I've had some criticism about what I do. Although >> the things I do are well researched, the research does not blend the >> various approaches together, so some have told me that I really am NOT >> using researched based instructional practices. Some have said you >> can't pick and choose, that following a best practice needs to follow >> the research as closely as possible in order to be valid. The way I >> see it, I am teaching children, not lab rats. I have to try to tailor >> what I'm doing to fit the needs of the particular set of children in >> my classroom. >> >> I really do want to go deeper next year. The set of students that >> are coming up has four students who are very capable thinkers, they >> need help with expressing their thoughts and not blowing them off. >> Then there are six or seven who have some major learning challenges, >> for them decoding is still an issue. I can't wait to see how it works >> itself out! >> >> Thanks again for this wonderful, inciteful, and reflective >> discussion. >> >> >> >> Joy/NC/4 >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> How children learn is as important as what they learn: process and >> content go hand in hand. http://www.responsiveclassroom.org >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> --------------------------------- >> Looking for earth-friendly autos? >> Browse Top Cars by "Green Rating" at Yahoo! Autos' Green Center. >> _______________________________________________ >> 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. > > > -- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by MailScanner, and is > believed to be clean. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. 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