Elisa, Well said, as usual. May I add that is effective teachers who make the difference and that the research is compelling (see Allington). Within my district, where our challenges are many, I am looking closely at student reading performance (yes, multiple measures) and it comes down to the effective teacher, period.
Lori Jackson District Literacy Coach and Mentor Todd County School District Box 87 Mission SD 5755 ----- Original message ----- From: David Westom <[email protected]> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group <[email protected]> Date: Friday, January 30, 2009 8:17 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Reading Mastery, etcetera > Elisa, > Thank you! > David > On Jan 30, 2009, at 4:50 AM, Waingort Jimenez, Elisa wrote: > > > Jennifer, > > With all due respect, programs do not help children learn to read, > > write, or think I don't care what anybody says. In addition, our most > > challenging children don't come into our classrooms as empty vessels > > that with a program or two we can fix. It may appear that way at > > times but it is time, patience, hard work and time that help children > > learn. It is thoughtful teachers, like you, who teach children to > > think more deeply, write more thoughtfully, and read more > > meaningfully. In fact, most children come into our classrooms > > reading, writing and thinking. I really get emotional when my > > emotions are clamped down upon. Short of calling someone an idiot > > there hasn't been any disrespect shown in this discussion. I think it > > is fair and normal for all of us to have emotional reactions to each > > other's comments, whether those are in agreement with the poster or > > not. Teachers are already censored enough and I don't think we should > > do it here since as you say this conversation has been civil. > > Respectfully, > > Elisa > > > > Elisa Waingort > > Grade 2 Spanish Bilingual > > Dalhousie Elementary > > Calgary, Canada > > > > The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even > > touched. They must be felt within the heart. > > —Helen Keller > > > > Visit my blog, A Teacher's Ruminations, and post a message. > > http://waingortgrade2spanishbilingual.blogspot.com/ > > > > > > I had a program forced down my throat this year... and I have gone > > kicking > > and screaming into trying a scripted intervention for four of my first > > graders. I was determined to keep good quality data to prove that the > > program was > > not what those kids needed. Well...at the midpoint of the year, two > > of the four > > children, (one of whom is spending her second year in first grade and > > had > > intervention already for two years...and had been resistant to just > > about > > everything I tried) is suddenly making rapid progress. The two who > > are not > > progressing will come out of this program...but the other two will > > stay because, to > > my surprise, it is just what they needed. I hate teaching it...it > > contradicts what I believe on so many levels, but how can I say it is > > wrong when I am > > seeing kids succeed and grow in confidence as they master decoding > > skills? > > > > > > > > Jennifer > > List moderator > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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. > > _______________________________________________ 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.
