Ahh...to understand more deeply how their own mind works. I couldn't agree with you more, because then it doesn't just apply to how they are connecting to what they're reading but how they are connecting to everything that influences their learning. The literature circle discussions that my students had began to have an influence on their thinking about math and history as well. It was magical when the students tried to explain their thinking (sharing their connections, what they visualized,etc.) while trying to explain a math concept or taking a stand on a certain issue during our history debates.
> From: [email protected] > Date: Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:38:34 -0400 > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Do we really need to teach explicit strategies? > > > I also agree. This is one of the big points I got from Ellin's book To > Understand. By asking kids what the strategy helped them to understand about > the book, we send the message that the strategies are a vehicle, not the end > point. > > One other thing that crossed my mind is this thought: What if we want more > for kids than just an ability to discuss and comprehend texts? What if, as > Ellin writes in To Understand, we want kids to also have an opportunity to > be scholarly...to understand more deeply how their own mind works? There > is a joy I find in deep intellectual engagement (like this discussion!). :-) > What if we need to give our kids that are the stronger readers the > strategy language and then help them to see HOW their mind comes to > comprehend > in order to give them the chance to learn the joys of being scholarly? It > isn't that I don't value independent reading and student led discussion. It > is important...and may even be of primary importance. I just have this > nagging feeling that maybe there is more we can ask of these kids. > > I haven't thought all of this through yet...and maybe I am way off base. I > would welcome everyone's input. > Jennifer > In a message dated 6/13/2009 1:05:09 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > [email protected] writes: > > I know that your statement is so true. Most of my students first > learn to say I have a connection. Which I really appreciate, because > this is an easy way to help them see how having a connection helps > them to understand what they read. Last year I had a child who had > visited a reservation, his sharing of his connections helped us all to > understand the story we were reading about a reservation. A real aha > moment for my class. > PatK. > On Jun 13, 2009, at 7:11 AM, [email protected] wrote: > > > That being said, if the conversation that the children are having is > > centering on their strategies like, “I made a connection,” or “I > > could visualize this part,” we must push them to explain why that > > helped them to understand the story or text. Strategies serve the > > reader as a means to understand or deepen understanding of what we > > read. So “talking the talk” of strategies has to be linked to > > “walking the walk” of understanding what is being read. > > > > > > **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy > steps! > (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222377049x1201454365/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd= > JunestepsfooterNO62) > _______________________________________________ > 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. > _________________________________________________________________ Insert movie times and more without leaving Hotmail®. http://windowslive.com/Tutorial/Hotmail/QuickAdd?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Tutorial_QuickAdd_062009 _______________________________________________ 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.
