Reading came very easy to me. In elementary school, I was able to answer the questions, so the teacher never really taught me how to use strategies. When I reached high school, same thing. I wish teachers had taught me how to compare and contrast; how to delve deeper into the author's message, theme, writing style. I was one of those in the 50s who loved reading and read. But, I think I could have made my reading even more richer by having a mentor guide me. My parents actually told me "get your head out of that book!" When I got to college, I majored in literature. I had very patient mentors who helped me delve deeper into literature. But, I felt I really missed out during high school because it was just assumed that since I could understand, I would be fine. For guided reading, I think what has been forgotten is that guided reading plans are meant to be specific to a group. So, if you have students who already know how to read, you are to slightly challenge to a new understanding and scaffold this understanding by providing support. I know when I met with students, at least through 5th grade, they could always use some additional instruction, especially in non fiction strategies. Do your students know how text structure works? HOw an author decides which text structure to use? How to synthesize information in fictional text? I found these to be strategies that students who could read needed practice with.
Carol ----- Original Message ----- From: "Karen MacKinnon" <[email protected]> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, November 8, 2009 12:54:11 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings Guided reading is not just about drilling a skill, it is about those rich conversations that lead to deep comprehension. Coaching should take place on decoding, fluency and strategy use. Guided reading can and should be used with accomplished readers because it allows time for teachers to guide conversations and focus students on understanding the complexity of the literature that they are reading. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stewart, L" <[email protected]> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2009 12:41 PM Subject: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings >I love teaching, but lately I have been questioning the way I teach, >particularly reading. I am an avid reader. Reading is an integral part of >my adult life. I was never taught any reading strategies. I have children >in my classroom who love to read and read way above grade level. I feel >that they, like me, have already internalized the strategies and yes they >can be strengthened but probably that will happen naturally as well. The >more they read, the stronger they will become. It seems that we are >prescribing medication whether the child is ill or not. It's like using >manipulatives in math. Our new math program requires the use of >manipulatives all the time. It used to be that you used maniuplatives when >you differentiated for the child who was having difficulty with a concept. >It seems like we are heading back to a one-size-fits-all mentality which >scares me. I sometimes think the reading strategies were meant for >educators so that we could become better teachers of reading, particularly >for our struggling readers, and I think we have taken it too far and use it >in all cases. When I look at the current guided reading models it is so >prescribed: everyone is in a quick guided group with the teacher drilling >a skill or they are reading independently. I am having a difficult time >seeing the joy in that model. Where do the rich conversations that connect >children to each other and to literature take place in this current model? >Was the model intended for accomplished readers? > > Leslie R. Stewart > Grade 3 Teacher > [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> > 203-481-5386, 203-483-0749 FAX > > To feel most beautifully alive means to be reading something beautiful, > ready always to apprehend in the flow of language the sudden flash of > poetry. ~ Gaston Bachelard ~ > > > <http://thinkexist.com/birthday/september_24/> > _______________________________________________ > 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.
