Lovely, Bev, just lovely! Thanks for saying it ever so much better than I did. Judy
----- Original Message ----- From: "Beverlee Paul" <[email protected]> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, November 8, 2009 4:37:06 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Theme/author's message In my opinion, this is a PERFECT example of what's wrong with some current educational movements, especially the extre,e standards, objective, and RTI movements right now. We used to have scholars such as Jerry Harste who simply refused to "make easy" what is actually hard and trying to pin things down with ease distorted what was actually being said and what could be said. I've always liked his phrase "mucking around" when I think of inquiry. Also related to this line of thinking is the "uncertainty principle". Our profession has become (through forces not always within our control) adept at Naming Things. We want to come to an easy answer quickly and "come to consensus." We are becoming intolerant of messy thinking, reflection, and things that just take time. I wish we could have a little dose of Piaget right now. If only he could come back, look and listen, and try to pin things down without destroying them, I'd love to see it. I don't think he'd be proud of us. Even though assimilate and accommodate do name thinking, it's not narrowed. For evidence of that, see how difficult it is for people to do other than recite a definition. It's so hard to help college students understand these terms and many never do. Even the ones that do seem to need high-level review if they are away from thinking about them a bit. Not everything can be skewered and mounted in a "butterfly" collection of terms such as author's purpose and theme. Thank God, I say. And this is precisely why I read this list. I have others to help me understand without "compliance." Most people who post on this list have become tolerant of the lack of easy and SIMPLE answers and are willing to struggle with a meaning invented and used by them. (even though I suppose there really isn't anything new under the sun.) Now, I have to happily unmuddy the waters a bit.--or muddy them, depending on your point of view, I guess. What was Ellin Keene's purpose for writing To Understand? If we can articulate that, we are a long ways along the road of understanding understanding. And I'm sure there are some who have put the book aside because it is neither easy nor quick to comprehend and apply. What it is, is a brilliant articulation of putting theory into practice in the complicated, messy, challenging, and thrilling real world. Her "multiple choices items" on tests don't have A-D. They go much farther than that. Or possibly her multiple choice answers are A, B, C, D (all of the above), or E (some of the above, but we're still figuring out which), or F(not all of the above, but it will take more work to figure out which). And what happens to the teachers who are okay with, and challenged by, discussions to help each other develop deep understanding -- when they're forced to "teach" some programs, many of which remind me of Catechism questions and answers, or the chanting of the beautiful, ancient rituals in some churches (which at least helps us . Memorizing that E=MC squared doesn't get us much further toward understanding. I really do wish Piaget were here. My limited understanding of him would say that we in American education today have been forced to articulate thinking in such a narrow way that it's been rendered nearly useless. But, you know, I'm not blaming us. It's been done to us. Maybe. Ellin wouldn't have struggled to understand understanding ("Ya'all say that, but you never say what that means...") if she had given up on us all. She believes we can do it. And believe me, I do know firsthand what it can cost us as teachers. But if we don't do it, think what it costs our students. Hmmmm. Extended thinking to follow. Bev P. On Sun, Nov 8, 2009 at 3:12 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > And I'll muddy the waters further. I tell my students that these are terms > readers have invented to make it easier to think about and discuss > literature. I doubt you'll find a talented writer who decides on message > and/or theme as organizational tools. I recently heard John Irving explain > how story invents itself. I've heard that Barbara Kingsolver has a sign > above her monitor reminding her "Don't preach." I think we need to be > careful about superimposing structure on creative work. I like the previous > comment (was it Lori?) about making meaning for ourselves as individual > readers. IMHO, we teach kids these terms not because there is one correct > answer, but to help them delve into text, to think about their reading, and > to discuss it with meaning. > JMO, > Judy > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Sent: Sunday, November 8, 2009 10:31:30 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Theme/author's message > > > Maura > Now I will muddy the waters a bit...our district says the author's purpose > is one of three things...she writes to inform, to entertain or to > persuade. Authors message and theme are used interchangeably. > Jennifer > In a message dated 11/8/2009 1:02:29 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, > [email protected] writes: > > This inquiry was perfectly timed for me. Next week we will be focusing on > the author's purpose and then finishing up the book and learning about > theme. I am interested on hearing what others think about these topics! > Maura > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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. > > -- "There is nothing so unequal as equal treatment of unequals." Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes _______________________________________________ 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.
