And I love Harste...though I rather feel like swearing just thinking of him. I remember the first time I saw him at a conference--he swore like a trooper and made me laugh as hard as he made me think.
Lori Jackson M.Ed.Reading Specialist Broken Bow, NE EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD Join me > Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 01:55:31 +0000 > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Theme/author's message > > 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. > _______________________________________________ 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.
