I don't disagree that new teachers need lots of support and let's face
it if we all look back on our 1st year, it was on the job training. Our
district used to provide mentor teachers to new teachers for up to 3
years but the money has dried up for that. Time was also alotted for
new teachers to go and visit classrooms to address areas where they had
the most need. My biggest issue with mandating of basal is that at the
4th grade level, they can be more than 2 years ahead of the reading
level of my students. I had kids that didn't even know their Dolch
words and I was supposed have them read Blue Willow?? That was my
point. I agree that many of the literature is good and we might read it
during a guided reading group but not whole class.
Sue
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group
<[email protected]>
Sent: Sat, Jul 10, 2010 11:09 am
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Chapter 1 (Book Whisperer)
I am one who denigrated basals, but I do agree with Laura (see below).
In fact,
for many reasons, I think new teachers SHOULD start with basals. That
is how we
learn to teach reading in a traditional way as we gather our own
reading
theories--and the planning is done for them. Mosaic would have made no
sense to
me if I hadn't already had a foundation in teaching reading.
Unfortunately, last
year (when California could still afford new teachers), I got in
trouble for
recommending that our newbies use the basal for a year. They were
foundering
with comprehension strategies and needed a foothold. Alas. When I
taught 3rd
grade and focused on comprehension strategies, I used the basal as an
anthology
and we read almost all of the selections. It seems to me that most
basals have
excellent selections these days. My objection to the 5th grade basal is
that
many of the selections are excerpts and they leave students feeling
unfinished
and dissatisfied. Sorry this is so disjointed--you
can see I still have mixed feelings about basals. What I detest most
is the
way the publishers throw waaaaay too much thoughtless busywork into "a
week" and
don't give kids a chance to learn. But, as you may glean from my
thoughts, I
still think basals have some value.
Judy
(((Laura: I think the main reason schools are adopting basals is a lack
of trust
in teacher knowledge. To play devil's advocate, not all teachers come
to the
profession prepared to teach. Put a basal in the hands of a less
seasoned
teacher and perhaps you'll have a chance at good instruction. The more
seasoned
teachers do not need it of course. I think this all speaks to the level
of
preparedness our teachers are coming out of university with. )))
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