Bev... Thanks for taking it deeper...as I ponder your comments, I realize that what's most important for schools and teachers goes beyond a model for gradual release, even beyond a structure for instruction. It comes down to what do we believe about teaching and learning...values...beliefs.
"Learning is something done by the child, not to the child" you wrote... I love that. It is a belief that is at the core, I think, of constructivist philosophy. Our role, then, as teacher is to be as you say "open-ended enough to accomodate distances between learners." As I read Opening Minds, and think about: 1. the language we as teachers could be using to create a sense of agency in students 2. the language teachers could use to to develop a student conception of the teacher as a co-learner with students...and 3. the language teachers use to develop a sense of agency...I realize that the words we use as teachers illustrate, in many ways, our core beliefs and whether or not we really do believe in . Kids who feel judged by their teachers...Kids that feel that a performance is either good or bad...students learn that effort does not matter because people are either good at reading or bad at it...and so there is no point in trying. So if we as teachers want to be "open ended enough to accomodate distances between learners" they first have to believe that they can actually affect students' skills. The implications of this for me as a professional developer is that I need to continue to help teachers develop clear ideas of their core values and build their capacity to believe in their students. One final thought. I think a lot of people think they are constructivist, but are not. I also think that for me, and for many, constructivism is not something you decide one day that you believe. It is a journey. If you, as a teacher are reflective, if you learn from your kids, if you respect them and see as inexperienced people who are very capable of learning...one may eventually become constructivist even if you don't start that way. I am still on my journey--deciding what I believe about kids as learners and about me as teacher, leaning toward constructivism in thought, but not always in action. I do spend time thinking about my beliefs and using them to guide my teaching decisions. And perhaps that, in the end, is what really matters. That we are clear what we believe and act upon those beliefs. Whew... from gradual release to this!!! :-) I blame you, Bev. Your emails often get me thinking. Love you for it! Jennifer L. Palmer, Ed. D. Instructional Facilitator National Board Certified Teacher Magnolia Elementary (home school) 901 Trimble Road Joppa, MD 21085 410-612-1553 Fax 410-612-1576 "Reaching, Teaching, Learning, Changing Lives!!" Norrisville Elementary 5302 Norrisville Road White Hall, MD 21161 410-692-7810 Fax 410-692-7812 Where Bright Futures Begin!! ________________________________________ From: Mosaic [[email protected]] on behalf of Beverlee paul [[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 04, 2013 10:53 AM To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Gradual release The post you're speaking to was actually my second "post" yesterday. I wish I had a dollar for every post I carefully wrote and then lost because of silly tech glitches. I no longer remember all I wanted to say, but the main part was probably dealing with the NAEYC'S model of learning. Through the years I've found it to be true of virtually all learning, no matter the age of the learner or the content. The model purports that all learning begins with awareness and proceeds to exploration, then inquiry, and last utilization. It's not linear, nor clean and neat, nor predictable, nor simple, nor uniform. I believe that model aids and deepens understanding of the release to independence. I also believe Jerry Harste's discussion of like processes, often called "mucking around", is illustrative. It's time we begin to discuss again the differences between teaching and learning. All too often in the last few years, there has been the "unperceived inconsistency" and underlying assumption that everything that is taught is learned and, even sillier, that nothing is learned unless it is taught. Whole class instruction comes from that thinking. Learning is something done by the child, not to the child, and we need to remember that. Often differentiation is a necessary result of teaching large groups in a too-narrow fashion, rather than being open-ended enough to accommodate differences among learners. You mention anthologies. I believe that publishers, in their attempt to be all things to all people so as to increase sales, have/use inadequate PD on their part as well. That often results in whole-class teaching. If the district doesn't extend the teachers' understandings, or challenge assumptions, release to independence becomes just one more buzz phrase. Hopping down off my soap box now.... Sent from my iPad _______________________________________________ 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
