The phrase "That's what good readers do." is being played and replayed in my mind, because this is the recommended conversation to have with students as the Daily 5 choices for literacy centers are introduced and the Cafe strategies for whole group and small group instruction. Don't get me wrong, I'm finding the Daily 5 structure allows me the management tools I need to teach guided reading and the Cafe strategies are wonderfully organized, but I think I need to change my approach to teaching them. Instead of saying "That's what good readers do." I'll say something like "When you look across the word and make sure the ending sound you say matches the letter you see, you're helping yourself to read accurately." Also, I will ask them to reflect on how they have changed as readers. I'm quite sure students will feel accomplished in learning without actually being told "I'm proud of you." But, wouldn't it be appropriate to say "You should be proud of all that you've learned." As for instances of students who have that fixed performance frame, I feel like it's my students who either struggle with reading or excell. I have one particular boy who has put a lot of pressure on himself to read harder text and to read quickly, By giving him 3 strategies for approaching unfamiliar words and sticking to those three, I believe he is finally seeing that his performance isn't fixed. Just by saying "Do you see how when you looked at the pictures, got your mouth ready to say the beginning sound, and looked across the word.....you read accurately! How humbling it is to be a teacher! There is so much to learn....especially about reading! Debra
________________________________ From: "Palmer, Jennifer" <[email protected]> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2013 10:01 AM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Chapter four of Opening Minds Ron!!! Thank you for your thoughtful post to the listserv. Your words have helped me develop an "agentive narrative" about my work on the listserv and I truly appreciate it! ;-) The chapter on praise, for me, was the place when I started beating up on myself as a teacher. I was always liberal with my praise...trying to make it specific...but often it was personal. "You reread that ! That's what good readers do!! Good job!!" Now I understand personal praise has a dark underbelly. Other students hearing that might think, "so I don't reread and that makes me a bad reader." I also understand that when we focus feedback on HOW rather than what...that we are helping students become strategic. Now as to your last wonderful question (love it!!) I have found it challenging to try to develop prompts that: 1) apply to a world-wide audience (This listserv does have a world-wide membership) 2) help people think and dig into the text and 3) are open-ended enough so that multiple perspectives are both possible and useful. As I look back, I might think about asking folks to share more about their own classroom experiences in relation to the text. An example... can you think of a student in your class that has a fixed performance frame or a dynamic learning frame? How do you know that a child has one or the other and what have you done in the past? What will you do now that you know what you know?? So, Ron, or anyone else...feel free to take THAT prompt and run with it if you wish! :-) Jennifer -----Original Message----- From: Mosaic [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ron Heady Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2013 7:01 AM To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Chapter four of Opening Minds I am finding all the ideas in the book--as you just described this one, Jennifer--"powerful." I have to admit that in the opening pages I was dismayed by some of what I considered jargon and "made up" words ("agentive," "dialogic," etc.). However, I have moved past that response because so much of the book resonates very (again) powerfully. Some have reacted strongly to Johnston's "criticism" of praise, emphasizing he process rather than the product or the producer when examining "work" has helped me understand the rationale behind some of our "best practices" that have not always worked very effectively for me. I think the kind of training and preparation he describes in the chapter will give things like "reciprocal teaching" and paired reading activities greater depth and meaning. The long-term value he posits I found very moving and inspiring. (PS: You have phrased your prompts very clearly and effectively; as you reflected on them, which ones would you change?) ________________________________________ _______________________________________________ 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
