Hi Ellin, It's nice to hear your voice. Can you elaborate on what you mean below? It seems to me that knowing the label still doesn't mean you know better or more. Many teachers called themselves whole language teachers and had no clue as to what that meant. When a backlash came they quickly reverted to what they were doing before or adopted another label they didn't quite understand because everyone else was using it. So in times of crisis we want kids to think and not just to be able to put a label to a thought. If I had to choose I would pick the former to the latter in a NY minute. We had an interesting discussion on another list recently about the definition of a memoir. Although we came to an agreement of sorts, there are still books out there that are memoir like but may not strictly be labeled as memoir. The impact is still the same. I think it's far more important for us as teachers to learn how to find the kernels of wisdom in children's thinking (it's always there if we look deeply enough to understand) than to think that a better articulation of an idea means they understand. Thanks, Elisa
Elisa Waingort Grade 2 Spanish Bilingual Dalhousie Elementary Calgary, Canada But I want to argue that we will never fully know what/how/if they understand unless we teach them the language to fully define and describe their thoughts. That's why the comprehension strategies have been so important, in my teaching, anyway -- they help show us the way in to children's thinking. Without having the language to define and describe their thinking, I worry that too many of us would either assume that they're not thinking at high levels (when they really are, but just can't articulate it) and/or turn to the kids (I often call them the usual suspects!) who very naturally (and with a lot of help at home, often) learn to articulate their thinking. I worry that we've always assumed that the usual suspects were thinking at a higher level when in fact, they're just better able to articulate what they're thinking. The strategies give everyone the opportunity to describe their thinking. What I am trying to argue in this book, though, is that the strategies are merely a means (albeit a very effective means) to an end - that end is understanding - but what do we really mean by understanding!? ellin **************Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL Home. (http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15?ncid=aolhom00030000000001) _______________________________________________ Understand mailing list [email protected] http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/listinfo/understand_literacyworkshop.org
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