Hi Bill, I think I "get" what you mean. I believe the most important reading lessons I teach are the ones before I teach strategies or anything else. Those are the lessons where I teach them about finding reading that rocks for them, where I teach them to listen to the inner-converation they have with text that tells them if it makes sense, and where I teach them to make pictures or movies in their heads. I also teach them about the joys of FLOW and how to get there as a reader. These are the lessons that lead my teaching and later I address helpful skills like strategy instruction or use of icons for deeper meaning in reading. these are the lessons that I hope get my word-callers to reconsider their method of so-called reading.
This past week I used a drawn out metaphor to show students what I meant. I said reading is like eating an apple. You can just lick the skin (they all laughed and I asked why that was funny). We agreed that licking is NOT eating an apple anymore than looking at words--even reading them and letting them wash over you is NOT reading, not really. So then we talk about chewing and how that is when you get the apple-taste and we compared that to the inner talk and pictures that allow you to begin to enjoy text. Then--we swallow and our stomach starts to break the apple down. It feels good in our stomach if we are hungry, just like reading and figuring out parts we do not understand feels good and keeps us going. Finally the apple moves into the intestines where it is digested and nutrition enters our bloodstream and while, maybe, we are less aware of the goodness that is happening--it is important. I compare the final digestive step to the part where, when reading, we reach deeper, trying to unravel the learning or messages that might lie beneath the surface of the text , that might drive us to read more text of a similar nature or to have an inner debate. That is reading with analysis. The strategies are simply tools help us to go beyond the apple-lick to real taste and (if we work at it and want it)--to the deeper nutritional value. :)Bonita ---- Laura Cannon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > When kids "get it" is when they are reading on their own. > > > > Well said Bill. But I think what you are saying becomes more understandable > with experience in teaching. I know that I didn't totally get this picture > when I first started teaching. Maybe that's why I don't want to retire-I > just now feel that I'm really seeing the big picture and understanding what > it is all about. Really good teachers use it all and apply as needed. The > ultimate goal is a child who is a self starter and hopefully will feel a > passion for learning. > > Sounds like you have a stronger class this year. > > Laura C _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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.
