Ellin, Thank you for your comments, And, yes, you are also right. So, how can individual teachers harnest enough courage (I do think part of this is about courage) to use her/his knowledge of teaching reading to do what's best for kids? I think teachers are afraid, as a group, to buck the system. In these tight economic times I am certain that has gotten worse. I know most of these wonderings are rhetorical but maybe we need to hear from those teachers who while being forced to use a DI program are still able to do what they know/have learned is best for kids... Elisa
Elisa Waingort Grade 2 Spanish Bilingual Dalhousie Elementary Calgary, Canada The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart. —Helen Keller Visit my blog, A Teacher's Ruminations, and post a message. http://waingortgrade2spanishbilingual.blogspot.com/ > A quick response to Elisa and Jennifer's posts about the purpose of the > list > serv. I certainly agree with the original, stated purposes (there's a big > surprise, eh?) for the list serv, but with respect to the scripted programs > discussion, I do think that the discussion is related to strategy > instruction in a most critical way. These programs eat up every minute of > time that might otherwise be directed to more relevant, timely instruction > for kids, including comprehension strategy instruction. In addition, there > are now programs that script comprehension strategy instruction and I feel > that we must be able to articulate the research and theory (as I stated in > my earlier post) in order to stave off purchase of these programs. While > it > may not be useful to merely bemoan the use of the programs, it might be > very > useful for people to share what they know about the research (as Nancy did > today) to help others combat these trends. > > > > It also occurs to me that comprehension instruction is embedded in a much > larger context of literacy instruction in all six systems and that people > are struggling with how/when to fit it all in. This, again, is why I wrote > To Understand - to try to show the balance we need to strike between > comprehension instruction and instruction in word learning, fluency and > syntax. It makes sense to me that one of your lines of inquiry on this > list > might follow that question - what is the proper balance between > comprehension instruction and word/sentence level learning. That said, I > agree with Jennifer that the discussions of your classroom experiences in > comprehension are so helpful and I always learn from them - so thank you > for > that!!! > > ellin > > > > > > > > > > Elisa > > Thank you. You are right. > > I know you are reflecting the views of many since my mailbox is filling > with > > off-list pleas to bring the list back to a discussion of comprehension. > > > > I know the discussion we've been having is important and I don't want to > > "censor" anyone...but I would like us as a group to reflect upon the > purpose > we > > were created for... > > > > If you go to the Mosaic home page, this is what you will find: > > > > <<The idea for this group was born out of the teachers taking the journey > > through this instructional paradigm. Wanting to jump right in and get > started, > > but often feeling unsure and alone, we wanted a forum to share our > questions, > > our joys, our successes, and our frustrations. Reading the book, Mosaic of > > > Thought, (or any of the other books mentioned above) will strengthen your > > connection to our conversations. > > > > Some of the most powerful emails have been when members reflect openly on > > the email group about their teaching. Being reflective ?outloud? on the > list > > is one way to grow professionally. Try taking the risk to tell us > specifically > > what you are doing. Talk with us about how you feel the teaching went and > > what you plan to do next. When we share our own thinking (just like we are > > asking our students to do) we often move to a new level of clarity and > > understanding. > > Here are the focus points we welcome discussion about: > > * comprehension strategy instruction > > * questions about implementation > > * action research conducted by teachers based on experiences in > > strategy teaching > > * reading workshop > > * authentic assessment > > * strategy instruction as it relates to high stakes testing > > * professional reading suggestions/reflections to continue our > > learning process > > * lesson write ups/book suggestions > > * online book talks related to comprehension teaching > > We are looking forward to an active, stimulating, and supportive > discussion > > > with you on these topics! Remember- no question is too simple to ask.>> > > I appreciate the respectful tone the discussions take...but I am thinking > at > > this point, we might want to consider the reason we all came to Mosaic was > > to discuss comprehension. > > Maybe it is time we get back to that... > > Jennifer > > List moderator > > > > > > In a message dated 2/20/2009 8:46:50 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, > > elwaingor...@cbe.ab.ca writes: > > > > What is interesting to me about this whole thread and sub thread is how > far > > > away they have taken us from talk of comprehension and strategy > instruction. > > Again, we are being led astray to discuss things that don't add anything > of > > > value to the purpose for which the Mosaic list was established. > > Elisa > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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. > > _______________________________________________ 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.
_______________________________________________ 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.
