Mmmmm... as I have spent time reading this thread (over and over) I am truly
proud that I can say... my accountability lies with my first graders. I am
very blessed to work in a district that does not buy into prescribed reading
programs. I am allowed to scaffold my student's learning ( in all areas of
Literacy) based on what their individual needs happen to be. My philosophy
is TEACH THE CHILD - NOT THE CURRICULUM!
I also feel blessed to have the knowledge of: guided reading, reading
strategies, comprehension strategies, RTI. etc. I view all of these
practices as a key on a map. When I need them, they are there and my job is
to know my children well to use what's necessary to help them to keep moving
forward in their journey of becoming a reader and building a reading life
that is full of joy and love for literature.
I, again, feel blessed that I can 'name' what I do in my practice. I would
hate the think that there are teachers out there who can not speak about
what they are doing in their practice - how they are using instruction,
coaching, strategy groups, RTI - to meet the needs of the students they are
responsible for. I don't think we need to document this in our everyday
lesson plans, but we do need to have record of what we have spent time doing
with our children.
I currently use a workshop model. Each workshop starts with 10 - 15 minute
"lesson". I love to do Read Alouds, modeling the big idea, but also employ
other methods. Then children are reading "Just Right" books privately, with
a partner, and with me. Knowing who these kids are and what they need comes
from my time conferring/coaching them individually during this workshop time
and taking notes on what I do with them.
This is the time that I have planned carefully to make sure the needs of all
children are met. I gather children based on needs - not ability, and may
have a strategy lesson, a guided reading time, conversation/comprehension
time, etc. depending on what I've learned about their needs during this
workshop time.
The last point I want to make in regards to 'naming' what we do and using
methods of teaching is that NOT all teachers who teaching reading truly know
what to do or how to share with others their practice (scary). I have
spent 18 years learning, relearning, and practicing this craft. I am not
perfect, but I am tenacious in my fight to provide each child in my
classroom with what they deserve and I am not above trying new and different
methods to see if they are a good fit or throwing them out if they are not.
As teachers we need to be responsible to our students, their parents, our
colleagues, and ourselves - I believe a part of this is being able to
communicate our practice, even if it means naming and explaining what we do.
I agree that we all need to use common sense and teach with passion! Our
instruction needs to be driven by our children - not programs or methods -
but if we throw out all of these good practices... the question begs - what
are we doing?
Respectfully,
Kim
First Grade
Cumberland, ME
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stewart, L" <lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us>
To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group"
<mosaic@literacyworkshop.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2009 12:41 PM
Subject: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings
I love teaching, but lately I have been questioning the way I teach,
particularly reading. I am an avid reader. Reading is an integral part of
my adult life. I was never taught any reading strategies. I have children
in my classroom who love to read and read way above grade level. I feel
that they, like me, have already internalized the strategies and yes they
can be strengthened but probably that will happen naturally as well. The
more they read, the stronger they will become. It seems that we are
prescribing medication whether the child is ill or not. It's like using
manipulatives in math. Our new math program requires the use of
manipulatives all the time. It used to be that you used maniuplatives when
you differentiated for the child who was having difficulty with a concept.
It seems like we are heading back to a one-size-fits-all mentality which
scares me. I sometimes think the reading strategies were meant for
educators so that we could become better teachers of reading, particularly
for our struggling readers, and I think we have taken it too far and use it
in all cases. When I look at the current guided reading models it is so
prescribed: everyone is in a quick guided group with the teacher drilling
a skill or they are reading independently. I am having a difficult time
seeing the joy in that model. Where do the rich conversations that connect
children to each other and to literature take place in this current model?
Was the model intended for accomplished readers?
Leslie R. Stewart
Grade 3 Teacher
lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us<mailto:lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us>
203-481-5386, 203-483-0749 FAX
To feel most beautifully alive means to be reading something beautiful,
ready always to apprehend in the flow of language the sudden flash of
poetry. ~ Gaston Bachelard ~
<http://thinkexist.com/birthday/september_24/>
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