Interesting. I think part of what Johnston is saying is that learning comes down to relationships...and we convey we care for our students in lots of ways...using our words AND our smiles, hugs etc. Kids respond to us, learn from us, because they love us back.
But there is more too Johnston's work here than making kids feel loved, even though that is hugely important. It is about developing a sense of agency in our kids...and that's what Johnston means when he refers to the use of words to frame OR re-frame classroom events. I remember a lesson I used to use ...a concept attainment lesson where I showed lists of words with g in them...and the kids and I sorted them by those with a soft g, and those with a hard g and asked the kids to look for patterns. What is the same about the words with the soft g? When one child (let's call him Jake) would notice that those soft g words had i, e or y (that had an i or e sound) immediately after the g...ever after that would be "Jake's rule" when we decoded words with soft g. That kid was framed as the expert on "g words" and his confidence level would go way up, and suddenly he would be extremely interested in looking for patterns in other words. I had, unknowingly, by crediting the rule to a student, given him the understanding that he could figure out for himself how words worked. I used words to frame Jake as an expert, and he responded and was extremely motivated. This book makes me wonder...what other small moments in the classroom could give kids that same feeling that they were powerful learners? Jennifer L. Palmer, Ed. D. Instructional Facilitator National Board Certified Teacher <<What keeps coming to me as I read this is remembering facial expressions as well as touch, etcetera. Actually, I think these may be equal to or greater than the words. Consider the encouraging "I can't wait to hear how you figured that out!" smile, the "OMG - I never thought of it that way" smile, the "of course we have time to wait while you get together your words" smile, the "you are unfailingly kind" smile, the "you are working SO hard" smile. We've seen those smiles, and tens of thousands of others. Smiles for kindness, smiles for pride, smiles for trying even while not completely getting there, smiles for what you already know, smiles for "you may not get it yet, but you will!" Smiles for fun, smiles for funny, smiles for pure joy, smiles just because I love you. Smiles because you amaze me. Touches or signs for the same. And we've also seen the absence of same. Sadly, some children see only the former; some children see only the latter. No, heartbreakingly. Just about everything Johnston wrote in this book about words opening minds can be said about non-verbal messages as well.>> _______________________________________________ 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
