This semester has been my favorite one yet. This class was really what I needed for my teaching career. The book we used was excellent and I will definitely be keeping it on hand for when I am an actual teacher because I need it to remind me that I am only human. The discussions and projects we had during this semester were also really important to me. I learned about all these books that I had never heard of before, that I could potentially use in my own classroom and for this I am grateful. I think that this is the first class that really made me feel like a teacher and not just a student. I had to start thinking like a teacher, and putting my students first. I never struggled very much in high school, but when I got to college studying became a huge part of my life because I couldn't pass without it. I still struggle daily, but I think it is a blessing, because now I know how some of my students will feel and struggle.
I think I have learned a lot. I have opened up to being a teacher and am no longer in fear of it. I'm still nervous about being a quote "good" teacher, but I feel more confident about it now after this class. This class really opened my eyes to different genres of books, and different types of books like realistic fiction. Our literature circle book really struck a cord with me and I want to use it in my classroom. This class also helped me with strategies to use. Going into this class I had no idea how to help students who are struggling with reading, but this book we used really helped with that, and using the strategies in class was really helpful as well. Overall, I would say that this semester has helped me grow as a student and future teacher.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Chapter 14: Finding the Right book
I love books. So when I read the title of this chapter I was really excited to read it. I think finding the right books for my students to read is the most important thing I will do as a teacher. When I was a high school student most of the books that I read were at a higher level than my peers, but that is just because I loved to read from a small age. It was important to my teachers to give us choices because they knew all of us had a different taste and level of reading. I think the books they chose for us to read were not the best, but also not the worst. Everyone has to read things they don't like, but I want my students to read books that are relevant to their lives. Teaching the classics isn't always the best idea. I think you need variety in the classroom to keep things fresh and fun.
In this chapter, my favorite section was Fiction. I liked this section because it gave all different examples of types of books for students to read. Like Thin books, and books with illustrations, and Mysteries. This gave me a really good insight into how to pick books for my students to read.
In this chapter, my favorite section was Fiction. I liked this section because it gave all different examples of types of books for students to read. Like Thin books, and books with illustrations, and Mysteries. This gave me a really good insight into how to pick books for my students to read.
Chapter 13: Creating the Confidence to Respond
This chapter was a lot about confidence in reading and in life. This surprised me, because I didn't think that confidence ever played a role in reading. Now that I think about it though, some of my friends who weren't strong readers wouldn't want to read out loud in class, because they do not want to be embarrassed if they didn't know a word. What I found really helpful was the section on When students lack confidence. As a teacher it is my job to help the students become comfortable with reading and themselves. This section in the chapter will help me not only help them read better, but to connect with them. If I can find them a book they like, they will keep reading books that are similar to that book, and their reading level will go up along with their confidence.
Another part of the chapter that I particularly liked was the Keep your Expectations High section. I think that today teacher's lower their expectations and standards to accomodate students too much. Without high expectations and standards students will never grow and learn more. Some students physically or psychologically can't do the work, and that is something we need to take in to consideration. But, some students are just lazy and don't want to do the work. It is refreshing to read something that tells me to keep my expectations high, because all I hear from the government is to conform to the students only give them work they can handle. I know that school is stressful and hard, but doing busy work or easy lessons doesn't help students learn. This chapter gave me confidence in being a teacher and knowing that I need to follow my instincts.
Another part of the chapter that I particularly liked was the Keep your Expectations High section. I think that today teacher's lower their expectations and standards to accomodate students too much. Without high expectations and standards students will never grow and learn more. Some students physically or psychologically can't do the work, and that is something we need to take in to consideration. But, some students are just lazy and don't want to do the work. It is refreshing to read something that tells me to keep my expectations high, because all I hear from the government is to conform to the students only give them work they can handle. I know that school is stressful and hard, but doing busy work or easy lessons doesn't help students learn. This chapter gave me confidence in being a teacher and knowing that I need to follow my instincts.
Chapter 10: Fluency and Automaticity
This chapter was really interesting to me, because I had never heard of automaticity. I liked how in the first pages of the chapter she really explained what fluency and automaticity are, and how they are different from each other. Automaticity is the ability to do something quickly without a lot of conscious thought about the task. That is just the general meaning, but the literature meaning in a reader's ability to recognize words without conscious decoding. Fluency is the ability to read smoothly and easily at a good page with good phrasing and expression. I think that it is important to have this distinction, because I thought they were the same thing. She did a really good job making the distinction in this chapter.
Another thing that I enjoyed about this chapter, as I liked in every chapter is examples of how to teach fluency and automaticity. I would think that it would be difficult to really teach these things. I initially thought that either you were good at reading or you struggled, but this chapter really helped me. My favorite section of this chapter is the measuring fluency part. I didn't know that there was a certain amount of words a student should be able to read at certain levels. My experience in school is that no teacher really ever gauged fluency. I think it is important to do that because students need to be able to read fluently. The steps that are mentioned in this chapter were such a great support for teaching fluency. I liked the steps for determining a student's fluency. I think that I will use these steps in my own classroom so that I can help students feel more comfortable when reading.
Another thing that I enjoyed about this chapter, as I liked in every chapter is examples of how to teach fluency and automaticity. I would think that it would be difficult to really teach these things. I initially thought that either you were good at reading or you struggled, but this chapter really helped me. My favorite section of this chapter is the measuring fluency part. I didn't know that there was a certain amount of words a student should be able to read at certain levels. My experience in school is that no teacher really ever gauged fluency. I think it is important to do that because students need to be able to read fluently. The steps that are mentioned in this chapter were such a great support for teaching fluency. I liked the steps for determining a student's fluency. I think that I will use these steps in my own classroom so that I can help students feel more comfortable when reading.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Chapter 9: Vocabulary
Vocabulary is actually a really important thing for teachers and students. That is what I experienced when I was growing up. We would spend a full day on spelling and vocabulary. This chapter opened my eyes to new ways to teach and help student's vocabulary. I really enjoyed the Vocabulary Casserole activity. It make me laugh a little bit, but it was a true way to think about how we teach vocabulary right now. What happens in this activity is you find 20 words no one has ever heard of before. Put them on the blackboard and ask the students to write them down THen put the definition on the board and have the students write the definitions down as well. Have the students use the words in a sentence and maybe give them a test on friday. It is not a strategy to use anymore, because really the students are not retaining the information. At least I did not when it was presented to me like this. But I liked how it was presented in the book in a humorous kind of way.
My favorite strategy in this chapter is the vocabulary trees. Instead of having the students know the root word and some words that come from it, have them make their own tree about the root word to build up their own vocabulary. It is a fun visual way to help students as well as give them something to reference if it happens to be on a test. I really enjoyed that strategy because I think that as teachers we need to be considerate of students who do not benefit from straight lectures and taking notes. Some students are very visual, and this activity helps those students in visualizing words and vocabulary.
My favorite strategy in this chapter is the vocabulary trees. Instead of having the students know the root word and some words that come from it, have them make their own tree about the root word to build up their own vocabulary. It is a fun visual way to help students as well as give them something to reference if it happens to be on a test. I really enjoyed that strategy because I think that as teachers we need to be considerate of students who do not benefit from straight lectures and taking notes. Some students are very visual, and this activity helps those students in visualizing words and vocabulary.
Chapter 8: Extending Meaning After-Reading Strategies
This chapter was a long one. There were so many strategies to go over I felt a little bit overwhelmed. Though I got through it, there was so much information to take in. I did not know there were ant strategies for after reading a text. I found this to be very information and all the steps to take after reading a text really helped me get through this chapter.
I really liked that It says-I say is continued in this chapter. It becomes It says-I say-and so. First the student reads the question, then find information from the text that helps to answer that question. The third step is to think about what they know about that information, and the fourth step is to combine what the text says with what the students know and come up with the answer. I really liked the examples as well. It is important to show me how the strategy works, so I can use it effectively in my classroom. There was a lot of information in this chapter, and I even had to reread and use some of these strategies myself to get through it, but it was a very good chapter and necessary for students and teachers to know and understand.
I really liked that It says-I say is continued in this chapter. It becomes It says-I say-and so. First the student reads the question, then find information from the text that helps to answer that question. The third step is to think about what they know about that information, and the fourth step is to combine what the text says with what the students know and come up with the answer. I really liked the examples as well. It is important to show me how the strategy works, so I can use it effectively in my classroom. There was a lot of information in this chapter, and I even had to reread and use some of these strategies myself to get through it, but it was a very good chapter and necessary for students and teachers to know and understand.
Chapter 7: Constructing Meaning During-Reading Strategies
This chapter really was enjoyable. As an independent reader myself, I never really had problems making sense of a text. It was humbling to me to realize that dependent readers are not equipped to make sense of a text, because they don't realize that they can do that. This chapter when right into the classroom. It talked about three students who are having trouble with a passage. The first student is an independent reader. She explained that she reread the passage and decided what she could not understand and looked for answers. The third student did not realize that other readers did all that, and did not do that because the teacher said just to read the passage.
I really liked this chapter because of the strategy they mention. Say Something is a strategy that stops student's while they are reading a text, giving the students a chance to decipher what they have just read and as questions about it. I really think this strategy is a good one, because the students then get to talk to each other about the reading. It creates critical thinking and builds group work skills between students so they do not feel so alone in reading. This chapter mentioned other strategies like rereading, think-aloud, double-entry journals, and many others, but I really found Say something as my favorite. It is important for us as teachers to know all these strategies and find what works in our classrooms.
I really liked this chapter because of the strategy they mention. Say Something is a strategy that stops student's while they are reading a text, giving the students a chance to decipher what they have just read and as questions about it. I really think this strategy is a good one, because the students then get to talk to each other about the reading. It creates critical thinking and builds group work skills between students so they do not feel so alone in reading. This chapter mentioned other strategies like rereading, think-aloud, double-entry journals, and many others, but I really found Say something as my favorite. It is important for us as teachers to know all these strategies and find what works in our classrooms.
Chapter 5: Learning to make an Inference
Think back to when you were in grade school or high school. Think about all the teachers that told you to make an inference about the reading that you were going over. How many times were you asked to do that? As students, at least for me, I made a lot of inferences in my English classes. As teachers, it is important that we teach our students to make an inference.Most independent readers make inferences effortlessly. They do it without even knowing it.
This chapter foces solely on inferences and the types of them. I personally did not know there were different types of inferences and found it interesting to read about it. I really liked figure 5.1 because it was a chart about all the inferences that could be made on a passage. It gave me a visual on what inferencing really is, and gave a tangible way to teach it. Some students will not know what an inference is, or how to form an inference. I also liked that the section called "Helping Students make Inferences". It went over steps for teachers to use when going over inferences. I find that very valuable to me, being a new teacher. It helps me teach it in an organized way without confusing my students. This chapter turns a common lesson about inferencing into an extraordinary and even a fun way of teaching it.
This chapter foces solely on inferences and the types of them. I personally did not know there were different types of inferences and found it interesting to read about it. I really liked figure 5.1 because it was a chart about all the inferences that could be made on a passage. It gave me a visual on what inferencing really is, and gave a tangible way to teach it. Some students will not know what an inference is, or how to form an inference. I also liked that the section called "Helping Students make Inferences". It went over steps for teachers to use when going over inferences. I find that very valuable to me, being a new teacher. It helps me teach it in an organized way without confusing my students. This chapter turns a common lesson about inferencing into an extraordinary and even a fun way of teaching it.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Chapter 6: Frontloading Meaning
I really enjoyed this chapter a lot. It gave me great methods to help my students and make Language Arts more exciting. Instead of just reading to the students and asking questions, this chapter really made me think of creative and critical thinking ways to get the students more engaged in the texts we are reading in class. My favorite method is the Anticipation Guides. An Anticipation Guide is a tool used in the classroom to get students thinking critically before they even read the passage. It "[i] s a set of generalizations related to the theme of a selections. Students decide whether they agree or disagree with each statement in the guide" (Beers,2003, p. 74). I really liked this method because I think that high school students would find this really helpful before they started reading something. It would maybe make them more eager to read and find out what it is about.
Another method I liked that was mentioned in this chapter was Probable Passage. This is a method where you pick key words from the selection and present them to the students. The students will then put them into categories and come up with their own version or prediction of what will happen in the story. I found this method to be very intriguing because I had never heard of it before. I think it is the best way to get people talking and get creative juices flowing. Although all the methods mentioned in this chapter are awesome those two are my favorites.
Another method I liked that was mentioned in this chapter was Probable Passage. This is a method where you pick key words from the selection and present them to the students. The students will then put them into categories and come up with their own version or prediction of what will happen in the story. I found this method to be very intriguing because I had never heard of it before. I think it is the best way to get people talking and get creative juices flowing. Although all the methods mentioned in this chapter are awesome those two are my favorites.
Chapter 4: Explicit Instruction in Comprehension
Okay, so this chapter is by far my favorite one. I have never been taught how to teach comprehension to students, and I have to say this chapter sort of scared me at first. What I really liked about this chapter is the "And Just How Do I Teach Any of Those Strategies?" section about teaching comprehension strategies. It really put me at ease, and showed me just how to teach comprehension. I think the most effective method is the "think aloud" method of teaching. I followed along really easily with it and thought it would be a perfect way to teach comprehension, even to high school students. I also liked how she told the steps to achieving teaching it correctly. It made me feel more confident about teaching to students who aren't good readers.
Again, I liked the transcripts she used as well. It gave me an example of how not to teach and how to teach it correctly. I feel that looking back at the section I will be able to effectively teach comprehension strategies to my students without embarrassing them, or confusing the students. I also found figure 4.1 to be very helpful in identifying the difference between direct instruction and scripted instruction. I had never heard of scripted instruction before, so it made it easier for me to understand the differences.
Again, I liked the transcripts she used as well. It gave me an example of how not to teach and how to teach it correctly. I feel that looking back at the section I will be able to effectively teach comprehension strategies to my students without embarrassing them, or confusing the students. I also found figure 4.1 to be very helpful in identifying the difference between direct instruction and scripted instruction. I had never heard of scripted instruction before, so it made it easier for me to understand the differences.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Chapter 3: Assessing Dependent Readers' needs
This chapter starts off right where the last chapter left off. We went over this chapter a little bit in class, but what I really like about this chapter is that it lists some behaviors of dependent readers. It also goes into detail about how all students don't struggle through the same readings. I really like that, because I would never have thought about it. If someone likes to read outloud and seems to be comprehending it doesn't mean that they are not struggling. Again I like that she uses real life examples and explains how to help after the example, and I like how she gives multiple examples of different types of dependent readers. This way I get a broad view on the types of behaviors I should be expecting. Not just one example of one particular students. I really like this book, because it shows all the different types of students, and that it how it should be. There is no one way a person struggles with reading.This chapter helped me realize that there is more than just one type of student with reading problems.
Also in this chapter, she goes into what good readers do, their habits and how students should be reading. I liked the list of examples that she gave. The last part of the chapter was called underlying beliefs. This is where she goes through and says her beliefs about teaching and struggling readers. I especially enjoyed this part because as a new teacher I will have my own beliefs and I will grow in them. I like how she is using her real life experiences when writing these chapters, instead of just spewing out useless statistics that would make it more difficult for me to comprehend.
Also in this chapter, she goes into what good readers do, their habits and how students should be reading. I liked the list of examples that she gave. The last part of the chapter was called underlying beliefs. This is where she goes through and says her beliefs about teaching and struggling readers. I especially enjoyed this part because as a new teacher I will have my own beliefs and I will grow in them. I like how she is using her real life experiences when writing these chapters, instead of just spewing out useless statistics that would make it more difficult for me to comprehend.
Chapter 2: Creating Independent Readers
Chapter two in "When Kids Can't Read" is all about how to help dependent readers become independent. The first think this chapter does is explain what a dependent reader is. I found this very imformative and I particularly liked it because it explained to me the behaviors of a dependent reader and an independent reader. Throughout the chapter Ms. Beers goes through scenarios with students she has taught and explains how to help them before independent readers. I really liked that. It gave me an example and an explaination right after the example. The chapter starts off with a story that really explains how one phrase can mean so much to one person but nothing to another person. I really learned that I have to listen and keep asking questions of students so that I can figure out exactly what they want help with. I really liked all the visuals in this chapter as well. The first visual is an early model about how Ms. Beers thought it works with struggling readers. I found that to be really helpful in understanding what she was doing wrong as a teacher. I really found this chapter helpful for me, and I like how it is structured.
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