Jennifer Jones
Chapter 10-11: Learning Log
Page 161: “As all teachers discuss and reflect on reading instruction, they develop a community of practice. In a community of practice, literacy teachers have an identity defined by a shared interest: to teach children to read. Within the community of practice, the teachers add to their shared knowledge base.”
I found Walker’s discussion of “communities of practice” especially interesting due to the fact that she is talking in terms of an educational community of practicing teachers, but using a phrase I had only previously associated with business. There are many reasons why I think a CoP can be very useful but among them is the fact that fosters collaboration because a group of committed individuals. CoPs are interesting because they are for the most part a self-organized group of people, who share a common passion and desire for growth. All too often when teachers are “forced” onto a committee there is not the same focus on practicality and solutions as there is in this type of structure. I have more often heard as these in the field of education being referred to as PLC (Professional Learning Communities) but essentially they are the same idea.
Page 162: “As this roaming time is occurring, the coach and teacher discuss the class’s individual difference and what could possibly improve student learning. After a few weeks, the coach and the teacher sit down for a preconference that occurs before a formal observation.”
I think the notion of a preconference between literacy specialists and classroom teachers is critically important, especially if the literacy model is to work effectively. I think without the formal meetings (with the purpose of helping students), literacy teachers may be viewed as “strangers” or “guests” by the students and primary teacher not the valuable resource that they are. I also think that the notion of formal observations can be intimidating for teachers (especially novice teachers) so a clarification of expectations and roles beforehand could be very important.
Page 165: “Usually teacher action research begins by studying innovative ideas. In these groups, the teachers actually try out the procedures or techniques and collect student data.”
Action research, in my experience, is one of the most useful and fairly straightforward types of research practicing teachers can do. Last semester as part of a research and statistics course I took for my masters program, I did action research on my use of non-instructional time during the school day, with the expectation that I would come up with a plan to more efficiently and appropriately use my planning periods and lunch. I noticed some very interesting trends after keeping an extensive journal for four weeks and made some “resolutions” so I would have less work materials to bring home each night. The reason I think this research improved my effectiveness is because it was specifically tailored to fit my professional concern (use of free time) in the situation where I teach everyday.
Page 169: “Diagnostic teaching techniques from different views of reading have been classified according to these key questions so that they diagnostic teacher can match the students’ strengths and needs and design lessons that mediate learning for each student.”
After reading this passage, I am still wondering how to apply this sort of intense differentiation in my own classroom. Walker states that lessons should be designed to match the needs and strengths of each student, however I question how this is possible to implement in a classroom of 25 students. Perhaps this statement is aimed more at the special education teacher who is working one on one or in a small groups setting, but I would love to hear how other teacher differentiate lessons both by content and interest to better fit the needs of individuals not in terms of class periods.
Page 191: “Passive learners, however, learn by watching how other students and the teacher solve the problem. They have difficulty distinguishing between the situational context of learning (such as teacher praise and peer approval) and the task of learning.”
I picked this passage from chapter 11, due to the fact that when I initially read this portion I was confused by Walker’s point, and so to clarify it in my own mind wanted to write about it. What I think Walker is saying is that learners (struggling learners) often fail to separate what they learn (the concepts) from how they are learning. I think her ultimate argument is that passive learners are not able to transfer their knowledge from a piece to text to other dissimilar situations such as reading a website or newspaper. I think the “task of learning” she is talking about is the strategies for reading while the “situational context of learning” is the classroom when the strategies are being used. I think one of the major points Walker is dancing in this case is the notion of engagement- that students would stop “watching” others learn and try if themselves if they had sufficient motivation.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Chapter 9: Learning Log
Jennifer Jones
Chapter 9: Learning Log
Page 148: “Teachers have a myriad of materials available, including basal readers, trade books, predictable books, magazines, skills books, computer software, Internet information, video tapes of classic stories/songs and student-produced work”
I think Walker makes a brilliant insight in this selection about the variety of reading material available for teachers to use in their classrooms. In my opinion, many teachers get “stuck in the rut” of using the same pieces of literature (mostly non-fiction) in their classrooms partly because of ease (completed lesson plans etc.) but all the while limiting their students’ in -school accessibility to other types of media including video tapes, songs and computer software. In my opinion, students should receive formal instruction in deriving (useful) information from websites, newspapers and other print and non-print sources as they could potentially be more useful life skills. I also like Walker’s suggestion of student-produced work. Not only does that build a sense of community (sharing in the accomplishment of a fellow student) but it also stands to legitimize students’ own work as important pieces of writing.
Page 149: “Major basal reading and structured literature based programs are published by the following companies: Houghton Mifflin Reading, Harcourt Trophies, Scott Foreman Reading, Macmillian/McGraw- Hill Reading, Kendall-Hunt Pegus II, SRA Open Court Reading.”
The reason I picked this passage from the text is because of the wide variety of reading programs (curriculums) available to purchase. My question while reading this section is: Does purchasing a district-wide curriculum help students build English- Language Arts skills any better than a teacher created and implemented program? I also wonder how schools/school districts judge the success of one program over another and what process there is to abandon a reading program to adopt another. My limited experience with reading instruction comes from my AIS work in Niagara Falls most recently discarded Open Court after only several years implementing it. I wonder that effect switching programs has on student achievement.
Page 150: “These books are stories that would appeal to an older student but are written at an easier level to provide interesting stories that help improve literacy.”
The reason I picked this passage is because it is a very big concern of mine (especially with working middle and high school level) that students do not become so overwhelmed by the extent of their reading difficulty as they get older, being their reading/language deficient swells in comparison to their peers. I have spoken in earlier learning logs about providing students with ample (and meaningful) success experiences to ensure continued motivation and effort, but in this passage Walker presents a great forum for achieving that end. A high interest (perhaps even student selected) text can be extremely worthwhile, especially in a classroom where many students are disinterested or disengaged.
Page 151: “Poetry is a type of material that is effective for developing readers. Many poems have rhyme and rhythm that invite students to read them again and again. An easy poem is a good way to begin tutoring sessions for older readers. When read chorally the poems provide a successful experience that starts off a session well.”
Before reading this chapter I had forgotten the importance and power of using poetry with struggling readers. The reason I picked this passage is because I really like the suggestions Walker provides for reading teachers who want to the predictability and rhythm many poems contain. One idea for using poetry Walker did not mention but that I think might be very appropriate would be to consider the ambiguity and images of poems. Often struggling reading face very direct, expository pieces so a carefully chosen piece of poetry (that while accessible had some more figurative components) could be a very powerful tool for sparking the creativity of reluctant readers.
Page 155: “To evaluate the reading ease of the text, the diagnostic teacher can use a readability formula for textbooks and chapter books or leveling system for predictable books.”
The reason I picked this passage is because the notion of readability of textbooks is a tremendously important issue I face with my students as seventh graders. The current science text, the science department uses is particularly challenging, not in content but the complex sentence structures, use of long words and the fact that there is often too many new ideas presented at once. As educators we talk about schema formation and the notion that student learn best when their ideas are connected to what they already know and have experiences (when they have a hook) but the text is presented simply as facts. I think Walker’s point here is well taken and something that should definately be discussed and critically examined as school districts look to adopt texts.
Chapter 9: Learning Log
Page 148: “Teachers have a myriad of materials available, including basal readers, trade books, predictable books, magazines, skills books, computer software, Internet information, video tapes of classic stories/songs and student-produced work”
I think Walker makes a brilliant insight in this selection about the variety of reading material available for teachers to use in their classrooms. In my opinion, many teachers get “stuck in the rut” of using the same pieces of literature (mostly non-fiction) in their classrooms partly because of ease (completed lesson plans etc.) but all the while limiting their students’ in -school accessibility to other types of media including video tapes, songs and computer software. In my opinion, students should receive formal instruction in deriving (useful) information from websites, newspapers and other print and non-print sources as they could potentially be more useful life skills. I also like Walker’s suggestion of student-produced work. Not only does that build a sense of community (sharing in the accomplishment of a fellow student) but it also stands to legitimize students’ own work as important pieces of writing.
Page 149: “Major basal reading and structured literature based programs are published by the following companies: Houghton Mifflin Reading, Harcourt Trophies, Scott Foreman Reading, Macmillian/McGraw- Hill Reading, Kendall-Hunt Pegus II, SRA Open Court Reading.”
The reason I picked this passage from the text is because of the wide variety of reading programs (curriculums) available to purchase. My question while reading this section is: Does purchasing a district-wide curriculum help students build English- Language Arts skills any better than a teacher created and implemented program? I also wonder how schools/school districts judge the success of one program over another and what process there is to abandon a reading program to adopt another. My limited experience with reading instruction comes from my AIS work in Niagara Falls most recently discarded Open Court after only several years implementing it. I wonder that effect switching programs has on student achievement.
Page 150: “These books are stories that would appeal to an older student but are written at an easier level to provide interesting stories that help improve literacy.”
The reason I picked this passage is because it is a very big concern of mine (especially with working middle and high school level) that students do not become so overwhelmed by the extent of their reading difficulty as they get older, being their reading/language deficient swells in comparison to their peers. I have spoken in earlier learning logs about providing students with ample (and meaningful) success experiences to ensure continued motivation and effort, but in this passage Walker presents a great forum for achieving that end. A high interest (perhaps even student selected) text can be extremely worthwhile, especially in a classroom where many students are disinterested or disengaged.
Page 151: “Poetry is a type of material that is effective for developing readers. Many poems have rhyme and rhythm that invite students to read them again and again. An easy poem is a good way to begin tutoring sessions for older readers. When read chorally the poems provide a successful experience that starts off a session well.”
Before reading this chapter I had forgotten the importance and power of using poetry with struggling readers. The reason I picked this passage is because I really like the suggestions Walker provides for reading teachers who want to the predictability and rhythm many poems contain. One idea for using poetry Walker did not mention but that I think might be very appropriate would be to consider the ambiguity and images of poems. Often struggling reading face very direct, expository pieces so a carefully chosen piece of poetry (that while accessible had some more figurative components) could be a very powerful tool for sparking the creativity of reluctant readers.
Page 155: “To evaluate the reading ease of the text, the diagnostic teacher can use a readability formula for textbooks and chapter books or leveling system for predictable books.”
The reason I picked this passage is because the notion of readability of textbooks is a tremendously important issue I face with my students as seventh graders. The current science text, the science department uses is particularly challenging, not in content but the complex sentence structures, use of long words and the fact that there is often too many new ideas presented at once. As educators we talk about schema formation and the notion that student learn best when their ideas are connected to what they already know and have experiences (when they have a hook) but the text is presented simply as facts. I think Walker’s point here is well taken and something that should definately be discussed and critically examined as school districts look to adopt texts.
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