Top TEN Continued....
#6 Irene and Close Reading: Close reading is NOT a new strategy. It has been around for quite some time, but people have different ideas of what it actually entails. Another aha moment was when Irene explained that it is actually in Teaching for Comprehension and Fluency on pg. 286 (I will have to make this page to show my colleagues). With the use of close reading we SHOULD NOT use harder texts with the thinking that since it is harder, students will learn and understand. How does that even make sense? That will ONLY frustrate the student and make him/her not want to read. Isn't our goal to make a community of readers? YES! There is a place for close reading in the literacy framework. It can happen through interactive read alouds, small groups, guided reading, or even guided whole group. However, selections of text should be chosen purposefully (not the whole text, unless it is relatively short). Irene emphasized that it is important to think about three things: author's purpose, organization of the text, and the big ideas. The prompting guides will be useful here to help guide your instruction. Through the use of close reading, you are creating critical thinkers if they learn to synthesize and come up with the bigger overall theme. Okay, so now I have to think about a text to use in my classroom to incorporate this, as well. THINK....IRA's!
#7 Irene Continued: Irene had so many enlightening things to say that I think I'm just going to make a quick running list of a few last tidbits:
- Modules (i.e. NYS on reading instruction): scripted instruction doesn't look at the student. Textbook based instruction is a way to say that we covered it; doesn't follow the learner. Where is the research to say that it is effective? Effective teachers look at a text and get behind it and teaches all 12 systems of strategic actions for comprehending text all of the time (not just one day).
- We use REAL books to make children literate.
- Synthesizing- keep precise!
- Behavioral evidence in thinking- in talk and writing about reading.
- Systematically observe and assess and bring them forward by looking at the student.
- Get rid of the stupid stuff we give students to do!
#8 Continue Close Reading with Picture Books- Take a book deeper. So, if you used a book such as, Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco you could ask the group to reexamine for the deeper themes. Ask students what they notice to fuel the discussion. Rereading is a part of close reading. Once you complete a text in guided reading, looking at it again through another lens. BOOK CLUBS are another great place to incorporate close reading.
#9 The Art of Inquiry: Bringing inquiry into all subjects, not just reading. Tie the inquiry to your unit. Students are held accountable by coming up with their questions that they want to study and research (keep these questions in a research notebook). Create inquiry circles. Inquiry makes students active participants in their own learning and creates a collaborative environment. To find out more look at:
Inquiry Circles in Elementary Classrooms (Heinemann):
#10 Word Study: As a group we reexamined the word study block and the buddy study component, in order to freshen it up and push our learners. Something that I really liked and want to bring back to my classroom is incorporating word study across the frameworks by linking it to reading and writing. For instance, if we are studying a particular principle for the week, students can find words that connect to that principle in their reading and writing and add it to a weekly word board (now, if only I could figure out where this would fit in the room where there is no more space left, especially since we have such strict fire codes!). Also, I liked the writing connection in that students can have a section of their writer's notebooks where they can add words from their weekly spelling lists that they think are interesting and that they would like to use in their writing.
I'm very happy and excited to be back home and I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to receive more professional development this past week. I have so much to think about and to try and incorporate into the classroom. I have to keep reminding myself one step at a time, so that I don't get too overwhelmed trying to do it all! Once day at a time. I do like the idea of this blog to help me keep track of my own learning, share the things that I have learned with others, and it also gives me a spot to reflect on it all. Hope everyone has a fabulous four day week....Happy Birthday Dr. King Jr. :)
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