Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Final Reflection
So, if I can be honest, before this semester, I'd been feeling pretty lackluster about my college and career path. I was excited at the prospect of teaching, but I've just taken so many darn writing classes that the absence of education classes was really getting to me. This semester, from the field experience to the unique experience in this class of getting to sort of put myself in the mindset of my future students, has sparked an excitement in me that I thought I'd lost. True statement. One of the most beneficial tactics Dr. Pytash used this semester were the read and teases. It made me aware of so many young adult novels that we just wouldn't have had the time to really read and explicate this semester. Also, I feel like I'm verging on a new era of my life. It might seem silly to think this (but, no. That can't be.) I'm just so pumped that there are people at Kent State who are in the education program and are such great people. The professors and the students. I was really at the point of reconsidering this profession, but now it feels right. There's no better way for me to say that. Sorry about the sappiness of all of that. I'm posting a "final reflection", and that's the most influential facet of my reflection. Being an educator is what I'm called to do. Its focus is really solely helping people. And, fortunately, there are resources available (books like this text from Beers, professors like Dr. Pytash and Dr. Gershon, etc.) that will make that seemingly impossible task--helping people learn--more feasible. Thanks everyone!
Chapter 14
The concept of finding the right book or genre fits perfectly with what seemed to me to be a huge epiphany about a year ago. I was reading this novel (can't even recall the name of it now), and it was just like pulling teeth. I hated it. After about a month or two of this novel sitting by my bed, not getting read, I decided that I just had to return it. No more teeth pulling. Dentistry over. I thought, "Why am I wasting my time feeling bad about not reading this book when I could just get a new one and spend my time liking it." I talked to Dr. Pytash about this earlier in the semester. She said that she can't stand not finishing books, and I totally understand. It's just a personal thing, I think. But, for struggling readers, I think it's super-important for them to know that, for the most part, they aren't contractually obligated to finish a novel. Now, that's not to say that I'd let my students read a page and get a new one--they'd never know the great feeling that accompanies a riveting conclusion. But, I just have to realize that each one of my students are going to have a different reading interest, and it probably won't be mine.
I was trying to help my boyfriend figure out what genre he might like a few months ago. I didn't know about this chapter. The list on page 285 about what aspects of a book a student might like will be really helpful.
The section on "selling the book to students" is really useful, as well. This is definitely a chapter I'll be revisiting many times in my career. I especially like the idea of the read and teases. I seem to feel familiar with this strategy. Maybe it has something to do with the past 4 months. ;]
I was trying to help my boyfriend figure out what genre he might like a few months ago. I didn't know about this chapter. The list on page 285 about what aspects of a book a student might like will be really helpful.
The section on "selling the book to students" is really useful, as well. This is definitely a chapter I'll be revisiting many times in my career. I especially like the idea of the read and teases. I seem to feel familiar with this strategy. Maybe it has something to do with the past 4 months. ;]
Chapte 13
I looove this chapter!! I just think it's so great that Beers devoted this entire chapter to giving kids the confidence they need to really want to read. This is something I've been thinking about a lot. In fact, I just had a conversation with my mom about why I really want to teach English. I want people to want to read. I want to help people find the pleasure I do in text. But, it's hard to do that. So, Beers is explicit about some ways to go about it.
When I worked with a teacher at Firestone this semester, I learned that keeping expectations high is one of the key techniques he uses with his students, and that's just what Beers says is the way to do it! She says, "As we watch other students struggle with reading (specifically) and learning (in general), our first reaction is often that we need to make the curriculum easier" (261). But, what will happen, if we do that is that kids will think, "Our class doesn't read hard stuff. The teacher thinks we can't do it (261). They're not oblivious. Our students will notice what we do and often why we do it. That's important for me to remember. Even at a young age, (and perhaps especially) kids are really observant. My tutorees often tell me things about what I'm doing that I don't even know I'm doing. I can't overempasize the importance of high and consistent expectations for students, but, thank God, Beers has done it for me.
Another concept Beers presents here corrolates really well with an idea I've worked on recently. I know that learning styles vary widely in people, and it doesn't stop with just the learning. Everyone has their own comfort level. Beers says that teachers should encourage risk in the classroom by creating a supportive environment. But, she also promotes giving students options. "I give participants/students three opportunities for participation:
~They have the opportunity for personal reflection that they can choose to share with no one or perhaps only with me.
~They have the opportunity for small-group discussion with others whom they choose.
~They have the opportunity to speak up in the large-group setting" (264).
This is similar to the emerging concept to give students options in terms of which test they'd like to take, i.e. a multiple choice test vs. a short answer or essay.
When I worked with a teacher at Firestone this semester, I learned that keeping expectations high is one of the key techniques he uses with his students, and that's just what Beers says is the way to do it! She says, "As we watch other students struggle with reading (specifically) and learning (in general), our first reaction is often that we need to make the curriculum easier" (261). But, what will happen, if we do that is that kids will think, "Our class doesn't read hard stuff. The teacher thinks we can't do it (261). They're not oblivious. Our students will notice what we do and often why we do it. That's important for me to remember. Even at a young age, (and perhaps especially) kids are really observant. My tutorees often tell me things about what I'm doing that I don't even know I'm doing. I can't overempasize the importance of high and consistent expectations for students, but, thank God, Beers has done it for me.
Another concept Beers presents here corrolates really well with an idea I've worked on recently. I know that learning styles vary widely in people, and it doesn't stop with just the learning. Everyone has their own comfort level. Beers says that teachers should encourage risk in the classroom by creating a supportive environment. But, she also promotes giving students options. "I give participants/students three opportunities for participation:
~They have the opportunity for personal reflection that they can choose to share with no one or perhaps only with me.
~They have the opportunity for small-group discussion with others whom they choose.
~They have the opportunity to speak up in the large-group setting" (264).
This is similar to the emerging concept to give students options in terms of which test they'd like to take, i.e. a multiple choice test vs. a short answer or essay.
Chapter 10
This chapter is full of really good advice and information about students' reading. But, there are a few specific facets that I'd like to focus on.
"Reading rates usually increase faster during the elementary school years than during the middle and high school years" (208). So, if the reading rate increases this quickly and we are still employing the "tracking" system in the public education system, where are we accounting for the fact that students can be placed in the wrong level of education. For example, perhaps a student in the 3rd grade exhibits exemplary reading fluency and comprehension, but then his or her ability sharply declines the very next year? Or vice versa? Then these kids who have been placed in an honors English class will end up getting totally lost, or students who could really benefit from being in an honors program in high school will not get that opportunity. It's really upsetting. However, I do really like that Beers gives a more informal way to test students' reading rate on page 210. That way, a teacher could do several mini-tests each year just to keep up with a student's growth.
I know it seems like a really obvious statement, but I LOVED when Beers made in unquestionable that "students need to hear fluent reading in order to become fluent readers" (215). I thought, "well of course", but then I couldn't help but question how often I actually read to my tutorees. Their mother really focuses on my creating lesson plans for them to write, but I know that at least one of the two is a struggling reader. Reading and writing are so conjoined that I really think maybe I should designate at least five minutes in the beginning of a session to read to him. What do you all think?
Finally, I also think that I really do too much correcting when I hear my tutoree read. Beers is explicit in saying that a teacher needs to prompt a student to correct him or herself. She says that sometimes readers will need different prompts, such as, "Can you divide the word into syllables and sound it out that way?", but the simplest prompt is usually just to say, "Can you read that again?" (217)
"Reading rates usually increase faster during the elementary school years than during the middle and high school years" (208). So, if the reading rate increases this quickly and we are still employing the "tracking" system in the public education system, where are we accounting for the fact that students can be placed in the wrong level of education. For example, perhaps a student in the 3rd grade exhibits exemplary reading fluency and comprehension, but then his or her ability sharply declines the very next year? Or vice versa? Then these kids who have been placed in an honors English class will end up getting totally lost, or students who could really benefit from being in an honors program in high school will not get that opportunity. It's really upsetting. However, I do really like that Beers gives a more informal way to test students' reading rate on page 210. That way, a teacher could do several mini-tests each year just to keep up with a student's growth.
I know it seems like a really obvious statement, but I LOVED when Beers made in unquestionable that "students need to hear fluent reading in order to become fluent readers" (215). I thought, "well of course", but then I couldn't help but question how often I actually read to my tutorees. Their mother really focuses on my creating lesson plans for them to write, but I know that at least one of the two is a struggling reader. Reading and writing are so conjoined that I really think maybe I should designate at least five minutes in the beginning of a session to read to him. What do you all think?
Finally, I also think that I really do too much correcting when I hear my tutoree read. Beers is explicit in saying that a teacher needs to prompt a student to correct him or herself. She says that sometimes readers will need different prompts, such as, "Can you divide the word into syllables and sound it out that way?", but the simplest prompt is usually just to say, "Can you read that again?" (217)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)