Tompkins Ch. 7

I really liked this chapter on comprehension in the Tompkins book. I loved how the chapter started out with the eight different comprehension strategies. Teaching comprehension can be a daunting task especially for those students in the class who have little background knowledge and are English language learners. However the chapter also talks about how to build proper background knowledge for those students and even how to teach specific comprehension strategies. The text also stated that "teachers assist students in setting purposes and using the purposes to guide their reading." Nothing could be more true, without a purpose in instruction and reading, there is little to expect from either. Setting a purpose and helping students set a purpose for reading can really help them comprehend the text.
Another thing I liked about this chapter is how the text stated "Teachers teach comprehension explicitly, including how, when, and why to use strategies and routines of strategies." Some students will get how to use comprehension strategies right away, while others might need explicit instruction and practice until they get it right. Teaching these strategies can benefit the students, and can help them develop their comprehension skills. For example the one teacher had a triple entry journal about a story they were reading. The three columns were: the text, your thinking, and the strategy. The "text column" included a quote or a paraphrase of what happened in the text. The "your thinking column" included what the students were thinking about. The last column required students to label what comprehension strategy they were using. I thought this was extremely helpful in practicing comprehension strategies and recognizing which ones they were using.

Kyle Williams

Chapter 10 - W. and M.

I thought this chapter was a really helpful and organized tool for helping how class recitations and discussions can be used successfully in the classroom. It's very clear that we are being shown that recitations somewhat seem to be a way of the past, while discussion-based forums are being pushed now, but I actually really like how this chapter breaks down the idea of the generic "recitation" and tells what about it is helpful and what just plain doesn't work. Obviously the worst parts of this sort of thing are the teacher playing the dominant role by often talking more than the students do altogether, and the amount of participation that is put in by each of the students which is hard to monitor and keep balanced. Opening the class up and getting them focused on each other and their thoughts through a discussion of a topic is going to be much more beneficial and meaningful to the students. The teacher can and should be there to help guide with extra questions and perhaps even some comments that will spur on discussion between peers.

One concern I have is my future students who are shy or uncomfortable speaking in front of others. The book suggests using a checklist or using a jar of everyone's names in order to keep a variety of speakers talking and to keep everyone focused and participating, however, some students are very focused and engaged in discussions even when they don't choose to participate with their words. Having been one of these types of learners when I was young really makes me think about them and what methods I should use to make sure they are staying on task during these discussion times too. As I get to know my students, I'll learn who loves speaking out loud and responding, and I'll learn who my quiet ones are too. Perhaps a writing response following class discussions would be a good way to assess the knowledge gained from them, especially for my quiet ones who don't feel comfortable talking in front of their peers.

W and M ch. 10

I found so much good information it became hard for me to target one major idea in the text. I would like to address wait time, “saving face” and volunteering. Starting with wait time, we all have been in an instance where a teacher or professor has asked a question and expected an immediate response. Sometimes it takes a few seconds, minutes or a whole discussion to figure out how one feels about a certain topic or question. It is increasingly important for us, as new teachers, to realize that sometimes students need to think about it before they can construct an answer. In ch. 10 they talk about how it can be hard to stand in front of a classroom and pose a question while students just look back with blank faces. Students need time to think and teachers need to give them that time. However, sometimes, the case may be that the question was too hard, it needs to be reworded, or simply dropped. There are some questions that will receive no responses. It is stated that after a point in time momentum will be lost as well as the groups attention. Finding that medium is quite the challenge for a teacher.

“Saving Face” became a part of all of our lives at some point or another. Sometimes a student will be called on and they will have no idea of the answer. Instead of picking someone else or letting the student fail, there are a few other options. As a teacher we can ask questions guiding them to the answer, or a simpler way, have them choose a friend to help them with the answer. These techniques can help students in so many ways. Students never want to look wrong in front of their peers, especially at such a young age. By helping them along the way, or having them pick a friend to help they are still learning, and they are keeping their pride.

To start I should say that volunteers in the classroom are great, however, Weinstein and Mignano point out that they don’t necessarily represent the whole class. Just because a volunteer understands the material doesn’t mean that Victoria in the back of the class understands. One technique could be for the teacher to choose the volunteer, so that they feel useful and can still participate (which we know enhances learning), and then choose another student (perhaps a non-volunteer) to restate what the person before said. That way they are participating as well, they are listening, and they are learning by rewording what someone else has already said. If the student cannot reword it, the teacher will be able to better address what might be a whole class misunderstanding.

Weinstein & Mignano Ch. 10

I liked this chapter on managing recitations and discussions because I have had lots of experience being on the opposite end of this IRE strategy. I agree with the criticisms about this kind of strategy, one because some of it happened to me. Picking out random kids to restate blatant facts about a reading requires little to no higher thinking and can often put children on the spot who maybe did not pay attention for that specific part. Often times when the student can't come up with the answer he is immediately judged by his classmates and the class is called on as a whole to "help them out" by correcting their error. This can be especially stressful for some students and can cause ridicule especially if the answer is an extremely easy one. In my classroom I have noticed my CT use this method sometimes, but she will have children volunteer to restate a fact or write a number sentence up on the board. She is very sensitive to her children, and if someone gets the answer wrong she will simply ask the class to help the student out, while simultaneously commenting on how she liked the students thoughts.
Although not all recitation discussions are bad. It can be a great way to review quickly for those that don't remember and can be a way to check a child's comprehension level as well. A teacher can also have students expand orally and give more complete responses than they would on paper. Although the discussion involves more higher thinking skills in analyzing an issue or a question that is easier when considered by a group instead of individually. Discussions can also be more lively, whereas the recitation is more passive and sometimes students are even forced to sit and listen instead of responding.
Overall I greatly enjoyed reading about the differences in difficulties in both the recitation and discussion styles.

Class Discussions vs. Recitations

Based on these articles, instructional conversations and class discussions seem to be on the rise in classrooms, which I think is a very positive thing. Discussing topics in an open forum allows students to get many ideas out on the table while receiving support and (hopefully constructive) criticisms from their peers. I really love the idea of the teacher being involved as minimally as possible and the discussion mainly being conducted by the class itself. When this can actually happen, and happen well, I think it shows a wonderful level of maturity in a class full of students who are learning how to support their stances and debate what they see as questionable. Sometimes topics arise that only our students will be able to explain thoroughly in a way that makes sense to their peers. In that case, these conversations are fantastic because students can often find the right words to develop an understanding in their classmates that we as teachers may not be able to find. Also, these discussions allow for much more student-speaking time that they would not get if the teacher was using up a lot of the time to talk.

Moving away from this idea of lectures and recitations and moving more towards discussions seems like such a positive step in our classrooms. One of the most important benefits is that students will learn to formulate their own opinions about certain issues without experiencing any bias from the teacher. This is such an imperative thing in today’s society, even when not dealing with hot topics. Students are taught to be individuals from a very early age, and this action in the classroom actually supports that very much. I’m sure there are many varying degrees of how involved the teacher actually is in discussions in classrooms throughout the country. Depending on the class and the topics themselves, I think it’s up to the teacher’s discretion to allow the students run as much as possible in order to learn from themselves and each other.

Instructional Conversations

I really liked the article on instructional conversations. Often times structured conversations such as these are overlooked in teaching and are not given as much attention as they should have. Not only does it build comprehension but it develops the student's skills in debating, and arguing orally. This forces the student to think about what they are going to say and say it, which requires quite a bit of thought process. I loved the part where the article states "Perhaps most important (in a discussion), he or she (the teacher) manages to keep everyone engaged in a substantive and extended conversation, weaving individual participants' comments into a larger tapestry of meaning." After reading this quote it makes me think of a composer in an orchestra, the teacher must direct students in the right direction and weave the thoughts of each students into each other to not only comprehend whats being talked about, but to explore new areas in the discussion as well.
The other thing I liked about the IC article is that it explains that instructional conversations take time to be able to teach. No one is born with the ability to lead a perfect discussion and it takes a considerable amount of work and training to be able to do so. The 10 different things required in an IC is a start to becoming more literate in leading an IC and practice practice practice will improve skill. Overall I love the idea of an instructional conversation and would use them in my class often.

Kyle Williams

Hardly Highlighting

As I read the McGee article I found myself coasting along, hardly highlighting anything. It was then that I realized that she was telling me concepts I had already thought. These ideas were already in my pedagogy. In that, it made me feel that she was stating obvious statements, nothing too extraordinary. It became very hard for me to read, while looking for a deeper meaning. I tried to focus on the big concepts and vocabulary she was using but it just seemed elementary to me.

I have to give credit to her when she states, “readers construct literary meaning using the text as merely a blueprint”. I completely agree with this statement 100%. I think that as one reads they connect ideas to experiences or hypotheses they already carry. However, if the text does not match or connect with what they already know it becomes very difficult for the reader to connect ideas or continue comprehending what the text is trying to express.

At another point in the article McGee explains, “In a group, readers share their own understandings and significant insights and must convince others of the value of their insights”. This is true for any classroom regarding any type educational situation, regarding literacy, mathematics, science, etc. This is also true for any level of education. Even now I’m trying to convince others of my opinions. I believe this is a life skill that every student needs to learn in order to work within society.

Gibbons chapter 5

This chapter of Gibbons had a phenomenal amount of vital information for us to be exposed to as future teachers! I really feel like one of my biggest challenges ahead is going to be working with my students on literacy; not only reading texts thoroughly enough for comprehension’s sake, but the choices I make for class literature when students are not all at the same reading level, and even doing an adequate amount of pre and post-reading activities. The seemingly endless options for pre-reading activities that are offered in this chapter could almost leave a teacher with a new method to use for every single piece of literature throughout the course of a school year. A variety level this high is wonderful and will most likely keep students excited and engaged with each new text. Getting students excited about reading is a very important task to handle early on in the year, and is something that I’ve always thought I’d need help with because I remember always having a hard time getting excited about reading myself. Of all the ones mentioned, my favorite reading technique is probably “pausing and predicting” because it allows for group comprehension and small class discussions during the reading, as opposed to waiting until after, when it’s then revealed that several students had a hard time focusing on the text and missed out on what’s actually going on in the story.

When looking back over the chapter in its entirety, I feel slightly nervous, but more confidently challenged. I’m accepting of the fact that teaching literacy may not be the easiest subject that I’ll take on in the future. Gibbons shows that there are clearly many aspects of reading that can make it very challenging for students, and I would like to make it a personal goal of mine to master the skills needed to sufficiently and successfully instruct them in a way that will help them to become the very best readers they can be.

Gibbons ch. 5

I’d like to start by saying that this chapter was, by far, one of the best chapters I read in college. With that being said I’d like to start by saying that the examples used and the way they were referred to in the text were phenomenal. Gibbons states “In one sense, reading simply confirms what we know: we map our already existing experiences onto what we read.” (p. 79). This hits hard to home. He goes on to say, as we read, we already have a preconceived idea of what is going to be said. That is why it was so easy fro us to fill in the blanks, and read the jumbled words he provided.

As I read on I saw many strategies for activities before, during and after reading. I find that I use these same strategies when I read. Starting with skimming the text and looking at pictures, I can gauge what kind of reading I’ll be doing and what kinds of supports or tools I might have while reading. I can see how the text is broken up and by reading the summary at the end; I can see where the author is going so I can start connecting ideas.

I found the Rereading for Detail section to be very interesting. Rereading what we’ve read is something that we urge to young students that are first learning to read to do. We tell them that by reading and then rereading they can find more details corresponding to the text. In that they will find more meaning and understand a bit more about the text. I can imagine that I was taught this same way when I was first starting to read. Yet, now, I cannot recall the last thing I read, and the reread to gain more meaning. Perhaps I reread a sentence or paragraph to figure out what the heck it was talking about, or reread a page forgetting that I had once read it, however, to ask me to reread something seems almost absurd.