Chapter+15


 * Chapter 15**

**#1 Too tall?**

// Re-read the 7 expectations for 1st graders under the “New Primary Standards” in paragraph 2 of p. 305. Initial reactions? Too tall of an order for 6-year-olds? //

// Regardless our impressions about the expectations themselves, they are written very explicitly and it is clear what the students need to know and be able to do. How do you think the clarity of these expectations would guide mini-lesson and unit writing as well as curricular decisions for classroom time? // //﻿// // The expectations are very high to compete in our very global world. I see this in the light of my past. Growing up my teachers and parents didn't have all of the research but we talked. I did learn to think beyond the written word and apply it too my very small world. We are now more global, therefore having a conversation means elaborating, justifiying interpeting the printed word is a tall order. But...to become that reader is, to me, so wonderful. This is how I read. I want my students to become this. // // Margaret Fox﻿ //

I was floored by what six and seven year olds are expected to do with respect to their reading! Things like retelling books read independently and comparing two books by the same author seem very realistic, while asking others “questions that seek elaboration and justification, and to attempt to explain why their interpretation of a book is valid” seemed like a lofty order for our youngest readers. It definitely provides a roadmap for planning minilessons and units, however. Baby steps can be built in to each unit throughout the year to help students make progress toward these lofty goals, such as simply getting students used to discussing books they have heard or read in September. As students become comfortable just discussing books with each other, this skill can be built upon throughout the year. Knowing these goals will also help with curricular decisions. There is no instructional time to waste if students are to achieve these goals. This means there is no time in class to assign game boards, dioramas, and other art projects. These activities can absolutely be completed by art minded students during their free time or at home, but teachers do not have any time to spare. Stephanie Cooper Chapter 15 from Bobbi Friend #1 – The expectations for first graders in Teachers College classrooms are extremely ambitious. The first one, children are expected to be able to retell the story in books they read independently, is a basic comprehension skill. The part that needs to be taught, however, is to tell the story orally. The second expectation, to compare two books by the same author, is more complex. Students need to understand both stories as well as be able to identify common ideas in the texts. The third expectation, to talk about several books on the same theme, is a skill that will need to be taught over a period of time using several themes. The fourth expectation, to refer to the parts of the text when defending their ideas, will also have to be taught after students understand what the parts of the text are. The next expectation, to politely disagree when appropriate, will require very specific teaching strategies in order to learn what their opinion is and what they believe. The sixth expectation, to ask others questions to seek elaboration and justification, will need to be taught in the context of partner work. The final expectation, to attempt to explain why their interpretation of a book is valid, is being able to defend their belief. These very specific expectations lend themselves to specific mini-lessons and strategy lessons. I believe that these are all attainable goals, but a teacher must be very diligent in delivering lessons and providing active engagement to ensure students can accomplish these goals.

I agree with Stephanie and Bobbi. The expectations outlined seem almost out-of-this-world! However, I'm curious as to how far these children can be pushed and do we, as teachers, have big enough expectations for them to make each student rise to their full potential? I'm not sure. I know that with the process and structure of the Reading and Writing Workshops, my classroom will be a place of reading, writing, thinking, talking, analyzing, sharing, etc. more so than it ever has before. No where in this chapter is it stated that to get there it will be easy. In fact, just the opposite is stated. "The work I've described may sound simple, but pulling it off with kindergarteners and first-grade children is not simple. Even the fact that two readers talk about only one book takes some doing!" (page 312). I can see the benefit that teaching with these goals in mind could be very powerful and could produce magnificient results. Only time will tell as we all continue to do our best to focus our teaching in this way. Keri Cooper

The standards are exciting and challenging when I read them as a teacher. I feel so encouraged that children are expected to engage in higher-level thinking and hopeful for how this will influence their lives. However, I feel overwhelmed when I read they need to “ask others questions that seek elaboration and justification” and “attempt to explain why their interpretation of a book is valid” (page 305). I would feel better to read some examples of how that might sound in first grade! Stephanie, Bobbi, and Keri, I agree that these standards are lofty! They are explicit and give us an end goal in mind though and I appreciate that. I see that there is room for flexibility when designing mini-lessons within a unit to reach these ultimate goals. It helps me to better focus my instructional decisions throughout the day, as well. Sara Sabourin

My initial reaction to page 305 was "Wow!" and I drew a big star in the margin. I agree with Sara, Keri, Bobbi and Stephanie. These are huge expectations!! However, I don't think in the past (when I taught first grade) I was expecting half that much. And that may be why I didn't get the results... too low of expectations. I can learn from the past now. As a Kindergarten teacher, I would hope that the more I expect, the more I can hopefully help them achieve. Kari Bonnema

These are deep concept but when done in books they can read themselves that makes all the difference. It would be too hard to discuss a book that a student doesn’t full gasp. Developmental all students will not be able to do all of the expectations. What will help is the turn and talk, the teachers modeling with a student who is there, one on the verge. Letting parents know so they can help many don’t help because they are not sure what to do not because they can’t or won’t. KDN

THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE!!! Like I said before, I am a psychology major who can only stress how important it is to have “realistic” expectations and teach what our students are “developmentally” ready for. According to the American Journal of Psychology, studies are showing more and more of our children are suffering from stress, anxiety and depression.** I know that boys especially are becoming “learning disabled” and it is a well-known fact that they don’t mature or learn to read as early as girls. Finally, I visited Yosemite a couple of years back and rode in a van with some Chinese educators visiting our country. They were trying to find out why our kids are so innovative and creative. They don't have the stress that kids in China have. If we keep going at this pace we will have created a population like the Chinese. So Sad **** L ** I read, then went back and underlined the standards, then went back a third time to highlight the standards. First of all I think the standards would definately steer the mini-lessons. I think these goals are very lofty to say the least. I do like to always set the bar high for my students so I would surely strive to help each of my students meet goals such as these but. . .I come from a background strong in developmental appropriateness and I am not sure that all students will be able to meet all of these goals. They may be progressing but I don't believe all children will have developed the ability to think in abstract ways at 7 years old. --Jodee Tuttle
 * M.J. **

I think the expectations are very high. I didn't have these high expectations for my first graders and realize that I need to set my standards higher. I know that I need to really stress my behavior expectations as well. I know these standards would drive my mini lessons and unit writing lessons. I would hope that with these high goals the children would improve to try to reach them but I don't think these all are realistic and I feel that we could pick and choose some that we feel migh match our make up of our kids in our class. Ronda **#2The size of our role** //What do you notice about the teacher’s role in children’s book talks? You may choose to refer to Alexa’s progression of teaching listening and conversation to her students. Or you might comment on the Tom Newkirk quote on p. 316. Or you may think about it in a personal way. In any form, it is important for us to consider the size of our role as teacher during the varied ways we grow students to converse and think about books.//

My role is to create a community of students who can carry on "book talks". Not my talks. I am so ready let go of me and let them. The time I want to spend listening to my children talk about what they have read. I want to be the fly on the wall. I want my butterfies to soar. I want to give them the opportunity to become their own literate community. I need to get out of the way. Margaret Fox

Chapter 15 from Bobbi Friend #2 – The teacher’s role in book talks need to begin in a very scripted and predictable manner, gradually giving responsibility over to the students. When a new lesson or goal is introduced, such as to refer to the parts of the text when defending their ideas, students need to be taught what is expected in the mini-lesson and given a chance to practice during the active engagement phase with the teacher supervising and modeling. Students will then be given the opportunity to practice what to do when they meet with their partners and discuss the book that they read. Teachers can meet with partners and have very specific teaching opportunities during conferring to monitor how the students are applying the new strategy. I believe that I did not do enough teaching during my student’s book talks, and they were not able to develop their conversation skills as they should have. Spending a little extra time at the beginning with partners will allow students to move more quickly into independent partner work.

Our role in the children's book talks is very small. No longer are we the focus of the lesson...the books and students are the focus and we are the guide on the side, modeling and coaching them to succeess. Being quiet and letting my students share and possibly make mistakes and learning to ask more questions instead of giving them more information has always been difficult for me. I'm still a work in progress! :) Keri Cooper

Like Marg being a fly on the wall giving the students independents and buy in. I try to only butt in when it is clear the partners are drowning or having an off task day. I intervene—model about something I am reading, love them up and leave. I like the rubric on p 317 probably because it is what my class did last yr for independent reading and it worked so well. KDN

I agree with Tom Newkirk; "The more firmly you hold it, the more likely you are to kill it." I also agree with Margaret; "Let go of me and let them." Students blossom when given that little bit of autonomy over their environment even when they are just talking about their favorite story or books. We are the facilitators in the classroom. I always joke around (but I mean it when I say); "I don't come to school to work that's your job." Then you stand back and give them the freedom to fail and succeed. M.J.

I feel my role in book talks is that of "background music." I am there but not being obtrusive and not so much there to be listened to as to fill in the voids. I can pose a question to get the thinking going, paraphrase what has been said so far, or help bring the class back to the text if needed. I think one thing I especially need to remember is that silence is OK, sometimes during these times of silence I feel like I have to take up the slack and fill the silence. This is not the case, I need to view this as wait time for students to gather up their thoughts and be ready to share with the group. --Jodee Tuttle

I feel that a teacher's role in book talks is to work toward independence. It is just like "scaffolding around buildings under construction, there needs to be a plan for how to take it down." Teacher's needs to support and help them to engage in books talks and give them opportunities to spend time together to talk about their books but need to watch students and coach or guide them so they can successfully stay engaged in their talks. You need to assess to see just how much support they need and be ready to give prompts and then back away. Ronda

**#3 Curricular decisions and their messages** //This chapter (actually the whole book) urges us to spend time on what matters most in creating thoughtful, life long readers. “Through our curricular decisions, we define what literacy means in the lives of the classroom community and in the lives of individuals.” (319)// //What does that quote make you think of? Maybe reflect on the teaching illustrated in this chapter when thinking about that quote. What message is being sent to readers in these classrooms?//

Reading that quote, and the vision of the author’s son working on his “reading project,” brought me back to when I first started teaching and students were assigned things such as board games, alternate endings, and other projects to complete when finishing a story. I now realize that these things were in no way a reflection of what literacy is in our adult lives. Having learned this, my reading instruction tries to replicate more “real world” reading. Adults don’t read a story and create an art project, answer a handful of questions, or complete a worksheet. They process what was read, discuss the book with others, and even provide their opinion of the text. These are the authentic activities I have been teaching students in my classroom, with a large focus on last year. I still have those story worksheets, but they are now reserved to students to complete in extra time or take home for fun. Stephanie Cooper

I want my curricular decisions to reflect my values in literacy. It’s so powerful to know that my instructional focus determines the literate life in the classroom and within individuals. I want to nurture students into becoming life-long readers. The classroom lessons and structures need to support that. I’m right there with you Stephanie! My goal is to help children lead literate lives that reflect the real work of literate adults, such as reading and discussing books for authentic reasons (not creating a diorama or filling in a worksheet). They need to grow into that role. Sara Sabourin

This whole chapter reminded me again of the importance of making reading more about "real life" that just about school. In the past I haven't made the connection between home and school and the whole person as much as I should have. I think that often I have gotten trapped in the busy-work mode of reading and literacy, with too many other things for my students to do, instead of talking about and sharing books together. But, like Sara, my goal is to help children lead literate lives that reflect those of literate adults, too. I am excited for this new school year to begin so that I can be more intentional and make literacy a real life time goal for my students.

I also love how on p. 319 it says "We are teaching children that each one of us is unique as a reader". And "We are teaching children that reading is a magnificent way to be together with friends (and)... when you read you travel to intriguing places, you do cool things." What great life skills we can teach, if only we give it our intentional and focused attention. Kari Bonnema


 * // Here is a place to post other ideas and burning questions from chapter fifteen, if any. (Remember, a high-quality comment in this bottom section does still count toward your total comments. So anytime the posts for a certain chapter don't speak to you and your thinking, feel free to share your own ideas from the text here...) //**