Trying to slowly move through this book so I can actually learn and apply some of the ideas! {What a thought!}
At the very first of this chapter, Regie Routman says, "once students believe 'I can do it!' anything is possible." Oh, I so want to create that kind of environment/ belief system in my classroom - but it is not there...yet. This is so frustrating to write this morning, after one of my little friends had a serious meltdown yesterday, basically over his belief that he can't do it - and in his mind, I almost feel like "it" involves everything.
The last part of this chapter, Routman really focuses on celebrating. She reminds us to have "celebrations of specific strength - not idle praise." And her list of celebration includes "affirming, congratulating, showcasing, noticing, and making public ... actions and work learners have done or are attempting to do." I like that last little bit - attempting to do. I have a group of three very low readers, and a second group of low readers. I need to notice - to them! - not only the progress, but the attempts they are making. This is something I feel I need to do a better job at, especially during Guided Reading. And just as I was typing this, I thought, maybe I need to have them think about what they've done - what hard work have they done during our 15 minutes together.
One small thing that Routman said in this chapter is "I try hard not to repeat what students say." Hmmm, that comment got me to thinking. I almost always repeat what students say. And I think I do it so much, they look at me and wait for me to do that. That also got me thinking about my frustration with some of my students who don't seem to be listening during the short 20-25 minutes of whole group reading. Why should they, when I kindly repeat anything that's worth them hearing? Ack! So I'm going to try today, to tell the kids of this new idea I've read about - that they need to listen to each other talk. And I'm already thinking of a few ways to hold them accountable for this. We'll see how it goes.
Today was a strange kind of day. I felt like I was getting sick yesterday, and the sub situation here is so bad, that if you don't call in early, well, your teammates have to split your class up. And nobody likes having 6 or 7 extra little friends around, no matter how nice they are.
Soooo - I put in for a sub last night. And I don't feel terrible, just not a lot of energy... and a lot of chills or warmth. Might be a fever.
But I Am Going tomorrow! It's the Valentine's Party for pete's sake!
So I'm reading this:
Chapter 1: Look Beyond What You See
And if anybody wants to chime in, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Right at the start of the chapter, Routman says, "We need to suspend our preconceived beliefs and judgment each time we meet a student, to assume that every child is capable."
Sometimes I think I don't necessarily have preconceived ideas, but as I'm around my class, I get set in stone notions. This child is never going to learn double digit subtraction; or that one will never move up in Reading.
She says two more things that go along with this:
1 - "assume all students are smart and treat them that way."
2 - "Students immediately pick up on whether or not we view them as capable."
{I am so battling with one little friend on that right now - I think, no, I know! he is capable, but he doesn't believe it. This is a hard battle to win.}
Routman also writes that she has "never been in a classroom or school where the expectations are too high." Yikes! I definitely want to find that balance between high expectations and realistic expectations. I'm not sure how to do that, or where that line is.
Happy Valentine's Parties tomorrow - hope they aren't too crazy and you get just enough chocolate!
I'm finally getting a chance to read this book:
As I said in a previous post, it's scary/exciting.
{And does anyone know why my pictures from previous posts are disappearing. It's like my computer doesn't like me or something!}
I'm going to read it slowly and see if I can't put some ideas into practice as I go. I took a little time on Saturday to read her introduction -- and I already highlighted something!
"when I explicitly taught reading and its component skills using the best of children's literature, my students not only learned to read, they learned to enjoy reading and to choose to read."
My district requires that I use a basal reader, so I'm going to have to do some thinking about the first part of that sentence.
But it's the second part - they enjoy reading and choose to read -- that gets me really excited. I enjoy reading and I choose to read - a lot, every day, all kinds of things. And I so want to pass that on to my little friends.
If anyone is interested, you are more than welcome to join me as I go on this reading journey - slowly reading through Teaching Essentials by Regie Routman.
