Teachers as Readers 5

The Road to Character by David Brooks

Self-Mastery

In this section Brooks writes about George Catlett Marshall and there are a few points that stuck. One, he was not a stand out at a young age. He struggled to find his way both socially and in school. Marshall figured out how to work and what it meant at VMI (Virginia Military Institute). It was a place of mediocre education but hero's were revered and Marshall was taught the habits of service and institutionalization. He learned to control the smallest details of his behaviors through reflection and desire. 

I found this to be really interesting because we live in a time where service and self-control are not pervasive. In the land of Facebook and instagram I see more of friends (and strangers) than I would care to see or know. This is a quote by Marshall "The truly great leader overcomes all difficulties, and campaigns and battles are nothing but a long series of difficulties to be overcome." He embraced the daily grind as part of the responsibility of being a leader.  I have worked for many leaders and there have been few that take on the drudgery of the job without complaint.

This chapter analyzed the role of institutions and I found myself "noodling" for quite some time on this particular thought.

As the editor Tina Brown has put it, "if everybody is told to think outside the box, you've got to expect that the boxes themselves will begin to deteriorate." I kept thinking to myself how I finally feel vindicated!! I don't like to take risks and although as a teacher I solve problems on a daily basis I always felt as though I was missing something because I wasn't more radical. This thought helped me to celebrate my own steadiness and small yet consistent contributions.

Brooks continues his journey focusing on people throughout history and drawing parallels to common problems and situations. This ebb and flow allow the reader to learn more about incredible people from the past as well as, analyze the present. A good read that I will keep on my bookshelf.

How do we tie everything together? What does it mean for diverse learners?

Synthesis

Creating a mosaic...

Ordering, combining and recreating over and over and over again making sense of the material and becoming aware of their own ideas  and drawing conclusions.

We are accountable not to our curriculum but to our students! Teaching reading in a high stakes testing environment is challenging. We want our students to gain confidence but they are usually sent to us because they have failed a state test (not a confidence booster by any means). Purchased phonic packages and quick fix curricular measures is not the best strategy to use.

Understanding your students' strengths and weaknesses as well as listening to their feedback and studying past tests will supply a better picture and starting point. Each author from Keene & Zimmerman to Harvey & Goudvis impart the importance monitoring comprehension and creating a framework of strategies. 

Although high stakes testing is important we want to build strong test takers and confident learners. The strategies that have been reviewed in these posts target the best ways to encourage indolence, build confidence and instill a love of reading throughout various grade levels and across the curriculum.

Creating a framework for diverse learners is even more crucial. Explicitly teaching various text structures will enable these learners to gain background knowledge, build vocabulary and eventually understand the information presented. 

Build Confidence, Explicitly teach, model think aloud, model everything, monitor comprehension, discuss thoughts with students and create opportunities. Books and programs don't mean a great deal if you don't know your students. Work together with other teachers to create a consistent program and methodology when it comes to reading, especially challenging texts. Teachers have the ability to change perspectives and lives. Working with parents and community partners to build communities will create a living framework for students to build success upon. We have a responsibility to help teach our students to read and think!!

Works Cited

Dreher, M. J., & Gray, J. L. (2009). Compare, Contrast, Comprehend: Using Compare-Contrast Text Structures with ELLs in K-3 Classrooms. The Reading Teacher , 132-141.

Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. (2007). Strategies that Work. Portland, MA: Stenhouse Publisher.

Keene, E. O., & Zimmermann, S. (2007). Mosaic of Thought. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann.

Ogle, D., & Correa-Kovtun, A. (2010). Supporting English-Language Learners and Struggling Readers in Content Literacy with the "partner Reading and Content, Too" Routine. The Reading Teacher , 532-542.

Why is comprehension strategy instruction important?

Comprehension strategy instruction is important because it creates the framework for understanding. We want our students to be problem solvers, critical thinkers and creative learners these strategies provide the foundation for all learning, not just literature and poetry but instructional texts too.

Notes, discussions, written responses show evidence of understanding. This strategy is a benchmark for comprehension it allows a teacher to see the footprints of learning and allow deeper discussions or interventions to take place.

Questioning and responding is a way to activate thinking. This strategy involves the listener and makes the student more engaged with the text. This strategy also allows teachers a glimpse into a students mindset/understanding.

Explicit Instruction and Guided Reading are part of the framework for creating good strategies for comprehension.

The process is basically the same and can be done across all disciplines so that students are given the tools to succeed in every class; ultimately allowing them to engage in a meaningful way in school and become a life-long learner.