Search results matching tags 'reading' and 'literature'

1068. Kids enjoy reading books, I've seen

Anonymous — Sat, 11 May 2013 11:43:00 GMT

Teacher B said to teacher A, “Kids like stories, and many like to read.

A scholar and expert, A. M. Fabregat says the following. I translated from Spanish into English.

If we try a child get closer to a joyful reading, the best books are those that make up the world of literature for children. Classics, marvelous books, modern books… Those books have an appropriate language, according to their age. […] We’ve got to make them readers through a literature that: they can understand, they get delighted, and they can ponder and think.” / Photo from: eclkc ohs acf hhs gov. girl reading

1004. The importance to be a reader

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 09:03:00 GMT

Teacher B said to teacher A, “How important tradition and a cultural context are for our students. We have to teach them, but inside the culture and tradition of the country or place where we live. Because of that Reading is a very important activity in the class of English.

Let’s not forget that the European roots are twofold: Christian and Greek. The Greek culture came to us by means of the travels of Arabs.” / Photo from: stefanieduguay com. waiting for the bus

Novel Bookmark Idea

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:41:02 GMT

I’m starting a new novel with my students on Monday, and I like to give out a reading schedule for each book. Instead of a typical placeholder, I like to do two things with the bookmark.

First, I print out a daily schedule of readings with the date and the pages to be read for that day. This means the students enter class having read those pages, and I have scheduled activities for the period.

Also, on the back of the bookmark, I will have the major themes listed down the paper slip (or the students list them). When the students identify an example of the theme in the novel, they can jot down the page number next to the theme. This is a quick and easy way to allow students to set a (minor) purpose for reading and to help students make a list in preparation for in-class writings. Plus, this doesn’t really interfere with the students’ reading process (which is a major complaint I hear regarding “during reading” study guides).

Any quick and easy ideas you use?

Filed under: Lessons, Literature, Reading

Common Core Question Answered

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 06:17:11 GMT

On the 1st I mentioned my concern about administrators in my district pushing non-fiction texts into Language Arts classrooms to an unwelcomed and unintended degree. This article by the two co-lead authors of the Common Core Standards affirms my assertions:

By high school, the Standards require that 70 percent of what students read be informational text, but the bulk of that percentage will be carried by non-ELA disciplines that do not study fictional texts. Said plainly, stories, drama, poetry, and other literature account for the majority of reading that students will do in the high school ELA classroom.

And:

The Standards in no way ask ELA teachers to abandon literature; instead, they require that students read demanding, high-quality fiction and demonstrate their ability to analyze such fiction.

Filed under: Literature, Reading

Common Core is Here

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 03:07:24 GMT

Well, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are here, and my district (and a few department members) see it as the panacea for this generation of students. While I don’t have anywhere near that sort of faith in the new standards, I do like the professional development that could stem from the implementation of the standards.

However, I do see three problems looming: too much commonality, too much reliance on hope, and not enough joint accountability.

Firstly, I see my department being pushed to use exactly the same assignments in every class on the same day, almost as if a scripted curriculum could be imposed. Of course, we’re told “not to worry” because the new standards will help us all become better teachers. But, then the same veteran teachers (me, for one) who were successful using the old standards are then teaching my department members how to use the new standards. While I think teaching people what the new standards mean, how to reach the standards, and why scaffolding is needed are all excellent ideas to learn, nothing really new is happening. We’re taking what we have and adapting that to new skill expectations. Fortunately, the CCSS differ little from my state’s old standards. Still, I’ve never believed lock-step assignments and daily lessons take into account student and class individuality and needs, a teacher’s strengths, or student interest.

Secondly, the notion that people think these standards will be the magic pill to cure all of our students’ ills bothers me. Standards don’t help students pass a test or learn a skill or achieve. Teachers do. Teachers of excellence with the abilities to engage students, to adapt to student needs, and to scaffold lessons for students will be successful no matter what standards are adopted. Teachers who were successful with the old standards will be successful with the new standards. Teachers who struggled previously will continue to struggle without strong, reliable mentors and skillful evaluators.

Lastly, as an English teacher, I continue to hear the maxim that “all teachers are responsible for reading,” but only the English Department is held accountable for reading scores. When my school’s state reading test results came in, literary reading (fiction) far surpassed non-fiction reading scores. Instead of asking the other disciplines–which teach non-fiction almost exclusively–to improve non-fiction teaching approaches and to become more skilled reading instructors, the English Department is again being asked to add something to its already crowded curriculum.

And, the new CCSS backs this up. An expert speaking to my department about the new standards suggested that 70% of a student’s reading load be non-fiction. I responded that this is splendid since only 1/6 of a student’s day is spent in a literature-based class (reading fiction), which means that students currently read non-fiction 83% of the day (80% if we exclude P.E.). I was told “no, this means the English Department should teach much, much more non-fiction.”

Now, I’m not against teaching non-fiction texts. I do this with every unit I teach, generally using non-fiction texts to help set the context for the fictional readings with which students are engaged. Then, my students must integrate the contextual information into their fiction-text responses and writing.

In short, I’d like to see school-wide reading trainings to begin and to hold all disciplines accountable for raising students’ reading levels. The CCSS could help here since all included subject areas have reading standards now, but administrators at the building and district levels must get on-board and help support this philosophy with action and not just talk.

P.S. People want to compare schools, districts, and states across the nation with the new tests, but I think we missed the boat here by not using the SAT or ACT. How helpful would it have been to pay for kids’ tests already required (or expected) by colleges and universities? Plus, we could have already looked at comparisons. Granted, all curricula are not set up with the SAT or ACT as the endgame in mind, but when have we ever done this? And, the kids still take those exams.

P.P.S. The text book companies have strong lobbyists.

Filed under: Administration, Frustration, Literature, Reading, Testing

Polacco Magic

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 01:52:00 GMT

Patricia Polacco is one of my favorite authors to use in the classroom.

She is such an engaging storyteller. My class was riveted to this author study video today.

I plan to now have my students practice sharing a family story of their own with this assignment:

Click picture to download

Which Patricia Polacco story is your favorite?
Leave a comment and share

895. My students love stories too

Anonymous — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 15:31:00 GMT

One day teacher of English A said to teacher of English B, “We must foster our students should read. There’re several different ways of reading, each one capable of enriching us in different ways. Actually I’m referring to genres. And within each genre we have to be careful to assign enriching readings to our students: they are in the process of making their minds, and we can help enrich them or draw them to misery.

Each genre demands different attitudes: think of thrillers, classic simplified readers for kids that don’t master the language yet, novels, books that help contemplate the world, books that make you stop to contemplate truth or an imaginary landscape, history books that let us know our past and who we are, drama with diverse characters and ways of thinking, science books, romance.

All of them are necessary. Nevertheless we have to perhaps select one, or two, or three for each academic year. I’ve often said in this blog that youngsters love stories a lot. Oh, set some free writing after reading.” / Photo from: guardian co uk. woman placing saucepan

Brownie and Pearl

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 01:35:00 GMT

Brownie and Pearl are our newest literary friends.

My students are loving these simple stories and silly titles.

Get dolled up, grab a bite and read a Brownie and Pearl book before you hit the hay.

var docstoc_docid="116896669";var docstoc_title="brownie and pearl";var docstoc_urltitle="brownie and pearl"; brownie and pearl -

Read to Self in the Butterfly Garden

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 01:19:00 GMT

Using Picture Books to Teach Allegory...

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 01:03:00 GMT

Eve Bunting's "Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust"
Use this great read to introduce a unit on The Holocaust!
Or it can be used to introduce topics such as:

Bullying
Racism/Prejudice
Different Cultures/Religions
Kindness
Helping Others
Acceptance
Violence

And don't forget the LITERARY ELEMENTS you can teach using this story....

Allegory
Metaphor
Symbolism

My classes just started a unit titled "The Spirit Within," which focuses on The Holocaust. Prior to reading Night by Elie Wiesel and The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, we usually begin with Bunting's story and then venture into analyzing literary elements such as those above. As a creative project and assessment tool, the students create allegories of their own! I'll be sure to post pictures of the great projects they produce! Can't wait!

Regards,
Ann Marie Smith