One thing in the chapter that Tovani (2004) mentions is modeling. But first of all, we, as educators must find and understand what the students are struggling with. Is it: getting into the text or even reading uninteresting text, even starting a book? Or is it understanding charts, understanding a word problem or even making sense of literary elements in literature and poetry? How can we help our students when we do not even know what is it that they struggling with? What is the first step to AA, admitting that there is a problem, instead of just brushing it off as the students are just being lazy. Once we find what that problem is, then we model the correct way to help solve that problem.
One thing that Tovani (2004) mentions is that sometimes it is hard to sympathize with a student when you do not know what they are experiencing. One suggestion is that we take a text that is really challenging for us and then model it to the students. This what she call, “putting ourselves on the line” (Tovani, 27). With this, students can see that they are not the only one's that are struggling. As we struggle with our text, we need to be aware of what techniques that we use, as good readers, to work our way through the text. Then the students will see what we do and, hopefully, this will rub off on them. Hence, modeling!!!
Last, we need to show our students what work for us as good reader. We can show that if one technique did not work then we went on to another technique. We, as educators, should show our students in our modeling what the benefits of rereading the text. We can also show the students how we get through a boring text. We show strategies on how we stay with an uninteresting text.
Remember, how can we help our students when, first of all, we do not know what the problem even is. Then we do not know what they are going through, then we need to model strategies that help then get through their problems. We should not just brush off the students as being lazy but there is a reason that they do not like to read or that reading does not come easy to them. All we have to do is find out what it is.
Love the poster! The beginning of your blog brings to mind some feelings of frustration that I have of teachers of subjects other than reading. It is the same sentiment you wrote about, "If they would teach them to read, I could teach them science" UGGG! It's a cooperative effort. Not every students is going to be enthralled by the literary classics. For some students it may be the need to figure out how to put a machine together or the curiousity of how the Revolutionary War got started that is going to get them interested in reading. As students read through material in different subject areas they need the comprehension strategies that "the reading teacher" uses. In all every teacher would be more effective using reading strategies. And in a sense they are right, if they can't read they can't do science, math, history or any other subject.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the idea of modeling that you used in this post. I never thought of actually using yourself as an example to show the kids that not everyone is perfect. In P.E. we are told to do almost the same thing when demonstrating a specific skill. We are told to not always use the superstar of the class, but to use someone less skilled so the kids know that they are not the only one's struggling with the skill. Modeling seems like a great tool to help build the students confidence for read. Good post!
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