DISQUS

robertpondiscio · 3 months ago

Angela, I deeply appreciate your comment that "love alone cannot make a strategic reader." As someone who defends the teaching of great works of literature, I have to confess I am sometimes befuddled by teachers who say their goal is to create a lifelong love of books and reading. I love books as much as anyone, but that strikes me as a curious and even narrow goal. It would be great if our students loved science, history and math as well. But I'm not sure merely appreciating those subjects counts as mastery.

There are endless arguments for and against readers workshop; there are countless arguments for an against a canon. I think there is much wisdom in the sensible center. We should want children to love reading enough to seek out their own books; we should recognize as teachers our obligation to familiarize children with the best of what has been said and written. To suggest we should do one or the other exclusively strikes me as another false dichotomy in a field that is already burdened by false dichotomies.

We know that there is no such thing as the Indispensible Book, the thing that you are not educated if you have not read. But surely we can't get to the point where we are unwilling to specify any reading at all. Not choosing is also a choice: If you are unwilling to say "this is essential" you are effectively saying "nothing is essential." At that point, the pendulum has swung too far.

Someone sent me a list of the 101 books the College Board recommends every college-bound kid should read. I'll confess right now that I have only read about 2/3rds. But interestingly, I'm familiar with every one of them. If allusions are made to Pride and Prejudice, Captain Ahab or Tom Joad, for example, the references don't go over my head. This may sound like trivia, but it's not. Cultural allusions, like essential background knowledge, are the glue of language. It is the stuff that keeps us from saying "I read it, but I don't get it" or staring blankly when educated people speak to one another.

For me, the bottom line is that if we wish for children to become good readers and enjoy a lifelong love of books, we need to cast a much wider net. We need to immerse children not just in books -- chosen or assigned -- but give them the broadest, deepest education possible, including science, history, art, music, literature and more. Educated people tend to be readers; uneducated people tend not to be. A poorly educated child who loves books is still a poorly educated child.

If we are committed to giving children the best and broadest education possible, I tend to think the issue of choosing or assigning books would quickly become irrelevant.

Robert Pondiscio
Core Knowledge

AngelaMaiers · 3 months ago

Robert ~ Thank you for adding so much to this important conversation. Your comment probably deserves a page of its own. For me, your "We should want children to love reading enough to seek out their own books" hits the nail squarely. Great addition!

mrstg · 3 months ago

I have simply come to accept the fact that I am never going to fully have this whole "teaching" thing down pat like I dreamed I would after fifteen years. Feeling slightly off balance is exactly my own professional "zone of proximal development" that I need to grow as an educator. I think some teachers need to realize that it's OKAY for them to feel slightly lost or off balance as they move past a basal and skills driven program and toward focusing on the READERS instead. Doing so IS a little scary, but worth it and a necessary part of growing professionally.

ANOTHER wonderful post, Angela! I am SO sharing this with my colleagues!

Angela Stockman · 3 months ago

Meaningful points, Angela--this post provides a level of insight that many of the teachers that I work with are embracing. As you mention, this revolution IS happening in many places already. Mrstg's perspective cuts right to the chase--teachers need to know that it is "okay for them to feel slightly off balance" as they move in this direction. Many of the teachers that I work with need to feel supported in this as well by their colleagues and their administrators. Teachers are usually such conscientious and perfection-seeking people, and letting go of straight (and very narrow) instructional approaches is terrifying when on top of everything else, they may work within a culture that doesn't reward risk-taking.

Do you find that assessment plays a key role within all of this? When teachers are encouraged to move in new directions and study the effect of what they are doing on student performance, it's often very validating. In my experience, this creates a sense of safety as well, reassuring us that change is accomplishing what we really want it to or that we're able to pinpoint which pieces of our approach need to shift in order to get there. Often, when I or those I work with hesitate to try something new, making a commitment to studying the effects helps everyone move forward in an informed way, which provides comfort.

AngelaMaiers · 3 months ago

Angela-
You bring up several very important points. Many teachers were in the "blue bird" group. our own identities as readers were formed by the speed, neatness, and perfection we performed the task. This is a difficult image to let go of, yet as models of "real reading" we must be able to show kids the challenges as well as the joys of the literacy.

I absolutely think assessment plays a large role in shaping the literacy conversations. Teachers may not seek to "teach to the test", yet it is something that is always on the mind. I so agree that if we can help teachers see that deep, engaged reading will lead to performance we can provide a sense of comfort for them to continue the conversations most needed in literacy.

With leaders and learners like you, I am assured this revolution will happen. It is slow and painful at times, but the rewards far outweigh the challenge!

AngelaMaiers · 3 months ago

Big hugs for your vulnerable awareness. It is a strength! (Hmmm...) Your students are so lucky to have a learner leading them.

AngelaMaiers · 3 months ago

MrsTG-
Acceptance is bliss isn't it? Just when I think I have gotten something down pat, it changes. This is both the pleasure and the pain of literacy! I have learned now just to enjoy the incredible, and "off-balanced" journey!

Nadia Lernspiele · 3 months ago

This is a quite interesting post. I read the article in New York Times as well and totally agree with the opinion that a "reading revolution" is going on. The problem is that we should always discover new ways to attract students' attention.