Testing--Think About It, Yes We Do!
By Sarah Whitt, Literacy Coach
April 2010
Green grass is growing; lively birds are chirping; the sun shines bright upon our old Kentucky Home, and that can only mean one thing… TESTING TIME! Spring has sprung and so has our state’s testing season 2010. By now you know the drill: we teach, we test, we teach, we test, we teach and we TEST! In April and May most students will take the State’s official assessment on Kentucky Core Content alongside the newest Norm Referenced Test (NRT) called the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills.
Together these assessments work to measure students’ and schools’ progress over the course of the year. Of course, no one test on any given day or week can possibly give the whole picture of a child, but what it can do is give us (students, parents and teachers, alike) a snapshot and one more piece of the puzzle that shapes our understanding of a child’s academic progress/understanding of concepts taught.
Fortunately, students at Buckner have been taught using engaging methods and know how to think independently. Kids in kindergarten through fifth grade freely share their schema, questions, visualizations, and inferences. They are constantly honing their ability to determine importance, monitor for meaning, and synthesize to better understand: various subjects, concepts, and the world around them. Generally speaking, they are, day by day, becoming more proficient at thinking and using these strategies to help themselves learn new information and share that knowledge with others. It is also through metacognition that our Buckner Bears will be thinking about the one or two tests they will inevitably take.
As they read each question, students will be flipping through their Rolodex repertoire of strategies and pushing themselves to “show what they know”. Whether they are simply reading a one sentence question and its choices, a math word problem, or an entire passage you can bet that accessing their background knowledge and attempting to visualize the image the words are meant to create will be occurring. Sometimes I just wish I could peek inside of their thought bubbles because I am quite certain that I would see: fifth graders reliving and connecting to a personal experience of life as a colonist just prior to The Revolutionary War; fourth graders purposefully questioning a science experiment gone wrong to seek out the scientist’s error; third graders visualizing a scenario in their minds to solve a real-life math word problem; second graders using subheadings in articles to infer the main idea; and first grader synthesizing to figure out what a story was “mostly about”, or singing a “spelling song” in their heads to select the correctly spelled word. You can rest assured that all Buckner Bears will be relying on the knowledge and content specific information they have learned and coupling it with the thinking strategies to enhance and share their understanding.
Knowing that our students will not be doing anything unfamiliar to them should make all of us (students, parents, and teachers) feel confident in our teaching methods and think positive thoughts—don’t you think?
For more on the literacy visit www.theliteracyconnection.weebly.com or click the link from the Buckner homepage.
The Immense Impact of 20 Minutes
During my decade-plus of being a classroom teacher I religiously shared the handout titled, “Why Can’t I Skip My 20 Minutes of Reading Tonight?” with parents at every Parent Orientation. I even put it on colored paper so they wouldn’t miss it! I’m sure that during my “Sermon on the Mount” when I emphasized the need for a student to record their book title and a deep thought about the text they read each night, I mentioned the importance of monitoring their reading. They needed to sign the reading record after all! And I’m fairly positive that in that whirlwind of a night—of sharing ALL about their child’s year to come—I emphasized the value of reading for homework. But what I am most certain of…is that I NEVER took the time to thoroughly explain the importance of frequently reading books fluently*—books that are interesting; books a reader understands and can talk about. Daily. Nightly. As much as possible.
“It is this dramatic increase in reading volume that produces the accelerated reading growth.” (p. 60) The educational researcher and author, Richard Allington, recently wrote a book that many teachers at Buckner are currently reading. This quote, in particular, sums up a repeated theme in the book and reminded me of the handout I used to pass along to parents. It stresses that it is through reading, and reading a lot, that one becomes a better reader. It makes sense when you think about it. If you wanted to become a better runner, artist, or baker, it is through frequent opportunities that you would improve. You know the old adage, “Practice makes perfect”. While “perfect” is hardly attainable as a reader… competent, and thoughtful are—and it is through multiple intentional opportunities that one improves.
Of course, a runner, artist, and baker typically don’t improve in their craft by simply upping the frequency—running more; painting every surface they see; baking up a storm. That method alone could merely result in exceptionally tired feet, oodles of doodles, and millions of tasteless muffins! No. It is through guidance, support, and practice at their level and finally moving onto more challenging projects that offers one an opportunity to purposefully develop and improve. Readers can’t bank on picking up any old book and expect to grow as a reader. Maybe that book is too hard, or too easy. Research consistently shows that to grow as a reader one must read books that are “just right”.** Books they can independently read (i.e. know most of the words, can read it fluently, and can understand the events and/or message of the book). These “just right” books are vital when a child is expected to read independently so as to get better.
Ok, so the runner, artist, and baker are practicing on their level, but just imagine for a minute that they had to constantly run a course they disliked, paint when their true passion was to sculpt, or bake casseroles instead of desserts. How unappealing would that be? It’s the same for a reader who is forced or asked to read something they are not interested in reading. At times, this will happen. Everyone finds situations where they are given something that they completely lack the desire to read. But what about when it’s their time—their 20 minutes? Shouldn’t that book or text be about a topic they care about; want to learn about, or have a passion for? Allington states, “You have to find texts that students find interesting and that they want to read accurately, fluently, and with good understanding.” (p.69) So, when your child is an animal lover like mine, you just have to let go sometimes and fill up your arms at the library with books about squid, dinosaurs, and opossums. Seeing their excitement in the topic may just motivate them to read more, and reading more improves their reading abilities- sounds like a win-win to me!
Now as I reflect back on the points I made with my students’ parents at our orientation, and all of my certainties, I realize the error in my ways—I never explained why it was so important. I never intentionally or directly shared the significant impact all that reading would have on their child:
- Positive reading habits
- Exposure and confidence with different types of books (passions do evolve and change over the years J)
- Exposure and potential to learn more information
- Potential to become a better writer
- Expanded vocabulary
Certainly all of that is worth 20 minutes of time.
* Fluency is reading in meaningful phrases, with appropriate expression, and consistently attending to punctuation so as to achieve meaning. Log onto www.theliteracyconnection.weebly.com to read more about fluency, and how to help your child improve theirs.
** Log onto www.theliteracyconnection.weebly.com to read more about Just Right Books (former BB article)
Allington, Richard (2009) What Really Matters in Response to Intervention: Researched-Based Designs. Boston, MA: Pearson.
"Why Can't I Skip My Twenty Minutes of Reading Tonight?"
Let's figure it out -- mathematically!
- Student A reads 20 minutes five nights of every week.
- Student B reads only 4 minutes a night...or not at all!
Student A reads 20 min. x 5 times a week = 100 min./week.
Student B reads 4 minutes x 5 times a week = 20 minutes.
Step 2: Multiply minutes a week x 4 weeks each month.
Student A reads 400 minutes a month.
Student B reads 80 minutes a month.
Step 3: Multiply minutes a month x 9 months/school year.
Student A reads 3600 min. in a school year.
Student B reads 720 min. in a school year.
Student A practices reading the equivalent of ten whole school days a year.
Student B gets the equivalent of only two school days of reading practice.
By the end of 6th grade if Student A and Student B maintain these same reading habits, Student A will have read the equivalent of 60 whole school days Student B will have read the equivalent of only 12 school days. One would expect the gap of information retained will have widened considerably and so, undoubtedly, will school performance. How do you think Student B will feel about him/herself as a student?
Some questions to ponder:
- Which student would you expect to read better?
- Which student would you expect to know more?
- Which student would you expect to write better?
- Which student would you expect to have a better vocabulary?
- Which student would you expect to be more successful in school? And in life?
Reading time can include: looking at non-fiction books, being read to, reading with someone, or reading alone. This time should also include some discussion about the book being read. It is essential that the students think about what they are reading and be able to discuss it with someone. It is a great way for you to figure out if they are “really reading” or just looking at the words.
READ! Read! Read!
I Don’t Think We’re in Kansas Anymore! Teaching Buckner’s Students How to Read and Understand
Don’t get me wrong, the way I learned to read was not all bad—I did learn to read and understand texts, but my passion for reading definitely didn’t stem from the textbook story, “The Ferocious Fish” or answering SRA questions. (But the competitor in me sure did like to race through those colors and advance in the box!) My passion came from the many books available to me at home, the choice to read those that interested me, and the conversations I had with my older sister who supported me as a growing reader. She was the one who would take the time to talk about with me about my books, listen to me share the connections I had to the characters, or help me draw a picture of the setting I could see so well in my head; she was not the person who drilled me on naming the character, plot, or setting—and for that I am eternally grateful.
Parents at a recent reading training stated that their experiences with reading at school were similar to mine- stifled, rigid, limited. We all read teacher-chosen stories out of the textbook and answered question after question. No student-led conversations there! Buckner has worked very hard to change that and has been successful (as per student comments as well our recent test scores) in using the workshop approach and research-based teaching techniques that utilize the thinking strategies to teach the content in our curriculum.
Through the workshop approach your child’s teacher is motivating, inspiring, educating, and empowering your loved one as a reader. Here is how it works: A 10-15 minute mini-lesson is taught where a strategy or concept is modeled. Maybe the teacher is showing kids how visualizing helps her understand the text they are reading. She talks through the process she went through (what she saw, heard, felt, etc.) to comprehend the words and also shares how it helped her understand (plot, character, setting, author’s purpose, etc.) Often times the teacher then demonstrates how she would record her thinking/learning about the book. This concludes the first part of the workshop.
Now it’s time for the students to move to their reading spots, open their “just right” self-selected text and get to reading, thinking, and recording. Open any door at Buckner and you see students in grades K-5 reading and enjoying their books in softly lit rooms with soothing music in the background. How nice would that have been? Teachers spend this time conferring with readers: listening to the students read aloud as they work to decode (i.e. call/orally read) words, monitor for meaning, share their understanding of the text, and engage in a conversation about their thinking. Teachers take these few precious minutes to share something they would like a reader to try so he/she can continue to grow. Then it’s time to move on and meet with someone else or even a few kids at a time in a small group. Not the Buzzards and the Cardinals, you say! No, these groups are formed based on data-driven common needs readers might have at a particular time (i.e. work on fluency, main idea, understanding of using their schema. The groups are formed on an as-needed basis, are constantly changing, and no one gets labeled.
The final phase of the workshop model is the sharing. I dare say, I didn’t even begin to discuss books with my classmates until I was in high school and a fabulous teacher opened up the classroom and allowed us to do so. Still we were in individual desks placed in rows—not very conducive to effective conversation. Thankfully, at Buckner students are gather in a circle so they can see each other and engage in a more authentic discussion. They are taught and practice appropriate speaking and listening behaviors, and truly engage in a conversation that would rival Oprah’s Book Club! The students don’t even have to be reading the same book to share their thoughts, feelings, and understandings related to their text. Certainly any reader can join in on a guiding question like “How did visualizing help you understand your text?” It’s a sight to behold and amazing because it happens with even our youngest Buckner Bears. Knowing that too much of the same thing gets stale, sometimes the conversations take place with a sharing partner or small group of kids, yet there is always the expectation that you have something to say about your reading. Watch out Oprah!
So, bye-bye, Birdie. Good-bye, Stifled, Rigid, and Limited, because here at Bucker we say hello to motivating, inspiring, educating, and empowering our children as readers. We embrace the latest research-based practices, the creative ways to teach the content, honor kids as readers, and best of all… we see amazing results!
For more information about the literacy practices at Buckner please check out our website at www.thelitearcyconnection.weebly.com or click the link on the Buckner homepage.
Sarah Whitt
Literacy Coach
Information and Inspiration September 2009
The Literacy Connection
Information and Inspiration
“It’s her!” a little first grader gasped. She stood with her nose pressed against the library’s glass and pointed at the dark- haired woman holding up a waterproof writer’s notebook. (You never know when you will get a great idea!)
A third grader dressed in her Sunday best passed along words of wisdom, “You know when you’re really excited to meet someone famous it’s better to just smile really big, rather than squeal!” Advice she was obviously planning to use herself when she came face to face with her writing mentor.
“Who inspires you?” a fifth grade boy thoughtfully questioned our guest after listening to her inspiring presentation.
For two days our Buckner Bears filled the library to listen to and learn from our guest George Ella Lyon—author of 37 published books. Her points were a powerful few:
1) Writing belongs to everybody because you ALL have stories to tell.
2) Keep a writer’s notebook to catch your stories so they don’t disappear or get forgotten.
3) Persevere-Don’t be afraid to revise and rewrite. It never comes out perfect the first time you write it. Talk with others about your writing, leave it and come back to it, and know that it takes a lot of patience and practice.
4) Read. You can’t be a writer without being a reader. It would be like being a chef without eating any food. If you don’t read, how would you know if the words were any good?
Ms. Lyon was also gracious enough to share her experiences and wisdom with parents and guardians at the PTA meeting. While nothing can replace being there, here are the highlights of ways you can foster literacy and a love of language in your own home:
· Read to your children: poetry, picture books, novels, magazines. Help them develop a love of language and words.
· You have to tell your stories! Talk about the stories of your house, your life, your family—write them down! (You know how quickly our memories begin to fade.)
· Begin a family journal where everyone contributes. Include words, drawings, and/or dictated stories for those who can’t yet write themselves. Label and date them.
· Writing on game boxes— Take a moment to jot down little things about the game you played that night. (Susie won again! Of course she put hotels on EVERY property!! She’s sure to be a real estate agent one day. 3-23-07)
· Play imagination games— When you family is out of town or someplace new, spend time thinking about if you lived in that place. In a crowd, take a look at someone’s shoes and imagine what they are like. What else are they wearing? What is life like for them?
· Help your kids write with their 5 senses. Return to a moment (either with a picture or without) and spend time discussing the smells, tastes, sounds, etc.
· Nurture their “pretend-ability”. Play along, listen, and take them seriously.
· Take your kids seriously. Listen to them as they share their stories and passions. They may not grow up to be an entomologist, but studying the antennae of a ladybug is their passion for now and may somehow impact their future. Though Ms. Lyon never became the famous singer she thought she would, she did write the book Sleepsong and sang the beautiful lullaby for us.
· Travel— Whether you make it down the road to Wal-Mart or Main Street, or to Cincinnati or California— give your child as many experiences as you can.
· Foster a love for reading by creating a place for books. Let your child see you reading, listen to them read, and read to them.
While George Ella Lyon was not with us for long we can say with certainty—she came, she read, she sang… she inspired.
Sarah Whitt
Literacy Coach
** A special thanks for Mrs. Dolan and the PTA for bringing George Ella Lyon to our school.
For more on the literacy visit www.theliteracyconnection.weebly.com or click the link from the Buckner homepage.
Reading Like a Writer-An In-depth Study of Text
Let me ask you a question- one that I am sure many of you have already had to answer: What would you do if you had to write a toast, eulogy, or a new resume? Would you dive right in and go for it? Would you simply grab your pen and paper or laptop and start writing? I suspect not. Chances are that you would hit the Internet, phone your friends, and reach out to other reliable sources who have had to write for the same occasion. You would most likely read some models to figure out what the “job” entailed, and check the format, tone, and style of writing. Simply put, you would read like a writer in an effort to craft a text similar to that which you have seen and admired.
At Buckner, just as our students can be metacognaitive and recognize their thinking about a text, they can also notice, name, and later apply crafts of writing seen in models. We call this process “reading like a writer” and students K-5 participate in in-depth studies of a particular genre of writing- carefully reading and analyzing the crafts, skills, and characteristics of the genre. With a critical eye, teachers model how to read a select few pieces called “touchstone texts” not like readers anymore (that’s something done previously in reading workshop), but like writers- searching out places where the writer created a snapshot or shared a thoughtshot; chose a strong noun or verb to create a particular mood/tone; and used specific punctuation for an intended purpose.
It doesn’t take but a couple of think aloud lessons before the students are ready to take over on their journey of preparing themselves for learning how to write in a genre. At this point in the year, your children are quite adept at identifying and discussing writing crafts. It’s amazing to hear them discussing their noticings of similarities and differences among the genres.
After about a week of critically analyzing a set of touchstone texts the students are more than ready to start writing. They can’t get to their notebooks fast enough to try out their own hands at using these crafts, and applying the characteristics they have spent so much time studying. Pencils fly, confidence soars, and pieces come to life. It is a sight to behold.
You have seen their efforts take shape in authentic pieces (letters, memoirs, how-to books, narrative or feature articles, etc.) over the course of this past year. As it comes to an end, I encourage you to engage in a dialogue with your child about their writing. Let them tell you the crafts they used and characteristics they applied. They purposefully write a certain way to meet the needs of their audience and can share with you why they wrote a line the way they did, or why they used a particular text feature. If in fact you come across a well-written passage that has been comprehended first as a reader, try out reading it like a writer and see what is noticed and named. See the possibilities there are to try!
If you feel “reading like a writer” is something you would like to either learn how to do or brush up on, please join me for a parent workshop at Buckner on May 15th from 10:00-11:00 in the mezzanine of the library. Together we will explore the crafts and characteristics of a couple of different genres. We will read some models to study the format, tone, and style of writing while searching for snapshots, thoughtshots, vivid verbs, stong nouns, and purposeful punctuation.Simply put, we will read like writers.
For more information about literacy visit www.theliteracyconnection.weebly.com, or email me at [email protected] .
Celebrating Passions through Literacy
Ahhh, February- the month of love! What a perfect time to think about our passions. Two of the most amazing attributes of children are their constant quest for answers and true and unrestrained enthusiasm for learning new things. From experiences with my own kids, the passions have run the gamut—garbage trucks, fire engines, insects, and now squid. During the garbage truck phase we observed them load and unload in our neighborhood, watched videos and read books about them, and constantly played with child-sized replicas. Of course, in cultivating my son’s passions over the last few years, I don’t know how many times I’ve “driven” the garbage truck or been “rescued” from a fire, but let’s just say I’m a little thankful that passion has come and gone! But of course, a new interest was just creeping in—insects. The absolutely disgusting creatures we have learned about through books, videos, the Internet, and newfound pets has opened my eyes to the possibilities passions offer.
As parents we fill our days with raising kids, working, feeding our families, supporting our relationships, all while attempting to fulfill our own interests along the way. If you’re like me, your own passions spend too much time on the backburner. (Something I have a New Year’s Resolution to change.) I don’t want this for my own kids or my students. I want them to explore their loves and curiosities while time constraints and responsibilities are not inhibiting factors.
Thankfully, literacy provides the perfect outlet for children and adults to explore their passions. Literacy is more than just about reading and writing. It encompasses speaking, listening, and viewing- all of which are perfect outlets for children to explore their curiosities.
As you notice your child exhibiting an interest in something, encourage them to dig deeper. Consider supporting their passions and encouraging them to try out some of these suggestions:
Read up at the library or on the Internet on a particular topic- This is one of the best ways to answer burning questions, build schema, and generate new questions to think about.
Write- Help your child take the information learned about a topic and write about it. Buckner students are familiar with various genres including: letters, poems, story books, personal stories, reviews, how-to books/articles, feature and narrative articles, etc. Your young author may choose to label pictures they draw or print off of the Internet; while more advanced writers may put their crafts to good use by writing complex sentences and developed paragraphs. These pieces always look great on the refrigerator or bound and put upon a bookshelf.
Perform - Children can take any interest and act out a scene or scenario. A young child might become a squid and reenact the prey/predator relationship with a whale. An older child may role-play a scene from the civil rights movement as an American Girl. Listen to their language and encourage them to get into character by taking on their persona, mannerisms, and dialect.
Write a script for a play, craft props or puppets, design costumes- If your child’s passion lends itself to the creation of a play, consider helping them pursue their creative outlet by writing a script, using odds and ends around the house to make props, or creating costumes. You never know what artistic treasures your child may end up with as he/she let his/her imagination go!
Create a piece of artwork- Many passions can be showcased through artwork. This might include sketches, detailed drawings, simple sewing projects, or more tangible 3D projects.
Interview someone- When it comes to passions, sometimes it is another person who can best help answer our questions. I am thinking of a couple of children in 5th grade right now who are fascinated with the Revolutionary War. While there is no one still living from this era, these kids could talk with veterans of today to learn more about their experiences during their years of service. Maybe it’s taking care animals they seek to learn more about and a chat with a veterinarian would prove valuable.
Try Technology-Today’s kids are all about technology. They are more adept than many adults at creating a Power Point presentation or making a movie on the computer. Allow them to synthesize their learning using technology and educate you on their passions!
Go on a field trip-The world has so much to offer. Take time to allow your child to observe or experience their passion. If it is baseball, a trip to Louisville Slugger Museum might be the place; for our artists, a day at the Speed Art Museum; and for the geologists, a tour of Marengo Cave. I can remember learning about Kentucky in elementary school and my parents taking me on a daytrip to the various landmarks in the state. We went to Lincoln’s Birthplace, Harrodsburg, Perryville, etc. Observing the forts and battlegrounds really nurtured my curiosity and allowed me the opportunity to make authentic connections to history. While times are tough and trips may not be possible, future entomologists will certainly value observing something as simple as bugs in the backyard or butterflies in the woods.
With all that we have to do on a daily basis, sadly our passions are often the first things we squelch. I urge you to take time this month, when love is in the air, to nurture your child’s passions. It doesn’t have to cost much or be extravagant. It doesn’t have to eat up your whole day. If you are like me, you will love the time it allows you to have with your child(ren), and you might even learn a few things along the way! So, what do you want know about squid?????? J
Sarah Whitt
Literacy Coach
Log onto theliteracyconnection.weebly.com and share your ideas for celebrating passions. Click on the BLOG page and let others know what you and your kids are up to?
The Just Right Gift- A Love of Reading
Birthdays, Hanukah, Christmas, oh, my! This time of year it seems like we are all in search of the perfect gift. That just right something for a certain someone. For some, this quest is as insane as getting to a store at the crack of dawn the day after Thanksgiving for that deal of the century. (Yes, I am one of those early risers!) For others, it is months of planning and trips to various specialty stores. Whatever your “method-of-madness,” the end result is that you have the perfect gift for that special someone. This year, consider for a moment the question: What better gift is there than the gift of reading?
Shop at the Shelves
Rather than spend your time in long lines, holding cumbersome boxes of toys, electronics, or clothes, switch gears and stop in a bookstore. Here you can leisurely take-in all the books and magazines: read the summaries; appreciate the artwork; check out the font size and even “test drive” it to see if it’s the just right book for the person on your list. By reading a bit of it ahead of time, you’ll temporarily escape to another place and have a head start on the book for a later conversation with your child, relative, or friend. The places to find these terrific texts are as close as Buckner’s Book Fair and as far the as Internet websites, including:
Scholastic Book Fair at Buckner in the Library – the beauty of this one is that your kids probably already have previewed the books and have a list made out. No hunting and pecking here! As an added bonus, a percentage of the proceeds goes right back into Buckner’s Library and that means more books for your little one to potentially check out and read. J
Big Chain booksellers- here the world is your oyster. They typically have every book you could hope for and if they don’t they will gladly order it. Special orders usually only take a week to ten days.
Used Book Stores- I love to shop at these stores! Since books are meant to be read and shared, shoppers can unload and sell books they are finished with and buy everything from top-sellers to classics for a discounted price. Most are in excellent condition. If it’s worn a bit, it has obviously been read and enjoyed, and at my house we consider that a built-in recommendation.
Internet Sites- these sites frequently have books online that you can preview and decide if it is a good fit. They also have recommendations for ages and interests.
Cards Show You Care
If you are concerned that you can’t find just the right book for the reader on your list, consider wrapping up a gift card to a bookstore. This modern-day option allows you to show that you place importance upon reading and want to share your appreciation of it with the recipient. What a fabulous message to send to another person: I see you as a reader and I want you to take some time to find a book that you like so you can read and enjoy it! If you are considering giving a gift card to your own child, then visualize for a minute the great bonding experience it will be… you and your little one going together to a bookstore and finding that just right book. For those who have had the pleasure of using a bookstore gift card, what a treat it is to go into the store and walk away with a book you can’t wait to read… and it is “free.” I tend to enjoy those books just a little bit more!
On the subject of free books and cards… lest we not forget our Free Public Libraries. Taking someone you love-regardless of age- and signing them up for their own library card is truly a gift that keeps on giving. Our public libraries are an oasis of free books, magazines, and movies. What they don’t have right there at your neighborhood branch, they can get... and fast! Libraries carry the newest releases and the oldest classics- all of which are available to be reserved and renewed online. Whether you sign someone up for the greatest “card gift” of all, or spend a half-an-hour choosing books together, this gift doesn’t cost a thing.
Mags are Mega Cool
It’s worth noting that while books make excellent gifts, as adults we read about 80% or more non-fiction, this includes newspapers, magazines, and other informational reading—think the Internet!!! While getting an adult a newspaper subscription might be a great idea, chances are the recipient will most certainly smile if given a magazine. Who doesn’t love to open the mailbox and each month see a new copy of their favorite hobby-related magazine? This is true for children, too. My son gets so excited every time a new Zoobooks arrives with his name on it. It’s a celebration in and of itself. It tickles me to see him so thrilled to start reading even before we make it into the house.
What makes magazines so great, besides the fact that they keep coming, are that they offer the reader an opportunity to read in short spurts of time. One can pick up the magazine and read a single article while eating breakfast, or sit down for a long span of time and enjoy it cover to cover. There is no rule or expectation, just freedom.
So, this year, provide your loved ones with a mental vacation, a time to step out of where they are and into what they are reading, or a means to learn new information. Consider giving your loved ones something that shows what you value- reading, education, and potential conversation topics. Happy Holidays!
Sarah Whitt
Literacy Coach
For more information about best practices in supporting readers, visit www.theliteracyconnection.weebly.com, or email me at [email protected]
The Literacy Connection (October 2008)
Goldilocks Teaches Us a Lesson in Book Selection
Goldilocks was not known for her ethics or social know-how. After all, she did spend a day in the Three Bears’ house—uninvited—and helped herself to their porridge, chairs, and beds. While no one can condone her behavior, you have to admit, she was onto something with her Too Hard, Too Soft, Just Right evaluation process. She carefully thought about each option and her own needs before choosing her “just rights.” For years, readers have practiced this same technique when selecting a new book*. Since young readers often struggle to choose a “just right” book, Buckner teachers model how to put into practice the Goldilocks technique so that each student will become more independent in the book selecting process.
Teachers begin by sharing with students that one of our first decisions is to figure out a purpose: Are we reading to be entertained? Add to our schema? Answer a question? Learn how to do something? Enjoy an old favorite? Or try a particular author’s work? Once we have accomplished this, we begin the process of selecting a book. Readers typically read the title, examine the cover and back summary, and finally open it up and begin reading. As thoughtful readers do this, they are evaluating and thinking whether or not this book is “just right” and fits both their purpose and needs as a reader. Thoughts such as: —“Ugh, that just seems ‘too challenging,’” “Hmmm, this seems a bit ‘too easy’,” and then finally, “Ahhh, this one is ‘just right’” drive them as they strive to pick the perfect book.
To introduce “challenging” texts, teachers bring in their personal books and openly share their struggles with unfamiliar words, new vocabulary, confusing storylines, and topics about which they have little schema. All of these criteria contribute to their inner voice telling them that a book is “too challenging.” Even our youngest readers can identify with this experience, and together we discuss how these challenging texts don’t help them to grow as quickly in their quest to be thoughtful and proficient readers. Maybe for our kids the words are too small; there are too many words on a page; the pictures—if there are any—don’t help them understand the text; and it feels frustrating to read independently. “Challenging” texts make for great class “read alouds” and are excellent books for parents to read and discuss with their young reader at home.
Teachers also model situations where a reader might pick up a book that is “too easy.” This means that maybe there are too few words on a page; it’s one you’ve read many times; you know or understand nearly every word and the story itself without any effort; and it might feel a bit boring. Often readers select these books when they want to improve fluency, need a break, have a short amount of time to devote to reading, or just want to enjoy an old favorite. Ultimately, “too easy” books don’t really spring us forward on our journey to become thoughtful and proficient readers.
Now… just as Goldilocks persisted until she found her just right porridge, chair, and bed… we too, must continue our search for a “just right” book. Readers often know when they have a “just right”, or good-fitting book when: it captures their attention; they can use their word attack strategies to figure out most of the words; they have some schema about the subject to draw upon; they understand the story or information and use their thinking strategies** with little support. Overall, this book feels fun, comfortable… “just right.” Your child’s teacher shares with his/her students that these “just right” books are the ones that most effectively help us grow as readers, and by reading them most of the time, they will notice a gradual move towards the ones once considered to be “too challenging.”
As parents and guardians, we need to share our own experiences and struggles as we select new books. Through our modeling of the Goldilocks’ technique our child(ren) will learn how to be patient and listen to their own thinking when they are choosing a text to read. Whether at home, a library, or a local bookstore, engage in a quick conversation about their book choice. Remember, this is hard for most kids, but with practice they will benefit from listening to that inner voice and more successfully choose “just right” books. Reading these good-fitting books will not only be enjoyable, but drive them to grow as readers, writers, and thinkers.
Sarah Whitt
Literacy Coach
*book refers to any printed media (i.e. book, magazine, brochure, etc.)
**For more on the thinking strategies visit www.theliteracyconnection.weebly.com or click the link from the Buckner homepage.
Thinking about Our Thinking (September 2008)
“So I am thinking about what they’re thinking about, that’s all…I just like to think about what I’m reading. Don’t you?”
“I don’t read very well. So I don’t think very well either.” Galinda smiled.
This conversation between Elphaba, Wicked Witch of the West, and Galinda, who later is dubbed the Good Witch in the bestseller Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire would floor Buckner students. They would be completely stunned at Galinda’s response to Elphabas questions. Jaws would drop, gasps would escape their lips, eyes would grow wide, and brows would furrow. Huh? Everyone thinks! Whether you are a fluent reader of words or a picture reader, one who makes sense of the story by interpreting the illustrations, at Buckner it is our mission to make sure that every student sees him/herself as a reader, writer, and thinker. We are all metacognitive. Simply put, we think about our thinking— and not just in reading. Buckner students, kindergarten through fifth grade, are constantly being asked to consider their prior knowledge, connect, visualize, question, infer, synthesize, determine importance, and monitor for meaning. Whether they are solving a math problem, listening to or independently reading a book, or studying a science concept, teachers are asking our children to think, interpret, analyze, and reflect.
While the word metacognition is lengthy and cumbersome, it is quite easy for learners of all ages to understand and practice. In the classrooms our teachers define, share “think-alouds” of own metacognitive processes, and guide students to be notice and name their own thinking independently. Buckner Bears in all classrooms have many opportunities to see their teachers and other students being metacognitive. They are always asked to take the opportunities throughout the day to think! Walking into a classroom you might here something along the lines of, “Well, why do you think the character is being bossy?” or “What do you already know about butterfly life cycles?” By taking the time to ask our students to think we are empowering them to take ownership of their learning.
At home, you can continue to encourage your child to be metacognitive. I have found this experience to be very rewarding with my five year-old son. When we are reading, writing, or studying insects, I try to use these thinking stems: “I’m thinking…”, “I’m noticing…” “I’m wondering…” “I’m seeing…” I’m feeling…” For example, I might share while we are reading together, “I’ m noticing that Velma Gratch, the main character, is feeling sad right here. I know how that feels and I am wondering if she will cry soon.” Then I allow him to take a turn and tell me something he is thinking, noticing, wondering, seeing (in his head). We take turns sharing our thoughts and in doing so we comprehend the text better. Once we figured out that she was sad, we could think how she might react in the next situation in the book.
Recently, my son asked. Don’t be afraid to model your own thinking and share your thoughts on various subjects, both academic and social. And do be shy about asking them to share theirs. J
Literacy Connection Articles Archive
The Literacy Connection Sept. 2007
What is Metacognition?
Welcome to a new feature in the Buckner Beat! I am thrilled and privileged to share with you some innovative and exciting news in literacy learning. As a parent or guardian you are probably noticing your child using some relatively sophisticated language as they describe their reading and writing experiences at school. You may have heard something like, “Mom, I was being so metacognitive today.” I am quite sure that listening to a five or seven year old speak like this is shocking at first and quite confusing to say the least. I can remember the first time I heard this word and can honestly admit that I was not quite sure what it meant. However, after reading numerous professional books and articles on the subject of best practices for teaching children how to read and write, I have come to not only fully understand the concept of metacognition but to embrace it and use it in both the classroom and with my own children at home. In this monthly article I look forward to providing you the nuts and bolts of the amazing education we are providing here as we teach and use the seven thinking strategies at Buckner Elementary. I will also be including simple activities or discussion starters you can try at home.
Plato really had it right when he said, "When the mind is thinking it is talking to itself.” Think for a second, (no pun intended) have you ever noticed yourself having a conversation in your mind? You know, talked to yourself? If so, then you were being metacognitive. This simply means you were "thinking about your thinking".
When proficient readers read, they are being metacognitive. The reader is not only saying the words but is also doing one or more of the seven thinking strategies. As you read your own text, try to catch yourself being metacognitive. You might hear that voice inside your head saying, “I’m thinking…”, “I’m noticing…”, “I’m wondering…”, I’m seeing…”, “I’m feeling...” Each of these thinking stems is completed by a metacognitive thought that enhances your understanding of text you are reading.
Here at Buckner we are teaching our students to think about their thinking and catch themselves being metacognitive. Try asking them what they are thinking as they read a page or two of text to you. Encourage the use of the thinking stems above and feel free to share your thinking as well. Chances are if your child is reading a “just right” book they are able to share their thinking with you, thus demonstrating an understanding of the material read. J
I encourage anyone who is interested to join our Parent Book Club where we will be reading and discussing 7 Keys to Comprehension by Susan Zimmermann and Chryse Hutchins. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested. Happy reading and happy thinking!
Schema-It's What Sticks! (October 2007)
Soft music plays in the background, my young children are asleep in their beds and I am relishing the moment as I sit curled up with a new book. A recent trip to the library sends me home with one of the New York Times bestseller titles My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult. While the house is silent I can’t deny the fact that there is noise surrounding me- well, talking in my mind! Metacognition is happening and it’s only the first sentence of the Acknowledgements! The sentence reads, “As the mother of a child who has had ten surgeries in three years, I would like to thank the doctors and nurses…” I am immediately thinking of a friend, Meghan, and her first child, Joseph, who was born with a rare type of cancer (one in a million) and has undergone several surgeries and countless rounds of chemotherapy in his first year of life. The pain and sadness I feel in my heart is real and I am undoubtedly connecting to the feelings this author must have experienced.
It doesn’t take but a few more pages to remind me of a real-world connection I have related to a child having leukemia. I know this is a real disease and one which many people have suffered through or died from for many years. I have some knowledge of this and am thankful I had read some magazines in the past as they help me to understand the severity of the situation the characters are going through.
Not a paragraph later my mind’s voice pipes up again and says. “Hey, this character is feeling just like the father did not want his son to feel like in the last book you read. No wonder he made that decision! It makes more sense now.” This cycle of self-talk continues throughout my reading of the book and continually helps me to understand what I am reading.
Have you ever experienced the situation I described above? This almost constant talk in my mind, the connections I am making, is called schema. Simply put, it is every bit of background knowledge I hold. Schema is everything I have read, seen, felt, and experienced-from the mundane day-to-day occurrences to the relationships and life-passions I have had. Some of the kids like to call it the “spider web in our minds” because it is everything that sticks with us.
Your child has learned the art of catching him or herself activating their schema or connecting with the text they read regardless of the genre-‑fiction, nonfiction or poetry. From kindergarten to fifth grade kids are taught how to and why they should connect with the text they are reading so that they can better understand it. When a reader has experienced a similar situation they can identify with that character’s feelings. For example, when Oliver Button was made fun of for liking traditional “girl activities” everyone who has ever been teased can relate to how sad or hurt he must have felt. Thus, we are doing much more than reading the printed words on a page when we make a text-to-self connection.
Connecting one text to another text (a text-to-text connection) can help readers predict possible events or outcomes in a book. If we read one book where the character is teased and the bullies apologize at the end, we can use our previous knowledge to foresee that the bully in our current book will learn a lesson and also apologize. Again, we are engaged with the text and really reading.
The third text connection is referred to as a text-to-world connection. This is when a reader has knowledge of real world issues (homelessness, poverty, war, prejudice, disease, etc.) Often when we read we encounter a situation where the character is dealing with an issue that is bigger than them. Maybe they are experiencing an injustice related to race and by having some background knowledge of this real world issue the reader can better understand why the character is making a certain decision or thinking a particular thought. Ultimately, we increase our understanding of the text.
As you read with your child or talk to him/her about the text they are reading, see if they are making any connections. You may want to use the familiar stems: “Are you reminded of anything? Does this make you think of anything you have read about or experienced?” Share your connections with them. What wonderful way to build and strengthen your relationship with your child. Also, be sure the two of you talk about how the connection really helps him/her to understand what they just read. This is the key to real reading and true understanding!
Sarah Whitt
Literacy Coach
Resources Mosaic of Thought-Keene & Zimmerman, 2007 and 7 Keys to Comprehension – Zimmerman and Hutchins, 2003.
The Power of Vision (November 2007)
I stepped onto the first step with a quivering foot. I continued down, each step creaking under my weight, until I finally reached the squishy rug. I stared down. Gloomy shadows danced on the walls and the power light from the furnace looked like a glowing eye. It seemed to stare right though me. As I passed the washing machine, it made a violent buzz that sounded like a burp from the last kid it probably devoured. I was terrified, like those nights when you watch a horror movie and you can’t get it out of your mind. But I continued walking on the frigid concrete. The darkness swirled over me like a cloud of fog as I stepped into the play area. …”Why did I answer yes to that question?” I thought as I stepped out of the way of the toys that seemed to snicker with glee as my face turned paler and paler. I wanted to dash right up those steps into my warm bed where nothing could hurt me.
As I read this passage from a 4th grader’s personal narrative about getting the Christmas tree star from his basement and overcoming a very real fear, my mind takes over and creates the most amazing mental images. I can easily conjure up a picture of this little boy nervously tiptoeing down the creaking steps, I can see the shadows dancing on the walls, hear the evil laughs of the toys, and feel the terror he is feeling throughout his body. His amazingly detailed writing allows me to press the “play button” in my mind and for the tape to start rolling. I am there with him every step he takes.
When thoughtful readers read text: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, even an advertisement, they visualize in their minds. I like to call it “making the movie in my head.” Whatever the writer is trying to share with me I try to see, feel, hear, taste, touch, and smell so that I can “be there” in the text with the characters. If I am reading nonfiction, visualizing allows me to build my background knowledge about the topic or more easily understand the unfamiliar text.
Take a second, what happens when you read this nonfiction text about sharks’ scales? A shark’s scales are small, sharp teeth and are so rough that people use it, the sharkskin, as sandpaper. As you read that text did you see an image in your mind? Did you feel the roughness of the scales? It never mentioned a color, but I am sure that your schema of sharks allowed your mind to create a rather vivid snapshot.
As a parent or guardian, the best way to support and nurture your child’s ability to visualize is to share your own mental images with him/her. When you read a passage in a book, either your own or theirs, tell him/her what you see, feel, taste, etc. Spend a bit of time really describing your visualization to your child. To make it even more fun, draw the picture in your mind so they can actually see what you see! By modeling this essential reading strategy, you are not only developing their learning, but letting them get inside your head for just a little while—something most children long to do.
Be sure to also take time to listen to your child’s visualizations. How did they compare to yours? Why do you think that is? Do you have different schema, or did one of you read the text differently? And of course, take some time to discuss how visualizations help a reader to understand text. Does the reader then personalize the characters, scenes, or facts? Enjoy the story more? Stick with a book to see how it all turns out? Or know when something is not making sense? Think about this, visualize, and enjoy the movie in your mind as you read throughout the New Year.
Sarah Whitt
Literacy Coach
What happens when the camera shuts off? What do thoughtful readers do when the movie stops and the screen in our minds goes blank? Please visit the website www.theliteracyconnection.weebly.com to read more on literacy and visualization.
Special thanks to Nolan Dunn, age 10 for allowing me to use an excerpt from The Dungeon.
The Whats and Whys of Questioning (January 2008)
Why do zebras have stripes? How come that happened? Why are you doing that? I wonder if you did this, and I did that, if this would happen… Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
Kids are curious by nature. Questions roll off of their tongues like rain falls from the sky. It’s normal, it’s natural, it’s what they do.
Fortunately, this is something that proficient readers do as well and kids seem to have an advantage since they are already equipped with the power to frequently question. Our job is to model for them and encourage them to ask the deep, thoughtful questions that help them as thinkers to make sense of the text they are reading.
Have you ever noticed that when a child reads a story, or you read to one, you often hear them ask questions? Sometimes, it’s as simple as what is a _____ or what does this word mean? This occurred in an early primary classroom this past week when a child was unsure of the meaning of the word balcony and what it meant to dine. Or you may hear your child ask a more literal question about the character’s name or some detail that is directly written in the text that maybe they forgot. But often readers ask deeper questions, questions that require them to take time to really ponder the answer. Some questions they may have to read on to figure out. Some questions they may have to ask for help in answering, find it in an outside source, or maybe it is something that can’t be answered at all.
From the moment we pick a book off of the shelf we begin asking questions. There’s a book that is often read by teachers to students entitled, An Angel for Solomon Singer by Cynthia Rylant and inevitably the kids ask, Who is Solomon Singer? Will there be an angel in this book? Noticing the illustration they ask, What is the Westway Café? Does the guy eat or work there? So, right from the very beginning, the kids want to read on. They feel the need to find out the answers to these important questions about characters, setting, plot, or even an author’s purpose in including something.
As we start to read the book, the questions continue. While some questions do get answered (for example, we figured out that Solomon Singer is the main character but this leads us to want to learn more about him as a person.) others require us to continue reading. We find ourselves adding more questions and thankfully finding answers to some of those we wondered about previously.
Our students here at Buckner have been discovering that when readers ask questions we usually find the answers by doing one or more of the following:
Going back and rereading reading on in the text looking at the illustrations thinking about what we already know (using our schema) inferring-thinking about the clues we have (our own knowledge, pictures, etc.) and doing our best to guess talking with a friend looking in another book- research
They have also begun to notice that asking questions helps them as readers. Students have noted that questioning keeps them interested in the book they are reading, helps them to understand what’s happening, helps them to predict, and motivates them to continue reading, and even finish the book.
So, when you read to or with your little one(s) don’t hesitate to ask your questions and listen as they ask theirs. In a few words: Questioning helps readers to THINK, LEARN MORE, and ultimately…UNDERSTAND.
Sarah Whitt
The Power of Inferring (February 2008)
Recently, I read another book for my book club, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini and Oh My! was it a page turner!!! I distinctly remember page 198. I literally cried out, “Oh, my gosh!!!”, and shook my head while repeating, “Oh no, Oh no!” I anxiously shifted positions on the couch. Startling my whole family, they surely thought that there was a bug nearby but there was no creature, no physical being. What I was reacting to was not even directly written in the text I was reading. I had just experienced something that thoughtful readers experience all the time—I had inferred. Simply put, I had used the clues I just read in the text, thought about my background knowledge and predicted what I knew in my heart to be true. With this information I was also able to foresee the effects this event would have on the characters and possible twist and turns of the plot for the rest of the book.
While inferring can be as simple as solving a riddle, figuring out the meaning of a word, or understanding the intended meaning of a cartoon, it can also be as complex as predicting future events, interpreting the personality of a character, or discovering the meaning of text as a whole.
Try it out for yourself as you seek to solve this riddle: What sits in a corner but can travel around the world? All of a sudden your mind starts to digest the written words, then you use your schema to think of everything that could possibly sit in a corner and travel at the same time, until finally you have that “aha” moment when you blurt out, “A STAMP!”
Try it again as you interpret this passage from Come On Rain! by Karen Hesse. From the first pages you know that the sly, playful Jackie-Joyce is hoping it will rain and desperately wants to put on her swimsuit. The summer heat is taking its toll on everyone in the city but then, “I stare out over rooftops, past chimneys, into the way off distance. And that’s when I see it coming, clouds roll in, gray clouds, bunched and bulging under a purple sky.” Immediately, you hone in on the description of the weather, combine it with your schema and infer that rain will come. And knowing as much as you do about the mischievous and carefree personality of the character, you just know she’s going to play in it! This higher level thinking allows us to remember and apply what we have read, engage in conversations, and respond analytically and/or reflectively to what we have read.
Amazingly, inferring happens more frequently than we realize. Every time we overhear a portion of a phone conversation or read a facial expression and know something that was not explicitly said—we are inferring. Inferring is also using word or picture clues coupled with our background knowledge to predict something or draw conclusions.
As you read, or read with your child, consider talking about the text and the pictures on the pages. What inferences can you draw? This can be as simple as saying: “I think that…”, “I predict…”, “My conclusion here is…” as you are reading or looking at the illustrations. When you are reading with your child remember that inferring can occur on a word level (i.e. you “figure out” the meaning of the word that the author does not specifically define), a sentence or paragraph level, and at a whole book level. Inferring often starts with a question and ends with us drawing a conclusion and/or forming our own unique interpretations.
For those who want to get their feet wet, don’t hesitate to play a game of Charades, take a look at the comics in the newspaper, or play a game of Twenty Questions. All of these fun activities can sharpen your child’s ability to infer. When you’re ready to play in the rain and get soaked, try out some poetry, longer text or even non-fiction. You can even infer with something black and white and read all over. Did you get it?
Sarah Whitt
The Many Lenses of Literacy (April 2008)
Literacy- You might be wondering, “Is it just reading?” For the past five months The Literacy Connection has focused on the thinking strategies as related to reading, but literacy is so much more than just reading. Literacy encompasses reading, writing, speaking, listening, and observing. As students near the end of the year they begin to reflect on their growth as readers and writers through these lenses of literacy. It is then that they begin to think about who or what has influenced them as writers. Favorite teachers, authors, Moms, Dads, other family members and friends are typically the inspirations for our young writers.
As I sat down to craft my own reflective piece, and really dug deeply into how I have grown as a writer, I began to see that these are the same people who inspired me. I had an artistic sister I used to watch paint- this is how I learned to be thoughtful and patient as I write. Growing up, I read a great deal of Roald Dahl‘s books, like James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and through his inspiration I desired to write with the same attention to detail. And by listening to a special teacher who praised my ideas and encouraged me to keep on writing even when I wanted to give up, I gained not only confidence but also the motivation I needed to persevere as a writer.
Maybe you are that person your child observes and learns from, or the one who hands him/her a book that is the one, the one they actually enjoy reading and see as the inspiration for their writing. Maybe yours is the voice in their head encouraging them when they go to write something they think they can’t possibly get down on paper. Maybe, just maybe, it is you who listens to him/her tell a story, or recount an event that later turns up in a narrative, memoir, or poem.
The questions you ask, the ear you lend, the reading and writing you do yourself all play a vital role in developing your child as a writer. As parents and guardians we are role models, guides, and inspirations. Whether we realize it or not, we play a critical part in our child’s literacy development and it encompasses so much more than just handing them a book.
What’s Important? Literacy (May 2008)
We are all part of the Information Age. We are inundated with news, celebrity gossip, and stories from our own kids. At any one moment we can be listening to a news report on the radio, reading a magazine or book, and trying to hear our child share a story that happened at school that day. At some point we have to discern what is important. We have to figure out exactly which snippets of information we need to know and which ones we can let go. In essence, we must determine what is important.
As readers, we must also determine what is important. Sometimes it is a word or phrase, and other times it is the passage as a whole. From years of schooling we pretty much have the idea that bold words are important. But what about when there are no bold words? At Buckner we teach children from kindergarten all the way through fifth grade that readers are constantly determining what information is important.
Many students were able to grasp the concept by equating straining spaghetti to keeping significant words, phrases and ideas and letting go of those that were not important. Through inquiry the students also came to the realization that much of what readers determine as important has to do with the readers’ schema and purpose for reading. If someone is simply reading a chapter book to enjoy a good fiction story, the characters, plot, and setting will be most important. If, however, a person is reading to answer a question about science, they will be looking for specific information and all extraneous facts will be “strained out”.
As educators and parents it is our job to support our children in their quest for determining what’s important. We can model this by talking about the various purposes for reading and how we keep the important pieces of information that lead to an understanding of the piece we have read. When we share with our little ones why we are reading the newspaper (what we are looking for) and then share how we use the text, boxed information, photographs and captions, to help us understand, we open up a dialogue for learning. We certainly can’t remember everything we read, but we can collect those facts and ideas that help us to understand.
As summer draws near we must also think about the “important things”- as related to literacy. With all the fun of summer—baseball games, swimming at a local pool, and spending lots time with family—you might ask, “How can I further develop my child’s literacy experiences?” We can all start by encouraging our children to read. Education researcher, Dr. Richard Allington recommends kids read at least 8 books over the summer. During this time away from school, I would also encourage students to spend time storytelling about the memorable things that they noticed or did as well as record detailed observations about interesting things they observed, participated in, or heard. While the summer is long and lovely, the bottom line is that kids need to know… literacy continues to be important.