BookTalk

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Ruth is an amazing old lady, but I messed up quite a bit! Ha Ha.

Smell of Old Lady Perfume

Book talk with Macey, Ruth and The Smell of Old Lady Perfume

When Kids Can't Read-Ch.15

I think that chapter 15 had some very interesting ideas. It talked about how teachers must, at all times, remember that they don't teach a subject, but they teach children with specific needs. Teachers want their school to be a healthy environment for their students where they are safe, fed, and for a few hours of the day are free of the fear many of them face at home. Teachers should not only be concerned with what the students are learning, but also be concerned about the well being of the child. It is very difficult for an unhealthy student to learn anything in the classroom.



This chapter also said, "to be called a "teacher" might be one of the greatest compliments one could receive." This statement is true because to be a teacher also means to be the student's mom, hope, and rescue. A teacher is not just a teacher. Teachers must become more than educators, they must become a refuge.

When Kids Can't Read-Ch.13

Chapter 13 talks about some unique ways of celebrating differences in the classroom. It's hard to celebrate differences in the classroom when teenagers want to dress, act, and sound alike. Most teenagers want to conform with others around them so that they can fit it. When teachers look across their classroom and see the different ethnicities and social economic groups all in one room, teachers might need spend time making sure that their students value their differences.

One way to initiate conversation, over this topic, is to ask the students what life would be like if every student in the school was an amazing quarterback? Some may say that it would be awesome, but when they really think about they will realize that it would take away from the rest of the school's sports and activities many are involved in. Another good question to spark conversation is, "What's the advantage of having multiple languages in the school?" A student might say, " If we all spoke the same language everywhere, then, for sure communication would be easier, but life would be duller." Helping students see the different ways to celebrate diversity should be the job of the teacher.

When Kids Can't Read-Ch.12

The thing I found most interesting about this chapter was that it said that teachers should not give every student the same vocabulary to study. Students progress at different rates and should not be given the same vocabulary. Students will compare with each other's list and see what words were assigned, and it is the teacher's responsibility to inform the students that each one of them progresses at a different rate. Teachers should be looking for put-downs and put a stop to them quickly.

I never thought about giving a vocabulary list based on the student's level of development. When I was in elementary and junior-high school, teachers always gave students the same words. They probably did this because they were too lazy to make more than one test. I think that this way of teaching vocabulary will help students and teach them at the level they need to be taught. If I become a English teacher, I will definitely use this method of teaching vocabulary.

By:Ruth and Macey Minn and Jake's Almost Terrible Summer

When Kids Can't Read-Ch.11

The thing I found most beneficial about chapter 11 was the suggestion #1 on High-Frequency Words. "Automatic recognition of high-frequency words is critical for fluent reading. These words are often difficult for beginning readers or older struggling readers to decode because many do not follow the regular sound-letter relationships. For instance, consider of, have, done, said, do, been--all words that stay from expected letter-sound correspondences." It is important that students recognize high frequency words so that their reading will become more fluent.





Teachers should take mental note in which students are exceeding and which students are struggling with high frequency words. In order to have success in reading, teachers must teach students when and how to recognize important words. Students should not have to struggle with fluency because of high frequency words.

When Kids Can't Read-Ch.10

The thing I found most interesting in this chapter was when it talked about measuring fluency. When looking at beginning readers, reaserchers have measured fluency by oral reading rates. Reading rates usually increases faster during the elementary shcool years that during the middle and high-school years.

The chapter says that the more a reader reads the more her reading rate will improve. Because of this, I believe that it is very important for teachers to allow reading time in the classroom. Students should also be encouraged to read outside the classroom, because students who do so show better reading rates than those who read very little.

When Kids Can't Read-Ch.9

The thing I found most interesting about this chapter was towards the beginning when it mentioned the recipes for great vocabulary lessons. The book recommends "that if you want to see if your students recognize effective versus ineffective vocabulary instruction, ask them to write recipes for terrible vocabulary lessons and recipes for great ones."

The chapter goes on to say, "you'll probably find a wide range of recipes for great vocabulary instruction; you'll most likely discover that their recipes for ineffective learning all look the same. Turn them loose with recipe cards after you've reminded them about the vocabulary they'd fin in recipes." This is a creative way of teaching vocabulary in the classroom. I'd definiately consider using this with my future students.

Reaction to Online Book-Chat

I thought that the author book chat went fairly well. I learned a whole lot about the author's accomplishments and ambitions. I believe, however, that the chat room was a little disorganized. I thought that too many questions were asked all at once, and the author didn't have enough time to get to all of them. The order that was discussed in class was not followed, so there must have been some confusion on what we talked about in class. Other than that, I thought the Book-Chat went well, and I would definitely enjoy doing another Book-Chat! Mr. MacPherson was very informative and tried to answer everyone's questions.

When Kids Can't Read-Ch.8

This chapter focuses on after-reading activities that help students focus on constructing meaning. The chapter gives an informative list on what the strategies encourage students to do. Listed below are some examples I found interesting. Activities should:

• question what students don't understand or what is confusing in the text
• clarify what has confused them
• summarize what they have just read
• make inferences and draw conclusions

The activities that teachers present to their students should help student find meaning in difficult texts. Activities that help clarify anything confusing will help with comprehension and also long term memory. If students understand or comprehend what they've read, then they have a much better chance of recalling later on in the semester. Activities that stimulate comprehension and memory are crucial for a student's success.

When Kids Can't Read-Ch. 7

I thought the most interesting thing I learned in chapter 7 was that rereading is the number one strategy independent readers use when something stumps them in a text. It's probably the last strategy dependent readers use. I think that good readers read a text as a whole and then reread bits and pieces that they find confusing. Struggling readers may find rereading takes up too much time and it also may frustrate them, so they give up.

I think it's important for teachers to encourage students to reread in difficult passages because they might be able to get something out of it the second time they read. It may be a hard habit to teach students, but students will definitely benefit from it in the future. When struggling readers read aloud, the teacher should stop the student when he or she feels that the student is struggling to comprehend. The teacher should then encourage the student to reread the passage to help make more sense.

When Kids Can't Read-Ch. 6

The thing I found most interesting about chapter 6 was the anticipation guide. Effective anticipation guides present students with pertinent issues that are worth discussing but that don't have clear-cut answers. The anticipation guide allows readers to think for themselves and choose yes or no answers to questions that can be answered with opinion.

After reading a book, the reader returns to the questions and answers them how the protagonist in the book would answer them. The student will sometimes see that many of their answers have changed. Students must be aware that there is no right or wrong answer for the anticipation guide, so they should not try to guess the correct answer. Students should use this activity to explore their thoughts and ideas about the questions.

When Kids Can't Read-Chapter 5

The thing I found most interesting about chapter 5 was when the author talked about how children construct meaning out of a text. "Students transact with the text, constructing meaning from the information that the author provides in the text and the information they bring to the text." Students who expect the text to provide every single piece of information are often left in confusion about the material they just read.

Students must learn that prior knowledge is essential in making connections in whatever they are reading. It is the educator's responsibility to help student make these connections and help students become better prepared before reading a text where background knowledge is needed. Sometimes the text may not provide enough information on the topic that the student is studying, and what they bring to the text is just as important as the text itself.

When Kids Can't Read-Chapter 4

I thought that the most beneficial information came from pages 42-44. These pages talked about the instructional practices that every teacher should know. The practices were as follows:
1.) Decide what specific strategies you want to model and what text to use.
2.) Tell the students exactly what strategy they will be learning.
3.) Read the passage to the students and model the strategy you want them to learn.
4.) During real reading situations make sure and give the students plenty of time to practice the strategy being taught.
5.) Continue modeling as students' needs indicate or when the genre changes.
6.) Give students time to use the strategy on their own without any help.

These 6 instructional practices would be very beneficial to have in the classroom. They demonstrate each step that a teacher should take to ensure that each student has the proper training to master a specific strategy. I know that I will most likely use these 6 steps to guide teaching in the classroom.

When Kids Can't Read-Chapter 3

One thing I thought was interesting about chapter 4 (pg. 25-26) was the list of reasons why students say they do not know how to read. There is also a chart that is listed to help teachers understand how a student is struggling. The chart has two columns. One column lists what the student cannot do, and the other column lists what the teacher will do to help the student learn.

This chart would be an excellent tool to use in the classroom. It would help the teacher become aware of the needs of his or her students and also show where the student needs help the most. I would use this chart after listening to a student read aloud. I would list some behaviors that I saw in the dependent reader and then suggest a focus for instruction. There are students who need help in one area more than another. By using the chart that the book offers, teachers can identify the struggles of each student and target that specific area instead of working on what they already know.

When Kids Can't Read-Chapter 2

The thing I found most interesting in this chapter was the definition of an alliterate student. An alliterate student is one who can read but chooses not to. The chapter goes on to talk about how these students “range from students who will read if we find them that one good book to students who claim to have never read a book in their lives.” Alliterate students may know how to read they just do not like to.

At first, I thought that an alliterate student was one who was incapable of reading or who struggled greatly. I think that some students who are categorized as alliterate could eventually be good students. Many students do not enjoy reading because they are forced to read books they find uninteresting. If students can get hooked on a series of books or a certain author, then maybe they will have a better chance of becoming literate.

Building a Knowledge Base in Reading-Chapter 3

Through Chapter 3, I learned that “Individual children, whether or not faced with the adverse conditions describing group risk factors, may be at greater risk for reading difficulties…” for many different reasons. Not just low income families are at risk for reading problems; families from all different backgrounds are faced with reading troubles.

Many students have parents with a history of reading problems. If a parent has a reading problem, he or she may not have a desire to read to their children, and reading to children helps them see the importance of reading. If parents do not read to their children, then children may grow up disliking books. In school, some students did not have a very good start such as in pre-school or first grade. Also, students at risk for reading problems are those who have learning disabilities that have or have not been addressed.

Building a Knowledge Base in Reading-Chapter 2

I think that the most interesting thing I learned from chapter 2 was “Vygotsky’s notion of Zone Proximal Development in learning is central to understanding the development of cognitive process. This is the range of social interaction between a novice and more knowledgeable other in which the child can perform with degrees of assistance from an adult that which the child cannot yet perform independently.” In other words an adult helps a child complete a task that he cannot do on his own.

This is important because the student will learn by following an adult’s example. A student will learn how to do difficult tasks with the help of an adult and through this the student will eventually learn how to operate on their own. I think that as future teachers, we must remember that some students need more help than others, so it is important not to abandon those who struggle. By guided practice, we can help students perform difficult tasks and help them get to where they need to be.

Literature Circle Experience

I thought that the literature circle was a fun way to share individual thoughts and ideas about the book, Oddly Normal. Even though I thought the group circle was a great idea, I think it would have been better if it had been guided by a series of questions. There were a few times that my group got of track, and without having a questionnaire it was easy to get off subject. In our circle, we talked about the character, Oddly, and the hard times she faced being a "half-witch." We also talked about the significance of color the author and illustrator chose to use on each page. After discussing the book with my group, I felt like I had a better understanding of the storyline. I think that the literature circle gives the reader a chance to comment about what he or she got out of the story.

Chapter 14-When Kids Can't Read

I thought this chapter was interesting because it talked about the importance of choosing books that are not always appealing to us (teachers), but are interesting in the eyes of the student. Many times, teachers make students read books that they themselves enjoyed as students, but their own students do not take interest in them. Teachers must realize that each student is different.

By listening to reluctant readers, teachers begin to see what holds their interest and what makes them want to read. The chapter talks about how students can create a list of topics that they find interesting in books. With a list like this, a teacher can begin to help students find books that suit their interest. After finding books that interest students, it is important that teachers give free time to read and take many trips to the library.

Connecting Students to Culturally Relevant Texts

After reading the hand-out, I can't help remember what Francisco says about the story, Rain of Gold. Francisco says, “It was a huge book of 562 pages and only one of several we had to read. I felt overwhelmed and hopeless. Reading in English was slow and such hard work!” When he first saw the book he felt very doomed to failure and discouraged. However, when Francisco read the first few chapters he couldn’t put the book down.

I think this story shows us that despite the size of the book, we must take a greater look inside it and find some aspect of it that we can relate to. I think that teachers need to find books that are culturally relevant like this article talks about, so that students will be able to connect on a greater level with the book much like Francisco did.

Reading Response Chapter 1

After reading chapter one, I learned a little more about the close connections between reading and writing. According to the text, “Children build on oral language knowledge as they learn to read and write. “ And, Children begin to understand more complex reading through writing. The book defines literature as a complex, and interactive progression using fundamental and intricate skills to make meaning. “Reading is interactive and constructive but it is also complex.”

The goal of the teachers should be to help their students be able to read an assortment of material easily and with curiosity even when the text it difficult to comprehend.
The text also mentioned that there are many factors that contribute to literacy rates in the classroom. According to the text, only 15% of students are reaching more advanced levels of literacy. Large and Suburban towns have a higher performing literacy rate that urban or rural communities. Poverty is also plays a factor in literacy. Poverty stricken communities usually always have lower literacy rates. When literacy goals are not met in the classroom, there are severe consequences for not only faculty but also students. Teachers many times center their attention on students who need help the least and are unable to help the student who is struggling.

In conclusion, this chapter talked about the importance of having” well-prepared, knowledgeable teachers who can make professional judgments about instruction based on their familiarity with research.” The chapter also mentioned that it is crucial for teachers to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of each individual student. It the job of the educator to work around their weaknesses and help find a teaching strategy that works best for the student.

Literature Circles

What I read on literaturecircle.com:
Literature circles give students the opportunity to explore books that hold their interest and other common-minded students. There are many different literature circles, and each circle chooses a different book. With their group, students get to discuss the book they are reading and share ideas and make connections with their own lives and the characters in the book. During the circle time, the teacher should be observing and evaluating the discussions. According to literaturecircle.com, there should be a “spirit of playfulness and fun.” After all of the groups finish their books, students can share ideas and a deeper meaning of all of the books. They can also encourage or discourage others to read the book that their group has chosen.

What I thought was interesting about the websites:
I thought that the literature circle websites were interesting because I had never really heard of a literature circle before. I love the idea of students getting to choose what they read and share what they learned with their peers. It’s sad when English teachers force students to read tiresome literature and refuse to give students reading options. I believe that through literature circles, students will feel like they have the freedom to read what interests them and desire to read outside of school.