I'm currently subbing for a teacher is teaches Science and Language Arts. I was told that one of the Science classes is "basically an inclusion class". I was given additional instructions and was told "Good Luck." After the first day I caught myself saying to a fellow teacher "They can't read". These sixth graders really cannot read.
Looking through the depended reading behaviors has helped me make sense of this. These students are lacking in all or most of the areas of confidence and have been relying on teachers or other students to read for them and help get them through the school year. I recognize the situation, that's the first step. But when it came time to complete the assigned worksheet together, I froze. Some of the students were not paying attention or they were waiting for me or another classmate to give the answer. We made it through the worksheet but I felt defeated.
Raymond, mentioned in the text, asked a good question: You mean there's somethin' you do to be a good reader?" Reading is an active process among many levels. Students zip through their reading and assume they are finished. But the goal of reading is comprehension.
Like Beers said: "It's not enough knowing what good readers can do or struggling readers can't do. We must know what we believe about teaching, about learning and about our role in both. Once that's determined, we can make intelligent choices about the instruction that best suits the needs of our students".
I like the personal connection that you make to Beers' discussion about what it truly means when someone "can't read." I found myself pleasantly suprised when I was reading all of the different interpretations for "can't read." I didn't realize that that small phrase could mean so many different things. It made me realize that as a teacher I can't be quick to jump to conclusions about a student's behavior. His appearing to not be able to read might be a sign of boredom or might truly indicate a deeper reading problem. I do agree with your insight that we must know as teachers what we believe about teaching and learning and what our role is in helping our students learn to read. As Beers said, "Teachers--not programs--are the critical element in a student's success." In order to help our students, we have to understand our own beliefs about how we are going to teach them to become better readers.
ReplyDeleteLooking back on the worksheet lesson - what could you have done differently? How might you have engaged students in the work they were about to do? Why were they waiting for you to give them the answers? Could you have set up the instruction any differently? It can be difficult when you are the sub because you aren't necessarily planning the lesson but following another teacher's instructions.
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