The Meaning of Reading

"We begin to look for mastery of skills and are still left scratching our heads about why our readers aren't performing at higher levels."

Advertisements

Reading Recovery Made Me a Better Classroom Teacher

After a few years of being a Reading Recovery teacher and Literacy Coach, I was told that due to federal funding cuts my district was reducing our Reading Recovery staff by one teacher.  I was notified that I would be returning back to the classroom and back to 2nd grade. I was a bit crushed …

Reading Recovery Works: Spread the Word

We seem to be going through a time where heavy phonics instruction and skill and drill teaching practices are taking over.  The importance of making all interactions with books meaningful and enjoyable and using research-proven interventions are going by the wayside. We need to make the power of Reading Recovery and its complex theory of …

Make Professional Learning a Priority @StenhousePub #litessentials

Teachers attend a multitude of meetings each school year some of which include: Faculty meetings Professional Learning Communitunity meetings Support Team Meetings Professional Development sessions Conferences Grade level/Content area meetings Despite the many meetings, there doesn't seem to be a lot of time designated to digging in deep and learning with our colleagues.  Regie Routman, …

How to Inspire a Love for Learning @StenhousePub #litessentials

I am excited to be participating in Reading By Example's Summer book club on Literacy Essentials:  Engagement, Excellence, and Equity for All Learners by Regie Routman.  I have already read the first two posts: How do we Create a Community of Readers Agency in the Classroom Both posts are thought-provoking and well worth reading. If …

Self-Monitoring: Who’s Finding the Errors?

Students who are reading below grade level commonly struggle with self-monitoring their own reading.  They read along not cross-checking one type of information against another and are oblivious to the errors they have made. It is essential that we teach for self-monitoring to help students notice their incorrect responses starting with the very earliest levels. …

The Benefits of Using Leveled Texts

This tweet made me think about the swing of the pendulum in literacy education during my time as a teacher.  I have seen the pendulum swing from a heavy phonics approach with a focus on teaching "reading skills" to a whole language approach with a comprehension focus taught through authentic texts.  If we are lucky …

Predictions of Progress: Do They Make a Difference?

Earlier in the year I reflected on my Reading Recovery teaching practices and identified a goal of working with intention toward helping my students to develop a self-extending system.  I knew that in order to do justice to this goal I had to dedicate regularly scheduled time to look through my running records, lessons records, …

Support for Literacy/Instructional Coaches

Literacy/Instructional coaching is very rewarding and also hard work. There will be days where you will feel on top of the world because you made a breakthrough with a particular teacher.  Then there will be other days where you feel so frustrated that you just want to go home and bury your head under your pillow. Coaches …

Promoting Literacy. Monthly Reads.

We enjoy any opportunity to promote reading that will help fellow teachers have the most impact on the literate lives of their students. If you want to be inspired and reenergized grab yourself a nice warm beverage, find a comfortable spot to settle in and enjoy some great writing. The Goal of Phonics Instruction is …