So welcome to our shared Reading Response Journal Blog. Keeping a shared response journal will give you an opportunity to not only express your own opinions about theories, research and content, but you will also be able to read each others and give feedback. Here is a friendly reminder of your task:
1) You will be writing a journal response to the assigned readings (chapter 12) for this week and juxtaposing it to the P PowerPoint presentation that you hopefully already viewed on this blog (see above).
2. In your journal entries (reading response - post onto this blog), you can discuss anything that interests you about the material you are reading. Think about the leading questions that I gave you on the Powerpoint
3. Reading response entries should be at least 500-750 words.
You are free to choose what you want to take up.
4. Read all recent journal (reading response) postings and give feedback.
Your journal is an opportunity for you to explore what you think is important, as well as, become active participants in your own learning by collaboratively problem solving and giving/getting appropriate feedback. This is our place to process meaning and develop understandings. Please feel free to respond to additional issues or questions that you feel are most relevant to your experiences and interests. You can discuss anything related to the course.
Reading Response
ReplyDeleteThe school I work at has independent reading everyday. I work with the 4th and 5th grade classes. Every morning they arrive at school by 8:15, put their things away and get out their independent reading book. They read quietly until 9:00 when morning meeting starts. This is also the time that literature circles meet and students record what books they’ve been reading in a log. Students should be reading with a “just right” book that is selected by them. In the beginning of the school year the teacher goes through ways to find books that are “just right” so the students can practice the skill throughout the year.
For the last 5 to 10 minutes of independent reading the students can read a “dessert book”. “Dessert books” are books they are re-reading, picture books, origami books, magic trick books, or comics; sometimes other nonfiction books are included in this category as well.
When I first started working at this school I found it a little odd to go right into reading at the beginning of the day. Don’t the students want some time to get settled and chat with each other? Doesn’t the teacher want a chance to chat with the students as they settle in? But I found that the students and teacher gets these needs met during morning meeting. And the relaxed yet academic pace of independent reading is a great way to start the day.
I haven’t experienced accelerated reader. But from what I’ve learned about it, I disagree with the program for many reasons. I think we should be working harder to help find intrinsic motivators for children to read. There is such a vast array of literature available to use that I think students should be able to find something that motivates them in an intrinsic way. Students can read nonfiction, memoir, comic books, newspaper or any of the wide variety of novels available. It is about finding that right fit for the student that will get them excited about reading. As some one who knows the students interests and abilities well it is the responsibility and challenge for the teacher to help the student pick that just right book.
A 4th grader at my school has a very limited attention span and so he would take a long time to get through even shorter books. His teacher introduced him to Gary Paulsen, mainly the Brian series because this student happens to love the outdoors. He read through the entire classroom selection of Gary Paulsen books in a month. It was amazing.
I loved the Book Bistro idea presented in the textbook. I might see if I can give it a try at my school. I think it would be great for the students to be able to share their experience with their independent reading books. I think this would motivate students to choose more interesting and/or challenging books since they will be sharing them with their peers. I also think it is a good opportunity for them gain exposure to types of books they might not normally read.