Monday, July 10, 2017

Dynamic Teaching #cyberPD



Thanks to Cathy Mere and Michelle Nero  for hosting our conversations as we learn from Vicki Vinton‘s latest book Dynamic Teaching for Deeper Reading. 

I’m always searching for the answer. I know after teaching 29 years I won’t find the answer; however, I will learn nuggets to help me shift and continue to grow in my practice.  But I really want answers, I was on a mission.  Speed reading for the practical applications.

Encouragement Nuggets
“I am going to ask them to do something readers always do….keep track of what they’re learning or figuring out what they’re curious about.”  P. 92

“I’m hoping students will feel the thrill of finding answers to their questions….” P. 95

“Jot down their thoughts about the low-stakes prompts that I crafted.”  P. 100

Thinking Deeper Nuggets
I am desperately thinking about read aloud for the upcoming year. I often go back to one of my favorite books: Who’s Doing the WorkAfter reflecting, reading blogs and having discussions, I believe I am doing most of the work with read aloud.  I thought I was modeling how readers show their thinking, by discussing and writing my thoughts on chart paper. Recently I have become more aware that I am doing most the talking and writing.  Isn’t there a fine line between modeling and scaffolding? While reading this book, that line is getting blurrier for me.

How do we build the “thrill” in our students? Isn’t that internal within our students?  My goal for each mini lesson is to have an opportunity for my learners to have an opening in which they can become stronger in their knowledge. Last year, I focused on having windows especially with my classroom library for all my readers. A personal goal is that my readers will find a thrill within a picture book. I have been involved in mixed conversations (even sometimes a debate) when discussing internal motivation “thrill” for learning.  I often become quiet and listen trying to grab a nugget that will help me with this idea of creating a thrill for learning.  I am curious - have you noticed a shift in your learners?

I appreciate the conversations and the twitter feed that supports #cyberPD. It's satisfying to know that when I place my thinking on my blog that where will be an active conversation.  I am excited to leave comments for other bloggers and continue to learn side by side with you. 









8 comments:

  1. Hey Maria, I'll be starting my 30th year as well. I love your 'nuggets' and look forward to learning along with you! I think I've been doing the heavy lifting with Read Alouds as well, going to rethink the interactive nature of this moving forward!

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  2. Thanks Paula for commenting :) I am going to borrow "heavy lifting" and continue to think about moving forward.

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  3. I have been guilty of doing most of the work with read alouds, too. It's hard to get out of the way and let students do the thinking and talking sometimes! I think students see more "thrill" when we do get out of the way. It is a tricky balance learning to scaffold enough, but not too much. Definitely complex work!

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    1. Sounds like we are in a similar boat...helps me to understand and process the changes I want to occur.

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  4. I felt somewhat affirmed in my read aloud practices as I read the way she worked with the beginning of TIGER RISING. If there's a time when I do lots of scaffolding or "heavy lifting" with read aloud, it's at the beginning. Now I won't feel so guilty about abandoning the think/wonder charts as we progress into student-driven thinking/conversations.

    With #classroombookaday read aloud, I established the routines of opening the whole book to show the front/back covers as a whole, taking the jacket off to see if the cover is different underneath, checking out the endpapers, and reading the dedication. Each of these moves is only accompanied by "what do you notice?" at first; later, it becomes implied. Then I read the book and let them talk. Maybe this year I'll jot down all the standards our conversations covered after the fact.

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    1. I open my read aloud with a similar routine; however my shift needs to come with not modeling for the WHOLE book - allow students ownership and conversations. Thanks for your comment always helping me to think deeper.

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  5. Maria,
    You are ahead of me. I'm working to catch up, but wanted to see what you thought of the next section. It seems what we are really talking about is building genuine reading communities much like those that shape our reading.
    Cathy

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  6. I too was thinking about how Vicki wrote about modeling. I feel like she gave me permission to not model so much and I have to admit that I don't and probably should do more sometimes. I do feel like the name and notice is bigger.

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