The Final Chapter

As I finished reading this book, Do I Really Have To Teach Reading?, I am left with an overall positive response. I think Tovani has some great insights into the teaching world and some great suggestions for teachers everywhere. Mostly, what I took away from my reading was that literacy and the teaching reading are vital and every changing. Every subject involves some sort or reading and embodies its own type of literacy that each student must become acquainted with.

In her concluding chapter she offered the reassurance that teachers are not miracle workers, and we cannot solve every problem. Just because we are being offered various methods doesn't mean we have the time or the means to utilize all of them. We cannot expect ourselves to do everything, no matter how great our options are. We also cannot expect to have all the answers. As teachers we are also in a constant state of learning and we should never be ashamed to admit that we don't have the answer. In face, being honest with our students will help them respect us more.

Although I did not agree with everything Tovani said, I would recommend her book to every teacher. One of the things I enjoyed the most was that she targeted smaller problems and provided simple answers. It is easy, in any profession, to think that small problems aren't a big deal and to struggle with them is a sign of weakness. In fact, small problems can have a huge affect on the bigger picture and should be dealt with. Tovani discusses things like simply building interest in your content, helping students ask questions, and teaching students how to interact with a text. She makes these tasks seem manageable by anyone and makes them seem less like a source of stress and more like a fun challenge.

I have also learned through reading her book and exploring myself that teaching is truly a labor of love. A person has to be passionate and dedicated in order to provide the best experience for the student and for themselves. But while this passion is necessary, it is important to keep it in check. If you let your ideas take over, you can stand of the way of a student instead of help them. Sometimes, simpler is better.

I also enjoyed this blogging experience. The most difficult thing about it was trying to find the time, and trying to think of enough to say per post. However, I did enjoy having a place that was my own where I could share my opinions and ideas. A blog is both public and private, as it can be viewed by anyone but you have the anonymity of being solely on the internet. I think blogging could be a very interesting tool to use in the classroom and could benefit students at all points in education.

Be Selfish?

Tovani made an interesting statement in one of her chapters, and although the statement had little to do with the subject she was discussing, it stuck with me. She was giving a presentation to a group of high school students and she prefaced her talk by telling them, "I hope by the end of the semester you will become extremely selfish." Be selfish? That seems like strange advice. I was surprised, and as I continued to read I tried to understand what she meant by being selfish in the context of literacy.

Tovani's argument is this: before you read a text, ask what is in it for you. What will you be getting out of it? She says to keep yourself and your needs in mind at all times. I can understand her thinking, because a person should want education for himself or herself. Likewise, as we have again been saying, each person needs to shape their own literacy. But does this require selfishness? I think of selfishness as having no regard for anyone's opinion other than your own. And maybe even pushing someone aside or bringing someone else down in order to push yourself up. Is this how literacy and education should be? Putting yourself above others always?

I'm not sure how I feel about this because I think the interaction with others in the classroom is just as important as learning things for yourself. Discussions with peers can be a wonderful learning experience. Also, it often takes someone else to word something in a different way before we can understand. And I don't know how many times I didn't want to read a book because I thought I wouldn't get anything out of it, but at a friend's insistence I did read it and ended up loving it. If you are selfish when it comes to literacy, you are potentially missing out on all these opportunities.

I think being selfish is not the answer. Rather, I think we should be determined and self-confident. I agree that to get the most out of school one needs to be self-motivated and focus on your own needs. You need to set goals for yourself and do everything you can to achieve those goals. Yes, sometimes that means you go against the wishes of others, or forge your own path away from your peers, but that is something very different from being selfish. To be selfish is to disregard others and to think only of yourself. I really don't think this is conducive to a functional classroom.

Also, if a student is selfish in their thinking, why would they listen to their teacher? If they know themselves and what they like to read and learn, and the teacher asks them to do something different, why would they? Why would they put their needs aside and trust their teacher? Teaching selfishness is not the answer. Rather, we should teach confidence and self-sufficiency, with a reminder to not shy away from working with and sometimes yielding to others.

Exploration Methods

A struggle that every teacher must deal with is having students in class who are not interested in the particular subject matter. Not everyone is a math person or art person or physical education person, and it can be difficult to try and cultivate interest where there seems to be none.

Tovani offers some suggestions for allowing students to ask questions and become more interested in the subject. First, the teacher must remind the students that everyone has questions, including the experts. In fact, it is the experts in a particular subject who ask the most questions and are always searching for more information. She wisely says that "asking questions is a signal that you are constructing meaning." If you don't ask questions, you will most likely not remember what you have read.

Once the questions are asked, the next step is finding the answers. It is important to write down these questions as you are reading, so you don't forget what you struggled with and have trouble understanding later. There are several methods Tovani uses to help students explore their questions and find answers as they make connections to their lives and continue to reread the text.

The first is a double-entry diary worksheet. There are two columns on a worksheet, one labeled "quote from the article" and the other "connection to the quote". The important thing to remember is to keep it simple. When choosing a quote, it should be short--only a few words. Likewise, the connection should be personal, and should be simple as well. When students can connect their lives to the texts, in whichever way possible, it builds interest and draws the reader in. This is extremely helpful for students who are not apt in that subject area. I know it would be very helpful for me, with an artistic mind, to understand math or science, which are my weaknesses.

Another helpful tool is to give students something to look for before they read, such as a general question that they should look for an answer to. A teacher should offer suggestions for how to mark a text as they read, such as highlighting, underlining key phrases, circling key words, and writing notes in the margins. When a student knows what to look for, they can find a purpose for reading a text that they have no interest in. If I was told what to look for in a science text, I wouldn't feel so intimidated by this subject that I know little about. When there is a simple goal to strive for, it doesn't seem so daunting.

It never hurts, as I've mentioned before, for teachers to share their own personal methods and strategies. It makes students more comfortable to know that a teacher or expert of a subject has similar problems.

A last not that Tovani suggests to close the chapter is, "Good readers rely on experts to show them how to negotiate unfamiliar text." It is a good reminder for both teachers and students alike.

Simplicity-Not So Simple

As much as I hate to admit it, I'd say I have an A-type personality. I love meticulous tasks (weird, I know), and I am extremely detail oriented. Since this is who I am, it has obviously spilled over into my teaching. I get excited about art, and when I am particularly moved by a painting or the story of a particular artist, I want those I teach to be just as affected. So, I'll design a lesson plan where the students learn about the particular artist or artwork. But then I think, what if they don't get anything out of it? What if they don't take the time they should to really understand what I'm trying to teach them? What if they don't care? So what do I do, I add more, hoping to guide them to the same conclusion I arrived at. And usually, as I research for a lesson, I discover more and more information that i want to share with the students. Soon I'm left with way too much in a lesson and in my expectations, and while I desperately want the students to be just as excited as all this information as I am, I know it's not realistic to teach it all.

Getting caught up in the moment is a common occurrence for teachers. Especially when one is passionate about their subject and wants to share that passion. But it is easy to lose sight of the importance of each aspect being brought to the table. I know I'm guilty. I will bring ten images to accompany an example, when really only two are necessary. The purpose of adding more becomes my concern that two will not be enough, instead of that they are necessary parts of the lesson.

Tovani cautions against using too much information without careful consideration of the purpose. She writes, "Many of us become experts on our content. We become familiar with our textbooks and novels and often forget what it was like to e a beginning student of our disciplines. Inadvertently, we water down our content because we try to cover too much." So really, by adding more than necessary, we are doing the exact opposite of our intent. Instead of enriching the lesson, we water it down. We give our students only enough time to skim the surface for miles instead of take a deep plunge into a smaller area.

A great strategy that Tovani suggests is letting the students ask questions about the text or information being presented. This is a great indicator of whether the students are getting anything out of the information and well, whether it is purposeful or not. This goes along with something I have had to remind myself of- we have to have more trust in students, or at least, I do. I get excited about a the result I achieved in my own study, and want to ensure that my students arrive there too. But who says a student can't arrive there on their own accord? Do I really need to lay down bread crumbs for them to follow? Also, just because a student might not arrive where I hope they would doesn't mean their conclusion is wrong. Heck, they might see something I never saw, and teach me something! Also, as I have learned throughout this class, every student is different. Every student is at a different reading level and utilizes their own type of literacy. So if a student connects with a particular painting because a replica is hanging in her Grandma's house, who am I to say no, you need to focus on this other one instead? When students can take the lead, so much good can come. Confidence, comfort, excitement, eagerness to learn, and a richer educational experience.

So I guess, less is more. When a student is not overwhelmed, they can move comfortably and set sail on their own course. I took an art education class this past spring where we had designated studio time at the end of each class. Unlike all other teachers I had, this one gave us the choice to move in whichever direction we wanted. She did not say, "today we will do painting", she let us take the lesson from the first hour and interpret our current state of mind in our own way. What restraint she showed, to step back and let us guide ourselves, and it made all the difference. So I must remember to keep things simple, and always make sure every aspect I want to use has a genuine purpose.

Who's in Charge Here?

Who's in charge of Setting Curriculum? This is a sub-heading in Tovani's book, and in the subsequent section she talks about how she talks to teachers, then the principle, then the district coordinator, and finally the state department, asking them all this very question. Every source from the principle upward said that while there are few loose guidelines for curriculum, it is primarily up to the teachers to decide what they want to teach.

This may be true in letter, but not is spirit, and largely it is because of the demon that is standardized testing. Now, this does not apply to my future content since Art is not tested in this way, but the students I have will have to face it in other subjects, my teacher friends of other subjects will have to deal with it, I went through it, and it has greatly affected the teaching lives of both my parents. Consequently, I have very strong feelings about what standardized testing can do to a teacher and student, and the literacy of both, and I am going to rant them! I'll try not to get too preachy.

I am from Texas, where the TAKS test reigns supreme. Passing this test is necessary to move on to the next grade. Let's start with the experience of my parents, both middle school English teachers, with my dad having taught high school for many years as well. The are two portions of the TAKS test for English: writing and reading. A school's test scores will affect funds, discipline, time, and teacher employment for the following year. If a school does not meet standards, or shows a few consecutive years of score decline, people from the Central Office of the district are sent to the school a few times a week to observe classes, view lesson plans, and conference with teachers. It has gotten worse over the years and now TAKS is really everything. So much rides on the results, that while principle cannot dictate exactly what teachers should do, they throw a huge emphasis on the test. All schools in the district have to enact 2 mock-TAKS tests before the actual one, taking up to a whole weeks worth of class each time. Students live in fear that they will fail the test and be held back. At my mother's school, her principle announced the scores of each teacher publicly to the entire faculty and staff during a meeting, shaming those who did not have high enough passing percentages. In Albuquerque this last semester, it was announced that teachers' scores would be published in the newspaper shaming them in front of the entire city if they did not meet the standards.

So what do teachers do?

Using English again, teachers try to keep a solid class curriculum, reading novels and teaching poetry and having class discussions. But I have seen the fear take over both my parents and my own teachers. They don't want the students to fail and risk a year of penalties for the school. They don't want them to fail and have themselves be embarrassed at a meeting or take a pay cut or even get fired. So they put more emphasis on the test. They try to teach the content of the test (which is worthless I might add) but how can you spend adequate time teaching for a test while trying to teach an entire subject? Some teachers end up not teaching the content of the test, and begin just teaching how to pass it. They teach how to search for clues in a question and eliminate answers from the multiple choices. This are good strategies to know anyway, but they should not take the place of actually learning the content! It would be wonderful if the teachers could teach their classes and the test would accurately test that knowledge. But the scope of knowledge tested in the TAKS is very narrow and not sufficiently related to what a child should be learning in an English or any other class.

So bringing it back to literacy, how can a student bring their primary and secondary discourses to the table and expect to shape their own literacy when they face the immense pressure of learning around a test? I'm from El Paso, and I can tell you, the students in my city could not be more different from the students in Midland or Dallas. Yet they all must take the same test that determines their educational future. How can a student branch out in the area of their subject that interests them most when they have such little freedom to do so? How can they build a relationship with a text when they only have a few days to spend with it before they get back to TAKS?

Ok. I guess I've done enough ranting and raving. My opinions of standardized testing are based on my personal experiences, which I recognize can be very different from others. I must say, though, that if teachers are going to be given the freedom to build their own curriculum, as Tovani proved they are in her state, they must be given the means to use it. Teaching is a labor of love and every person in a school can have a much more rewarding time if the literacy itself is cultivated in the classroom, not the restricted, inflexible, standardized testing of it.

Grouping My Thoughts

We've all come across it. You either love it or hate it. It can yield great results or a catastrophic end: the Group Project. 

Tovani discusses her use of the Group Project and the success that can come from it if you are careful. In an ideal situation, the assignment completion is raised to a higher level since several minds are thinking and working together. It would also theoretically relieve some stress from the teacher since there would be fewer assignments to grade. However the flip side is a very real possibility, and one I have experienced when I have had to work in a group. Often there is one student who does little or no work. There is the student who monopolizes the conversation. Often students grasp information at different paces, changing the pace of the whole group. Students want to work with friends, or with the "smart" kids, or by themselves. So the question is, why do it? 

While Tovani gives some great suggestions for disciplining a group and teaching students how to work in groups, she never really goes into why. Why is this a good literacy tool? Why bother? This was the question I asked myself while reading this section of the book, and I was disappointed to not see an answer from her. I can draw my own conclusions, but I have little experience in the classroom, especially compared to her, and I would have been interested to read her insights. 

How can a group help literacy? First of all, there is a distinction between group discussion and group work. Discussing a text or anything really, in a small group can be very beneficial. It can help students see a perspective other than their own, and maybe alter their understanding as a result. It also develops listening skills, teamwork skills, and social skills. Everyone's primary discourse is different, so each person brings a unique perspective to the table and through discussion could enrich different secondary discourses. Also, when opinions are voiced to one's peers, it is common that the group has similar concerns and questions. So when you can see that your classmates are struggling with the same thing you are, it builds a stronger relationship among the group and makes for a better learning experience.

However, things are totally different when that same group is made to complete an assignment together. Everyone's primary discourse is different, so how can they be blended? When a student has to move at a slower or faster speed than they are used to, or has to do more or less work than they want, isn't that a bad thing? 

I think no. I am not completely sold on group projects because I have had many bad experiences with them, but I see the value they can have. When a student above the rest is forced to slow down to fit the pace of the group, s/he might take more time than usual to do work, and subsequently see something new. A quiet student who is left with most of the work will have to find his voice and stand up to the other students, refusing to do everything. Most importantly, this is great practice for the real world. As adults we are put in situations whether it be with a boss, neighbor, or sister-in-law, where we must cooperate with others and work towards a common goal, whether we like them, agree with them, or not. 

As with all literary methods, it will be the responsibility of the teacher to know the class, the content, and the work, and plan accordingly. Group projects are not good solutions in every classroom, nor is there one way to establish working in groups. For example, in art it is very difficult to work on a piece with a group since artwork is so personal and artistic styles vary so greatly. It is not impossible, but can, in my opinion, only be effective in select areas such as creating a mural. 

I'm very curious to see what you all think. As mentioned before, most people I know either love or hate working in groups. Should we group or not? 

Becoming a Model

As I continue my reading and contemplation of Literacy, there is a continuing idea that is extremely important. Teachers need to be models for their students.

This does not just mean completing an example problem on the board. It is extremely important for students to understand that although their teachers are the "leaders" of the classroom, they are in a constant state of learning and adapting, and often face the same struggles that students are facing. Teachers and students aren't so different from each other, and when students can see and understand that, they will become more comfortable with themselves and more ready to ask for help or guidance.

The first step in doing this is one that Tovani talks about often--putting oneself in the place of the student. It is extremely valuable to go over the text that you will expect students to read, and troubleshoot assignments to see things from a student's perspective. When doing this you can identify areas where you struggle and spots where students of the age group you are working with might struggle. Then the best way to find a solution is to see how you sort through it yourself. Tovani says that when she is struggling to get through a book, she tries to target what exactly is causing her a problem, finds a way to sort through it, then incorporates that into her teaching. It's so simple! So brilliant! You would think every teacher would be using this approach at every chance. 

But wait, it's not that simple. There are a few things that could stand in the way. The most obvious one is the time factor. Teaching is not an 8-4 job, five days a week. Teaching extends into after school tutoring, conferences with parents, grading papers and projects late into the night, faculty meetings and so much more. So when does a teacher have the time to go through every text and assignment to see potential road blocks? The fact of the matter is, there isn't enough time. But that doesn't mean a teacher shouldn't do it when possible. No one can do everything, but that doesn't mean we can't try, and it is so valuable to view things from a student's perspective. How better to provide the most fulfilling learning experience possible?

I've done this when preparing lesson plans for art, and I find it extremely valuable. When making a prototype for a project, I have to follow every step that a student would. For nearly every lesson, I have come across a problem that I had not expected to, and luckily had the chance to resolve it before taking it into the classroom. I don't know why I never thought to do this with all areas of my lesson. For example, I've pulled tons of information on art history, specific artists, and modern art movements, but I have never read through it all with the mind of a student.

Another great thing is the comfort student's feel in knowing their teacher is just like them! When a teacher can say, "You know, I struggled to understand this part of the text/complete this part of the project/find the answer to this problem" a student feels relieved if they have the same question. I know I do when a teacher of  mine admits such a thing. Ah teaching, so much to do so little time!

Remember and Reuse

Let me start off by saying I am really enjoying this book. "Do I Really Have To Teach Reading?" by Cris Tovani. Check it out teachers!

A few days ago I read something that surprisingly came as a great relief. When I signed up for this class, Reading and Writing in the Content Area, I was wondering how it would apply to my content-Art. If I have learned anything during my time in the Art Education program it is that art in the classroom is a complex, multi-disciplined, and NECESSARY part of any student's education. It goes far beyond teaching students how to use a paintbrush--it provides a venue for teaching students about history, society, politics, culture, and how they all relate. Likewise, it encompasses such a variety of ways to express oneself. Painting, sculpting, weaving, bookmaking, printing, collage, are just some of the ways students can find their niche and express themselves. Art is also a great tool for sorting through any personal struggles or inner conflicts a student might be having, almost like therapy. As an art teacher I must cover the different disciplines related to art, teach a wide variety of art-making methods, and be attentive to the needs of each student. This is going to be a challenge in itself, and I have to teach reading and writing too???

I didn't even know this was a concern I had until I began reading this passage and understood what content reading entailed. However, it does not mean I'll have to teach another subject apart from my own as I feared. Rather it's as Tovani puts it, "teaching students how to remember and reuse the information we ask them to read."

In the art classroom students will actually have to do a great deal of reading. So instead of teaching "reading" in general, I should teach students how to understand the information the text they are reading is trying to convey. Teach them to remember the information in a way that they can recall it later and reuse it. This makes sense. It all comes back to understanding. A teacher isn't teaching how to memorize, he or she is teaching how to understand, and retain information. Reading is necessary for understanding, and reading is somewhat different for each subject.

The problem is, I still don't know how to do this! How can you teach for understanding and retention, while still having time to teach your specific content? Especially when we have learned that literacy is a very personal concept that varies from student to student. I'm taking in so much information, and it seems that teaching is becoming more complicated, but making more sense a the same time. It's a journey, and I know that things will fall more into place the more experience I can get.