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.