June's thoughts on Chapter 3

This chapter reiterates to me one of the messages Kyleen Beers wrote about in chapter 1, “The Measure of Success.” They both identify changes in literacy demands and the lack of change in teaching methods.

Donna Alverman's use of Steve Johnson’s example illustrating what would happen if video games were introduced BEFORE books was eye opening for me. I believe this is how many of our students are coming to us. I think of my own kids and how young they were sitting at the computer, interacting with games long before they could interact - read books on their own. Sure, we would read together and they would look at illustrations and make up stories on their own. My daughter even slept with books, but video’s and video/computer games were exciting and a big part of their development too.

This experience contrasts with my own introduction to current technologies I remember my first interaction with a computer – my junior year in high school – there was one computer in the whole school – a TRS-80 that we, 5 of us, used to learn the “BASIC” programming language independent study. It’s hard to believe now, but I went through college without a word processor – Looking back, I don’t know how I made it! My post graduate studies include a vivid memory of a professor’s discussion about future technologies. He explained that in the near future, we would be able to order groceries on the computer and have them delivered to the home. I remember thinking, at the time “Yeah, by flying cars!” Now, I do much of my shopping online.

I guess the point is that the world is changing fast (I am not that old – really – really!) Technology has changed immensely over the past 20 years. I wonder what the world will look like in another 20? If I don’t embrace and utilize these technologies in our classrooms, I will be handicapping my students. Students are using these new technologies to shape their own lives. I now realize the need to be involved to help guide them, develop the critical thinking skills needed to navigate these new territories safely and effectively.

Ruth's Thoughts: Chapter Two.

I blogged my thoughts about this chapter here: Favorite Teachers Save Lives.

Here's what I wrote in reflection at the end of chapter two:

Okay, so I'm sitting here teary-eyed after reading this chapter. And again, I'm given words for why I feel uncomfortable being out of the classroom. It's because of the words on the bottom of p. 17 -- top of p. 18.

Students such as these walk into your classrooms in every size, shape, and color. You can't know their histories because their only control is control of their secrets. You are asked to create a safe enough place for them to learn, and for you to teach, and then are provided will ill-thought-out standards, drawn up by men and women so distant from your theatre of engagement as to be functionally illiterate in its regard. These people demand that you test memory-level learning and abandon the staples of real education -- response, expression, relationship -- to chance.

But many of you will refuse to do that, because you didn't invest years of your life getting an education and gathering the tools to follow your passion to be disallowed the right to make the connection with your students that could change their lives. No child left behind? Only policy makers and politicians would need a bill named that to remind them that leaving kids behind isn't a good idea.

I must copy this chapter for every single staff member at my school. I'd like them to experience what I'm feeling right now -- this reminder as to why we are doing this job in the first place. Little reminders like this never hurt.

This chapter also makes me feel urgency for school reform. I want to stand up and be bold and inspire change. (Now that makes me feel a little nervous inside!)

And I did copy and give it to my colleagues.

Ruth's Thoughts: Chapter 1

For me, Kylene's words on page 7 struck a chord:

I understand the inclination to default to the more manageable (i.e., testable) demands of academic literacy as the measure of success, but the reality is, literacy demands have shifted and we do our students a disservice if we fail to teach to these demands.

The following discussion of the change in the definition of literacy was enlightening as well. I have never reflected on it in quite this way. I love the ever-evolving definition of literacy:

A set of skills that reflect the needs of the time (7).

Today's definition of literacy is different than what it was when the majority of teachers were in school. And this magnifies one of the primary problems in education today: Teachers are teaching according to how they were taught instead of according to what's best for today's students.

It's time we stand up for the needs of 21st Century students and teach them to produce (not consume) information (p. 8).