Our goal in creating the schedule for this studio was to revisit our four strands of learning: shared and independent reading and the transfer between; expository text; recognizing the difference between teaching reading and/or teaching content; and assessment of reading. Jenn suggested a shared reading experience at the end of day 1 to introduce the Fountas and Pinnell guided reading document. This turned out to be the thread the held the two days together. We talked about the transactional reading process in earlier studio work, but this document helps to clarify the relationship between the text and its demand and the reader and his/her skills and behaviors. This document became the focus of our learning about reading. With this strand in mind, we can ask ourselves these questions (modeled after Matt's lesson):
- What is transactional reading theory? (text demand and readers' behaviors and skills)
- How will I teach with this in mind?
- How will this help you as a teacher? How will it help your students become better readers?
I have to admit that I was struck when Jenn pointed out that we are not studying lessons. We are studying reading. We already know how to put together lessons, we need to learn and study reading. As we learn about the bigger reading lessons, we can figure out the teaching structures. We are becoming students of our students in effort to better understand readers and diagnose reading needs.
When we talk about doing the reading work, this transcends expository and narrative distinctions. It's about reading regardless of genre.
Transactional Reading Theory asks us to consider, regardless of genre, these questions:
Transactional Reading Theory asks us to consider, regardless of genre, these questions:
- What is the text demand?
- What does it take to read it?
- How would I match the demand to the reading behaviors? (FP)
- How will I teach that? How will I push student up the continuum of skills and behaviors?
Focus questions for kids when we ask them to retain (remember) what they read:
- What do I have to hold on to?
- How am I going to hold on to it? (Reread, talk to myself, take notes, use a tool)
- Do I understand it? (self-monitor)
We are learning about reading above learning about narrative vs expository. When thinking about this type of reading work, there is no genre!
As reading teachers - all of us - we have to give students instruction (all along the continuum) that help them...
- Access the Content
- Read to Learn
- Learn to Read
Even though our goal is not to study lessons, Jenn has provide teaching structures that we can consider. This has been provided in past studios and was touched upon in Matt's class.
- Whole group instruction: Shared Reading (It provides a common binding experience – creates a shared reading history. The text is at Instructional Level, and the focus is on tranfer.)
- Independent Work Time: Independent Reading and 1:1 Conferences and/or Guided Reading time (The text is at their reading level. It is time to practice skills (independently or with guidance)from shared reading at various levels. It is a time to bring awareness to reading haits, behaviors and skills.)
- Share: Whole class experience ( Allows for assessment and moving students along the FP continuum. It gives opportunities to share IR experiences. The focus is often metacognitive – it is not necessarily sharing what they are reading but how they are reading. We heard Jenn say, "Turn and Talk to a neighbor about your reading work today. How were you successful? What were your challenges?")
Interesting Quotes:
"If you are helping them, you are helping them. Our goal is to always help them better." ~Jenn
"You are at a place where there are no longer quick strategies to learn. You know them or you know how to learn them on your own. You are at a place where you have to be intentional about your planning. You have to understand what to use when." ~Jenn
Studio work creates problems...this time those problems were framed as cognitive dissonance. It's good to name that dissonance.
To read over notes taken and shared by Michelle and Mary (please share your notes if you are so inclined!), click here (notes are under the heading "Memorialized" Studio and/or PLC Notes: January Studio).
Michelle's notes - day 1
Michelle's notes - day 2
Mary's note - both days
Our "Next Steps and Small Group PLCs based on goals" document
Plus/Delta
Items highlighted are incongruent or a question for the group to consider for next time.
Plus: Freedom for the individual to continue to refine; specific action plans; ability to adjust today from what we saw yesterday; deeper knowledge of understanding and what to look for; vertical grade levels helpful (great to be in all classrooms); getting into classrooms and debriefing; optimism of Jenn's facilitation (good modeling); the ah-ha of expository PK; presentation is impressive (all classrooms); felt more comfortable as a studio teacher; SHS perspective can now see how it can come together; LA component covered very well; additional inspiration for what's happening; being here for 2 days made a huge difference (resident teachers); development of common languages; fishbowl interesting; now it is fun vs pressure felt before
Deltas: not sure what's happening with lower readers; concerned still about the lower end; opportunity to talk about those struggling readers; opportunity to continue tweaking work we're doing; video tape lessons we see next time (would be useful for further debrief?); confused about the focus on Monday(Is there a need for a meeting before the studio to review the schedule?); other teachers in the room - non resident/studio; still not enough tools for deciphering tools/process for expository; content teachers coming in for a short window gave them the wrong impression of our work (leads to cynicism); hard to figure out, as a studio teacher, how to make the model comprehensible to others; yesterday was rushed and didn't follow the plan for David's classroom (unfulfilled expectations); studio teachers need time with Jenn to focus planning and learning
Items highlighted are incongruent or a question for the group to consider for next time.
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