so....we figured out that if we broke down (not HAVE a breakdown) the conference's deadline draft into parts, blogging once a week on each part would take us to the next meeting! thanks stacey for figuring that out! what an easy way to force me to a.) blog and b.) get this deadline draft underway.....very cool.
my question is: why do the "skills" kids excel at reading when reading poetry when these are the kids labelled "poor readers"?
what i think i'll do with this is make it the core of my presentation, but not really answer it exactly. (tell me what you think...?) i think it will be my motivation and ultimately what causes me to reflect and review what steps i take at school to prepare the kids for the third quarter poetry unit. i do the same prep with all my classes, but i think i may do more "coaching" or motivating with my "skills" kids in my team-taught class.
i need to review what lessons i have used in the past. i need to review the interview i emailed my teaching partner for the class in question. i need to maybe think about things i tell my classes about the ways they learn and think that may be motivating them somehow.
i have a hunch that by telling the kids what i see them doing, i connect with them because i get the feeling that they're saying "hey, she gets it...she gets me" somehow? sounds a little cheesy at this stage....i'll keep working on it though.....
so, even though i still have pretty much the same question i had in the summer, i think i will be taking a different path towards answering it---i think using research is good, but i think i will use the things i do already to attempt an answer....hmmmm.....
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3 comments:
I think you may have hit the nail on the head when you stated that you tell the kids what you see them doing. Sometimes we're not really aware that WHAT we're doing is anything special until someone points it out. We're so wrapped up in the process that we forget to think about it. Perhaps pointing out to the kids what they're doing helps them realize that they've stumbled on a successful strategy - they just didn't know it! What do you think?
I think it's OK not to have a clear-cut "answer" to why skills kids do well in your poetry unit, but I also think that your presentation will naturally provide some provisional answers as you go.
I agree with Natalie, and I would also add that I have always found you to be a straight shooter and you tend to cut through the bull. I think that skills kids probably like your directness and honesty because you sound genuine to them, not like you're talking down to them or treating them like infants.
My guess is that you do a great job of pointing out their successes and insights, but also aren't afraid to point out when they're not meeting your expectations.
I'm glad we seem to have genuinely convinced you that you have a lot of insight and experience that other teachers will find valuable and worth listening to. If you have found a way to teach poetry to skills students so that they enjoy it then you are an expert in my book!
thank you, you silly, silly people who've i've obviously tricked into thinking i know what the heck i'm doing! hahahahahaha!
:)
thanks
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