Chapter 9

The beginning of this chapter described my childhood: new words on monday, memorize during the week, fail test, forget the few definitions I even remembered. The suggestions given were very logical things I think every generation of teachers may think as they go into the field and then forget. During the first suggestion, it seemed completely ludicrous to me to think these teachers didn't realize how overwhelming and unnecessary the words they were giving were and that they didn't notice they honestly didn't think the students would use them. They knew it was about teaching to a test, but seemed to ignore it. Maybe our generation of incoming teachers is the first to realize this, but I doubt it. There seems to be such a ridiculous disconnect between being a teacher and being a student and teachers don't take into account what it's like to be the student.

Chapter 8

Chapters 6, 7, and 8 have followed in perfect sequential order: pre, during, and post-reading. Chapter 8 continues Beers' wonderful use of real life examples and useful strategies to actually help students after they've read. She starts with talking about scales. The best part of this strategy, to me, is that you can't be wrong if you have a rationale. It will show if the prior strategies paid off to see if the students are understanding the text. Then she gets to a strategy to help summarize that goes "somebody" -> "wanted" -> "But" -> "So" -> "Then."

(Thursday, October 14th edit: hahaha! we used this in class today, professor. I see you've read the textbook. =P)

She then spends time on Retelling, Text Reformulation, It Says-I Say, and a bunch more wonderful things. The set up of the book is becoming easily recognizable; which, while nice, makes it hard to talk about, because I feel I'm just regurtitating to you "hey, this is what she talked about and it's cool." As an INLA major, of course it's cool! I want to do this for the rest of my life

Chapter 7

The very first paragraph shows there is something very, very, VERY wrong with reading classes right now. The fact a student could simply think "They just read it. and then they answer all the questions. That's what makes them good readers, because they can answer the questions." School and life are about KNOWLEDGE, not a test. And the title of that beginning section is one of the truest statements I've heard: "You mean you Make It Make Sense?" Yes. Yes you do. Meaning is not implicit in language. We create it. That's a basic philosophical concept of language. Words are arbitrary, and we shape them to our societal meanings. When you read a piece, you take what is presented and create your own world out of it.

The strategies presented are great ways to make sure students are actually comprehending and thinking critically on their own. Not just answering the questions. Nothing is more aggravating than knowing students seriously think that school is just about answering questions. That is not knowledge.

Chapter 5

Sometimes, the best part of this book is realizing how difficult something that comes so naturally is. An inference is the next critical step in thought, but it can definitely be really difficult for kids. The visualization on page 64 really showed how complex making an inference actually is. The classroom examples she gave easily showed the difference between answer that a student who is getting a lower grade gives versus a higher grade student. I think the biggest thing I learned was that inferences ARE a difficult thinking process that not everyone grasps.

Also, the use of cartoons and bumper stickers was great. It's relatable, and funny. It forces the student to understand the "why" of a natural reaction (laughing), which is important. A lot of people will react to things in life, and not understand that very vital "why" of the event, and this helps them have that critical thinking and become better at inferring.