Donna Lowe Blog Post #3: Routman, Chapter 4

Chapter 4. Teach with a Sense of Urgency

Throughout my teaching career the word "urgency" has always seemed to mean "anxiety" to me. Urgency always makes me think that I need to "hurry up" and that my students need to "hurry up and learn ..."  So, I appreciate the first paragraph of this chapter- "When I suggest that we need to "teach with a sense of urgency" I'm not talking about teaching prompted by anxiety but rather about making every moment in the classroom count, about ensuring that our instruction engages students and moves them ahead, about using daily evaluation and reflection to make wise teaching decisions."  "Specifically, that means that I am very aware of the students in front of me."

Ok, so I totally get this.  I feel this urgency every day.  I understand that I have 180 days or less to help my students become the best readers that they can be.  With first graders I feel extremely responsible for them and that I am creating this foundation-this LOVE of reading within them.  I don't want one of my students to walk out of my door in May without knowing how to read and/or enjoying to read.  It is a lot of pressure.

With that in mind, I feel a little encouraged by this chapter, that maybe I AM already doing what I am supposed to be doing.  I love his philosophy of the four phases of learning-demonstration, shared demonstration, guided practice, and independent practice.  To me, I think it is "common sense" teaching.  Obviously the teacher needs to model first (reading, writing, ANYTHING for that matter), then do it WITH them, then let them try it in a comfortable setting with a friend or a group, and then let them try it on their own.  In first grade, we use that model with teaching math everyday as well.  Maybe it just seems natural because I teach younger children and they need so much modeling, from how to keep their desk neat to walking in a line, to how to take turns, and how to read.

As the chapter continued I enjoyed some specific ways to generate interactive reading times.  I use the "turn and talk" method in my class but not as often as Routman suggests.  I will try that tomorrow as I introduce a new story for the week.  I will try more "turn and talk" times to help more students stay involved in the conversation of reading.

So, bottom line is this: I only have so much time and I must use it wisely.  I need to look over my daily plans/lessons/activities and see if I am integrating skills and strategies into authentic reading and writing.  I need to constantly re-evaluate my lessons to make sure that I am not "wasting" my student's time.  I must make sure that my lessons are "relevant" to my students.  Good reminders and some specific ideas in this chapter.