Valen Egan’s Blog Post 2 Routman/Reading Essentials/Ch. 4 “Teach with a Sense of Urgency”

           In today’s world of high-stakes testing, data-driven instruction and evaluations, and state mandates, it’s easy for teachers to confuse teaching with urgency for teaching with anxiety.  I find myself guilty of this from time to time when deadlines are looming and required content/standards are piling up as the year whizzes by.  However, Routman explains that teaching with urgency does not need to be frantic, but it needs to be meaningful; making every moment in the classroom count.

            In order to keep our expectations high while teaching our students all of the required skills, strategies, and content included in our state standards, Routman suggests using an Optimal Learning Model.  This teaching model begins with teacher demonstration, and gradually moves to shared demonstration, guided practice, and finally, independent practice.  Luckily, I believe this is what good teachers do already. 

            I feel the Reader’s Workshop format for reading instruction is the perfect place to set up this Optimal Learning Model.  The Workshop format allows for teachers to not rely on a certain program or workbook, but instead notice what their specific students currently need and let their needs guide instruction.  Presently, I always begin Reader’s Workshop with a read-aloud.  It is a perfect time to model authentic reading and to demonstrate the skill or strategy my students need to learn.  It also can set the stage for a shared demonstration where students feel safe to try different strategies and answer questions without the pressure of an official assessment.  Guided Reading is a perfect place for guided practice, in which the students begin to individually show the skills they have learned.  The most important area, Independent Reading, allows for students to independently apply their learning to books that they are interested in and that they have chosen themselves.

            This chapter really stood out to me because, being a teacher of 3^rd grade students, I push my students to become independent learners each year.  I feel it is so important for my students to move from learning to read to reading to learn.  A big part of this is always keeping in mind WHY I’m teaching what I’m teaching, and vocalizing it to my students.  When students see the authenticity of what they’re learning, they will internalize their learning and be able to apply it in different situations.  This is what Routman suggests is the most important part of teaching with urgency.  He reminds teachers to always keep in mind, “so what?”  If all of our lessons to students can be taken and applied, then teaching with urgency has been achieved.