Terri Gowdy Blog Post 2 - The Habit of Kidwatching & Watching and Listening to Children Read

In the articles about Kidwatching the consistent thread is that it truly fine tunes and guides your teaching. What we notice about our students can come through so many elements of the day, and I appreciated these three articles for expanding my view of the various ways kidwatching can be conducted. It is true that kidwatching is ongoing from the moment they come in the door the first day of school. I am learning to be more aware of opportunities for informal, spontaneous observation, and I hope to develop better ways of recording observations. I find that to be a bit challenging. I have appreciated the guidance in creating a notebook for conferencing with the students during Independent Reading. I intend to do the same for writing. I loved the suggestion to at times even tape a child and let them listen to see what they notice about themselves as a reader! I think that would give them an insight into themselves that could be quite motivating. I also see value in using something like the Burke Reading Interview to gain perspective on how they each view reading and themselves as readers. I would certainly agree that we cannot use a better tool to construct our curriculum to meet kids where they are and strive to move them forward than kidwatching!

Donna Lowe Blog Post #2 Routman Chapter 3

One day last week I hurriedly stuck a note in each one of my first grader's homework folder's that said, "Please let your child bring in a favorite book from home to share with the class tomorrow."  The next morning at 7:30am I was amazed as 19 children were begging to show me their books at the door.  Honestly, in the early morning rush of getting myself and my family ready for the day I had not thought once about those books yet.  In fact, it took me a second to figure out why everyone was shoving a variety of books in my face at 7:30am.  But once I did, it was so sweet.  I saw a Llama Llama book, a little golden book (the ones with the gold on the edges), a Minecraft book, a Treasury of FairyTales, and so many more.  Yes, I did have one or two who forgot their book apologizing for not bringing theirs, but thankfully I have baskets full of books for them to choose from.  One thing I noticed was this:  It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, have new books from Barnes and Noble, old books from the attic, books from a yard sale - children will love books if they become available to them.  They love the pictures, the colors, the animals, the superheroes, and the chance to pretend that they are part of the book.  Most of all, they relate to the person who introduced the book(s) to them.  They will remember who sat and read that Little Golden book with them in the rocker.  So, I think that as Routman suggests that we create a classroom library and an effective independent reading program, it is essentially the connection that a teacher and a student make as readers.  Routman states, "Our students admire us and want to emulate us." I agree.  Young students want more than anything to connect or share something in common with their teacher.  When we, as teachers display our love of reading books and provide books and time to sit together to read, a connection is made.  Over the years I have shared my love of the Magic Tree House series.  I have started with number 1 each year and some years have gotten as far as #28.  All of my students, past and present, know that MTH are my most favorite books.  We have even had parties where the students could dress up like their favorite Jack and Annie character from their favorite MTH book.  Kids come back to me the next year showing off which MTH book they are reading. I have chosen those books because they relate to boys and girls.  There is a main boy character and a main girl character in each book.  I understand, as Routman discusses, that we must help students find books that interest them.  To close, as my students "turned-and-talked" about their favorite books to one another that day last week, they were enjoying discussing their books.  As they shared out loud about what they had learned about their partner's favorite book, they were quoting full titles and authors names.  They were about learning new books from one another.  Sometimes they can teach one another better than I could have done.  The connection between books and people help make reading enjoyable for so many children and adults.

Anna Johnson Blog Post 1- The Habit of Kidwatching

Kidwatching is the ongoing, uninterrupted, systematic look at how children learn. It is taking what we as teachers know about our students and turning that into instructional practices. Kidwatching gives students a voice and allows us to get to know each child in as many different contexts as possible. As a special education teacher I use a lot of record keeping on my students that I use in their IEP’s and to guide my instruction specific to each child’s individual needs. Kidwatching sounds like a realistic way to use record keeping without having files and files on each student. I am always looking for an ongoing way to look at my students, learn about their specific needs, and turn that into instructional practices for them. My students are very complex and unique, Kidwatching would give me a way to know each child in many different ways.

Coaching is the most important teaching and evaluation tool used in Kidwatching.  You try to record as many miscues and self-corrections as possible. After the notes, you talk casually with the student about the reading. This can give you a better insight of the student and their understanding of the reading. With my younger students or lower readers I could give more specific advice when needed and I would be able for them to tell me verbally how much they retained from their reading. So if you are thinking about record keeping, Timothy O’Keefe gives the advice to write something, even a single sentence, everyday about your child. Our comments as teachers are so much more valid than letter grades and scores. Sitting with a child listening and watching them may be the best thing we can do to get to know our students better as readers. 

Sheryl Elliott, Blog Post 2, Section 2 Why Not? What Works? Miller

     According to the article, independent reading has many benefits.  Improving fluency and comprehension and increasing reading achievement are just two of the benefits that stood out to me.

     Why has it been taken out of the classroom?  I know for me, it’s time and lack of motivation for the kids.  I always feel like it’s such a struggle to get the “non-readers” to read during silent reading time.  The stronger the reader, the more they will read in class.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the more a child reads; the better the reader!  But how do we make this practice effective in our classrooms.

     The article gave several good suggestions on what practices are critical for effective independent reading.  Classroom time to read is very important.  I am finding ways this year to plug this in as much as I possibly can.  Student choice is another important part of an effective independent reading program.  I think student choice still has to be monitored, though.  Some students just need more guidance in choosing books than others.  I’m trying to make sure I know what my students’ interests are so I can help them choose good books.  Giving the students a purpose for reading is another important part of an effective independent reading program.  I have implemented this in my classroom this year more than I ever have before.  It seems to be working!  I think one of the most important parts of an effective independent reading program is teacher conferencing.  I’ve completed more conferences this year than I ever have.  I truly know my students as readers, and we’ve only been in school for three weeks.  I have been able to steer students toward books that are appropriate for them.  They love talking to me about their books.  I love hearing about them too!  I also love the spark in their eyes when they talk about how good the book is or how it made an impact on them.  

Terri Gowdy Blog Post 1 - Routman Chapter 3

After brainstorming last week with my class about “Why we read”, it surprised me that none of them said because “we love to!” I had to bait and bribe that thought right out of them!

This chapter affirmed the need for me to change that thinking amongst my students! Routman’s words were “if they don’t read for pleasure they are not likely to make reading a lifelong habit or goal.” I actually remember as a young child at school having to read only what the teacher picked out – and for this old person that was a lot of “See Dick and Jane” -  and black and white pages. Loving to read at school was not a reality. Joy with books as a child for me came, however, when we walked into the public library and got to look at and pick out any books we wanted and take them home for awhile. I get excited watching the students go to “book shop” for books in the classroom, but sadly, I am not sure they get as excited! So my goal is to work to instill that love of reading into my students by hopefully finding books and topics that interest them. I am looking forward to sharing what books and reading mean to me and how I go about choosing books to read. I like the suggestion of asking “What is your now book?”, “What is your next book?”, and “What is your favorite book?” There are some wonderful tips in this article about ways students can do reading response to the books they have read that I would also like to try to implement. Making a book jacket was a clever idea as was “Critic’s Corner” or “Book Talks”. I do believe peer influence can have a strong impact upon the attitudes within the classroom. I would love to have a class full of kids making one another absolutely crazy about books and reading!

Donna Lowe Blog Post #1 The Habit of Kidwatching

As I read the article, The Habit of Kidwatching, by Timothy O'Keefe, I found myself relating to so many of the record keeping ideas and strategies that were discussed.

Over the years my record keeping has been much of what O'Keefe described as "often disjointed anecdotal notes,..."  I found myself saving all of my student's work, writing down notes about this and that, and not really using any of the information strategically to benefit my teaching or the student's learning.

Last year was the first time that I found a system that worked for me.  I created a daily plan that allowed me time to coach, or conference with every student every week.  It was the most wonderful literacy experience that I have created in my classroom to this day, I believe.

I attribute much of the motivation to create this system to The Daily Five as well to the opportunity that I had to visit another school and observe conferencing with first graders.  I was able to listen to each child read a few minutes from a book of their choice, which also needed to be on their reading level.  This helped me to determine if the students, indeed, were reading on the correct level.  I kept notes of the books that they would read to me, and I noticed that some wanted to bring the same book every week!  So, we talked about that.  I kept notes of what reading strategies the students used when they came to words that they didn't know.  I took notes on how the students tracked their words, and how fluent they read.  Over time I could look back and the information was so valuable to the mini-lessons that I taught, to the encouragement of other readers, etc.  Everytime I coached a student I gave them a bookmark with information about what they did great, and an area to improve.  They kept this with them as future reference.  Oh, how they loved those bookmarks.  I would see them collecting them like dollar bills in their desks.  During our share time after conferencing, I would point out a student who had used a strategy that we had discussed.   Overall, self-selected reading and conferencing time became my most valuable part of my school day. 

I agree that "kidwatching is not the for the faint of heart.  It required commitment, risk taking, and valuing the good in each child.  However, kidwatching is its own reward."

Sheryl Elliott - Blog 1- Miller, Not This, Section 1

     Many points in the article stood out to me and made me really analyze the way I teach reading.  The first point that was mentioned is that children learn to read by reading.  Just like learning to ride a bicycle, learning to read takes practice.  The practice cannot be effective without the correct tools needed for instruction.  That is where I come in.  The tools do not have to be elaborate.  Me, students, and books….that’s all it takes.  Throw in an effective and engaging mini lesson, and students have everything they need to be a good reader.  No more reading until the timer goes off!  Students have to have a purpose for reading. 

     Another valid point mentioned in the article is how conferencing enables a teacher to really know her students as readers.  Without conferencing how can I know my students as readers?  Also, how can I know the students are really reading?  I also learned in the article how important conferencing is so that I will know that my students are reading books that fit them just right!    “Unguided choice and lack of monitoring can mean that students see struggle while reading as their own permanent deficiency.”  This statement made me feel so guilty.  How many children have sat in my classroom and felt like this? 

     Reading independently is not enough!  Effective reading instruction takes instruction, books, students, teacher, conferencing, and time!  Room 112 will have plenty of this during this school year!