Literacy, Winter, Week 6

I really enjoyed the Tovani readings. I would imagine most of us found something in her chapters that we could relate to in terms of our own reading comprehension challenges in school.

Tovani's experiences and anecdotes reinforced for me how essential it is that thinking strategies be part of reading curricula from the earliest stages. I tend to chuckle in my mind a bit when I am reading with kinders and ask them to make a prediction about what Bossy Bear or to visualize the foods in "Yummy, Yummy." However, I am learning that no matter what the text is, developing strategies that become second nature is key to future reading success. I loved the way Tovani stressed that kids need to interact with the meaning as they read the words.

One thing I found particularly heartening in her anecdotes was her talk about changing the lesson when things aren't going as planned (The "Divine Comedy" story). It's a bit intimidating, as new teachers, to think about changing our plans, that don't come naturally to us as it is, in midstream. But, I know that I need these reminders -- that as teachers it is our job to constantly watch and listen for what our students are telling us about their needs and challenges and to not only adapt to them, but to inspire and nurture them in overcoming their challenges.