As we dig into the positive influences of motivation, engagement, attributions, and growth mindsets, I want to also draw our attention toward some competing negative factors when teaching readers.
Specifically, poverty and systemic inequities make it more difficult for educators serving historically marginalized communities to leverage these evidence-based resources.
If there isn’t enough money to provide access to high-quality literature, how can teachers motivate their students to read?
If a scripted curriculum monopolizes the literacy block (which too often happens in these communities), how will kids have time to deeply engage in a book or talk about it with peers?
If kids don’t have these authentic opportunities, to what literacy experiences can they attribute their efforts as they develop their identities and mindsets as readers?
Sorry, no reflective question here. Simply share what’s on your mind.
(h/t Terry Underwood for helping surface this important perspective)
Working with teachers outside my own school, a pattern I see is a sense of feeling overwhelmed in trying to address these systemic issues. They lack agency in trying to solve this problem.
What seems to help is, through discussion, learn what smaller obstacle *within* the bigger problem could they address. For example, one English teacher's high school shut down the building library after cutting the librarian position a few years previous. Instead of getting rid of all the books, she volunteered to house some of those titles in her classroom library. Now kids come from all over the school to check out books from her classroom. Some of her students help manage this library which builds identity and engagement.
WOW Matt, these are all such incredibly thoughtful issues that are sadly embedded into the very culture of education which unfortunately trickle down from the powers that be. I don't we can even begin to address any of these until we start by creating a reflective and collective culture where we can have conversations. It's very hard to due that when there are top down mandates that have become so plentiful. Part of the issue is what has always been pervasive in that we want to "fix" the problem quickly and with as little time and financial requirement as possible. I see that again and again in the intervention process and too often the result is children who go in and never go out. I see children in interventions solely based on the color or their skin because we have an assessment system that largely ignores the child in front of us. We see professional development as a one and done process and thus teachers have the "sense of feeling overwhelmed" that you mention here. So many educators want desperately to do the right thing for all kids but either don't know how to do that are don't have the support to do so. Knowing our kids, knowing the research having ongoing support, understanding unique cultures and background beyond our own. So much and I know I'm rambling because it's become so entrenched in schools. I just think we have to start at the foundation.
p 126 'Knowing our students attributions informs our instruction and helps us teach readers.' We return to this point. The ways teachers can shape students’ ‘theory of self’ has had a profound impact on my life, my challenges with reading and self-image. p129 dot points got me thinking – I can see different students from across 40 years of teaching in each of these characteristics. Our choice of language when talking to readers (Johnson – Choice Words), a busy classroom, our lack of preparation or time and all those many variables can have a profound impact on the learner. Teachers bear a huge responsibility to work from students’ strengths not a deficit model, promote the positives, handover control, help students believe that their efforts contribute to their success (Craske reference on p 132). 'Our careful observation… our discussions with them and our questions… should reveal the details of how students view their learning' (p141). Powerful teaching and learning.
Thanks Sally for bringing us back to the book with these timely quotes, and for noting he responsibility teachers take on when teach readers and not just reading.
Access to books is a big issue for sure, but not insurmountable I think. There are so many books, often very good ones, in second hand shops and I frequently purchase them to use at school. I'm not usually an advocate for spending my own money for school things, but when it comes to books, it is usually hardly more than a few dollars, and I get to keep them for my own kids or future students as well. Worth it I feel. We are also lucky in NZ to have a charity called "Duffy Books" that provides new, high-interest, quality books for schools that qualify. It usually means kids get some books to keep each year. Libraries are also the best collaborators for schools - if we can get libraries involved in our schools, that is going to help bridge the gap for students without access to books. Next year we are running some reading workshops for parents at our school and our library was very happy to join us with that. They now have no overdue fees as well, so that helps families.
Workshops for parents is a great idea to build connections with the school community and demystify some of the ways families and carers can support reading at home and beyond. Intergeneration connections are great too!
p112 Guthrie quote gives me hope! 'Teachers create contexts for engagement when they provide real-world connections to reading, meaningful choices about what, when, and how to read, and interesting texts that are familiar, vivid, important and relevant.' It is our role to know our readers well so we can provide these diverse opportunities, lobby school leadership to purchase a broad range of texts, read to, think aloud, encourage conversations and personal reflections across the different texts and purposes that motivate and engage readers. We may not all read for pleasure – read for work, read to learn, read to empower, etc! Making sure students know how to access community libraries is important too – this is a lifelong investment.
Working with teachers outside my own school, a pattern I see is a sense of feeling overwhelmed in trying to address these systemic issues. They lack agency in trying to solve this problem.
What seems to help is, through discussion, learn what smaller obstacle *within* the bigger problem could they address. For example, one English teacher's high school shut down the building library after cutting the librarian position a few years previous. Instead of getting rid of all the books, she volunteered to house some of those titles in her classroom library. Now kids come from all over the school to check out books from her classroom. Some of her students help manage this library which builds identity and engagement.
Not ideal but something within her control.
WOW Matt, these are all such incredibly thoughtful issues that are sadly embedded into the very culture of education which unfortunately trickle down from the powers that be. I don't we can even begin to address any of these until we start by creating a reflective and collective culture where we can have conversations. It's very hard to due that when there are top down mandates that have become so plentiful. Part of the issue is what has always been pervasive in that we want to "fix" the problem quickly and with as little time and financial requirement as possible. I see that again and again in the intervention process and too often the result is children who go in and never go out. I see children in interventions solely based on the color or their skin because we have an assessment system that largely ignores the child in front of us. We see professional development as a one and done process and thus teachers have the "sense of feeling overwhelmed" that you mention here. So many educators want desperately to do the right thing for all kids but either don't know how to do that are don't have the support to do so. Knowing our kids, knowing the research having ongoing support, understanding unique cultures and background beyond our own. So much and I know I'm rambling because it's become so entrenched in schools. I just think we have to start at the foundation.
"a reflection and collective culture"
"an assessment system that largely ignores the child in front of us"
"we have to start at the foundation"
Thank you Mary for sharing your wisdom!
Thanks Mary!
p 126 'Knowing our students attributions informs our instruction and helps us teach readers.' We return to this point. The ways teachers can shape students’ ‘theory of self’ has had a profound impact on my life, my challenges with reading and self-image. p129 dot points got me thinking – I can see different students from across 40 years of teaching in each of these characteristics. Our choice of language when talking to readers (Johnson – Choice Words), a busy classroom, our lack of preparation or time and all those many variables can have a profound impact on the learner. Teachers bear a huge responsibility to work from students’ strengths not a deficit model, promote the positives, handover control, help students believe that their efforts contribute to their success (Craske reference on p 132). 'Our careful observation… our discussions with them and our questions… should reveal the details of how students view their learning' (p141). Powerful teaching and learning.
Thanks Sally for bringing us back to the book with these timely quotes, and for noting he responsibility teachers take on when teach readers and not just reading.
Beautifully said Sally. Ah, yes the impact of powerful teaching and learning!
Access to books is a big issue for sure, but not insurmountable I think. There are so many books, often very good ones, in second hand shops and I frequently purchase them to use at school. I'm not usually an advocate for spending my own money for school things, but when it comes to books, it is usually hardly more than a few dollars, and I get to keep them for my own kids or future students as well. Worth it I feel. We are also lucky in NZ to have a charity called "Duffy Books" that provides new, high-interest, quality books for schools that qualify. It usually means kids get some books to keep each year. Libraries are also the best collaborators for schools - if we can get libraries involved in our schools, that is going to help bridge the gap for students without access to books. Next year we are running some reading workshops for parents at our school and our library was very happy to join us with that. They now have no overdue fees as well, so that helps families.
For sure Belinda, it's very doable to get started. Great that your outside organizations are partnering with you, especially the public library.
Workshops for parents is a great idea to build connections with the school community and demystify some of the ways families and carers can support reading at home and beyond. Intergeneration connections are great too!
p112 Guthrie quote gives me hope! 'Teachers create contexts for engagement when they provide real-world connections to reading, meaningful choices about what, when, and how to read, and interesting texts that are familiar, vivid, important and relevant.' It is our role to know our readers well so we can provide these diverse opportunities, lobby school leadership to purchase a broad range of texts, read to, think aloud, encourage conversations and personal reflections across the different texts and purposes that motivate and engage readers. We may not all read for pleasure – read for work, read to learn, read to empower, etc! Making sure students know how to access community libraries is important too – this is a lifelong investment.