Chapter 10 discussed things that the building did to help improve their scores. "You have to have the right tools (pg. 119)", "At first we took a piece meal approach (pg. 119)", "We needed to provide our teachers with the whole package (pg. 120)", "A basal series is necessary to get the materials, support, and structure to build high-performance programs (pg. 121)".
Wow, that was a lot of quotes! I quite often feel like we have a "piece meal approach" to teaching reading. I do not know that basal programs coming back to NU, since we like the guided reading component, but what do you think about what we are using?
Do you see it as a "piece meal approach"? What pieces do you think we need? Any other ideas?
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I do not think the Balanced Literacy approach is "piece meal", but I do think we could use some more structure in the area of phonics/spelling. I don't know what that would/should be.
ReplyDeleteI spent some time in a district where basals were used as well as Guided Reading. The language material was also provided and it all tied to the "story of the week". An advantage to this would be that the students could make connections across the literature and new language skill as they were introduced. However, I believe because it was so laid out, almost scripted, the teachers didn't have to do alot of planning, add their personality or consider the classroom makeup. The test scores in this district have historically been poor.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the Balanced Literacy is a 'piece meal' approach but I do think it leaves a lot of leeway for each individual teacher to teach skills which could also lead to inconsistency. I feel your average and above average students do well with balanced literacy but I know in Kindergarten the low kids struggle to pay attention and often seem lost because they are lacking in so many of the "subskills this book keeps talking about. After reading this book I can see how these low students definitely need more "eyeball to eyeball" direct instruction to get them caught up.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to teach from something scripted but but would like something more systematic with the phonics. Systemtic and explicit phonics is something I have heard for the last several years and would like to see something that moves from grade level to grade level.
I agree with Connie...moving from grade level to grade level with a consistant program of skills would be a help. I don't want to have a scripted series, but I would like some guidance with the order of importance of skills and the most effective order to introduce the skills. I think we may be missing important components along the way. I also think kindergarten needs to be focusing more on oral-language and vocabulary growth along with the reading we are doing.
ReplyDeleteThe components of Balanced Literacy are thorough to reading and writing. In the Guided Reading aspect, I, too, would like a heirarcy of skills to be taught. Basals would be thorough but just like the Everyday Math which seems scripted, a teacher puts her style of instruction and style into teaching the skill. It is scoped and sequenced for you with your own "flavor." The Scholastic books could still be used with groups for particular skills and leveling. I think NU is begging for supportive material/curriculum to get the reading results NU administrators want. Psage 120 states: "Teachers cannot be the conductors and composers of the curriculum. The job of the teacher is to conduct the curriculum in a way to benefit all kids." When using the bookroom it becomes in a way "a piece meal" create the curriculum for that particular reading group. Why couldn't we combine the best of both materials, sequencing necessary skills, and leveling for our kids?
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