I'd like to chat with Raina Telgemeier, because I really identify with her character thus far in Smile, and it's always nice to have a conversation with someone who has similar shorthand for life/experiences. I'd also like to know more about her work on some other comic titles (such as X-Men) that she's worked on.
However, on a more intellectual level, I'd like to chat with Harvey Daniels over coffee.
After having read Subjects Matter in 407, and his "Lit Circles" chapter pdf, I'd want to know what lead him to his take on Literacy. It feels like it just "made sense" to him, and in a reflective sense it also "makes sense" to me - but I'm not sure that if given the same inputs that I would have come to the same conclusions. Was it when he was teaching public school, or when he moved to high-ed? Or during his years consulting?
Understanding how he framed his early, pre-publication, take on literacy - would help me understand how he arrived at some of his methodologies and beliefs. I think it seems to track parallel to James Gee's “backpacks,” but would want more from he before I’d fully commit to that correlation.
I also agree and would like to chat with Raina because of her similar experiences that I had in middle school. It is easy to have a conversation with just about anyone when there is common ground involved. Just like how everyone has the weather in common and can talk about it, I can see the conversation with Raina going very smoothly. I too might ask Raina about her other works as well and see if there is a common theme throughout her writing.
I would like to sit down and talk to Lent to see how she feels about schools having a time for literature. I know Feinstein Middle School has a particular class devoted to literacy. I know Lent feels that literacy is accomplished in each classroom because different subjects have different literacy strategies. However, she also feels that increasing students reading time benefits their academic achievement. I wonder what Lent would consider doing in a literacy class because I have noticed that students have to read an article and answer comprehension questions. I would assume that this is too much level one thinking and she would encourage students to explore articles in whatever subject interest them. In addition, I would wonder how she feels about schools going one to one with chromebooks. While I know that textbooks are not always the best way to receive information, I find it interesting that the students in my practicum classroom do not have a book. They seem to actually spend very little time reading and taking notes. The math is usually taught through an activity and reinforced through worksheets. Like Tony, I would also love to talk to Daniels about literature circles particularly in math. I would really love to see a successful one in math because most math literature circles I would guess are just jigsawing a text.
I would like to sit and speak with Lent about close reading. This might evolve into a series of conversations but my question hinges on student motivation. To this day, I dislike close reading and only do it when I have to. "Have to" is defined as when a specific question requires it - generally pertaining to school or work. In most areas of life I have found there are many other avenues to access, explore and engage with content information. So how do I get my students (or myself) to value this skill and use it with self-directed regularity - and not only when it is extrinsically required? The examples where students are allowed to use self-selected texts are great for learning the skill; but choice is not always available when assigned content reading is required. Therefore, my question persists: how does one intrinsically motivate students to use this skill? This then spirals... Does it matter? If there are other avenues to access/explore/engage the content, is intrinsically motivated close reading required at all? Ultimately, I find the following answer to the question: for intrinsic motivation, we must seek answers to our own questions.
If I were to chat with one of the authors thus far, I would definitely want to talk with Raina Telgemeier. Due to the fact that the plot of this adolescent lit novel takes place during her middle school years, I have already been do intrigued and engaged with then novel. The book is even better because this book is based on Raina's own experiences and that makes it more relatable for us as readers. Some topics I'd like to discuss with Raina are her issues with the braces and the nasty friends she had during that experience. While she offers a lot on those topics in the book, it would be interesting to hear more about what really went on behind the scenes, so to speak. Who did she truly face the most ridicule from? How much did those braces being tightened really hurt? It would be interesting to see how she felt because I am sure I could relate to these experiences with braces and nasty friends. Sometimes, even now, I still think that I am the only one going through social and emotional hardships in my life. It would be helpful to talk to her to understand her hardships and perhaps use that conversation to help prepare me for my future middle school students.
I'd like to chat with Raina Telgemeier, because I really identify with her character thus far in Smile, and it's always nice to have a conversation with someone who has similar shorthand for life/experiences. I'd also like to know more about her work on some other comic titles (such as X-Men) that she's worked on.
ReplyDeleteHowever, on a more intellectual level, I'd like to chat with Harvey Daniels over coffee.
After having read Subjects Matter in 407, and his "Lit Circles" chapter pdf, I'd want to know what lead him to his take on Literacy. It feels like it just "made sense" to him, and in a reflective sense it also "makes sense" to me - but I'm not sure that if given the same inputs that I would have come to the same conclusions. Was it when he was teaching public school, or when he moved to high-ed? Or during his years consulting?
Understanding how he framed his early, pre-publication, take on literacy - would help me understand how he arrived at some of his methodologies and beliefs. I think it seems to track parallel to James Gee's “backpacks,” but would want more from he before I’d fully commit to that correlation.
I also agree and would like to chat with Raina because of her similar experiences that I had in middle school. It is easy to have a conversation with just about anyone when there is common ground involved. Just like how everyone has the weather in common and can talk about it, I can see the conversation with Raina going very smoothly. I too might ask Raina about her other works as well and see if there is a common theme throughout her writing.
DeleteI would like to sit down and talk to Lent to see how she feels about schools having a time for literature. I know Feinstein Middle School has a particular class devoted to literacy. I know Lent feels that literacy is accomplished in each classroom because different subjects have different literacy strategies. However, she also feels that increasing students reading time benefits their academic achievement. I wonder what Lent would consider doing in a literacy class because I have noticed that students have to read an article and answer comprehension questions. I would assume that this is too much level one thinking and she would encourage students to explore articles in whatever subject interest them.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I would wonder how she feels about schools going one to one with chromebooks. While I know that textbooks are not always the best way to receive information, I find it interesting that the students in my practicum classroom do not have a book. They seem to actually spend very little time reading and taking notes. The math is usually taught through an activity and reinforced through worksheets.
Like Tony, I would also love to talk to Daniels about literature circles particularly in math. I would really love to see a successful one in math because most math literature circles I would guess are just jigsawing a text.
I would like to sit and speak with Lent about close reading. This might evolve into a series of conversations but my question hinges on student motivation. To this day, I dislike close reading and only do it when I have to. "Have to" is defined as when a specific question requires it - generally pertaining to school or work. In most areas of life I have found there are many other avenues to access, explore and engage with content information. So how do I get my students (or myself) to value this skill and use it with self-directed regularity - and not only when it is extrinsically required? The examples where students are allowed to use self-selected texts are great for learning the skill; but choice is not always available when assigned content reading is required. Therefore, my question persists: how does one intrinsically motivate students to use this skill? This then spirals...
ReplyDeleteDoes it matter? If there are other avenues to access/explore/engage the content, is intrinsically motivated close reading required at all?
Ultimately, I find the following answer to the question: for intrinsic motivation, we must seek answers to our own questions.
If I were to chat with one of the authors thus far, I would definitely want to talk with Raina Telgemeier. Due to the fact that the plot of this adolescent lit novel takes place during her middle school years, I have already been do intrigued and engaged with then novel. The book is even better because this book is based on Raina's own experiences and that makes it more relatable for us as readers.
ReplyDeleteSome topics I'd like to discuss with Raina are her issues with the braces and the nasty friends she had during that experience. While she offers a lot on those topics in the book, it would be interesting to hear more about what really went on behind the scenes, so to speak. Who did she truly face the most ridicule from? How much did those braces being tightened really hurt? It would be interesting to see how she felt because I am sure I could relate to these experiences with braces and nasty friends. Sometimes, even now, I still think that I am the only one going through social and emotional hardships in my life. It would be helpful to talk to her to understand her hardships and perhaps use that conversation to help prepare me for my future middle school students.