In section three of Reading Essentials by Regie
Routman, Teaching Essentials, the
focus is on doing what is best for the individual student, make sure they are
getting the “meat and taters” by comprehending and understanding what they are
reading, and not overdoing it with the individual strategies (aka, the “trimmings”). “Ask yourself, ‘What’s most important to
teach at this moment for this child to move him forward?’” (Routman 115) Many
times too much emphasis is put on the individual strategies, but the students
are not getting enough independent reading time to practice these strategies or
learn how to apply them. “Effective
strategy instruction is about developing readers who actively and independently
monitor and regulate their own comprehension” (Routman 120). One strategy that Routman recommends as the
single most useful, is rereading. “And research
consistently shows that rereading is one of the most highly recommended
strategies for struggling readers” (Routman 122). Rereading is something that I have found
myself doing quite often.
Another “slice of meat” is shared reading where teachers can
display examples of good reading. It is
also an opportunity for more of the bonding that has been a major focus
throughout the book. “Perhaps best of
all, shared reading is fun, and these days fun is sadly missing in too many
classrooms” (Routman 131). Wow, enough
said! Anything that makes the learning
process more effective and enjoyable, needs to be a major emphasis!
Sometimes I think that too much emphasis is put on the new “fads”
or as Routman put it, “prepackaged curriculum”.
Many times that means that more time is put into the “trimmings” and
keeping students from really learning and understanding the overall importance
of reading and comprehending. “When we
spend most of our energy focusing on words, students get the message that
reading is about words rather than meaning.
Additionally, we do lots of assessing of comprehension but not much
teaching that makes it possible for students to comprehend on a deep level”
(Routman 117). “Give me more ‘meat and
taters’ please!” -- students
I really like that analogy of "meat and taters." I can definitely identify with trying to include too much in a guided reading lesson. I need to remember this advice! Then I can see more kids!
ReplyDeleteI really like that analogy of "meat and taters." I can definitely identify with trying to include too much in a guided reading lesson. I need to remember this advice! Then I can see more kids!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right! I think that strategy after strategy lessons can be as bad as drill and kill. Reading is a pleasurable experience and our students need to enjoy it first and foremost. Too much focus on strategy instruction can make reading harder than it really is.
ReplyDeleteI love your analogy! It is so true that sometimes we get so caught up in the trimmings (or for some of us, dessert!), that we forget about the meat and taters of a lesson!
ReplyDeleteLoving this analogy!! I do believe that we get lost in all the trimmings. Back to the basics!
ReplyDeleteAgain, another wonderful analogy--meat, taters, and trimmings! You are so right that meat and taters need to be our focus--even when we are pulled in many different directions with new fads! :-)
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