Day+4

Shannon O. and Beth
In groups of two, teachers will discuss the following:

CHAPTER 6: HOW TO USE A TEXTBOOK


 * Chapter Overview**:

In Chapter #6, Daniels & Zemelman return to the use of textbooks in class. Here they offer their vision of how a textbook can be used efficiently and effectively in content-area classrooms. Again, as this is more of a strategy chapter, the format for our student has been modified.


 * React to & Discuss:**

“But in our hearts, we know that this kind of ‘coverage’ doesn’t really work.” p. 145. What does mere “coverage” deprive students of within our subject areas?

Also, “It’s simply not enough to mention ideas, either in a textbook or in a lecture… to remember ideas, learners must act upon them.” p. 146. How does, or should, this principle drive our teaching.


 * Take action/Research/Reflection:**

Chose a one of the strategies in this chapter and review your textbook with it. Reflect on you current reality (may be a few years until new adoption, elective with old textbooks, etc.) and determine how to use your textbook to the benefit of your students.


 * CHAPTER 7: BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS**


 * Chapter Overview:**

In Chapter #7, Daniels & Zemelman tackle the idea of community and its importance to students’ success. Much like the lesson of action to remember ideas and knowledge, Daniels & Zemelman point to the need for students to be engaged in their school community, where they feel safe to learn, explore, and take risks to grow.


 * React to:**

“School needs to be a place where kids fell some ownership and control… where they have the confidence to recognize and work on confusions, where they take responsibility and learn how to help one another and why it’s important to do so, and where they inquire into big questions that matter for them.” p. 168.


 * Discuss:**

What are the ways in which you cultivate a community of learners in your class? How do you gage the benefits of community in your class?


 * Take action:**

Develop a plan to cultivate community within your classroom. Whether this is by assigning jobs and responsibilities to various students to increase ownership, or scheduling one-to-one conferences with students to develop your relationship with them, or something else, work to develop a culture of learning, exploring, and inquiring where risks are not only acceptable, but desirable.


 * Teacher Research/Reflection:**

Reflect back on your school experience. What classes do you remember as communities of learners? Were you lucky enough to have them? Or, were you isolated in your school experience?


 * CHAPTER 8: INDEPENDENT READING WORKSHOP IN CONTENT AREAS**


 * React to**: The quote is about lifelong learners.

“…they read newspapers, magazines, and books-and they scan the Web with skill and purpose. They read not only what’s required by their jobs, but also for recreation, for information and for citizenship.”


 * Discuss:** How much “reader choice” is in your classroom? Do you feel that it would possible

to incorporate student choice reading in to your room?


 * Discuss:** This chapter describes eight benefits of the Independent Reading Workshop. Please pick on that could be a benefit in your class and explain why it could be?

Take action: Two options: 1. Find some articles that you could use in your class. See how many you can find. Discuss how long it took for to find them and where you located them. I suggest starting in your classroom. Do you have books in your room that you haven’t looked at in a long time, curriculum items that are collecting dust? Then check the internet.

2. Try a Reading Workshop and discuss what happened? Were kids interested, did they learn something they could share with others? Did kids struggle? How was your approach? Were you clear on directions?


 * CHAPTER 9: BOOK CLUBS**


 * React to**: “All across the country, every month, hundreds of thousands of thinking Americans gather regularly in voluntary adult reading groups.”


 * Discuss**: How do you as teacher/student/lifelong reader read a text for information. Write down the steps or process that you go through to read a book, article, text.


 * Take Action**: As teachers we hand out text books, copies of articles or class sets of books and tell students not to write in them. I am sure that many of you react with your text by some form of writing in the book. Try teaching one of 5 note taking strategies and discuss the results for students.


 * Discuss:** What is the importance of a student made rubric for group projects? Could your students use this guide to self monitor in class, small group discussions?

Each group will report results on the iPad @http://tinyurl.com/6oyqup4

@http://www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/videos.html