[MOSAIC] Nancy Atwell

[elaine garan]

> Sometimes I wonder if we lose sight of the
>  purpose of the strategies. I have always used them as a tool, not a  
> skill. I
>  think if I taught them as a skill I would be interested in seeing  
> them apply
> it  more, but it being a tool, I can only watch to see if they use it  
> to help
>  them.

I've been thinking about this too and I also wonder if we have turned a  
tool into a skill, much as we have done with phonics and fluency. What  
I mean is that instead of having those strategies based on need and  
contingency, we deconstruct them, drill them and in doing that, we move  
them to the forefront of not just our instruction, but in the kids'  
minds as well.  When that happens, we have displaced the goal of  
reading. We have made the goal-- in the kids' minds and in our  
instruction and our assessment-- phonics or strategies or fluency--  
instead of comprehension and engagement with the text. We compound this  
by the way we assess. Instead of monitoring for comprehension, I see  
the trend as assessing for what should be ONLY the tool-- the phonics,  
the fluency, or even the strategies.

When we do that, rather than have those tools serve our broader goal of  
comprehension and engagement in text, we elevate the tools to a status  
they don't deserve in the greater scheme of things and that might even  
interfere with what should be our goal. We give kids the impression  
that phonics, or fluency or even strategies is what reading is all  
about. The research shows that as soon as kids focus on the skills  
instead of the big picture, comprehension suffers. That is consistent  
in the research.


On Jun 3, 2007, at 12:22 PM, BilsCntsa at aol.com wrote:

> This is what I love about this list and others, the ability to reflect  
> and
> question and ponder. I have been really pondering about this whole  
> topic and
> listening to different perspectives. Sometimes I wonder if we lose  
> sight of the
>  purpose of the strategies. I have always used them as a tool, not a  
> skill. I
>  think if I taught them as a skill I would be interested in seeing  
> them apply
> it  more, but it being a tool, I can only watch to see if they use it  
> to help
>  them.
> Just like when I teach them strategies for decoding. I don't expect  
> them to
> use those strategies with each and every word, or every text, I look  
> for them
> to  use them when needed. I do see some of the strategies help to  
> "enjoy" the
> process of reading more, and absolutely to help with conversations  
> about
> books.
> I am getting ready to present a workshop with two other teachers. They  
> are
> from another school, and I was just introduced to them. As we began to  
> plan, I
> stated that I would like us to begin with metacognition. They didn't  
> want to,
>  said it would take away from what teachers want, that they want the  
> lessons
> and  ideas. As I listen in on and reflect on our conversation here, I  
> find it
> even  more important. Maybe that is what is missing with some teachers  
> who are
>  "teaching" the strategies. We forget the purpose, and forget to teach  
> the
> students the purpose. As I think about what they want to present, I  
> think they
> want to show the strategies as skills, not tools. I may be wrong, but  
> it does
>  have me wondering.
> I appreciate this discussion, sometimes other's thoughts  clarify my  
> own
> thinking.
> Terry/Fl/2
>
>
>
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