Routman proposes five things to ensure students become excellent readers. Out of her list of five I would demonstrate that importance of showing the students that I am a reader. When I began volunteering in classrooms several years ago, I began to realize that teachers would take at least 15 minutes of their day to gather the class together and read aloud to them. I always assumed that the reason for this is that it provided a “brain break” for learning for the student and teaching for the teacher. After reading Routman especially in the last chapters I have come to a different perspective of why teachers read to students, it is to show them that they are readers and that reading can be fun.
In chapter 3 she writes that she shares her passion for reading with her students. How reading a book gives her joy, happiness, comfort, etc. Sharing that type of enthusiasm with students is important. As Routman states many times in her first three chapters, students admire teachers and see them as role models and one great hobby that we can share with students is reading. My master teacher shares this with her class by making it a habit at the end of second recess, she has the students wash their hands, sit down on the carpet, hands them snacks and reads to them while they are eating and engaged.
Another topic that Routman stated in chapter 2 was the importance of bonding with students. In my dyad placement I witnessed my master teacher bonding with his students by using stories and books that he would read. For example there was a student that interested in mysteries, therefore he would share with her the types of books that he used to read when he was younger and hoping that she would take an interest in them as well. He told me one day that it is important to tell your students that you are a reader and to read to them in class as it does open up new ideas for them, and you’re not wasting time as you are engaging their minds.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Jocelyn,
ReplyDeleteI like the point you brought up about how Routman shows her students how much she loves reading by modeling it. "I want students to know I am compelled to read. It is almost impossible for me not to read. It's much more than enjoying a well-told story, increasing my knowledge about the world, following directions, or, say, understanding philosophy. Reading pervades my life an sustains me the same way friendship ad love do. Reading gives me joy, comfort, perspective, new ideas, questions to ponder, and connections to other lives. I want nothing less for my students."(Routman, 2008 p. 24)
What a perfect way to get her students motivated is by modeling the behavior she expects from them herself. In learning to be a teacher, I have heard and read that modeling is the best way to teach anything, so why not model being a good reader too? Students look up to their teachers and will do as they do.
Reading aloud is fun! It was always one of my favorite times of the day, and with really interesting chapter books, my students couldn't wait for me to start reading and hated when we had to stop.
ReplyDeleteI also loved modeling comprehension strategies through think alouds during this time, although I tried to be careful not to do it too much and interrupt the flow of the story. I actually found it more useful to refer or return to the read aloud during guided reading or TSI lessons to use it as an example, either with a small group or the whole class. It was a common reference across reading abilities, and we enjoyed discussing the book.