Crunchy Granola

 

"Reading should be left somewhat organic"

            -Patrick Allen pag 182 of Conferring.

This is my last official post for the #cyberPD group started by Cathy, Jill and Laura.  I would like to thank these three a great deal.  The invitation to participate in this event was very rewarding.  Reading this book in conjunction with many other educators across the country, then writing about it here and reading other's thoughts has been one of the more interesting forms of professional development I have done in quite some time.  Hopefully the other members of our little group have similar feelings.  I know I will be a better teacher of readers in the coming years because of this experience.

 

The quote above, "Reading should be left somewhat organic" is what will linger with me for quite some time.  I have always been a rather hands-off teacher over the years.  I plan reflectively and in most cases in reaction to what I think the students in my room need next.  This probably comes from being grounded in the thinking of educators like Vygotsky, Wells, Graves, Caulkins, Ray, Heard, Fletcher, Newkirk and many, many more.  If you walked into my room at any given time, I would hope you would see children engaged in purposeful thinking and doing and a teacher guiding them along the way.  It pains me to serve up a helping of crap to my students.  

However, there have been times over the last few years that I have questioned the role of reader's workshop in our current accountability climate.  I have tried to think critically about the role of authentic reading in this era of test, test, test, data, data, data to the point where my brain hurts. This spring was no different.  I think I helped to guide a pretty decent reader's workshop, but in the back of my head was the creeping shadow of the test.  Even though I knew it wasn't the best thing, I caved and had, in my opinion, too many strategy lessons and small group lessons that dealt with the art of analyzing a test question.  My reward for all this extra planning and doing was a rather small uptick in my reading scores from last year.  My class did fine on the test, so I am not upset, but based on the false assumption that more focused work on the "genre of testing" (excuse me for a brief moment as I go puke ... ) they should have done much, much better.  

So, why I am I questioning the value of an authentic reader's workshop and the value of conferring with students?  At this point I have no idea.  In the last three weeks my moral compass has been redirected to true North and I know that I need to get back to the place where reading (learning) is more organic in my classroom.  I know I cannot throw the standards out the window and forget that we have testing (though I would like to do that), but what I do know is that more good will come from helping students fall in love with their own learning, than will come from the idea of teaching them how to pinpoint the best answer in a multiple choice test.  

At one point in this last part of Conferring, Patrick shares a letter from one of his students who definitely has her metacgonitve abilities honed.  I bet if we could read her reflections about the books she read we would have been equally impressed.  I bet that Mackenzie came to Patrick the following year to tell him about books she was currently reading.  I bet that she also is a strong student in other areas besides reading.  I bet that she will most likely be a kid who loves reading her whole life.  I bet because of the rather organic nature of thinking that goes on in Patrick's room that Mackenzie did fine on state tests.  And I bet she would not have done any better if Patrick shut down all that is good in his room for mountains of test prep.

So, to answer one of Patrick's little pondering thought bombs that he dropped along the way, I know what I want my students to "walk away" with this year.  It is a short list, but I think it will a great deal of energy to make sure that all 26 of next year's class gets there.

I want my student's to walk away from conferences next year with:

1) The certainty that I believe in them as a person as well as a reader.

2) The goal of wanting to become a better reader.

3) The understanding that they can fall in love with reading.

4) The ability to begin to purposefully analyze and strecth their own thinking.

 

To help me stay true to my goal I have decided to stick an empty package of granola on the wall that

I usually put my little reminder pictures of family, previous classes, favorite books, etc.  I am a visual learner so if I get a daily reminder to be a little more organic by seeing a empty bag of crunchy granola it will most certainly be a good thing.  And since people who spend time in our room usually ask about some of the peculiar things that hang in this area of the room.  I am assuming that I will get asked about the bag-o-granola, especially because it had a marginally inappopriate name.  But it will inspire me to talk about Patrick's book and the importance of reading as an organic act.

Thanks again to Cathy, Jill and this week's host Laura.  And if you haven't seen this, one of these fine ladies organized a Jog the Web of all the bloggers who participated in this #cyberPD.  You should check it out.

Later,

Tony

 

Comments

[Mary Lee Hahn]

Love the Crunchy Granola reminder to keep reading workshop organic! (am borrowing)

[Literacyzone.blogspot.com]

Tony,

I love your take on the issues! You are a thinker and can express yourself to genuinely, honestly, to the point . . . First of all, I'd love to through everything out the window too, but we know we can't. I love your short list of walk aways. Each powerful and mighty. In addition, I love the granola reference: Reading should be organic. Keep the good "stuff" happening in your room!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It has been a great PD format.
Michelle

[Jill Fisch]

Tony,

I have loved reading your thoughts during this blog conversation. Thanks for participating. This time one of the things that struck me in your post was the sarcasm in your tone when referring to the "genre of testing". This phrase really gets me, too. Ugh...

I also love your idea of hanging an empty granola package on your wall as a reminder to keep reading organic. Great idea! I have a wall of quotes/thoughts/beliefs but it is all written. I like the idea of having a visual reminder.

Jill

[Nicole Kessler]

Tony,

I loved reading your responses to Conferring. Although I don't have to deal with state testing I do have the pressure of making sure my kids are "ready for first grade". When people say that they are referring to number of sight words, reading levels, sentence dictation and so on. But changing my teaching to a more "organic" experience will get my kids there is a more authentic nature. Thank you for bringing that to the forefront of my mind.

I looked forward to continuing to learn from you!
Nicole

[Cathy Mere]

Tony,
I, for one, am glad to hear your compass has been redirected due North again. I remember reading your first post on this blog and thinking maybe a group of us should come find you for an intervention. It is hard not to get caught up in the world of testing and the "Race to the Top". However, I've been in your classroom and know the wonderful work you do with readers. I'm really not sure that testing really measures what we value anyway. (OK, I'm positive it doesn't. That's my soapbox - one of them - at @PublicEd4kids.)

I think we all have our barriers to being authentic. I think in primary grades it is the expectation that if we don't have kids in guided reading groups we surely cannot be teaching them anything. Your call to make us all organic is a ship I'm ready to jump aboard. I'm thinking anything labeled organic costs more, and is therefore much better, so that should make it a sought after practice.

Now that I've seen your inspirational picture --- and Karen's --- I'm going to have to come up with the picture to symbolize my journey for this year. You'll be the first to know when I decide on the perfect picture.

Tony, I've really enjoyed reading your posts. I'm so glad we forced you into joining us.

Cathy

[Mandyrobek]

Crunchy granola made me first think about North Star Cafe for breakfast and Bill with his usual order as local bloggers gather. I do love your chosen bag of granola to hang in your room and find this much more peaceful than the image you chose for Karen. I completely understand the struggles with data and authentic. While I'm glad to hear your scores were better, I won't start that soapbox, I'm thrilled you realized the organic approach is equally important on your journey with students. I think Patrick has shown us all how rigor is created and rigor pushes children forward.

[ReadSoMuch]

Tony - Great thinking in your post, from your reflection on your caving to teaching test prep (me, too!) to finding a great visual to keeping everything organic.

Thank you for giving us lots to ponder for this year's class!
Chris

[Momphillips2]

Tony,

I love your take on this section. In the current climate we all need a little organic granola. I think as educators we are all torn with what we believe to be best for our students and pressures from testing.

I've enjoyed reading your post and insight on Patrick Allen's book.

Barbara

[Gretchen Taylor]

Tony, I'm a Dublin middle school LA teacher, and Jill R. just directed me to your blog.

This is exactly what I needed to read today, and I look forward to stealing away many more hours reading older posts.

Authentic assessment, "organic" learning (love this), teaching readers rather than teaching reading (and writers/writing) ... to steal the words of a very wise leader I know, it's leap of faith teaching these days.

Thanks for sharing your thinking.

Gretchen

[Karen Terlecky]

Sorry so late to comment. Life got in the way these past 2 days.

Tony - Love that you have your own visual for your learning this year and I love mine as well!! Thanks so much for designing it for me!! Will be keeping it in a prominent place much like you.

I'm totally on-board with this organic way of life in the classroom, and I love the walk-aways you want for your students! You continue to inspire me with your passion for doing the right thing and how you're willing to think problems out loud. Your honesty is a gift. Thank you.

Like you, I have also thoroughly enjoyed this experience thinking online with some very reflective teachers. I have been energized by this experience in so many ways and know that this conversation will help strengthen my reading workshop. Love your idea about staying in touch monthly. As always, brilliant!

[Frazierde]

Tony~ I am so glad you graciously accepted Cathy invitation to joint our cyberPD. I I have so missed hearing your voice in our district. CyberPD has allowed us to extend our voices and ears, and I agree with you, I am sure to be a better teacher for it!
While your post written so much better, I wrote with the same thoughts-Authenticity in reading!

I am so happy you choose education as a career!
~deb

[Carwilc]

My computer has been in the shop since last Monday, finally decided I would try responding on my iPad. I agree with everyone else, I have loved reading your posts this month and this one was no exception. Like you I am grounded in the theory of Graves, Fletcher, Harwayne, et al, but sometimes it so hard not to bow to the pressure of the almighty test. I know in my heart that kids get better at reading by reading, and by having rich conversations with mentors and friends that care about them as readers. Like Mary Lee, I may have to borrow your granola package idea. I am really looking forward to collaborating with you this year, I know I will learn a ton!

[Mary Lee Hahn]

You are a versatile blogger!

http://readingyear.blogspot.com/2011/09/were-versatile-bloggers.html