Re: Atwell's _The Reading Zone_

["Terry DeBarger" <tdebarger@washoe.k12.nv.us>]

I too bought "The Reading Zone" just after its release and wrote a
review for Amazon.  Months later, it still excites me.  "Reading Zone"
is an outstanding companion to her earlier works, as well as one of the
clearest arguments in support of English classes that resemble real
language practices.  Because it is brief and sharp, I think it is the
best point of entry to Atwell's body of work.  Look at the number of
posts: her's is a voice that sparks debate and provokes thought.  On a
personal level, it helped me focus on reading instruction among my high
school juniors.

Atwell does reject the routine practice of assigned whole class novels. 
In "Naming the World: A Year of Poems and Lessons," [also excellent] she
indicates that poems form the core of the shared texts in her class: 
lessons about reading and writing for the entire class can be pulled
from them, and they don't make excessive demands on the scarce reading
time of students.  She also uses student samples, her own writing,
articles, excerpts of novels and plays, and so on.  Ask yourself why
you've selected a particular shared text.  Are there other, briefer ones
that could accomplish the same goals?  Is any text truly indispensable
to EVERY child in your class?  

As a high school teacher I love the challenge Atwell offers to
professionals who see their job as teaching the
'such-and-such-grade-book-list' instead of students.  A cannon doesn't
need our help; our students need our help to read voluminously,
extensively, habitually, passionately, critically.  

Atwell is not opposed to the work of Harvey and Goudvis,  Zimmerman, et.
al.  Atwell merely questions placing comprehension strategies at the
center, rather than reading.  The point of the sticky notes is to
enhance reading.  If the sticky notes don't help readers read
passionately, why continue to devote time to them?   If students have no
authentic reasons to read, learning strategies to do it better is a
fool's errand. 

I agree that Atwell is teaching in a setting that most of us would find
enviable, but she acknowledges her particular situation.  The point is
not to carbon copy what she is doing.  The challenge she offers all of
us is to think about why we do what we do for our particular students. 
If they are not reading extensively, critically, passionately, then why?
 What other outcomes do we value?

For those of you who struggle with reading/writing workshop, this will
offer you some good direction without taking your entire summer.  
Terry


>>> dededye1@tx.rr.com 07/07/07 8:41 AM >>>
Of the two, I recommend Rief.  You might even be able to check her out
at a 
public library.  Heinemann and Stenhouse also have many of their books 
available to read online.  I also recommend the book When Writing
Workshop 
isn't Working by Mark Overmeyer.  He offers some solutions to some of
the 
more difficult points of the writing workshop.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <SommerWind410@aol.com>
To: <middle-lit@interversity.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2007 6:50 AM
Subject: Re: [middle-lit] Atwell's _The Reading Zone_


>
> Jenny,
> Thanks so much for these links and suggestions.  Keeping Nancy's 
unique
> situation in mind certainly helps put it in perspective.
>
> I will check into Laminack's and Reif's titles but will probably have 
to 
> be
> selective. Would you believe I have already spent $450 on 
books/school
> supplies for next year?!  (And I thought the rampant  spending ceased 
> after year
> three!)  After reading your review,  I peeked at _Writing on Demand_
over 
> at
> Heinemann and plan to  order that one, for sure.  Looks good.
>
> Thanks again!
> Cathy :-)
>
> In a message dated 7/6/2007 12:33:56 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> judgejenny@hotmail.com writes:
>
> Just a  couple of comments.  As far as the test driven portions of
your
> curriculum, check out a book called "Writing on Demand" published by
> Heinemann.  I wrote a book review of this in our Indiana Writing 
Project
> Spring 2007 newsletter.  You can read it at the following  link:
> http://iwp.iweb.bsu.edu/    (click on Spring 2007  Newsletter pdf).
>
> I also keep in mind every time I read a book by Nancie  Atwell that
she 
> only
> has 14 students in a private school where she is also  the principal. 
She
> lives in a reality of her own making.  Her  students have been doing 
> reading
> and writing workshop for years before she  has them in 8th grade.  I
don't 
> in
> any way discount what she  advocates because I find huge success in
using 
> her
> ideas with my college  freshman, but for a more practical approach to 
> reading
> and writing  workshop in a public school, check out Linda Reif's books
> instead.   She does advocate shared and whole class reading, but
agrees 
> with
> Atwell  in many other ways.  I myself use a whole class novel which we

> read
> like a reader first--all the way through without interruption except
at
> natural breaks (chapter breaks) for questions and some thinking 
aloud. 
> Then
> we go back and read the novel again (reading like a  writer) and talk 
> about
> the author's craft in certain excerpts and the  other skills kids need

> like
> skimming text for information and rereading  for deeper analysis.
>
> I found this link also:
>
http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/scholasticprofessional/authors/talkabou
> ts.htm
> Many  of you may be interesting in hearing what these authors have to
say
> about  their work.
> Both Nancie Atwell and Linda Reif are on this page.  I  highly
recommend 
> the
> Lester Lamanick book on this page as  well.
>
>
> Jenny Smithson
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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