Re: Atwell's _The Reading Zone_

[Mary Dovey <mgdovey@comcast.net>]

Well said, Terry!


On 7/11/07 12:20 AM, "Terry DeBarger" <tdebarger@washoe.k12.nv.us> wrote:

> 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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