What are you ready for? If we're teachers, it's a question we ask our students when they set goals. If we're coaches or leaders, it's a question we ask our teachers when we coach or observe them. If we're any of these, or if we're learners at heart, it's a question we ask ourselves all the time! What are we ready for? After more than a decade of living in the world of level-based reading, we're ready to start thinking of how to find a balance to using the knowledge of reading levels and combining that with the importance of student choice and agency that sometimes comes with reading books that don't necessarily match the independent reading level at which we've assessed a student.
Let's look at where we came from...In the early days of reading workshop, students really read books they chose to read, because they loved them. They were interested in authors, themes, genre. Kids loved reading these books, but they didn't always get what they needed to out of them. Mismatched readers sometimes pick up bad habits, habits which can sometimes lead to gaps in growth and understanding. I don't get this passage. Let me skip ahead...Not sure what this word is. I'll just ignore it.
Using the theoretical basis of Allington and the many resources available through Fountas and Pinnell, we began leveling our libraries, trying to match books to readers. We became more responsible about not letting students read texts that were too hard for them. Armed with checklists of skills, sometimes we found that our conferences were sounding less and less like readerly conversations and more like scripted lessons. What other impact did this have?
Using the theoretical basis of Allington and the many resources available through Fountas and Pinnell, we began leveling our libraries, trying to match books to readers. We became more responsible about not letting students read texts that were too hard for them. Armed with checklists of skills, sometimes we found that our conferences were sounding less and less like readerly conversations and more like scripted lessons. What other impact did this have?
Some readers became embarrassed about the books they read, because they seemed easier than those of their friends. Some kids walked around making statements like, "I'm an H," or "I can't wait for my teacher to test me, so I can finally be a P." Child study teams refuse to evaluate students, just because they're reading on grade level. Parents pressure teachers to reassess their children so they can get to the next level, wearing it with the same pride as some sort of varsity letter, all while accidentally exposing their children to content that may be inappropriate. Teachers base their SGO's on student reading levels in some sort of race to the top that, if done too quickly, can leave gaps in skills. And what's lost? The ownership that's such a big part of living a readerly life...one of the biggest parts of the reader's workshop philosophy.
So this is not meant to be a pendulum post, where we say we're going the totally opposite way. There is great benefit to knowing students' reading levels, and teaching skills responsibly. But how do we use this information with a sense of balance, as just a part of our teaching? How do we keep kids from losing that loving feeling when they read their books? What are some practical ways to balance the art of loving reading and the science of teaching with skills in mind?
This post is instead meant to be the start of a conversation that many are having. It's not a black-and-white decision of either we know kids' levels or we give them choice. Please join this conversation by commenting here and helping us figure this out. It will help many teachers and leaders shape their values and align them to their practices. It will help many students rekindle their love of reading while they continue to grow the important muscles they need.
It's what we're ready for!
This post is instead meant to be the start of a conversation that many are having. It's not a black-and-white decision of either we know kids' levels or we give them choice. Please join this conversation by commenting here and helping us figure this out. It will help many teachers and leaders shape their values and align them to their practices. It will help many students rekindle their love of reading while they continue to grow the important muscles they need.
It's what we're ready for!
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