Reading this book reminded my a lot of "An Actor's Work: A Student's Diary" by Konstantin Stanislavski. What I mean by this, for those who haven't read either book, is that you become immersed in the book. Almost as if you are one of the characters, learning along with them. This style of writing made the book very relatable even if the anecdotes introduced weren't true to your own experience. I love to read, and even then I do too also fake-read. Especially if it is for something I am not very interested in.
""Some kids are born good readers and some kids aren't. I've always been a bad reader and I always will be. It's too late for me."
I have heard this quote being said a million times throughout my education, even teachers have told classes this, (pause for emphasis) teachers. I know it is silly to go on and on about the very first chapter but it really stuck with me. I just kept thinking about my process and how I am still learning how to be a good reader. I hated reading until I found a book with a awesome heroine in a medieval fantastical world. Then I started to read, and read, and read some more. The practice of reading, and reading for enjoyment brought me closer to understanding what it means to be a good reader because out of curiosity for plot twists and trying to peg mysterious, I started to eagerly look for clues within the text. This was my own strategy, while the author's was attending book talk groups. I just really enjoyed this chapter because it really showed how discussion is incredibly important in helping students understand the text, and learn from their peers.
Because I talked about reading for pleasure, I thought it would be smart to move on to "Purposes for reading"
"When students read difficult text without a purpose, they express the following complaints:
• I don't care about the topic.
• I can't relate to the topic.
• I daydream and my mind wanders.
• I can't stay focused.
• I just say the words so I can be done.
• I get bored."
"As I prepared for my first biology exam as a college freshman, I diligently highlighted anything and everything that seemed remotely important."
I feel at some point of ur lives we all do or say this, we think that every detail is important and that the only way to understand to memorize everything. Without purpose, there are no connections to the text. One of my least favorite classes was with a professor who asked us to read the text and then the next class period have us find an issue in the text and come up with a concept. It was that vague. We weren't given examples, or even access to concepts. We had no idea what we were looking for and when we asked for help, we were told to look at the text. HOW IS THAT HELPFUL?!
Which leads me to the example he used in the book that I thought was amazing. He had an exercise where students would read a piece of text. First he would ask them to highlight what they thought was important. Then he would ask them to read the text again but this time, highlight what a robber would think was important, and then again with the mind set of a home buyer would think is important. Then discuss the difference between reading with or without a purpose. I think what was frustrating for me in the class of problems and concepts, is that I didn't have a purpose. I was trying to read and understand everything because I had no idea what I was going to be asked the next day.
Overall this book was amazing. It was a great read, as I rested and tried to recover from the flu. I will read it again.
""Some kids are born good readers and some kids aren't. I've always been a bad reader and I always will be. It's too late for me."
I have heard this quote being said a million times throughout my education, even teachers have told classes this, (pause for emphasis) teachers. I know it is silly to go on and on about the very first chapter but it really stuck with me. I just kept thinking about my process and how I am still learning how to be a good reader. I hated reading until I found a book with a awesome heroine in a medieval fantastical world. Then I started to read, and read, and read some more. The practice of reading, and reading for enjoyment brought me closer to understanding what it means to be a good reader because out of curiosity for plot twists and trying to peg mysterious, I started to eagerly look for clues within the text. This was my own strategy, while the author's was attending book talk groups. I just really enjoyed this chapter because it really showed how discussion is incredibly important in helping students understand the text, and learn from their peers.
Because I talked about reading for pleasure, I thought it would be smart to move on to "Purposes for reading"
"When students read difficult text without a purpose, they express the following complaints:
• I don't care about the topic.
• I can't relate to the topic.
• I daydream and my mind wanders.
• I can't stay focused.
• I just say the words so I can be done.
• I get bored."
"As I prepared for my first biology exam as a college freshman, I diligently highlighted anything and everything that seemed remotely important."
I feel at some point of ur lives we all do or say this, we think that every detail is important and that the only way to understand to memorize everything. Without purpose, there are no connections to the text. One of my least favorite classes was with a professor who asked us to read the text and then the next class period have us find an issue in the text and come up with a concept. It was that vague. We weren't given examples, or even access to concepts. We had no idea what we were looking for and when we asked for help, we were told to look at the text. HOW IS THAT HELPFUL?!
Which leads me to the example he used in the book that I thought was amazing. He had an exercise where students would read a piece of text. First he would ask them to highlight what they thought was important. Then he would ask them to read the text again but this time, highlight what a robber would think was important, and then again with the mind set of a home buyer would think is important. Then discuss the difference between reading with or without a purpose. I think what was frustrating for me in the class of problems and concepts, is that I didn't have a purpose. I was trying to read and understand everything because I had no idea what I was going to be asked the next day.
Overall this book was amazing. It was a great read, as I rested and tried to recover from the flu. I will read it again.
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