Children's Books discussion

Hi!

Short version What are the current books or articles that represent the best current thinking on instructing reading comprehension, especially in grades 6-8?

Longer version I got my teaching degree in the 20th century, and have been in the classroom since then. Seven years ago, I was encouraged to redesign the middle school reading program. I chose a workshop approach that mixed independent choice books with structured book groups. I was looking mainly at materials from Nancie Atwell and Lucy Calkins when I put it together. I've refined it for years, and it works pretty well.

This year, my school hired a new administrator. She has a number of opinions that run counter to my sense of best practices. One of them is a strong preference for textbook based instruction rather than the workshop model. When I ask for her reasoning, she gives vague answers like, "Trust me, I looked it up."

I need to do some looking up of my own so that I can be authoritative when I discuss reading instruction. As mentioned above, my sources might be out of date. I'm curious to know which books are shaping the reading landscape in 2019. Thanks.

The public education system can't possibly find a way that works and just keep it. No, of course not. It has to change (for the sake of change, I'm convinced). I'm not at all surprised that there are administrators who want to hitch everything to textbooks. Then you can spend tons of money on new textbooks every three years. Even better if your administrator can be a consultant to a publisher of said textbooks. And if you keep the target moving, you can put forth the argument that the scores you're getting can't be compared to what was going on in the past.

Although I am only interested in rearing my own little readers, I occasionally peruse materials that are geared to the classroom. Two I read recently were by Donalyn Miller: The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child and Reading in the Wild. These make a lot of sense to me, although my past life in the public schools makes me a little skeptical about getting the administrative support to implement the ambitious ideas she puts forth.

And your current experience would probably back that up, unfortunately. Although I have never read Atwell and Calkins, Miller seems to be on the same page with them (and you).

Hands up, all those lifelong readers here who can name the author of their favorite reading textbook. While I have a certain nostalgic fondness for a couple of 1960s-era basal readers that were left around my house when I was growing up, I would never argue that these were essential to my reading education or that everything hinges on using a textbook method.

What the heck is so wrong about reading actual real literature? Why does the public school world have to ruin everything? These are rhetorical questions.

Phil, I assume you're trying other sources besides us. But just in case you are frustrated & flustered, you could consider:

What are the course blurbs and materials used at university? Maybe you can contact the department where you got your degree, or the local teacher ed. program (if they're different). I got my degree at U. WI River Falls and back then (yes, previous century) they seemed to care about being both up-to-date and research-based; maybe they have some info. online.

Also, you have my sympathy. Your experience and dedication ought to count for much more than her ambitious posturing and platitudes. I bet she was a 'mean girl' straight out of some of the books your students have been reading.

As a librarian I like your approach and hope you can find academic research to support it. I would recommend looking at what CommonSense.org says about current middle school reading apps and websites. Sure the Big 3 Edu publishers would love to sell more textbooks, but have these programs improved reading comprehension in K-6 markets over OER ?

I am not sure if today's reading textbooks are better than the ones that I remember from when I moved from Germany to Canada in grade four, but I do vaguely recall having to use the Open Highways readers in class and being bored to tears by them. And this really only got better in grade five and six when the teachers in question stopped using specific textbooks for reading (for the most part) and actually either assigned grade appropriate novels or read them around to us.

My elementary school -ages and ages ago, before Common Core ruined education, we had very good English textbooks. They used excerpts from novels, poems, plays and other stories. I used to skip ahead and read what I liked for fun. We also read other books in the classroom and of course had library time when the librarian read to us. I was in a high level reading group and honors classes later on. I don't remember anything before second grade so it could be the textbooks were so extremely boring.

I'm pretty sure my elementary school used Harcourt Brace Jovanovich and Houghton Mifflin. They were the standards of the day.

QNPoohBear wrote: "My elementary school -ages and ages ago, before Common Core ruined education, we had very good English textbooks. They used excerpts from novels, poems, plays and other stories. I used to skip ahea..."

In grades two, three and four (in Germany), we were using (as I remember) excellent reading textbooks that like the ones you were describing had a combination of poetry, short stories and excerpts from well-known children's authors of the era like Astrid Lindgren, Ursula Wölfel and James Krüss. Much better than those Open Highways readers we were assigned to use in elementary school in Canada (once my family had immigrated when I was in grade four) and from which I really only remember that the reading choices were generally rather uninteresting, with more illustration than actually reading words.

And I will say this. From grade six on, we NEVER used reading textbooks in English class, but always entire novels and from grade seven on, we were reading Shakespeare.

Thanks for your kind words, everyone. I've been following them. I'm staying off GR a bit these days, so I'm haven't responded sooner.

A few responses:
* I do not need recommendations for textbooks to use with students. I already have a closet full of them, in good condition and fairly new. Publishers are happy to send me samples of their new materials if I'm interested.
* This administrator... I don't think she's evil or corrupt. I think she is not a reading expert. I explained reading workshop to her and her reply was, "You can still do that... but with a textbook." So it's fair to say she doesn't know what she's talking about. I think the allure of a textbook is that she knows what a textbook is, but doesn't understand what a workshop is.
*I appreciate the recommendation for Donalyn Miller. I'm aware of her, and actually saw her speak once, but I've steered clear until now because I was under the impression that she was more inspirational than research-based. I will check out her work, though. It's certainly prominent.
*I clicked around on commonsense.org. Thanks for the idea.
*I am casting a wide net for this question, including raiding various professional libraries and checking in with trusted mentors. I also worked with a librarian at the public library. Due to the academic schedule in the United States, the best time to check the reading lists for college classes is early fall, so I can hit them up at that time.

Hi Phil,
I use Calkins in elementary school so I was intrigued by your questions. On The Teacher’s College website (home to the Lucy Caulkins Units of Study), they have many downloadable files with information that might help you or at least provide some resources. http://www.unitsofstudy.com/middlesch...

Much luck!
Jan

Jan wrote: "Hi Phil,
I use Calkins in elementary school so I was intrigued by your questions. On The Teacher’s College website (home to the Lucy Caulkins Units of Study), they have many downloadable files with..."

Thanks, Jan. You're a kindred spirit. The TCRWP link was exactly what I needed. I'll be looking into Richard L. Allington and Peter H. Johnston.

Hey, everybody.

Thanks for all the support. I had a meeting with the Curriculum Director today. Here are the new rules that I am expected to follow:

*All 6th graders will read the same books every year. The book lists will not change from year to year. Same for 7th and 8th.
*No mixed-grade reading groups.
*All 6th graders will read the same books at the same time. Same for 7th and 8th.
*All books, short stories, poems, and graphic organizers will be chosen by the Curriculum Director ahead of time. I can suggest books, but I do not choose them.
*All books will be "classic literature." They must be at least 8 years old.
*I am not allowed to discuss reading curriculum with the other reading teachers unless the Curriculum Director is in the room.
*Reading aloud to students is banned in favor of the students doing "real" reading on their own.

I stated concerns about these rules, such as decreasing the diversity in the current program and reducing student investment in the program. I stated that I wanted to teach a student-centered, research-based program. The response was, "Yeah, you can still do that as long as they're all reading the same book at the same time."

Hmmm - I seem to remember Madeleine L'Engle portraying this in a book of hers. Bouncing balls were involved. Fortunately, that book is more than 8 years old. Because nothing says "classic" more than 2011.

The gag order is particularly nice. I believe Orwell's 1984 also meets the 8 year rule.

I'm making jokes, but this is real for you. I'm so very sorry to hear of this. When I think about how bad public schools can be, I still wouldn't have dreamed of that. Were I in a similar situation, I'd be out looking at the job ads. What is the point of teachers having education and experience and mandated ongoing professional development if you don't allow them to thrive? Administration should simply hire the best they can and get out of the way.

The best I say is, no, it's not you. It's them. Sorry.

Phil wrote: "Hey, everybody.

Thanks for all the support. I had a meeting with the Curriculum Director today. Here are the new rules that I am expected to follow:

*All 6th graders will read the same books ever..."

Yuck, honestly, is the curriculum director related to Hermann Goering? I know you could not ask that without serious consequences but for me that question does come to mind almost immediately. Frankly, I do think you need to go after this "person" in a big way, but of course, it is easy for me to make such a suggestion since this does not involve me (and I bet even this thread here, your questions and our responses would already be unacceptable and too liberal).

In German, there is that horrible word used in the Third Reich, GLEICHSCHALTUNG, basically meaning making everything exactly the same, and that in my opinion, is what is happening here.

Rules like this make homeschooling sound good. I hope your teaching experience is still rewarding. Creativity is supressed with such onerous guidelines.

Thanks for your support, everybody.

A point of clarification: I work at an independent school. One of our selling points has been that we are not beholden to the same restrictions as public schools, such as Common Core and standardized testing. This enables us to be student-centered.

Coincidentally, the new Curriculum Director is very excited about the Common Core and can't wait to start using it.

Being at an independent school means that there is no teacher's union and no system for handling complaints. This has not been a problem in the past when there were different hands steering the ship.

Phil wrote: "Thanks for your support, everybody.

A point of clarification: I work at an independent school. One of our selling points has been that we are not beholden to the same restrictions as public school..."

And I guess that talking this over with your peers is "verboten" but honestly, I think in the long run, you might have to actually consider going against her and actively rebelling (although of course that could likely have very nasty consequences).

What is your relationship with your peers like? If you decided to perhaps get together as a group outside of school (and away from the prying eyes and ears of the director) to discuss things and to plan potential strategies of resisting, would you be able to trust your fellow teachers to NOT be whistle blowers and run back to the director telling tales?

omg

Students will be harmed.
Might the parents know better?

Cheryl wrote: "omg

Students will be harmed.
Might the parents know better?"

But considering how stubborn and dictatorial (not to mention full of herself) the director seems to be, even if parents were to complain, she could likely not listen to complaints (and might also well consider the teachers as having gone above her head and "illegally" talked with and complained to the parents).

But if they withdraw their students... but I'm sure I'm thinking dramatically, as if this were a story in a book. I'm just floored.

I do know that any school worth their salt should be thrilled to hire Phil on his terms.

Cheryl wrote: "I do know that any school worth their salt should be thrilled to hire Phil on his terms."

I agree and perhaps if things do not change, Phil should consider looking for a new job (but on the other hand, if he has to rely on references from that director, even changing jobs might be fraught with potential problems, sigh).

Cheryl wrote: "But if they withdraw their students... but I'm sure I'm thinking dramatically, as if this were a story in a book. I'm just floored."

I m both floored and furious!!

I apologize for assuming you were in a public school - your description ticked all the right boxes. It's a shame that an "independent" "alternative" seems to be just buying into the existing stagnant public school ideas instead of thinking outside the box.

Michael wrote: "I apologize for assuming you were in a public school - your description ticked all the right boxes. It's a shame that an "independent" "alternative" seems to be just buying into the existing stagna..."

It is bad enough that Phil's school is intent on not thinking outside of the box, but the rules being foisted on Phil and the other teachers by that director are simply and utterly unacceptable especially with regard to basic rights and freedoms.

And... the children will take away from this reading sucks and these books have nothing to do with me and they'll never discover the joys reading can bring. Try it the director's way and see what happens. She may be very surprised to see literacy rates and attendance rates fall. I feel sorry for the students.

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone.

My school has been very good. It shaped me as a teacher. Part of my struggle is hanging on to values taught to me by mentors who have retired. These values put me into conflict with newer administrators who do not share them.

I am still considering my options. They are all somewhat drastic.

Maybe one of them should be becoming a school librarian... I hear that they have more freedom to connect kids with the books that are right for them.

Hang on to your ideals, Phil. Fads come and go but real values are timeless.

Update:

I complained to everyone who would listen. I dug deep into research and sent the findings to my Curriculum Director.

I had a meeting with the CD today. She surprised me by offering a choice between a traditional textbook and the Columbia Units of Study by Lucy Calkins. I chose the Units of Study in a heartbeat. I mentioned that I was already teaching based on an early version of the UoS, but she didn't seem to hear me.

The Columbia approach involves students choosing their own books (with teacher coaching) and writing about their reading (with teacher coaching). Students spend their class time reading, writing, or meeting in book groups. Students should read about 40 books per year.

The CD explained to me that the UoS would consist of the students doing nightly assigned reading from a teacher-chosen book, and that they would complete three books per school year. They will spend their class time doing various extension activities that I will choose for them. She asked me to start planning these activities right away, but I said we should wait to see what advice the Units have.

The bottom line is that my CD agreed to do the right thing by complete accident, and she will be very surprised by what she sees when the Units arrive in the mail.

I have been laughing all day about this. It's like something out of Catch-22.

That is good news for you. I know it will work out well and you can be proud of your teaching.

Thanks, Susan.

I'm glad you're laughing instead of crying or screaming! Good on ye. And thank you very much for the update.

Phil wrote: "Update:

I complained to everyone who would listen. I dug deep into research and sent the findings to my Curriculum Director.

I had a meeting with the CD today. She surprised me by offering a choi..."

Glad you finally had some good news and let's hope ti stays that way.

Good grief! It sounds like a good compromise. The CD gets to save face by pretending she knew what she was talking about and you get to continue doing teaching in a way that won't scare the children away from reading.