Build on Best Practice, Know the Research , and Use Programs as a Resource

At the beginning of this chapter the author is talking to a group of frustrated teachers at a reading conference.   The teachers were frustrated because although they felt they knew what their students needed, they were mandated by the school where they were teaching at to teach a particular structured and scripted program.  They were mandated to use this programs because it was a scientifically, research-based program that was guaranteed to help their students succeed and was promoted by the National Reading Panel.  Now this next part really surprised me, the professionals who serve on the National Reading Panel only include one middle school reading teacher, the additional members are a physicist, a chancellor, an educational psychologist, an accountant and several other members who have never taught or have much experience in a classroom!  They use a scientific process to analyze data and as teachers very well know when it comes to a classroom, every classroom, every day is a different group of children and different circumstances.

When looking for a new reading program to adopt be involved and look at the research, just because a company says that the program is research based doesn’t necessarily mean that the research took occurred with English Language Learners, struggling students or students with disabilities.  It may just have occurred with normal progressing students.

In addition to basal reading programs, the trend is to purchase software for tens of thousands of dollars were students read leveled books, then are tested for comprehension on the computer.  When students were asked in-depth or open-ended questions about the book they were unable to answer the questions.  Also, using a program where students receive points for correctly answering questions gives students extrinsic motivation for reading.  Instead students should be intrinsically motivated and read for the joy of reading and learning.  Teachers may use these computerized programs as a supplement to the reading program, but it should in no way be the reading program.

An effective reading program is led by effective teachers whose students:

·         Spend about 50 percent of their time reading and writing,

·         Spend enormous amounts of time reading texts which are easy so they can read successfully with fluency, accuracy and comprehension.

·         Receive well crafted, explicit demonstrations during all aspects of reading, including independent, small group and whole group instruction.

·         Are involved in open-ended talk about a book that is conversational rather than interrogational.

·         Are assigned meaningful and challenging tasks which students have choice and integrate several content areas.

·         Work is evaluate more on improvement and effort than achievement using a rubric that students were involved in creating.

Routman ends the book with a reminder that we need not only need to take the time to ensure that every precious moment we spend with our students is valuable, educational, and ensuring their success, but we also need to take time for ourselves and our families.  Coordinate your classroom schedule so that students are doing more reading and getting more out of their reading.  Remember, more worksheets does not necessarily mean students are learning more.