I found it interesting how our discussion about children in the city always having a television to watch and Britton's spectator and participant roles seemed to overlap. Was this done on purpose?
In response to last weeks discussion I have to agree with Robin's thinking in that just watching television and hearing vocabulary is a far cry from having someone there to correct you. Actively Particpating is one of the best ways to remember how to do something. Sitting back and being a couch potato is no guarentee for improving vocabulary.
These 22 pages were packed with so much that I could go on forever, but I will try to limit my reaction. The section entitled Young Fluent Writers caught my attention because I recently talked to the Kindergarten teachers about what their students are required to do by mid-year. Read 70 words and write 10 sentences were two requirements that captured my attention. Many of their students come to school without the knowledge of what a letter is or that it makes a sound. Unless our Kindergarten teachers are miracle workers I don't see this as being an attainable goal considering the fact there are 26 students and one teacher per class. Vygotsky said, "Instead of being founded on the needs of children as they naturally develop and on their own activity, writing is given to them from without, from the teacher's hands (Vygotsky, p. 105). It seems, unfortunately our schools are forgetting about developmently appropriate practices and more worried about product.
1 comment:
I know my son's kindergarten class had to know 100 sight words by the end of the year. I am certain most, if not all, did. I also must confess his teacher was really a miracle worker. However, I also know that that requirement has doubled since. I won't know how successful they are until my daughter goes, and who knows what will be expected then.
It seems interesting, the great teachers meet all the highfalutin requests made by admin, only to be met with more and more... there must be a great impact on teachers and students alike, but how positive is it?
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