Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #41 – February 27, 2010
This week we will read about our fourth and final candidate for National Teacher of the Year. Let’s continue our quest to find qualities great teachers have that mediocre teachers don't. What are the unique attributes that make these teachers truly outstanding? It is my hope that as we learn from “the best of the best,” we will find at least some of the connecting threads, binding certain qualities and beliefs into something that will clarify our understanding of what makes these individuals truly special and a cut above. Ideally, as we discover these threads, we will be motivated to take our teaching up to a higher level.
Our final candidate is Cynthia Cole Rigsbee.
Cynthia Cole Rigsbee-2009 North Carolina Teacher of the Year
Rigsbee is a sixth through eighth-grade reading teacher at Gravelly Hill Middle School in Efland, North Carolina. She has been an educator at Gravelly Hill, a school of 470 students, for the past three of her 21 years serving as a teacher.
"Teachers are professionals and our citizens need to be aware of the tremendous effort and purposeful thought that go into our jobs daily. And teachers need to better understand how to market themselves and their schools. Sure, attire is important for the "look" of a professional. But what we say when we are in the grocery store and around the neighborhood pool has a great deal of impact on how the public perceives us. Any negativity must stop at the schoolhouse door and be remedied in the important collaboration that occurs in Professional Learning Communities. And as we shift the thinking of others about what we do, eventually we'll influence the thinking of legislators and others who impact education policy."
Ms. Cole is a true professional and she urges all teachers to behave in like manner. Many teachers forget the fact their role in the community is similar to that of a preacher or even a city council member. Indeed, many parents and neighbors view teachers as opinion leaders and as cornerstones of the community. When teachers complain in public or make off-handed remarks about the “horrible kids” they have to deal with everyday, what message does that send to the neighbors? When teachers complain about the stupidity of their boss (the principal) or of the lack of equipment and the poor facilities they have to work with, what is the interpretation going on in the minds of those listening? Should teachers openly convey an attitude of bitterness and inability to cope? As Mary Engelbreit said, “If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. “ Teachers must promote themselves and their career as one of hard-working professionals full of hope and with a large dose of optimism. They alone have been given the wonderful opportunity to change the future for the better by molding one student at a time into the very best he or she can be. Only when teachers stop publicly behaving like disgruntled street urchins, and start behaving like professionals will they get the respect they deserve. Only then will legislators take teachers seriously and become advocates for public education. "People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Worship," The Conduct of Life, 1860
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Teacher of the Year Candidate #3
Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #40 – February 20, 2010
Welcome to week three of our review of nominees for National Teacher of the Year. With our attention focused on those attributes great teachers seem to wield that good teachers don't. I am pleased to introduce our next candidate for this prestigious honor.
Please meet Anthony Mullen, the third finalist for 2009. The quoted italicized text includes excerpts from the finalist’s applications for National Teacher of the Year.
Anthony Mullen—2009 Connecticut Teacher of the Year
Mullen is a ninth through twelfth-grade special education teacher at ARCH School in Greenwich, Connecticut. He has taught at this school of 35 students for six of his seven years in the education profession.
"The greatest institution for social change is the school and the greatest instrument of change is the teacher. Schools are the catalyst for human progress because the dissemination of knowledge has created the world in which we live. Everything you see is the direct result of teachers spreading knowledge to vast amounts of people. The building you presently inhabit is a masterpiece of acquired knowledge: architecture, engineering, physics, chemistry, and the sum of skills and technologies taught in our schools. Your ability to read and write can be traced back to your first grade teacher and, no doubt, your professional success is equal in measure to the number of years spent in a classroom. Great societies have always valued education and understood the critical role schools and teachers play in the success or failure of its people."
Mr. Mullen’s statements are packed to the brim with powerful and thought-provoking words. How many of us have actually thought about the school’s role as the greatest agent “for social change,” and the teacher as “the greatest instrument of change?” These are two all encompassing and crucial components of our society, educators are responsible for. Yet, schools and teachers everywhere, every day, take on this challenge. Anthony takes us on a journey back in time, not only our own lifetime, but through the evolution of the great cultures and civilizations of our entire world. He reminds us that most of the knowledge used to create all the technological, scientific and artistic marvels throughout time have been the direct or indirect result of great teachers. Those of you able to read this and think about it right now, undoubtedly have a teacher to thank for that gift. How much greater could our community, our society at large, our country be, if our leaders recognized and supported the significant role teachers play in “the success or failure of its people?” I applaud Mr. Mullen’s advocacy of the teaching profession. It is because of teachers with his strength and vision, great things are still happening in our American free educational system for all.
"In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something else." — Lee Iacocca
Welcome to week three of our review of nominees for National Teacher of the Year. With our attention focused on those attributes great teachers seem to wield that good teachers don't. I am pleased to introduce our next candidate for this prestigious honor.
Please meet Anthony Mullen, the third finalist for 2009. The quoted italicized text includes excerpts from the finalist’s applications for National Teacher of the Year.
Anthony Mullen—2009 Connecticut Teacher of the Year
Mullen is a ninth through twelfth-grade special education teacher at ARCH School in Greenwich, Connecticut. He has taught at this school of 35 students for six of his seven years in the education profession.
"The greatest institution for social change is the school and the greatest instrument of change is the teacher. Schools are the catalyst for human progress because the dissemination of knowledge has created the world in which we live. Everything you see is the direct result of teachers spreading knowledge to vast amounts of people. The building you presently inhabit is a masterpiece of acquired knowledge: architecture, engineering, physics, chemistry, and the sum of skills and technologies taught in our schools. Your ability to read and write can be traced back to your first grade teacher and, no doubt, your professional success is equal in measure to the number of years spent in a classroom. Great societies have always valued education and understood the critical role schools and teachers play in the success or failure of its people."
Mr. Mullen’s statements are packed to the brim with powerful and thought-provoking words. How many of us have actually thought about the school’s role as the greatest agent “for social change,” and the teacher as “the greatest instrument of change?” These are two all encompassing and crucial components of our society, educators are responsible for. Yet, schools and teachers everywhere, every day, take on this challenge. Anthony takes us on a journey back in time, not only our own lifetime, but through the evolution of the great cultures and civilizations of our entire world. He reminds us that most of the knowledge used to create all the technological, scientific and artistic marvels throughout time have been the direct or indirect result of great teachers. Those of you able to read this and think about it right now, undoubtedly have a teacher to thank for that gift. How much greater could our community, our society at large, our country be, if our leaders recognized and supported the significant role teachers play in “the success or failure of its people?” I applaud Mr. Mullen’s advocacy of the teaching profession. It is because of teachers with his strength and vision, great things are still happening in our American free educational system for all.
"In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something else." — Lee Iacocca
Saturday, February 13, 2010
WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEACHER GREAT? Part II
Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #39 – February 13, 2010
As promised last week, we will continue our investigation as to what great teachers do that good teachers don't do. We will look at what sets these outstanding teachers apart from the rest.
This week we’ll be learning about our second candidate for the honor of receiving the "National Teacher of the Year" award. Let us continue to focus on the connecting threads binding certain qualities and beliefs into something that will clarify our understanding of what makes these individuals truly special and a cut above. Once again, it is my hope, as you discover these threads, you will be motivated to take your teaching up a level.
I am pleased to introduce the second finalist for 2009. The quoted italicized text includes excerpts from the finalist’s applications for National Teacher of the Year.
Susan Elliott—2009 Colorado Teacher of the Year. Ms. Elliott is a ninth through twelfth grade English and social studies teacher at Highlands Ranch High School in Highland Ranch, Colorado. She has taught for 31 years, the last six at Highlands Ranch High School, which has 1,690 students.
"To meet students’ needs, teachers must seize every opportunity to continue their professional development, maximize our students' time, and cover the essentials of a guaranteed and viable curriculum. To do this we must make cross-curricular connections, use integrated technology, and protect our instructional time. We are on the front lines; we touch the future everyday in our classrooms. We must secure support from the media and policymakers at every level to create strong learning communities. Well-prepared teachers are the most valuable resource we can provide young people. Teachers have the power to positively influence student achievement in schools organized for success regardless of income, background or ethnic identity."
Ms. Elliot knows the significance continued and relevant professional development has for teachers. There are always new techniques and ideas to learn about that can make a huge difference in one’s teaching; and thus in the impact one will have on students. Susan demonstrates how much she values protecting each instructional minute. Each minute is important as the total minutes used wisely add up to many hours of important learning for our students, while wasted minutes add up to a huge disservice to them. By making cross-curricular connections, not only is she able to cover more than one subject area at a time, she is also showing students in real-time that in real life, many courses of study interact as we deal with them in our daily lives. Using integrated technology is a must in today’s cyber-world. Students must be proficient in computer skills, and using the Internet in any career path they wish to pursue. Gaining support from the media and policymakers is critical. We need some powerful forces such as Ms. Elliot to contact local media and “tell the story” of great things going on in the classroom. Susan is right in her statement, “ Well-prepared teachers are the most valuable resource we can provide young people.” She personally wants to give the very best she can in order to empower her students to be successful in life.
As promised last week, we will continue our investigation as to what great teachers do that good teachers don't do. We will look at what sets these outstanding teachers apart from the rest.
This week we’ll be learning about our second candidate for the honor of receiving the "National Teacher of the Year" award. Let us continue to focus on the connecting threads binding certain qualities and beliefs into something that will clarify our understanding of what makes these individuals truly special and a cut above. Once again, it is my hope, as you discover these threads, you will be motivated to take your teaching up a level.
I am pleased to introduce the second finalist for 2009. The quoted italicized text includes excerpts from the finalist’s applications for National Teacher of the Year.
Susan Elliott—2009 Colorado Teacher of the Year. Ms. Elliott is a ninth through twelfth grade English and social studies teacher at Highlands Ranch High School in Highland Ranch, Colorado. She has taught for 31 years, the last six at Highlands Ranch High School, which has 1,690 students.
"To meet students’ needs, teachers must seize every opportunity to continue their professional development, maximize our students' time, and cover the essentials of a guaranteed and viable curriculum. To do this we must make cross-curricular connections, use integrated technology, and protect our instructional time. We are on the front lines; we touch the future everyday in our classrooms. We must secure support from the media and policymakers at every level to create strong learning communities. Well-prepared teachers are the most valuable resource we can provide young people. Teachers have the power to positively influence student achievement in schools organized for success regardless of income, background or ethnic identity."
Ms. Elliot knows the significance continued and relevant professional development has for teachers. There are always new techniques and ideas to learn about that can make a huge difference in one’s teaching; and thus in the impact one will have on students. Susan demonstrates how much she values protecting each instructional minute. Each minute is important as the total minutes used wisely add up to many hours of important learning for our students, while wasted minutes add up to a huge disservice to them. By making cross-curricular connections, not only is she able to cover more than one subject area at a time, she is also showing students in real-time that in real life, many courses of study interact as we deal with them in our daily lives. Using integrated technology is a must in today’s cyber-world. Students must be proficient in computer skills, and using the Internet in any career path they wish to pursue. Gaining support from the media and policymakers is critical. We need some powerful forces such as Ms. Elliot to contact local media and “tell the story” of great things going on in the classroom. Susan is right in her statement, “ Well-prepared teachers are the most valuable resource we can provide young people.” She personally wants to give the very best she can in order to empower her students to be successful in life.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEACHER GREAT?
What Makes A Good Teacher Great?
What do great teachers do that good teachers don't do? What are the unique attributes that make them truly outstanding? Each week, for the next four weeks, we’re going to examine one recipient of the "National Teacher of the Year" award. As we do, I believe you will find the connecting threads binding certain qualities and beliefs into something that will clarify our understanding of what makes these individuals truly special and a cut above. It is my hope, as you discover these threads, you will be motivated to take your teaching up a level.
I am pleased to introduce the first finalist for 2009. The quoted italicized text includes excerpts from the finalist’s applications for National Teacher of the Year.
Alex Kajitani—2009 California Teacher of the Year
Kajitani is an eighth grade mathematics teacher at Mission Middle School in Escondido, California. He has taught a total of nine years and been an educator at Mission, a school of 1,021 students, for four years.
"Teaching is not just what we do; it is what we are. We are a group of dedicated, passionate professionals who enter our classrooms each morning not only to teach our students about the world as it is, but for the world as it can be. We live on a planet shaped by war, hunger, disease, and the destruction of our environment. Yet we also live in a world in which we, as educators, can invoke in our students the determination and knowledge to create peace, equity, and compassion. As educators, we are not accomplishing this alone in our classrooms, standing in front of students and desks. By being teachers, and embodying the commitment that is inherent to living and working as teachers, we are inspiring, creating, and invoking in our students the pride and confidence to make this world a better place. Above all, we are doing it together."
This middle school math teacher is connecting the classroom with the world as it is. He embodies dedication, caring and determination, qualities many of his students will assimilate from his example. He is telling his students, they are the ones that can change it and he inspires them to eventually believe him. To equip them, he invokes pride and confidence, shows them the door and says, "I'm expecting great things from you. Go out there an do something great."
I’m going to continue digesting his powerful words and look forward to the additional insights we will review from the remaining three candidates.
I would love to receive your thoughts on each candidate.
What do great teachers do that good teachers don't do? What are the unique attributes that make them truly outstanding? Each week, for the next four weeks, we’re going to examine one recipient of the "National Teacher of the Year" award. As we do, I believe you will find the connecting threads binding certain qualities and beliefs into something that will clarify our understanding of what makes these individuals truly special and a cut above. It is my hope, as you discover these threads, you will be motivated to take your teaching up a level.
I am pleased to introduce the first finalist for 2009. The quoted italicized text includes excerpts from the finalist’s applications for National Teacher of the Year.
Alex Kajitani—2009 California Teacher of the Year
Kajitani is an eighth grade mathematics teacher at Mission Middle School in Escondido, California. He has taught a total of nine years and been an educator at Mission, a school of 1,021 students, for four years.
"Teaching is not just what we do; it is what we are. We are a group of dedicated, passionate professionals who enter our classrooms each morning not only to teach our students about the world as it is, but for the world as it can be. We live on a planet shaped by war, hunger, disease, and the destruction of our environment. Yet we also live in a world in which we, as educators, can invoke in our students the determination and knowledge to create peace, equity, and compassion. As educators, we are not accomplishing this alone in our classrooms, standing in front of students and desks. By being teachers, and embodying the commitment that is inherent to living and working as teachers, we are inspiring, creating, and invoking in our students the pride and confidence to make this world a better place. Above all, we are doing it together."
This middle school math teacher is connecting the classroom with the world as it is. He embodies dedication, caring and determination, qualities many of his students will assimilate from his example. He is telling his students, they are the ones that can change it and he inspires them to eventually believe him. To equip them, he invokes pride and confidence, shows them the door and says, "I'm expecting great things from you. Go out there an do something great."
I’m going to continue digesting his powerful words and look forward to the additional insights we will review from the remaining three candidates.
I would love to receive your thoughts on each candidate.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
TURN READING INTO MAGIC WITH "READERS' THEATER"
Dr. Wendy Ghiora - Posting #37 - January 24, 2010
What exactly is Readers’ Theater, you ask? It is an activity where students, while reading directly from scripts, can tell a story in a very entertaining form, without props, costumes, or sets. Students are not asked to memorize their lines; since they read from a text. They are definitely encouraged to “ham it up,” and use vocal expression, intonation, facial expression and gestures appropriate to their characters and their characters’ words. The performance that ensues becomes a “magical moment.”
Is Readers’ Theater a waste of time or is it productive; will it help students learn? Following are some arguments for the latter.
1.Fluency: Readers Theater provides repeated reading practice- an important factor in building fluency (prosody, word attack, comprehension and accuracy) Repeated reading practice also improves students’ confidence in, and enthusiasm for reading. Students are so thrilled at their newfound skill; they ask to perform for the younger students.
2.Self-Esteem: Readers’ Theater provides a wonderful opportunity for children who are used to feelings of failure, to provide outstanding entertainment for others.
3.Variety: The use of Readers Theatre can offer a different context in which students are exposed to texts focusing on poetry, science, social studies, or other content-related topics.
4.Comprehension: Readers Theatre is another way to enhance comprehension of text, as well as to create interest in and enthusiasm for learning. When text is read orally, within the context of an actual performance, meaning and understanding come alive in a new and “magical” way.
Here are some simple steps to use in order to bring the Magic of Readers’ Theater to your students:
Reader's Theater: A Quick Guide
Here is a suggested weekly plan to roll out your Readers Theater Program from Dr. Tim Rasinski, Professor of Reading at Kent State University
The Week Before: Before the week begins, choose a script or prepare one based on a text. Make copies for the group, two for each member.
Monday: On Monday, discuss the purpose and procedures for Reader’s Theater with the class/group. Assign students parts by having them volunteer or audition. Practice needs to be done aloud and also silently.
Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday: On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, have students practice their parts in class, on their own, in their groups and at home. This activity can also been done during center time or as part of an anchor activity.
Friday: Friday is performance day. Students can read/perform their scripts for an audience of classmates, parents, or even the principal. Remember, this is not a performance based on memorization. They are reading the script they have practiced over the week.
The Power of Reader's Theater
How can you magically make dramatic changes in kids' fluency, writing, listening, and social skills?
As you observe very young children at play, you’ll notice quite naturally, they invent characters, scenes, and stories, infusing their creations with expressive voices and invented dialogue. Settings are developed; dramatic conflicts arise and are solved. “Readers’ Theater” provides a similar experience.
Drama, as many teachers are discovering, is not only fun and natural for children, it also promotes self-confidence, motivation, and engagement. One form of drama, known as Reader's Theater, has been found to be particularly effective in building reading fluency. Called simply "RT" by many advocates, Reader's Theater can also boost listening and speaking skills and magically transform reluctant readers into book lovers.
Tim Rasinski, a professor at Kent State University, in Kent, Ohio, points out that "research has demonstrated that practiced reading or repeated reading does lead to significant gains in fluency, which is a key element in effective reading programs."
Building fluency is one of the five major dictates set up in Reading First, part of the No Child Left Behind Act. Put Reading First, a booklet published by the U.S. Department of Education et al (2001), states that "Readers' theatre provides readers with a legitimate reason to reread text and to practice fluency. [RT] also promotes cooperative interaction with peers and makes the reading task appealing."
How to get started
The best news about Reader's Theater is it does not require extensive preparation, fancy costumes, props, sets, or memorization. While staged plays might be limited by a school's budget or supplies, RT is limited only by one’s imagination, and determination to “make magic” happen in the classroom. It's also especially nice for the shy student or teacher, because you have a script in front of you — kind of nice to hide behind — and that gives you a sense of security.
Since kids need to understand and become comfortable with the format of a script, using a prepared script is the best way to start. Finding one is easy — there are numerous free scripts available online and in books. It’s best to start with short scripts — no more than two or three pages.
Most teachers find that even the most resistant readers practice their RT scripts as if they were doing a full-time job — and one that they love. "Most children have a desire to perform and express themselves orally," says Rasinski. RT gives them the opportunity to do so.
Mack Lewis, a third- and fourth-grade teacher from Central Point, Oregon, writes "Because we've inadvertently trained kids that books should only be read once...few second graders will read Stellaluna more than once or twice. Give kids a script and schedule a public performance, however, and they'll be more than happy to read and reread it 20 to 30 times. Twenty to 30 times!" Lewis, who has won national attention for his method of using drama to meet the standards in reading and history, explains that plays are the perfect format to teach repetitive reading. Kids don't resist it because they don't see it as a chore. Before they even know it, they gain mastery over the text. And their confidence grows immeasurably. He’s using the “magic” of Readers’ Theater to teach fluency.
Performing
The simplest way to perform Reader's Theater, explains teacher, Rick Swallow, is for the teacher to "assign parts and simply have the students stand in a straight line at the front of the room, facing the audience, parts in hand to read when it is their time." Some teachers like kids to stand as they read their parts. Music stands can be a nice addition, leaving kids' hands free to turn pages and gesticulate.
Once you have your makeshift stage set up, kids take turns reading their lines with as much creative expression as they can. It's that simple. However, kids need to be aware of one another and to listen respectfully.
RT and Emotional Needs
Another boon of RT is its ability to promote and develop interpersonal, social, and collaborative skills. Sometimes overcoming shyness and mastering reading can come together in one magical confluence. Another teacher, Ms. Stern remembers the moment it happened for one emotionally disturbed third grader, a nonreader who "would always sit on the periphery when the rest of the class did scripts on stage. He absolutely refused to participate."
By the next year, she recalls, the child had "edged in slightly toward the stage. He'd started to pay attention." Edging in closer all the while, the child finally reached fifth grade and, almost overnight, became "a full and active participant in the theater activities." More important, he had suddenly become a reader.
"This child looked up at me with a smile," recalls Stern. "He knew what he'd done, and he was so proud. He had broken the code to reading. Truly, this child had blossomed forth from nothing."
Conclusion
Students become excited and enthusiastic about reading when they are presented with the opportunity to participate in Readers Theatre. This activity affords students the opportunity to develop fluency and further enhance comprehension of what they are reading. It makes the reading experience “magical.”
Much of the data in this posting was culled from an article by Jennifer O. Prescott the managing editor of Instructor. The article was originally published in the January/February 2003 issue.
What exactly is Readers’ Theater, you ask? It is an activity where students, while reading directly from scripts, can tell a story in a very entertaining form, without props, costumes, or sets. Students are not asked to memorize their lines; since they read from a text. They are definitely encouraged to “ham it up,” and use vocal expression, intonation, facial expression and gestures appropriate to their characters and their characters’ words. The performance that ensues becomes a “magical moment.”
Is Readers’ Theater a waste of time or is it productive; will it help students learn? Following are some arguments for the latter.
1.Fluency: Readers Theater provides repeated reading practice- an important factor in building fluency (prosody, word attack, comprehension and accuracy) Repeated reading practice also improves students’ confidence in, and enthusiasm for reading. Students are so thrilled at their newfound skill; they ask to perform for the younger students.
2.Self-Esteem: Readers’ Theater provides a wonderful opportunity for children who are used to feelings of failure, to provide outstanding entertainment for others.
3.Variety: The use of Readers Theatre can offer a different context in which students are exposed to texts focusing on poetry, science, social studies, or other content-related topics.
4.Comprehension: Readers Theatre is another way to enhance comprehension of text, as well as to create interest in and enthusiasm for learning. When text is read orally, within the context of an actual performance, meaning and understanding come alive in a new and “magical” way.
Here are some simple steps to use in order to bring the Magic of Readers’ Theater to your students:
Reader's Theater: A Quick Guide
Here is a suggested weekly plan to roll out your Readers Theater Program from Dr. Tim Rasinski, Professor of Reading at Kent State University
The Week Before: Before the week begins, choose a script or prepare one based on a text. Make copies for the group, two for each member.
Monday: On Monday, discuss the purpose and procedures for Reader’s Theater with the class/group. Assign students parts by having them volunteer or audition. Practice needs to be done aloud and also silently.
Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday: On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, have students practice their parts in class, on their own, in their groups and at home. This activity can also been done during center time or as part of an anchor activity.
Friday: Friday is performance day. Students can read/perform their scripts for an audience of classmates, parents, or even the principal. Remember, this is not a performance based on memorization. They are reading the script they have practiced over the week.
The Power of Reader's Theater
How can you magically make dramatic changes in kids' fluency, writing, listening, and social skills?
As you observe very young children at play, you’ll notice quite naturally, they invent characters, scenes, and stories, infusing their creations with expressive voices and invented dialogue. Settings are developed; dramatic conflicts arise and are solved. “Readers’ Theater” provides a similar experience.
Drama, as many teachers are discovering, is not only fun and natural for children, it also promotes self-confidence, motivation, and engagement. One form of drama, known as Reader's Theater, has been found to be particularly effective in building reading fluency. Called simply "RT" by many advocates, Reader's Theater can also boost listening and speaking skills and magically transform reluctant readers into book lovers.
Tim Rasinski, a professor at Kent State University, in Kent, Ohio, points out that "research has demonstrated that practiced reading or repeated reading does lead to significant gains in fluency, which is a key element in effective reading programs."
Building fluency is one of the five major dictates set up in Reading First, part of the No Child Left Behind Act. Put Reading First, a booklet published by the U.S. Department of Education et al (2001), states that "Readers' theatre provides readers with a legitimate reason to reread text and to practice fluency. [RT] also promotes cooperative interaction with peers and makes the reading task appealing."
How to get started
The best news about Reader's Theater is it does not require extensive preparation, fancy costumes, props, sets, or memorization. While staged plays might be limited by a school's budget or supplies, RT is limited only by one’s imagination, and determination to “make magic” happen in the classroom. It's also especially nice for the shy student or teacher, because you have a script in front of you — kind of nice to hide behind — and that gives you a sense of security.
Since kids need to understand and become comfortable with the format of a script, using a prepared script is the best way to start. Finding one is easy — there are numerous free scripts available online and in books. It’s best to start with short scripts — no more than two or three pages.
Most teachers find that even the most resistant readers practice their RT scripts as if they were doing a full-time job — and one that they love. "Most children have a desire to perform and express themselves orally," says Rasinski. RT gives them the opportunity to do so.
Mack Lewis, a third- and fourth-grade teacher from Central Point, Oregon, writes "Because we've inadvertently trained kids that books should only be read once...few second graders will read Stellaluna more than once or twice. Give kids a script and schedule a public performance, however, and they'll be more than happy to read and reread it 20 to 30 times. Twenty to 30 times!" Lewis, who has won national attention for his method of using drama to meet the standards in reading and history, explains that plays are the perfect format to teach repetitive reading. Kids don't resist it because they don't see it as a chore. Before they even know it, they gain mastery over the text. And their confidence grows immeasurably. He’s using the “magic” of Readers’ Theater to teach fluency.
Performing
The simplest way to perform Reader's Theater, explains teacher, Rick Swallow, is for the teacher to "assign parts and simply have the students stand in a straight line at the front of the room, facing the audience, parts in hand to read when it is their time." Some teachers like kids to stand as they read their parts. Music stands can be a nice addition, leaving kids' hands free to turn pages and gesticulate.
Once you have your makeshift stage set up, kids take turns reading their lines with as much creative expression as they can. It's that simple. However, kids need to be aware of one another and to listen respectfully.
RT and Emotional Needs
Another boon of RT is its ability to promote and develop interpersonal, social, and collaborative skills. Sometimes overcoming shyness and mastering reading can come together in one magical confluence. Another teacher, Ms. Stern remembers the moment it happened for one emotionally disturbed third grader, a nonreader who "would always sit on the periphery when the rest of the class did scripts on stage. He absolutely refused to participate."
By the next year, she recalls, the child had "edged in slightly toward the stage. He'd started to pay attention." Edging in closer all the while, the child finally reached fifth grade and, almost overnight, became "a full and active participant in the theater activities." More important, he had suddenly become a reader.
"This child looked up at me with a smile," recalls Stern. "He knew what he'd done, and he was so proud. He had broken the code to reading. Truly, this child had blossomed forth from nothing."
Conclusion
Students become excited and enthusiastic about reading when they are presented with the opportunity to participate in Readers Theatre. This activity affords students the opportunity to develop fluency and further enhance comprehension of what they are reading. It makes the reading experience “magical.”
Much of the data in this posting was culled from an article by Jennifer O. Prescott the managing editor of Instructor. The article was originally published in the January/February 2003 issue.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
TURN YOUR TEACHING INTO MAGIC PART 2
Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #36 – January 16, 2010
In the previous posting we looked at the value of adding a bit of magic to your teaching repertoire. The example given was a card trick, (used to teach a simple Algebraic formula), which is a sure fire way to grab anyone’s attention, especially a classroom full of curious children. When you have students focused, magic becomes an excellent vehicle that can be used to teach a wide variety of subjects. This week, I would like to feature a gentleman whose use of magic, sparks great enthusiasm and interest in learning science.
Alan McCormack, a San Diego State University professor teaches the principles of convection currents, static electricity, basic chemistry and engineering to elementary school science classes using magic, and has mentored student teachers in his methods.
Recently, Professor McCormack watched as three elementary school students poured vials of colored liquid labeled “stink of a thousand frogs,” “kisses of a princess giant,” and “tears of a unicorn” into a black caldron. Then, McCormack himself added the final ingredient – a pinch of “ground dragon’s bones.”
Next, McCormack covered the caldron with a plate, turned it upside down and set it on top of a student’s head. When he slid out the plate, the caldron was empty.
“We made a nothing potion,” the professor told 75 third, fourth and fifth graders, seated on mats on the floor of the school auditorium. (The magic used in this trick will be explained at the end)…
McCormack calls his presentation, “Science of the Magic from Hogwart’s Academy,” cleverly based on the Harry Potter novels. He gives these performances at schools and science fairs both locally and nationally.
The Professor has been honing his sleight-of-hand skills for several decades. As a former junior high teacher, he tried everything to engage his students, including playing the banjo, singing and drama. He makes many of his own props. He is happy to have finally discovered what he considers to be perhaps the greatest “hook,” magic.
Many kids think science is kind of boring. When the Harry Potter phenomenon entered the scene, McCormack blended its story into his show. McCormack’s techniques enhance the joy of learning about science both for students and teachers.
At the end of his magic and science show, McCormack explains that the powder he sprinkled into the caldron was actually sodium polyacrylate, a substance used in disposable diapers, which sucked up the liquid and adhered to the inside of the caldron.
Just think of all the other scientific principles that can be taught with such “charm.” Once you have the students’ attention totally focused on you, the possibilities of what they can learn are endless. Try using a little magic in your classroom. It will open new windows of wonder for your students.
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” Roald Dahl - Author
In the previous posting we looked at the value of adding a bit of magic to your teaching repertoire. The example given was a card trick, (used to teach a simple Algebraic formula), which is a sure fire way to grab anyone’s attention, especially a classroom full of curious children. When you have students focused, magic becomes an excellent vehicle that can be used to teach a wide variety of subjects. This week, I would like to feature a gentleman whose use of magic, sparks great enthusiasm and interest in learning science.
Alan McCormack, a San Diego State University professor teaches the principles of convection currents, static electricity, basic chemistry and engineering to elementary school science classes using magic, and has mentored student teachers in his methods.
Recently, Professor McCormack watched as three elementary school students poured vials of colored liquid labeled “stink of a thousand frogs,” “kisses of a princess giant,” and “tears of a unicorn” into a black caldron. Then, McCormack himself added the final ingredient – a pinch of “ground dragon’s bones.”
Next, McCormack covered the caldron with a plate, turned it upside down and set it on top of a student’s head. When he slid out the plate, the caldron was empty.
“We made a nothing potion,” the professor told 75 third, fourth and fifth graders, seated on mats on the floor of the school auditorium. (The magic used in this trick will be explained at the end)…
McCormack calls his presentation, “Science of the Magic from Hogwart’s Academy,” cleverly based on the Harry Potter novels. He gives these performances at schools and science fairs both locally and nationally.
The Professor has been honing his sleight-of-hand skills for several decades. As a former junior high teacher, he tried everything to engage his students, including playing the banjo, singing and drama. He makes many of his own props. He is happy to have finally discovered what he considers to be perhaps the greatest “hook,” magic.
Many kids think science is kind of boring. When the Harry Potter phenomenon entered the scene, McCormack blended its story into his show. McCormack’s techniques enhance the joy of learning about science both for students and teachers.
At the end of his magic and science show, McCormack explains that the powder he sprinkled into the caldron was actually sodium polyacrylate, a substance used in disposable diapers, which sucked up the liquid and adhered to the inside of the caldron.
Just think of all the other scientific principles that can be taught with such “charm.” Once you have the students’ attention totally focused on you, the possibilities of what they can learn are endless. Try using a little magic in your classroom. It will open new windows of wonder for your students.
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” Roald Dahl - Author
Saturday, January 2, 2010
TURN YOUR TEACHING INTO MAGIC
Dr. Wendy Ghiora – Posting #35 – January 2, 2010
Let’s start the New Year right by making magic in your classroom. The other day, it occurred to me, there is a definite similarity between being a magician and teaching. I know what you’re thinking. “Yeah, you have to be a magician to get kids to learn anything these days!” And you would be correct in a way.
What is one of the big differences between a great teacher and a mediocre teacher? Actually, it’s the same as the difference between a great magician and a mediocre magician. Most teachers have the same basic knowledge to present to students in a similar way that all magicians have the same basic illusions to demonstrate. The thing that makes a magician great is how the illusion is presented. The same is true in teaching.
Take a moment right now and recall the last time you watched a magic trick being performed. Many of us have seen live magic shows or the ones now shown on TV. As the anticipation grows, so does our interest. Our eyes are glued to the performer as we try to see how the trick is really done. Then, when the magic happens, we think, “How did he do that?”
A good lesson is like a good magic trick. Great magicians begin enticing their audience well before the illusion is performed. They use riddles, magical sounding words, and speak as though they are talking to you as a member of the audience, personally. Basically, they build up the interest and anticipation, thus gaining the audience’s complete attention. This is called “The Hook,” and can be applied similarly to a teaching lesson.
In teaching, a “hook” can be an interesting story, a joke, a riddle, or a video clip. The key is that it grabs the students’ attention and is somehow linked to the lesson at hand.
Once the “hook” takes hold, you can launch into your magical teaching presentation. Magic can be used in several teaching disciplines. Here is one example. Tell your math class they are about to see how an Algebraic Formula can be used to perform a magic trick.
Magic Card Trick
1.
Hand your friend a stack of twenty-one playing cards. Instruct them to pick one out, without showing or telling you which card they chose, and to place the card back into the stack at random.
2.
Deal the cards out face-up in three columns, working row-by-row (1st column-2nd column-3rd column, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, etc). You should have three columns of seven cards in front of you. Have your friend tell you which pile contains their card (without telling you which card it is, of course).
3.
Gather the three columns into one stack of cards again. This time, be sure to put the pile that holds their card in the middle of the three piles. For example, if the first pile contained their card, then you could pick up the third pile first, then the first pile (containing the card) and then the second pile—or the second pile, then the first, then the third. It is very important that the pile containing their card goes into the middle.
4.
Repeat the past two steps two more times. When done, you will have dealt the cards out a total of 3 times. If you have done the card trick correctly their card with be the 11th card in the pile of cards. Do not flip the deck over at the end, or else you won't be correct.
Your amazed students may ask you how you did this. You can tell them, "it was magic;" or, you could explain the simple math that makes it work. Each time you deal out the cards, you are dividing the placement of the card. By the third time, you have gotten the card into the middle of the pile. Thus, you are able to tell where their card will be every time.
The formula is Y=(X + 1)/2, where X is the number of cards and Y is the placement of the card in the pile after the 3rd deal. In this case, since X is 21, Y = 22/2 = 11.
To add to the lesson, before revealing the “magic” formula, divide the class up into groups and see which group can figure out how the trick works. It’s up to you, which clues you give them to get them started.
The magic “trick” is just one example. Magic comes in many forms. Tune in next week for more ways magic can be used as an enchanting learning and teaching tool.
A lesson presented the right way, like a magic trick performed well, leaves your students with a sense of wonder. Teachers, use your great and enchanting presentation skills, and create some magic in your classroom!
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