Readicide - Chapter 4

I like the "Big Chunk / Little Chunk" philosophy presented in chapter 4 of readicide.  Having students read through a text first gives them the opportunity to get a general knowledge and understanding of the text and what it is about and it also allows them to form their own opinions and think about what they'd like to know more about.  Then by rereading specific excerpts that the teacher thinks are important is good because it allows them to dive in and get a better understanding of something with help and guidance. 

Although I can read and I can understand what I am reading, I am the world's worst at actually understanding what the teacher wants me to understand.  I can read something and tell you the basic story line but I don't actually pick out all the details.  I guess I lack in my comprehension skills.  I found this especially true in our book clubs because I read the book but when we discussed the book as a group, the others in my group brought out things in the book that I remembered reading but I didn't think about it like they did and at the time didn't find it as important but when they discussed it, it had obvious value.  It left me thinking, "how come I didn't get that when I read the book?"  I guess that holds true to most of our students as well because although they can read something and know what they are reading, are they really getting out of the book or text what we want them to?  That is why I like the "Big Chunk / Little Chunk" philosophy because it seems to have a good balance and it also holds the students responsible for the reading but then holds both the teacher and the student responsible for getting out of the reading something far deeper. 

I also teach math so this is especially important because we deal with a lot of tasks (which are massive word problems) and the students have to be able to read it and figure out what we are actually asking them to do with the information.  I think this is a good way to work through the tasks because the students can read the opening of it and then as a class we can discuss the "nitty gritty" pieces of it and if they aren't getting out of it what I want them to, then I can guide them in that direction.

Readicide - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 brought up the fact that serious readers want to be at "the reading flow."  Gallagher also mentions that this is where we should want all of our students to be, where they have to "come up for air."  I guess a lot of my responses go against what Gallagher has to say because I am not someone who enjoys reading.  I certainly understand where he is coming from because I would much rather my students be reading for enjoyment than doing what they are doing.  I don't entirely agree though.  I've never liked to read and my older sister was an avid reader.  I remember her getting in trouble because she would sneak her novels into her school books and pretend that she was reading the school book, but actually she was reading her novels.  I would say this is an example of what Gallagher was mentioning because she would get so involved in reading that she didn't care about anything else.  The problem was that she was she forfeited a lot while she was probably also gaining a lot.  I know I am contradicting myself here because now that we are older, I know reading didn't hurt her.  She has a tremendous vocabulary and still enjoys reading and has probably learned a lot about different cultures, etc from the books she has read.  I do think though that she probably missed out on learning as well.  She didn't pay attention in school so her grades suffered, she never learned how to read academically.  I also think she missed out on other experiences.  While I was getting involved in other activities and more involved socially, I think she missed out on that.  She was always curled up with a book and by her self. 


Although I understand the importance of reading I guess I also see the other side.  I can't buy into the whole reading flow thing because in my mind I think when students get caught in the "zone" they are missing out on other skills that they need in life as well.  I think there really needs to be a happy medium.


The chapter goes on to talk about To Kill a Mockingbird  and Hamlet and The Grapes of Wrath.   Not the most interesting of books to read but I do like that Gallagher states that a teacher "must create reading situations in which our students discover the reading flow they need to achieve while reading both academic and recreations works, assigned and self-selected."  This is great because students do need to learn how to read things they don't necessarily want to read because unfortunately life is full of that (high school, college, work, etc) but they also need to be allowed to read the things that interst them.   I am in total agreement with the 50-50 approach, but it doesn't seem like very many teachers actually use this approach.