Tomorrow I will be teaching in front of two freshmen classes. I know this will be one of the more difficult classes that I have had: they are bigger than many classes that I have experience with (30+), and they can be kind of rowdy, as any 14 year old.
I want them to learn and I have been wracking my brain (and the web) for the most effective lessons to teach. These students cannot always focus, so group work is not always the most productive. I really need them to connect to the text in order for my teaching to be effective.
As teachers we need to remember that we are here for them, so we do need to differentiate our instruction, even though it is more difficult to plan. I know this is the only way that I will truly be able to reach my students and teach them how to become successful.
I found this unique way for students to connect to the text and I am super excited to share. This is from Critical Reading Strategies from Salisbury University's website. I provided a link if you are interested.
4. Reflecting on challenges to your beliefs and values: Examining your personal responses.
The reading that you do for this class might challenge your attitudes, your unconsciously held beliefs, or your positions on current issues. As you read a text for the first time, mark an X in the margin at each point where you feel a personal challenge to your attitudes, beliefs, or status. Make a brief note in the margin about what you feel or about what in the text created the challenge. Now look again at the places you marked in the text where you felt personally challenged. What patterns do you see?
You are definitely on the right track! Getting the students to connect to their reading is the hardest part, but once you're able to do that the rest seems to come easily. I like the strategy that you are going to use. The directions are also easy to modify depending on the kind of text as well. For example, you can have them mark an X at sentences that they do not understand, or want to learn more about. I may have to borrow this idea to see if it helps some of my own students read deeper and more meaningfully by relating the text to their own lives!
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