Val, my wish for ALL teachers is to feel this kind of joy for our work every day. There are challenges but how we feel about teaching matters and how much we’re willing to take responsibility for our own learning matters! #g2great
Welcome #g2great friends! We are so honored to have Kate Roberts in the house tonight. Please introduce yourself and let’s get this Kate party started!
Val, my wish for ALL teachers is to feel this kind of joy for our work every day. There are challenges but how we feel about teaching matters and how much we’re willing to take responsibility for our own learning matters! #g2great
Hello @teachkate !! So excited to talk about the idea of a class novel! at LeMonde w/ @RuthLongobardi from @bankstreetedu having interesting conversations about how teaching of class novels leaves out a whole section of a class. So excited to learn fm u! #G2Great#LitBankStreet
Roman from Ontario, Canada. HS Teacher/Student Success Leader/Agent of Transformation. Love being here for the #g2great chat about "A Novel Approach!. Cannot wait for book to arrive tomorrow! Woohoo!
Ahhhh! Back with my peeps after two weeks of Thursday night conferences. I’ve missed this time and group sooo much! Mollie from Columbus, Ohio. I teach 2nd grade. #g2great
Hi everyone! Jennifer from UW-Platteville. This is my first time joining this chat! It looks fun, and I'm excited to be a part of this experience! @Erinedgington#G2Great
A1: As a T, I struggled with WCN. The pacing never worked for everyone.The best pacing was if I read it out loud; not all Ss appreciated that. Mixing some audio recordings in with expected individual or SG reading was better.Not ideal.Probably tried to teach TOO much! #G2great
#g2great A1: I've taught a long time. 30+ years. I've used both whole class novels and independent reading. While I prefer choice, whole class reading can help build community as well as common skills.
A1 I have learned to love classic literature as a result of whole class teaching/reading, especially as a teacher (ex. Frankenstein). I have also lost interest in novels because they took too long to go through. Lack of interest because of little choice. #g2great
A1. As a S, I HATED WCN. So slow & tedious. Felt like we were drug through it. Had to stop & answer packets of questions. No discussion. Many interrogations. AWFUL! (Audio recordings are TOO slow for me!) #G2Great
A1 My past experience with whole class novels has been mostly negative from a a one-size-fits-all perspective. That's why this book sorely needed to infuse "Kate wisdom” into this perspective. #G2Great
I taught class novels and sometimes felt like when I said that I had dropped a naughty word...it works and can get kids very involved and build community if done in an effective way! Excited about this chat! #g2great
I wanted to start off with us reflecting on our exp w whole class novels. Mine have been mixed. As a student, mostly neg until college. But as a teacher I had some powerful moments. #g2great
I love this quote. We need to SEE our Ss as unique people w/strengths that sometimes they don't even know they have. We can only light their minds on fire when we develop deep, meaningful relationships with them. What better way to do it than to read together. #g2great
In reply to
@franmcveigh, @teachkate, @DrMaryHoward, @brennanamy, @hayhurst3
A1: I learned as a student reading the Grapes of Wrath in HS LA how I hated to read. I learned reading Hatchet with my students that we can love it. The how and why of a whole class novel MATTERS. #G2great#saynotoworkbooks#saynotopopcornreading
The 5th grade class I’m teaching in this year uses workshop. Teachers also work with small groups and pairs. Students range from first grade reading level to sixth grade with everything in between.#G2Great
A1: As a T best features of a whole class novel IMO is that it allows you to build a classroom culture and a reference point for the whole year. Worst feature, perhaps not all students love that book as much as I did. #G2Great
A1-my experience was almost always frustrating. i'd love a chance to have a redo now that I've learned a little more about better practice. more modelling my thinking and less worrying about the kids following along. #g2great
A1 I think we can have both, whole class novels and independent reading. I still think I can improve my practices though which is why I am excited about the book! #g2great
A1 as a student I struggled with it bc typically they didn’t interest me. As a teacher I had the same fear so I always struggled with how to give choice if I was reading a novel aloud to my class. I usually chose short ones just in case someone was not interested #g2great
A1: I remember reading a class novel as a sophomore and the classmate beside me still couldn’t read the words, I whisper read and he copied what I was telling him...the teacher had no idea, yet it bonded me and my classmate for life! #g2great
A1 I have been a huge advocate of teaching whole-class novels. Paired with independent student reading choices, I am able to engage all my readers, from developing to advanced. #g2great
A1: The purposefully-selected Whole Class Novel can put my #Room407 readers on the "ground floor" of an author and lead them to their other works. Such is the case with @gaepol's THE PULL OF GRAVITY. Ladder to OF MICE AND MEN. Students then go and read her other titles. #g2great
A1 I remember loving whole group novels as a kid, but I was a good reader. As a teacher, I didn't like this practice. Not everyone was on the same level and not everyone was interested in the sets provided by the school. #G2Great
A1: I taught class novels when I taught 6th grade and loved it, so many amazing projects came out of it, learning about disabilities, Skyping, interviews, learning empathy, working together, problem solving, healthy discussions #g2great
A1: + as T: rich, whole class discussions; Ss on same page (literally); easier to manage. + as S: discussion, peers doing the same thing. - as T: engagement issues (not all Ss interested). - as S: boring (to me) book, stale, or bored Ss bringing class down #g2great
A1 As a student, I loved the feeling of community that was created by reading, discussing the same book; falling in love with characters, discovering themes, getting inside the story and having my peers/teacher share in the joy of the read. #G2Great
A1 I have learned to love classic literature as a result of whole class teaching/reading, especially as a teacher (ex. Frankenstein). I have also lost interest in novels because they took too long to go through. Lack of interest because of little choice. #g2great
A1. Guess I CAN answer from my student experiences from HS and college — I enjoyed studying novels as a class because I don’t think I would have appreciated the writing as much without guidance. #g2great
I am with you, Mary. My experience with whole class novels is that either kids struggle to read it or kids are dying to read on...never feels like it fits. #G2Great#LitBankStreet
A1 My past experience with whole class novels has been mostly negative from a a one-size-fits-all perspective. That's why this book sorely needed to infuse "Kate wisdom” into this perspective. #G2Great
A1: It's always touch and go. Some texts connect and some feel like (and sometimes) takes 10 weeks to get through. I think I'm most excited to hear how to best reach my students and how to help them get more out them #G2Great
A1 as a student, I struggled. I am a reader and have always been, but I would procrastinate and then I would feel so self conscious when we would talk as a class. #g2great
A1: I have done a class novel in my college experience as a student and loved it! The book was interesting and very relatable as a perspective teacher. We then had a guided discussion about the book. @erinedgington#G2Great
A1 I have learned to love classic literature as a result of whole class teaching/reading, especially as a teacher (ex. Frankenstein). I have also lost interest in novels because they took too long to go through. Lack of interest because of little choice. #g2great
We all come with different experiences of Whole Class Novels. Good, bad, ugly. So do our students. And so it can't possibly be one or the other all of the time. To reach all of our kids, we need ALL of our practices. #g2great
A1: As a S, I loved having the teacher read out loud to the class. I was a student with disabilities and reading a Basil was not an easy task. #g2great
I would say my experience was mixed as well. Fake read The Great Gatsby when we did it as a whole class novel in HS, read it years later and loved it. Like them in class bc they gives us such a great class touchstone, but doesn't always feel powerful to me. #g2great
As a teacher I find WCN most impactful when students are a part of the selection process - As a student I still remember the excitement I felt from reading The Outsiders as a WCN - all other books fell short in comparison #g2great
I am with you, Mary. My experience with whole class novels is that either kids struggle to read it or kids are dying to read on...never feels like it fits. #G2Great#LitBankStreet
A1 My past experience with whole class novels has been mostly negative from a a one-size-fits-all perspective. That's why this book sorely needed to infuse "Kate wisdom” into this perspective. #G2Great
A1: As a student, I loved the shared reading experience that was created by reading the same book, having rich conversations, always having the connection of that book. Even now some of my classmates and I talk about books we read together, more than 25 years later. #G2Great
A1 My experience as both a S and a T has varied - on the book, on the approach etc. I think engagement is key - so times when that was lacking - as both a T and a S, it was boring and frustrating. When engagement is there, it has been a wonderful experience #G2Great
A1 My experience has been positive w/shared novels for whole class. Interested in learning abt how to integrate strategies as excitement is a given for our titles. As a S, my memories r less exciting. I'd like to add parent perspective: my kids haven't found right books! #g2great
A1: Bringing the novel approach will definitely be something I need to start in my ESL class.
The whole-group approach I experienced in college was not pleasant
#G2great
Educators need to stop vilifying each other and embrace a multiplicity of methods that meet students’ needs. Whole-class novels are a GREAT way to build community, comprehension, and collaboration! #g2great
I taught class novels and sometimes felt like when I said that I had dropped a naughty word...it works and can get kids very involved and build community if done in an effective way! Excited about this chat! #g2great
A1the closes thing to a class novel we do is a read aloud. We vote and I read to my class. I try to give as much voice as I can in our choices. #g2great
A1 As a teacher, I have loved reading aloud class novels with kids and bonding through the experience. I have come to understand that there has to be a combo of WCN and book clubs so individual needs of kids can be met AND there is choice for all. #G2Great
I am with you, Mary. My experience with whole class novels is that either kids struggle to read it or kids are dying to read on...never feels like it fits. #G2Great#LitBankStreet
A1 My past experience with whole class novels has been mostly negative from a a one-size-fits-all perspective. That's why this book sorely needed to infuse "Kate wisdom” into this perspective. #G2Great
A1: The purposefully-selected Whole Class Novel can put my #Room407 readers on the "ground floor" of an author and lead them to their other works. Such is the case with @gaepol's THE PULL OF GRAVITY. Ladder to OF MICE AND MEN. Students then go and read her other titles. #g2great
A1 I love read alouds. Mostly read at one sitting and discussed over period of time. Cameback to the same book often. We noticed something new each time. My teaching partner loved read Charlottes Web our kinders 1st chapter book. #G2Great
A1: I wouldn't know my own practice if we did not share @MitchAlbom's TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE each year (as we have for the past fourteen). This book share binds me with number of thirty-year-olds in the area now. Wait. Thirty-year-olds?! That means I am. . .older. #g2great
A1: As a Ss, I hated the pacing of whole class novels— either wanting more or for it to end. As a teacher, I love the conversations that can come of them. I’m excited to read @teachkate new book for her take... #g2great
A1 Teachers Pay Teachers has actually minimized the potential of a whole class novel with 200+ page download and go. This kind of controlling sameness is NOT the way to go and yet it is pervasive in too many classrooms. #G2Great
A1: As a teacher, I like whole class novels to create that shared experience and introduce themes and skills. Then break off into choice book groups. The shared novel gives me something always to refer to that everyone has read. #G2Great
A1the closes thing to a class novel we do is a read aloud. We vote and I read to my class. I try to give as much voice as I can in our choices. #g2great
A1: Some books have changed me as an independent reading book and others have changed me because it was a shared experience in a whole class novel. #G2Great
A1: It’s been a couple of decades since I taught a whole class novel. As a new teacher it was all about the resources I found in the closet and the advice from my teammates. Some kids liked the book, lots faked the work. #g2great
A1 I love using whole class novels bc of the awesome community building experience, I struggle w/ dealing w/ the range of learners and making sure the experience is meaningful for all. I also struggle with the length of time it takes & the loss of time from ind reading #g2great
My cooperating teacher read a novel to the class. The students enjoyed it so much they never wanted the reading to end. As they read, they worked on comprehension strategies. It inspired some students to read the novel during free time and research more from the author. #G2Great
Yup--- The Pearl took me from end of January until April with all reading down in class (not enought books) and way too many assessments getting in the way. Never again! #G2Great
A1: My 6ths started yr w/ lit circles (epic fail) then we did a read aloud of “A Long Walk to Water” - so much community bldg & ops to break down skills w/ them. Next yr: read aloud/whole class novel 1st then lit circles. #g2great
That’s right. Those who enjoy reading quietly benefit from hearing the classroom discussion around them that wouldn’t otherwise occur if everyone chose diff. Books. #G2Great
This raises a question for me. Do you guys consider class novel read alouds the same as whole class novels? In my mind, whole class novels = everyone has a copy and at least some of it is done on your own. Thoughts? #g2great
A1: As a S, I loved having the teacher read out loud to the class. I was a student with disabilities and reading a Basil was not an easy task. #g2great
This raises a question for me. Do you guys consider class novel read alouds the same as whole class novels? In my mind, whole class novels = everyone has a copy and at least some of it is done on your own. Thoughts? #g2great
A1: As a S, I loved having the teacher read out loud to the class. I was a student with disabilities and reading a Basil was not an easy task. #g2great
Many times I gave options like reading with a partner, listening to me read aloud, reading on your own and now I think about all the technology out there...the possibilities are endless! #g2great
Yes, we need to teach all different ways to help meet the learning styles of diverse students and readers. Book clubs, whole class novels, independent reads - no one size fits all #G2Great
A1 as a student, the pacing dragged and whole class discussions were often boring, with only a few people participating... as a teacher, I guess it's the pacing and talk are the same issue . #g2great
#g2great A1 As a student I HATED whole class novels bc I wasnt a confident, comfortable reader yet. I always felt I was missing something the other readers so effortlessly "got"
I had a diff. lens as a T sharing The Tiger Rising
A2 My last class included a mixture of whole-class novels & reader workshops. I still unfortunately relied heavily on the whole class novels because that is what was expected of me at that school. Very emphasis was placed on the individual students. It changes now! #g2great
A2. See many WCN and WC short stories. Some differentiation with stories but typically many Ss working at the same pace.
No Joy!
No "like" for reading.
Becomes an endurance test.
#G2Great
A2 I see it ALL but my view of reading is grounded in anything that will immerse kids in meaningful text experiences using the most powerful practice we can pull from. The ultimate goal is supporting them in living readerly lives within AND beyond our walls. #G2Great
My first year in a high school classroom, I did one novel packet and hated it! Pulled from various unit plans found online and built my own—and still included some choice—and I found that the choice parts were the best for me and ultimately my students! #g2great
A2: I use readers workshop, book groups, read alouds and whole-class novels. I believe that varied methods and approaches benefit my students. Not all of one thing, all the time. #G2Great
A1:WCN isn’t part of my practice I’m 2nd grade, but when I taught 5th, I found them to be frustrating. Kids not matched to texts, unbalanced engagement and pacing was rough. #g2great
This sentiment lead me to evaluate 1) what made it take so long and 2) why did it feel like "getting through the novel"? I have since changed what I was doing! #g2great
Yes! My cousin is a prolific reader. I always pick his brain to figure out what started his love. He said having a teacher who read aloud widely through genres was instrumental! #g2great
A2 I see it ALL but my view of reading is grounded in anything that will immerse kids in meaningful text experiences using the most powerful practice we can pull from. The ultimate goal is supporting them in living readerly lives within AND beyond our walls. #G2Great
My first year in a high school classroom, I did one novel packet and hated it! Pulled from various unit plans found online and built my own—and still included some choice—and I found that the choice parts were the best for me and ultimately my students! #g2great
A2 my last year in the classroom it was all readers workshop with a novel read aloud with mini lesson conversation. It was my best year ever. Thinking about it makes me want to go back. #g2great
Catching up- A1 bad experiencd as a student. I had to read Siddhartha as a freshman in HS and that experience turned me off books until college. I use read aloud with my Ss and it can be MAGIC. #g2great
A:2 I have witnessed many reading circles of students taking turns reading a book at their instructional level with comprehension questions and then independent reading. @erinedgington#G2Great
A1 All positive feelings here for WCN because I've been in lower elementary and the books are so short we have plenty of time for both WCN and book clubs with lots of Ss choice. I know that it is not always so positive for every classroom. #G2Great
A2: I always did a little bit of everything, some whole class novel, a read aloud, working with small groups, independent reading, a TON of talking about what we were reading! #g2great
#G2great Maybe we got lucky w/scheduling, but our reading is split throughout day. We have whole class shared reading aloud, then non-negotiable choice reading zone time (15-20 mins) and a 45 min block for book clubs. Trying to find ways to streamline strategies across all blocks
A2: Mini-lessons, Ind.Choice, Book Clubs and Whole class. Alternating schedule. Has gone better this year than past years. Gearing up for our Next whole class. #G2great
A2: I would love to move completely towards reading workshop but with book clubs for both whole class novels and thematic choice book. Hybrid, I guess. #G2Great
Educators need to stop vilifying each other and embrace a multiplicity of methods that meet students’ needs. Whole-class novels are a GREAT way to build community, comprehension, and collaboration! #g2great
I taught class novels and sometimes felt like when I said that I had dropped a naughty word...it works and can get kids very involved and build community if done in an effective way! Excited about this chat! #g2great
A1- As a student in Elementary I loved some of our whole class novels. The novel was used as a community building read aloud. Today the novel sometimes kills the joy of reading when Ts think they must eek out every little skill, strategy and detail. #G2great
A2-this is a tough one for me as my current role is a literacy interventionist. I do mostly guided reading in small groups, but I'm hoping to learn something here tonight to pass on to my teachers. #g2great
One reason I wrote this book is I wanted to give voice to those of us who found value in whole class novels, even if we were "workshop people" It is nice to see that voice here <3 #g2great
A2 Right now my philosophy is somewhere in between. I love both and I feel that as teachers we have to be flexible and give our students what THEY need. Sometimes a particular group might need more readers wkshp while other classes/students might need whole class novels #g2great
A2- all RW right now. Love it. We have time for RA, which is great. Sometimes in have a hard time choosing one that is manageable for the time and purpose. I am also growing in finding nonfiction read aloud to engage and support Ss #g2great
A2 Our schools are like a patchwork quilt of awesome & awful all mixed in. It's not WHAT that matters but WHY we do it & HOW it's done in the most effective/responsive ways. #G2Great
I utilize the workshop model- however- I let my students be the guide- if they are immersed in their independent reading or need additional support I will use a WCN or a Whole Group Novel- depending on the need - or offer a choice #G2great
a2: I think the trick is to be clear about what is BIG in your room at the time and what is small. Can’t do book clubs, independent reading, novels, etc all at the same time. Some things become small at certain times in the year. #G2great
A1: I love to do a whole class novel or book study, do we can experience the joy of books together. We are shocked, moved and laughing together over a great book #G2Great
A2: Lots of daily independent reading with shorter mentor texts. However, my 9th graders & I are currently reading The Hate U Give as a whole class novel. They all love it! Whatever we do, it’s authentic, meaningful, and purposefully helping Ss develop reading lives #g2great
A2 I think a combo of reading experiences for Sts important. I enjoyed the kinders engagement listening to a whole class novel (Charlottes Web) and their impassioned voice as they made sense of story line in read alouds #G2Great Many use readers workshop framework as well
I think I’ve learned as much from my epic fails as my success - maybe even more. It forces you to dig deeper and expand your understandings. I’ve always been grateful for those lessons I’ve learned the hard way! #g2great
A1: My 6ths started yr w/ lit circles (epic fail) then we did a read aloud of “A Long Walk to Water” - so much community bldg & ops to break down skills w/ them. Next yr: read aloud/whole class novel 1st then lit circles. #g2great
#g2great Yes, I teach younger children and do read alouds and reading workshop but not whole class novels so I am curious to read Kate’s book and learn more about it. Years ago I used to try a little but haven’t much for a long time.
A2 As an instructional coach, I see both happening in some classrooms, but unfortunately seeing a balance is more a result of professional learning and knowing options. One size fits all is all too prevalent. #g2great
A2: my class is currently readers workshop model- but I fit in whole class novels via read alouds just to give us the community. But low stakes, not something we devote a unit to #g2great
My hope is that the work in this book can help mots of us: T's who only use whole class novels but know its not going well, RW t's who crave that community or who don't have RA time. #g2great
I agree! And I remember hearing this at #ncte17 - as educators, we have to support one another and learn from one another, despite our difference of opinions and practices - not criticize and "vilify" #g2great
I've been in classrooms where there were read alouds and workshops focusing on reading skills. Quite a few students used audio books as well for individual reading, which was a modification that was necessary, but the students got the same experience from both. #G2Great
A2 I've seen whole class novels done in amazing ways and others not so amazing at all. We need a structure that will help us opt for the first (thus Kate's book) #G2Great
A2 Don't have my own class anymore since now I'm an instructional coach. Just in a 6th grade class today where teacher is book talking the books Ss will choose from in next book club cycle. They just finished a whole class read aloud. Most Ts on our campus have RW #G2Great
A2 a lot of independent reading and short passages. Book clubs are also what I have going now and I love our book club books. We have a wide range of choices. #g2great
#G2great A2 Shared reading whole class - all Ss have a copy and I read aloud, 15 mins, non-negotiable choice reading time w/daily conferring once/wk per S, 45 mins small grp book club reading/informational text/test prep reading block.
And a book like that will bond your class forever, students still talk to me about books they read in 6th grade and they are now seniors and in college! It’s so rewarding! #g2great
A2: Lots of daily independent reading with shorter mentor texts. However, my 9th graders & I are currently reading The Hate U Give as a whole class novel. They all love it! Whatever we do, it’s authentic, meaningful, and purposefully helping Ss develop reading lives #g2great
A2: Mostly RW, but not as student centered as hoping to be in the future. WCN in intermediate readap alouds. The teachers who are missing their TPT novel packets seem to be trying to hold tight to teacher directed practices. #g2great
A2 I cannot wait to go read the book and build a personalized program that responds to each student's needs. The variety, the choice, the voice. I cannot wait! #g2great
A2- When I taught 5th grade I used something in between. Mostly RW with a mix of Whole-Class Novel. I didn't want to be the one doing all of the work. Ss needed time to transfer what we were learning and practice in their own books. #g2great
Cristi, your expertise with readers workshop will transfer nicely to a whole-class novel. I urge you to try it. For 25 years, my students have LOVED the novels we have shared together. #g2great
And I LOVE that notion. I feel like the whole class novel can easily get pushed to the side (& maybe even off the radar) for understandable & legitimate reasons. But there is still something to the community building. Granted, independent reading still builds community #g2great
My hope is that the work in this book can help mots of us: T's who only use whole class novels but know its not going well, RW t's who crave that community or who don't have RA time. #g2great
In my 8th grade ELA class there is the whole class read of #tokillamockingbird we also have book groups and independent reads through the school year #G2Great
I also argue that if we teach S's who are entering into whole class novel scenarios, then perhaps it would make sense to give them a supportive experience once or twice before choice goes away. #g2great
A2: K-5 is reading workshop and our 6th grade is at a transition - just building classroom libraries - Kate’s book is a great resource for the teachers in grade 6! I like the common ground she explores in this book. #G2Great
A2 Our schools are like a patchwork quilt of awesome & awful all mixed in. It's not WHAT that matters but WHY we do it & HOW it's done in the most effective/responsive ways. #G2Great
After three years of #g2great, we’ve learned to grab what we can and see the rest in the artifact. It’s impossible to keep up so that should make you feel better Kristin!
A2. We have workshop reading with a blend of independent choice, book clubs and 2(ish) whole class novels. Meaningful whole class is my struggle so I can't wait to read @teachkate book #g2great
It inadvertently happened last year with my juniors. I gave them options to rank for lit circles, and every single student chose The Things They Carried. So we did it, still in lit circles. Each group had their own takes on the novel. So good! #g2great
Largely, if you have an awesome reading workshop going I do not advise whole class novels just for the heck of it. There has to be a REASON to teach in this way bc it is a tricky method to do well. #g2great
For those who want some excellent suggestions for whole-class novels that your students will LOVE, check out my Edutopia article. #g2greathttps://t.co/BLdlLGpdvm
A3 Whole-class novels force kids to be at the same place. We herd them into learning (themes, chapters, characters, etc.). We need to allow for more variety, more self-pacing, more one-on-one conferencing to support everyone's individual needs. Why not accept the best? #g2great
A3 The biggest challenge is that it has to be in the hands of a knowledgeable teacher who knows kids and can differentiate within the heat of instructional moments that beckon possibilities! #G2Great
A3. Negative - lock step pacing, go only as fast as slowest person, same work for most all, boring texts, "dead white guys" as authors, NO choice
Positive - all hear same text, all are equally bored, answers always available for YEARS & YEARS!
#G2Great
a2: I think the trick is to be clear about what is BIG in your room at the time and what is small. Can’t do book clubs, independent reading, novels, etc all at the same time. Some things become small at certain times in the year. #G2great
I hope so too Kate. Being judgmental doesn’t serve anyone Yvette. My best learning has been in the company of others whether we agreed or not. We have so much to learn from each other if we keep an open mind! #g2great
I think I’ve learned as much from my epic fails as my success - maybe even more. It forces you to dig deeper and expand your understandings. I’ve always been grateful for those lessons I’ve learned the hard way! #g2great
A1: My 6ths started yr w/ lit circles (epic fail) then we did a read aloud of “A Long Walk to Water” - so much community bldg & ops to break down skills w/ them. Next yr: read aloud/whole class novel 1st then lit circles. #g2great
Yes! Off topic, but I learned that I didn’t really know what I wanted from lit circles (just went along w/ team). Epic fails also help to make future goals much clearer :). #g2great
A2: I had mostly whole class novel 1st semester, but it was tough to get anything finished because of the writing requirements and desperate need for vocab. This semester is a mix of reading workshop and whole class. #G2Great
A3: The negatives are that some kids are disengaged. Refugee for example, Whole class shared read. A few where not into it. Made it tough at times but the end product was great. Positives, the shared conversations, the AHA moments and whispers between table mates #G2great
A3: negative—my higher level readers wanted to read more and further in the book, they would go and buy it! But then a positive spin, I acted like it was our secret and they had to help me keep it! #g2great
A2 I struggle balancing RW with meeting my students needs for the tests. They don't always align with independent reading. Does that make sense?? Any suggestions? #g2great
I promote audio books with all my Ss to listen along and for many it helps with a difficult text like Mockingbird. I tend to read aloud in class a lot #G2Great
#g2great A3, P2: The negative of whole class novels is the lack of choice and forced reading of a text that may not interest everyone. The nay-sayers can be loud, grumpy, and ruin a discussion.
A3: Negative - WCN is often outsourced material whether published like this w/ 72 pages at $9.99 (almost twice the cost of book), Pinterest, or TpT. No regard for the needs of the Ss in the classroom.
#G2Great
A3 The worst: I have seen Ts turn on the audio of the WCN, then sit at their desk and correct papers. The best: When Ts read the text aloud and engage Ss in meaningful convos throughout the reading. #G2great
Such ab important point Kate. And that’s why your book is so relevant because it will give you a solid foundation of understanding so that we aren’t just winging it and frustrating kids and teachers! #g2great
I am so looking forward to reading your book. I find that the right shared text can build community within a workshop and promotes the idea that we are in the work together. #g2great
A3 Positive-community building, shared experience, serve as a scaffold Drawbacks-it can drag on, too difficult or too easy for some readers, the packets of worksheets that some Ts use #g2great
#g2great Yes, Mary, this is so true. I love my read aloud time with kids and reading workshop, balanced literacy, and book clubs, but I struggle with how to do whole class novels so I am curious to learn a “novel” approach! @teachkate
A3 Negative - length of time, differentiation for range of learners. Positive - building a reading community, shared experiences, reading lit that students might never pick up on their own #g2great
A3 Negatives: It is so hard to find something that appeals to everyone. It is hard to not try to teach all things with one book. Finding a balance between read-aloud and read on your own is difficult. And disengagement from Ss who don't like the book. #g2great
A3: Positives: community, all working from same text, easier management, oftentimes exposure to great lit. Negatives: doesn’t engage all Ss, not all Ss on same level, sometimes difficult to differentiate, doesn’t honor the diversity of readers in our classrooms #g2great
Wondering what might be the most valid reasons for Whole-Class Novel? What are the most important gifts WCN brings? I'm sure community building is probably one. #G2Great#LitBankStreet
Largely, if you have an awesome reading workshop going I do not advise whole class novels just for the heck of it. There has to be a REASON to teach in this way bc it is a tricky method to do well. #g2great
A3: Negatives: Not engaging everyone, the pacing is too slow or too fast, my special pops struggling with the text Positives: discussion, big ideas that connect outside ourselves, exposing Ss to important stories #g2great
A3 Positive: kids can bounce ideas off each other as novel unfolds. I’ve seen that & am amazed at their intuitive understanding Negative: some are easily distracted, fidgety, not engaged. When it’s their own issue that’s one thing, but at times it interferes with peers
#G2Great
#G2great A3
Positive: community, anticipation, hooking new readers
Negative: disengagement due to lack of interest (non-choice) or T doing work vs. S in shared read aloud - that's why I pause and have Ss fill in missing words to track reading.
A3 I worry that WCN sometimes deny access for some of our striving kids. If the book is not thoughtfully chosen, it can exclude some kids due to other factors, too. Sad that many times the book is an absolute "love" unit for the T, but a real "snoozer" for the kids. #G2Great
A3 The positive is definitely creating a community of learners where everyone is invited to the same party with a highly trained party giver. ESSENTIAL! #G2Great
I find that to be true of all good teachers Margaret but we can use that as a learning opportunity and engage kids in the process. Great teachable moment - for us AND for them! #g2great
A3 Negative, the novel is outside of my ability. Positive I am reading the same book as everyone else. It is tricky right? On one hand, it creates this shared experience, but how do we make it an open-ended opportunity? #G2Great
A3 when the path we take is restricted. Prescribed vocab. Limiting what students can see in the text. There should still be choice in the shared text realm. Choice in what lens to look through and how to share ideas. #g2great
Another negative: There is no way to avoid the fact that if I choose a book and say you have to read it, I am also saying that some kids are going to have to work harder than others. If I don't offer supports, unethical, wrong, and mean. #g2great
A3 Positives: Common language and experience, a "touchstone read" that can connect to the rest of the year's reading, community building, and the opportunity to change students' lives if you pick the right one! #g2great
A3: Early on, I might have thought that a WCN put us "in the chute" until that book was finished. Now, with creative text "laddering," I can work in strategies (like signposts), articles, songs, @TEDTalks. . .and lots of picture books to work with our selected text. #g2great
A3 Another thing I love about WCN is it allows Ss a to hear the voices of the characters. Many Ss need this experience before they "hear" the voices in the books they're reading. #G2great
I think I’ve learned as much from my epic fails as my success - maybe even more. It forces you to dig deeper and expand your understandings. I’ve always been grateful for those lessons I’ve learned the hard way! #g2great
A1: My 6ths started yr w/ lit circles (epic fail) then we did a read aloud of “A Long Walk to Water” - so much community bldg & ops to break down skills w/ them. Next yr: read aloud/whole class novel 1st then lit circles. #g2great
Positives: I loved the way we could really roll our sleeves up and discuss a scene, the way our hearts broke together, how hard our kids had to work when it was going well. #g2great
A3-biggest negative is one size fits all (genre, theme, character) never fits all. Positive is that is creates a common language for writing, discussion and teaching moments. #g2great
Sure! Unfort. we've all seen T lean on whole class novels for a sense of skill and instructional control, rather than the opportunity to foster community of readers who grow alongside & because of one another #G2Great
A3 I would agree that a truly great novel has something in it for each student. Each student certainly will have their favorites, but when the teacher provides meaning-making opportunities, all students will find investment in a book. #g2great
A3 The negative AND positive is how we view whole class novels as only one ingredient in a great big instructional pot of amazing. We must also ensure that those varied ingredients work in concert as a collective force of good. #G2Great
Positive: WCN spark class discussions that allow students to offer new insight to others. It provides a platform for collaboration of ideas and teaches to speaking and listening goals - it builds tolerance and supports diversity #G2Great
Yes! Off topic, but I learned that I didn’t really know what I wanted from lit circles (just went along w/ team). Epic fails also help to make future goals much clearer :). #g2great
Projects/assignments that offer incredible student choice are one way to make it more open-ended. Also, during class discussion, encourage varying S responses/interpretations. That’s a great way to teach close reading and analysis skills while honoring S choice! #g2great
A3: negatives- TIME! Feeling like I'm forcing some to march through it, feel like I could be using my time better by just letting them read! Positive: community AND loved how in the book you talked about some texts being cultural touchstones. #G2great
A3-biggest negative is one size fits all (genre, theme, character) never fits all. Positive is that is creates a common language for writing, discussion and teaching moments. #g2great
I had banned myself from buying another book until I finished reading the ones I have. But this #G2great chat has convinced me I need @teachkate 's new book A Novel Approach.#G2great
A2 I teach kindergarten so can’t say I teach whole class novels. I do know that I LOVE seeing what our upper grades do with their whole class novel units. The activities they do are fun, student centered and created and easily differentiated for all learners! #G2Great
A3 Sometimes a WCN can be a "gateway" for Ss into what it means to engage in a text, to make great connections, write thoughtful responses and enter into great discussions. Watched a 5th gr T start the year with a WCN and masterfully teach "moves" for group discussions #G2Great
A3: Negatives: length of time to complete, lack of student interest, over the heads of lower readers, boring to higher readers. Positives: teacher can help make text accessible to the class, usually uses classics, which can force some out of comfort zone #G2Great
A3 The negative AND positive is how we view whole class novels as only one ingredient in a great big instructional pot of amazing. We must also ensure that those varied ingredients work in concert as a collective force of good. #G2Great
I think WCNs give students an opportunity to listen to ideas about the text. This can create connections among students. I also think that some read alouds can give students and idea of how to read a novel with expression and enjoy it. #G2Great
Would love to share! I struggled to figure this out - went to a breakfast where Lucy Caulkins offered a suggestion of how to do this. The pressure to do it all at once was lifted! #g2great
A3: When students have packets of questions to answer about the WCN to prove they read the assignment. Unfortunately some Ts don’t realize that giving assignments is not teaching. #g2great
#G2great Really good point Kate. And I teach young children so I am very eager to read your book and learn more. I think it’s a little different with the little ones probably.
It is interesting because my two 8th grade ELA colleagues have shifted from book clubs back to more whole class novels, while I do a little of everything. You have to do what works best for your Ss #G2Great
And the saddest part of all is that so much of testing doesn’t show just how much kids know and the amazing word teachers have done. Not necessarily a good marker of what matters most! #g2great
A3: negatives- TIME! Feeling like I'm forcing some to march through it, feel like I could be using my time better by just letting them read! Positive: community AND loved how in the book you talked about some texts being cultural touchstones. #G2great
Thank you @teachkate for this! When we assign chapter questions to make sure they have read the chapters, we have lost all sense in the learning and the love of reading. PLEASE let us stop! #g2great
A3: I think the negative is also the positive. Unifying students around a single text can be challenging, but there is beauty in many voices coming together to discuss that single text. #g2great
I had banned myself from buying another book until I finished reading the ones I have. But this #G2great chat has convinced me I need @teachkate 's new book A Novel Approach.#G2great
Agreed! I would also add (on a positive note) students who are developing language could greatly benefit from the language being read out loud! 🤔 #g2great
A4. Are there common texts that all students should experience?
How to build background knowledge for difficult topics in SS classes?
Can Ss perform at higher levels if have real expectations for all?
#G2Great
A4. pt. 2
Does WCN help build stronger literacy community?
Can students learn MORE from peers?
How can collaborative teaching practices (push in) help build better lifetime literacy habits?
#G2Great
A4 For starters, a high/middle/low mentality invading our schools & hurting kids. Every child deserves a beautiful book experiences w/opportunities to collaborate with peers #G2Great
A3 Whole class novels can be negative experience for students who can’t read them—e.g. 5th graders reading on a first and second grade level. They need to choose books they can read and improve from. Choice read aloud is great idea! #G2Great
One problem I had in MS w Readers Workshop was getting my arms wrapped around all of my students, feeling like I know what they were doing in their books. I felt like I had to choose bt love and academics. WCN can do both. #g2great
#G2great Time and pacing are big factors in effectively pulling off WCN. Back in Sept I watched @teachkate in a video about WCN that stressed keeping the timing down to 6-8 weeks if possible. My colleague and I have been able to achieve this w/o feeling like we lost or raced.
A3 The positive is definitely creating a community of learners where everyone is invited to the same party with a highly trained party giver. ESSENTIAL! #G2Great
So true! I’ve done whole class, lit circles, and total independent reading all during the same unit before because each class wanted/needed different things. It was a WORK OUT for me but so worth it for the Ss! #g2great
One reason I wrote this book is I wanted to give voice to those of us who found value in whole class novels, even if we were "workshop people" It is nice to see that voice here <3 #g2great
#g2great I try not to but testing season takes a little of the spring out of my step. I feel we are growing and learning and then Boom- test season and really young kids have to basically do worksheets on a computer. So upsetting.
In reply to
@Teachr4, @MargaretGSimon, @DrMaryHoward
A4 Simply addressing struggles of various readers and roadblocks is so important. With various texts, kids will find different challenges. Explore them. Build proper questioning, analysis, challenge each other. Let kids learn from each other. Give up some control. #g2great
The most challenging thing for me w/whole class novels is pace & text complexity. During reading workshop I might do a read aloud of a chapter to help Ss along #G2Great
A4 It is hard to find anything wrong with my readers' workshop bc I LOVE it so much, but I think that Ss could be pushed to deeper levels of analysis w/ a WCN than they are willing to w/ independent reading. Sometimes they push back against deep reading. #g2great
A4: some of my students had never read a book with their peers because of their “level” or “skills”- they saw the value in reading, conversations, working with peers...the excitement won me over! #g2great
That’s been probably my biggest struggle this year with independent reading. I’ve done a fairly good job of knowing where each student is in their reading, but I know I can be better—and will be next year #g2great
A4 The challenge will be the potential for it to be a gift OR a curse, depending on who's doing it. I love that Kate is telling us how to make it all it COULD be! #G2Great
A4: positives: lifting the level of conversation and exposure to complex texts. Negatives: low engagement and possibly reaching levels of frustration with regards to readability #G2Great
A4 WCN can provide structure for Ss who struggle to pace their own reading and noting. I can be one scaffold or model so Ss get the feeling in their bones of what it means to be an active reader. #g2great
#G2great A4 WCN have helped Ss w/genre structure, character traits, and our last read, Operation Redwood, provided deep vocabulary discussion - all of these help Ss tackle their own independent choice reading w/more tools.
A4: I think in Readers Workshop the shared experience is less common (kids might have a text they both choose to read) it limits the conversation to a small perspective. WCN puts all students in the same environment and then we discuss that world together. #G2great
We will always strive to be better. It will never be perfect. One-on-One conferencing is a great tool for that! Getting students to stray away from their conditioning of "learning" is the challenge. #g2great
I think what I love is that we are keeping all our options on the table. The whole class novel suggests that we aren't just walking away for a practice because it has been done in the past. It's a fresh take that could be a game changer. #g2great
WCN can serve to promote a common goal or a common theme that can help to create a supportive classroom - Ts can offer Ss time together to prepare them for whole group discussion so everyone's voice is heard and valued #G2Great
A4: Whole class novels make it much easier to determine where Ss are with their reading & skills. It also offers a great way to get Ss to bond around a common text as opposed to not necessarily knowing what others are reading/talking about. #g2great
A4: I think some Ts are intimidated by conferring bc they haven’t read all of their SS books. WCN allows teachers to feel confident in those convos. #g2great
ARe you kidding me Kate? I just had @LoriLoredo & @MrsStevens109 pitch this exact book to me for next year and was going to say yes....did they write you a check? #G2great#ByramPride
In reply to
@teachkate, @LoriLoredo, @MrsStevens109
The other issue with MS is that so many of them have had such negative experiences with reading. It's scary to choose a WCN and worry that you're pushing them further away from becoming passionate readers (and I love WCN) #g2great
A4: opportunities for in depth discourse leading to deeper comprehension & can provide scaffolds for access to more complex text than a student reads independently. The balance between the two have the potential for increasing reading power! #G2Great
A4: In high school, we read A Clockwork Orange together- because the novel is essentially in a different language, everyone entered at the same level. It was a struggle for all of us, but bonded us together and prompted class and lunch time discussions on good and evil #G2Great
A4 I envision a meaningful and authentic experiences where the teachers has lovingly selected the perfect book that will HOOK kids an beckon them to enthusiastically gather together to engage in rich dialgoue! #G2great
A.5 I wonder if offering a text that is not necessarily difficult reading but offers much in the way of interpretation and critical thinking - like Jason Reynold's Long Way Down.... can bring many different types of readers in .... #G2Great#LitBankStreet
Some developing students may not be able to independently read certain whole-class novels, but they all can understand and discuss them. The key is to use quality recordings of novels so all can read along. #g2great
A3 Whole class novels can be negative experience for students who can’t read them—e.g. 5th graders reading on a first and second grade level. They need to choose books they can read and improve from. Choice read aloud is great idea! #G2Great
But it's also challenging to try to convince them to give choice reading a shot when their experiences have been overwhelmingly negative. Maybe WCN could win them over to reading... #g2great
I just had such a happy moment looking at the #g2great screen and realizing that we are all so different and come from many different perspectives and yet we are joyfully learning together in the name of kids. This makes my heart so happy!
#g2great A5: For a whole class novel to work for my kids, it has to work for me. I have to love the book. I communicate that passion to my students and they gather around.
#G2great Hi Brent! I agree about WCN - also, I'm seeing Ss watch what others who have similar reading habits are choosing, so Bs are getting passed and discussed that way, too. WCN fully supports the love of reading that branches out to the independent reading zone time.
A4 when I want to dig into some text & get my kids thinking and talking, it is easier to do that w/ a shared text. If they are all in their own book in RW, this is hard. I can use pic books & shorts but novels are powerful. #g2great
Let's give a huge #G2Great cheer to @Eatbooks4brkfst she won a copy of @teachkate's book! Thank you @HeinemannPub for this generous donation. Keep reading, keep learning because we never stop learning!
A5: The Ss would have to BEG to read the book - all of them.
The book would have to be available in several formats so all Ss have a text.
The book would have to be relevant to their lives!
Lots of discussion - with another class!
#g2great
A5 It starts with the novel & a teacher who knows the book, research, & kids. That's the tipping point between a responsive vs controlling experience #G2Great
"A fresh take" is a great way to say it, Jenn. We always need to be thinking and rethinking, questioning our assumptions. @teachkate is helping us to do that. #G2Great@DrMaryHoward@franmcveigh
In reply to
@hayhurst3, @teachkate, @DrMaryHoward, @franmcveigh
I think that’s such a hard thing for teaching to do since some believe that control is the whole point. Once we relinquish that belief that it’s all about us though, great things will begin to happen! #g2great
A4 Simply addressing struggles of various readers and roadblocks is so important. With various texts, kids will find different challenges. Explore them. Build proper questioning, analysis, challenge each other. Let kids learn from each other. Give up some control. #g2great
a5 It all goes with delivery and approach. The magic of the teacher plays a huge role. If the teacher truly knows their students, they will be able to offer a variety of options in learning. Discover a text and learning together. Discover each other. It has its place. #g2great
A4: this is actually why I was interested in this book. I passionately believe in choice, but want to push beyond Wimpy Kid/Emily Windsnap (though they rock) sometimes. Expose my kids to dif genres, texts with multiple layers, characters outside of the box they read in #g2great
That's the issue in all of education. We have to focus on teacher pd and school leaders have to insist on only the best and not settle for less. Our kids deserve it. #g2great
#G2great Our district selected the books we use in 4th for shared WCN and luckily, they are all winners! Because of Winn Dixie, Fish in a Tree, Operation Redwood, and The Lightning Thief. It's hard not to fall in love w/reading w/that lineup!
Great ?s
Students can learn so much from their peers. Esp. peers who have diff. life experience & opinions. Im intrigued by the thought that WCN can support a stronger empathetic community of readers (and humans!) #G2Great
A4. pt. 2
Does WCN help build stronger literacy community?
Can students learn MORE from peers?
How can collaborative teaching practices (push in) help build better lifetime literacy habits?
#G2Great
Question about this. Do all students have a copy to get through it in this time period? I have 100+ students and just now got enough copies of 2 books for all. Doesn't allow much for choice. #g2great
"A fresh take" is a great way to say it, Jenn. We always need to be thinking and rethinking, questioning our assumptions. @teachkate is helping us to do that. #G2Great@DrMaryHoward@franmcveigh
In reply to
@hayhurst3, @teachkate, @DrMaryHoward, @franmcveigh
"Literature and information that will empower my students." "Pencils, paper, technology, books, art supplies, counselors... Not Guns." Educators are resisting a call to arms by spelling out the things they actually need. #ArmMeWithhttps://t.co/Ku1OO0IEF9
A4: Right now we have the perfect novel and everyone loves it!! We are connecting with other 2nd grade classes. This has given the class a wider authentic audience for responding and discussing! Loving it! #G2Great
A3: Discussing literary devices such as allegory and symbolism in depth help when we all read the same book. I also like to look through a choice of literary lenses and S creates inquiry Qs when reading one classroom book. Still offers choice. #g2great
A5 Not to simplify things but teacher enthusiasm for the book and the experience that will engage kids in REAL conversations vs a contrived TO DO agenda. #G2Great
I think it does. To get through the book we will need to read at home. But they have to do that anyways. We support it in independent reading, we have to support it in whole class texts. #g2great
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A5 It would have to be a book that I am passionate enough about that I am willing to devote the classtime and the curriculum of every student to it for a few weeks (but no more than 3!) #g2great
A5 Knowing your students well enough that you pick a book that can reach even your most reluctant reader and then providing the supports for your students who struggle and for those that are high flyers #g2great
A4-A good whole class novel can help teach theme,character traits, characters changing over time, story structure,problem/solution,rising action. #g2great
A4: I think it would model thinking from Ss, which can be more powerful than from the T. As inspiring as we think we are, the power of peers can be so much more. Especially in a classroom entrenched in sharing and taking risks. #g2great
A5: An engaging, beneficial, powerful WCN unit must include S choice as much as possible, particularly in any assignments/projects & class discussion. Encourage Ss to form own opinions. Let Ss choose the whole class novel! (Won’t win all Ss’ votes, but still choice). #g2great
A4: Right now we have the perfect novel and everyone loves it!! We are connecting with other 2nd grade classes. This has given the class a wider authentic audience for responding and discussing! Loving it! #G2Great
I think that’s such a hard thing for teaching to do since some believe that control is the whole point. Once we relinquish that belief that it’s all about us though, great things will begin to happen! #g2great
A4 Simply addressing struggles of various readers and roadblocks is so important. With various texts, kids will find different challenges. Explore them. Build proper questioning, analysis, challenge each other. Let kids learn from each other. Give up some control. #g2great
A5 make the Ss be a part of the planning. I also think providing audiobooks if you are requiring reading to be done independently. Also giving reading time. #g2great
A5: don’t just read the novel, page by page like th gif...bring out bigger ideas, make connections to real life, show your enthusiasm, talk about the feelings the characters are going through...make the novel come alive, let the students live as the characters #g2great
Yes - if kids read the book independently, then their comprehension will be imperfect. I willhave to acceot that to move through the book. Some chapters we will do as a read aloud, others independently. #g2great
There isn’t a person here who believes that they know it all (thank goodness as that would point to some very delusional thinking). I love that we believe that our learning is NEVER over. So many came tonight to see novels in a new perspective. How awesome is that Kate? #g2great
"If you want to and can join the marches or walk-outs, here's what you need to know. And if you can't, here's what you can do instead—and how you can empower students who want to act." https://t.co/dD0gBIIGKT
A5 a book that was written to be adored aloud! Something with characters that make us want to use our actor voices, where we experience the text through the character’s eyes. #g2great
I think there needs to be a balance in how long to stay with a novel. Rushing through it is just as bad as belaboring it. But I routinely will stay with the same amazing novel for months. #g2great
Q5: for a wcn to really work as it is supposed to, I think all students must have their own copies of the book, and the text should be in the "sweet spot" where it isn't too hard or too easy. T's must be willing to provide support for lower level readers. @#G2Great
#G2great A5
Engaging: characters and plot that Ss can relate to
Accessible: Copies for all Ss, T reads aloud and/or pairs Ss high/low to partner read or re-read, offer book on CD as option for reading/reinforcement
I think that’s such a hard thing for teaching to do since some believe that control is the whole point. Once we relinquish that belief that it’s all about us though, great things will begin to happen! #g2great
A4 Simply addressing struggles of various readers and roadblocks is so important. With various texts, kids will find different challenges. Explore them. Build proper questioning, analysis, challenge each other. Let kids learn from each other. Give up some control. #g2great
A5: Relevance is key. I think we need to either tie to their story (experience) or appeal to interests. Ts need to build the BK so it is relevant as well. #G2Great
"At the end of your time with your students, who do you want them to be?" One Chicago music teacher reflects on this question and rethinks her approach to her class. https://t.co/WNTcvSj0uZ
A5 I would love to see Ts engage in collaborative dialogue around this - not about what book & what to do but the process that could truly make it powerful. I worry that too many Ts want a lesson plan to dictate rather than trusting their professional instincts. #G2Great
We HAVE to grapple with time and indpendence. How will kids read this book on their own? I have to let go of kids knowing EVERYTHING about the book. Hard to do. #g2great
A.5 I wonder if offering a text that is not necessarily difficult reading but offers much in the way of interpretation and critical thinking - like Jason Reynold's Long Way Down.... can bring many different types of readers in .... #G2Great#LitBankStreet
A5 - what we choose as novel studies or even read alouds tells students what we value - if your year of shared texts are all similar, like all white authors/experiences, you need to rethink that stat #G2Great
That’s the thing: you won’t. However, the reality for many Ts is that that’s what has to be or at least is done for various reasons. The key, then, is to differentiate as much as possible. Reading aloud, audio books, reading groups, different versions, etc #g2great
In reply to
@kraekerc, @TeachingFactor, @teachkate
A5: I think using a whole class novel works best when the teacher is open to letting the kids explore the text in their own way. We can guide discussion but it’s hard to know how they will engage with the text. We have to be open. #g2great
There isn’t a person here who believes that they know it all (thank goodness as that would point to some very delusional thinking). I love that we believe that our learning is NEVER over. So many came tonight to see novels in a new perspective. How awesome is that Kate? #g2great
A5: Going beyond multiple choice quiz to invite multiple choices in how a student might respond to WCN. This invites writing a proposal and a reflection upon the book and the response selected. Honors individual after reading in collective. Win-Win for reader and book. #g2great
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I always try to provide audio. I think it's also changing my thoughts on WCN... they don't need to get every single color reference or symbol... and it's ok! #G2Great
It is hard. It means listening to your students and using common sense rather than controlling from our point of view. Thank you @teachkate#G2Great@DrMaryHoward
In reply to
@teachkate, @JohnFritzky, @teachkate, @DrMaryHoward
My heart hurts to think what message that is sending kids. A book should lift kids AND teachers higher and ‘getting through’ will never have that impact! Very sad! #g2great
You can cut down the time of a whole class novel if you focus on a skill you are teaching more than the content of the novel. Both addressed, but skill is king. #g2great
I got a grant several years ago where families each had a copy of FRINDLE to read as a family and then we had a family literacy night to celebrate the book. So not really wcn but a whole family novel. #G2Great
A5: Involve closer 2nd draft reads of pivotal moment. Ask Qs like what does the author want us to know? What is changing, challenging, or confirming our thinking? What is the heart line of why the book is considered relevant? #g2great
A5: I’ve wondered about using a WCN and using the discussions to support and model the kind of discussions we want to see in follow-up book clubs. #g2great
We HAVE to grapple with time and indpendence. How will kids read this book on their own? I have to let go of kids knowing EVERYTHING about the book. Hard to do. #g2great
There is a certain amount of trust that has to go into this. At some point, we have to cross that bridge. Ultimately that's what we are aiming for - agency. The more we make room for that the more they will take on. Believe it. #G2Great
The essential question I frame Mockingbird is Is this novel relevant today and if so, how? Also pair it with All American Boys & some NF texts to address police brutality & gender codes #G2Great
I think this might be the answer for me. Choosing the highlights, and hoping some Ss will read it all, but knowing that ALL Ss will have the experience of the most important parts. #g2great
We HAVE to grapple with time and indpendence. How will kids read this book on their own? I have to let go of kids knowing EVERYTHING about the book. Hard to do. #g2great
A5: I had a great moment sharing how I use novels (whole class and book clubs) with another teacher at a area wide PD. It is wonderful seeing what others do. #G2Great
A5 I would love to see Ts engage in collaborative dialogue around this - not about what book & what to do but the process that could truly make it powerful. I worry that too many Ts want a lesson plan to dictate rather than trusting their professional instincts. #G2Great
You can cut down the time of a whole class novel if you focus on a skill you are teaching more than the content of the novel. Both addressed, but skill is king. #g2great
One of the MANY things I love about the book is the shift from DRAGGING kids through a book to celebrating the learning potential in a brief period of 2-3 weeks! #g2great
You can cut down the time of a whole class novel if you focus on a skill you are teaching more than the content of the novel. Both addressed, but skill is king. #g2great
A5 The novel should be relevant and poignant to the group. Also I need to know the best parts to extract for mini lessons and not emphasize the need for everyone to be on the same page at the same time #G2Great
A5: A focus on big questions, ideas that invite all students to the conversation. A good time frame that doesn’t extend the reading into a quarter-long study. And...no lethal worksheets. #g2great
I always try to provide audio. I think it's also changing my thoughts on WCN... they don't need to get every single color reference or symbol... and it's ok! #G2Great
A5: being clear as the teacher what skills will be taught, what thinking will be modelled and sharing that with the students. It's all about the purpose of the task at hand. #g2great
We HAVE to grapple with time and indpendence. How will kids read this book on their own? I have to let go of kids knowing EVERYTHING about the book. Hard to do. #g2great
A1....in Elem I loved the novels as a whole class but I was a great reader. As a teacher my 1st year I quickly learned giving the gift of choice goes much further #G2GREAT. @kisdlit
A5: I had a great moment sharing how I use novels (whole class and book clubs) with another teacher at a area wide PD. It is wonderful seeing what others do. #G2Great
A5 I would love to see Ts engage in collaborative dialogue around this - not about what book & what to do but the process that could truly make it powerful. I worry that too many Ts want a lesson plan to dictate rather than trusting their professional instincts. #G2Great
#g2great A6: Transfer of learning happens when scaffolds are in place, charts are visible, and teachers and students are engaged. But sometimes it takes time and repetition and patience.
A6 Transfer requires us to create INTENTIONAL CONNECTIVE THREADS between learning experiences. Teaching isn't a one and done process but experiences intricately woven together #G2Great
A6: Build chart AND tools:
What will we take from this unit to the next?
Match up to standards, student goals & learning targets.
Purposeful & explicit instruction & connections!
#g2great
YES. Ts, we have so much power, including the power to amplify as well as silence voices. Examine your curricula. Can all Ss see themselves depicted in the 📚 you read? How might your teaching be working within systems of oppression? How can you change that? #g2great#educolor
A5 - what we choose as novel studies or even read alouds tells students what we value - if your year of shared texts are all similar, like all white authors/experiences, you need to rethink that stat #G2Great
With a skill as the focus, we can move through the book sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly bc my goal is that my kids are better readers at the end of it, not that they learned the plot of the book. #g2great
#g2great I so agree with both of you. I’m always thinking about how I can release control all the time, constant work in progress for me. I’m taking on Makerspace so that is a big step in letting go and letting the kids!
A5 Lots of booktalks to provide choice for picking the book. Also variety of short "paired" excerpts that touch on maximizing curiosity/inquiry as a companion to the WCN. One of our 5th gr Ts is masterful at this. #G2Great
A5: Reading guides, differentiated choice assignments to show understanding, read alouds, access to audio texts, graphic novel versions to help all different readers in the class #G2Great
A6: "What Students Learned" - Transfer only counts when they can yes, do in class, then in own book, and then independently. Reqs more practice. Less rushing. Check a unit/qtr/semester later for use. Have Ss teach to other Ss. Record video.
#G2Great
A6 I have found portfolios are the best. They may be different for each student, but you need to let each student build and go on their own learning journey and support them. Allow students to transfer and keep showing learning as units progress. Focus on skills! #g2great
We have to remember that students approach a book differently than we do. They’re not all going to be English majors. Make it about them developing reading habits, lives, & skills #g2great
A5 - what we choose as novel studies or even read alouds tells students what we value - if your year of shared texts are all similar, like all white authors/experiences, you need to rethink that stat #G2Great
A6: make connections, ask kids to make connections, create things, keep talking about what you’re learning, learn together, make it fun, enjoy it! #g2great
A5...this is tricky because I teach lower grades where the reading abilities are very wide. It would have to include ALL readers and keep ALL their attention #G2GREAT. @kisdlit
YES! I'm thinking "instructional control" again. Is it about teaching the book, content, or READER? If we're teaching the reader we'd do anything to make the WCN engaging, accessible, & truly meaningful #G2Great
A5 I would love to see Ts engage in collaborative dialogue around this - not about what book & what to do but the process that could truly make it powerful. I worry that too many Ts want a lesson plan to dictate rather than trusting their professional instincts. #G2Great
With a skill as the focus, we can move through the book sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly bc my goal is that my kids are better readers at the end of it, not that they learned the plot of the book. #g2great
We HAVE to grapple with time and indpendence. How will kids read this book on their own? I have to let go of kids knowing EVERYTHING about the book. Hard to do. #g2great
YES! When I subbed I 2nd Grade today I told them I could probably use some help in certain routines. Since they knew them better. 30 kids looked amazed and most were unbelievable responsive and helpful #g2great
A6 When I confer with my students I ask them what strategies they are using or interested in using. If I want them to transfer the skills I've taught I have to make sure they're confident and then constantly reiterate that the strategies should be used often #g2great
With a skill as the focus, we can move through the book sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly bc my goal is that my kids are better readers at the end of it, not that they learned the plot of the book. #g2great
Peruse this excellent collection of resources for #BlackHistoryMonth and year-long explorations of African American history and culture. It's lovingly illustrated by @LoveisWise_, whose work you can also admire in our latest magazine! https://t.co/YF5dwpQsWE
#G2great A6 This year, more than any other, I am finding that the reading we are doing in various parts of our day is transferring beautifully to writer's workshop, and vice versa. Making references while reading about author's craft is so powerful to then transfer to Ss writing.
With a skill as the focus, we can move through the book sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly bc my goal is that my kids are better readers at the end of it, not that they learned the plot of the book. #g2great
To me, transfer is everything. It's what the kids can do in the next book indpendently that matters most, not what I covered or made them try. #g2great
A6: By ensuring the skills and processes are entrenched in our day to day tasks. Questioning, connecting and predicting aren't just used when Mrs. Gilson is reading aloud - It's part of being a lifelong learner. #g2great
A6 - if, like @teachkate suggests in the book, we make our teaching skill focused (not plot focused), then connecting learning unit to unit is easier for us and them #g2great
A6: I might be on my own here, but I do not do "units" I look at the outcomes and plan Read Alouds, WCN, Book Clubs to be able to help my students address those things. This gives me the chance to come back often with support in Picture Books and Shorts. #G2Great
I can’t imagine any other option kIm and I love those three descriptors. If our goal is to help kids LOVE reading and ultimately lead readerly lives beyond our four walls, we have no other choices #g2great
YES! I'm thinking "instructional control" again. Is it about teaching the book, content, or READER? If we're teaching the reader we'd do anything to make the WCN engaging, accessible, & truly meaningful #G2Great
A5 I would love to see Ts engage in collaborative dialogue around this - not about what book & what to do but the process that could truly make it powerful. I worry that too many Ts want a lesson plan to dictate rather than trusting their professional instincts. #G2Great
A6: I love a focus on year-long questions. When essential or unit questions are well-written, students can apply them to other pieces of literature hey read and writing they create. #g2great
Would it be possible to float the idea and let them set up a shared intention for reading, let them pick it and just hand it over? I don't know just thinking. I love the idea of kids doing all the talking and selecting their own books. #G2Great
In reply to
@teachdmac, @franmcveigh, @HeinemannPub, @teachkate, @DrMaryHoward, @brennanamy
A6 If the focus of the year is on the reader, not the book, and the skills, not the content, then the connections build themselves. It's about the reading, not what the book is about. It's always about the reading and the readers. #g2great
A6: Transfer requires intentional connections. Whether it’s skills, themes, ideas, it must be done purposefully! Units, lessons, daily activities cannot be done in vacuums. Review, ask Ss to notice their own connections, offer various ways to engage with material #g2great
A6: "What Students Learned" - Transfer only counts when they can yes, do in class, then in own book, and then independently. Reqs more practice. Less rushing. Check a unit/qtr/semester later for use. Have Ss teach to other Ss. Record video.
#G2Great
A6: I might be on my own here, but I do not do "units" I look at the outcomes and plan Read Alouds, WCN, Book Clubs to be able to help my students address those things. This gives me the chance to come back often with support in Picture Books and Shorts. #G2Great
Trying to "cover" too much in WCN is an issue. Kids don't really know anything well when it's the
"Kitchen Sink" skills or strategies and all are covered. None practiced!
#G2Great
We HAVE to grapple with time and indpendence. How will kids read this book on their own? I have to let go of kids knowing EVERYTHING about the book. Hard to do. #g2great
A6: I love modeling skills either with the WCN and have them apply in their IR books or vice versa (I use my IR book to model something I want them to try in our WCN. They love it. #g2great
One thing I suggest is a unit made like this: Skill focus. Whole Class Novel w that focus. Then, Book Clubs with the same skill focus. Then, either independent reading or a writing unit. Transfer same skill work across the unit. #g2great
Would it be possible to float the idea and let them set up a shared intention for reading, let them pick it and just hand it over? I don't know just thinking. I love the idea of kids doing all the talking and selecting their own books. #G2Great
In reply to
@teachdmac, @franmcveigh, @HeinemannPub, @teachkate, @DrMaryHoward, @brennanamy
You can cut down the time of a whole class novel if you focus on a skill you are teaching more than the content of the novel. Both addressed, but skill is king. #g2great
A5: I loved teaching that one novel, while letting kids choose independent books. It was the first time kids saw me cry because of what the character was going through. #g2great
The question is whether the time is lost in the actual reading or in the discussion/dissection? I’ve never been able to read faster but I have learned to streamline points about a topic or unit.
So true, we all bring different experiences to our reading and cannot tell a student what to see or feel about a text. Must help student read diverse texts to build critical thinking and literacy skills #G2Great
As a continuation I see things like "heroes journey" or whatever that my American friends discuss and I just have to look at character traits or how author uses suspense...maybe it is Alberta curriculum but the freedom is nice. #G2Great
A6: I might be on my own here, but I do not do "units" I look at the outcomes and plan Read Alouds, WCN, Book Clubs to be able to help my students address those things. This gives me the chance to come back often with support in Picture Books and Shorts. #G2Great
A6 - if, like @teachkate suggests in the book, we make our teaching skill focused (not plot focused), then connecting learning unit to unit is easier for us and them #g2great
Yes Kate, it can be the best lesson on the planet but if kids leave what they’ve learned at the experience we’ve missed the point. It’s about carrying their learning in their back pockets so they can apply them in new experiences and contexts. #g2great
To me, transfer is everything. It's what the kids can do in the next book indpendently that matters most, not what I covered or made them try. #g2great
You know, then there could be multiple vantage points to learn from within that same text. What did this book mean to you? #G2Great Agreed, scaffolding is a must. But I think Ss can help there too.
One thing I suggest is a unit made like this: Skill focus. Whole Class Novel w that focus. Then, Book Clubs with the same skill focus. Then, either independent reading or a writing unit. Transfer same skill work across the unit. #g2great
A6 Transfer requires ample practices across the learning day. They can't just see how that thinking works in the novel but across all settings and contexts. #G2Great
Oh my word I loved this book as a kid!!!!!! I’ve been trying to remember my experiences as a student with group novels and this brings back memories! One book I actually read cover to cover for school! #G2GREAT
People need repetition and support to transfer learning. We can give that to them. Repetition by focusing on a skill or two. Support through small groups, charts, clear strategies. #g2great
Please, somebody say that again. I watched a teacher (it was years ago) take almost 3 months to read Hatchet. The kids were visibly languishing. #G2Great
A6: one way I get them to transfer skills is by using continuums that are visuals of their learning. I can then refer back to how we practiced the skill in previous texts and by middyear they can transfer and self monitor w/min assistance #G2GREAT. @kisdlit
A5: I think tchrs struggle with confusion. We hear 1 respected person say this or write that basal one time and then say another thing. This has been ongoing with whole class novels. Whole class vs. choice. #g2great
A7: But are there REALLY any texts that ALL sophomores should read? Who decides?
But WHY? What's the goal of WCN?
But when should Ss be excused from WCN? Do they really have to read it again?
#G2Great
A7. pt.2 But how does WCN really provide "accountability" when Ss hate reading afterwards?
But how did we become passionate readers?
But how do we replicate those Passion-causing experiences?
But why do people think everything in RW or WW has to be graded?
#G2Great
People need repetition and support to transfer learning. We can give that to them. Repetition by focusing on a skill or two. Support through small groups, charts, clear strategies. #g2great
I notice, build, acknowledge, & reiterate connections between units. While we may be finished with a particular text or set of texts, the skills, ideas, & concepts connect & still exist. I never leave it in a vacuum. #g2great
I don’t think it’s that black and white. We always teach the child but the book—the story should nurture and feed the child—the book has the potential to change the child—skills don’t do that. #G2Great
My school has considered doing a whole school family read book. Has anyone tried this? Tips? I worry it is the opposite of using book choice to help with engagement. But community building... #g2great
#g2great I got the Grant through the Cotsen Foundation of which I’m an alumni. Google them, they are amazing. Who or what is Franklin? Someone you know? 😊
#g2great A7: My skeptical thoughts are unfortunately driven around our current political state. When will we feel safe again? The day I am asked to carry a gun is the day I leave my dream job. #ArmMeWith support, funding, counselors, not guns. #NeverAgainMSD
Want to hear more from @teachkate on her new book, A Novel Approach? check out the latest Heinemann Podcast and hear more about her balanced approach to whole-class novels, student-centered teaching and choice! #G2Greathttps://t.co/UIdFIANkmF
A7 I love the idea of "healthy skeptic" as it keeps us in a perpetual state of learner in progress. We MUST question our thinking in light of new understandings. #G2Great
And there’s such a feeling of success when they can take ownership of our teaching. And teachers can literally see and hear the fruits of their labor! #g2great
A6: I love modeling skills either with the WCN and have them apply in their IR books or vice versa (I use my IR book to model something I want them to try in our WCN. They love it. #g2great
A6. I think cross text analysis would be so important here to transcend content - help Ss recognize parallels - archetypes, classic conflicts, literary language - tricky part here is where is the buy-in, what engages the Ss perhaps seeing it in another medium #G2Great
I watched a few classes in my school take 13 weeks to teach A Long Walk to Water. That is just ridiculous! It's just not enough to only read one book for that long. #g2great
A6 - if, like @teachkate suggests in the book, we make our teaching skill focused (not plot focused), then connecting learning unit to unit is easier for us and them #g2great
#G2great hmmm...so hard to let go of full content, esp at 4th gr level, where I fear that chunks of novel would get lost if left up to Ss to discern. Need to identify key skills to teach and then letting go may get easier.
A6: When all Ss have a WCN as a reference it is much easier to have that as a touchstone when referencing a more complex text, and this can allow for transfer. #G2great
A6: What am I, the reader, taking from the book? That is key question for transfer. It is not necessarily the same as what the teacher wants me to take away. It is a transaction, as Rosenblatt explained. #G2Great@teachkate@DrMaryHoward@franmcveigh@hayhurst3
A7: I've worked in a classroom where comprehension was taught by presenting isolated worksheets with a short passage and multiple choice- separate from talking about comprehension of the actual book we were reading. I am skeptical about this! #G2Great
A7: should I go back to the classroom? That’s a thought I have constantly...I miss teaching every day but I also love my current role! Oh the ifs and buts... #g2great
Q6: it’s all about the conversations with each student - we can keep these ESSENTIAL understandings alive in every text though our strategic questioning and gentle nudging #G2Great
A7. I get a bit nervous about progressions - these sometimes show ONE pathway or trajectory for a particular skill when I feel sometimes that there are multiple trajectories, definitions or access points - similar to interpretation of texts #G2Great
A5: from adult ESL- Engaging class discussions, discuss important quotes/vocabulary/themes in literary terms and relate to life, *ending activity that is engaging and different. *I have my students create a 2-5 minute movie exploring one theme as seen in society today #G2great
We once did an all middle school read of Chew on This. Ss were moved by the book, some be came vegetarians and parents were mad. Complained a "political" books about the food industry was the all school read. Never again since this episode?! #G2Great
A7: I've worked in a classroom where comprehension was taught by presenting isolated worksheets with a short passage and multiple choice- separate from talking about comprehension of the actual book we were reading. I am skeptical about this! #G2Great
I have been skeptical of my complete write-off of worksheets/TPT/easy answers. I still am anti, but there is something that teachers are asking for that is valid. #g2great
A7 This #G2Great chat is certainly one. Based on past negative observations I didn't see value. I do now through Kate's very wise eyes & beautiful supportive book.
A7: Do Ss actually enjoy my whole class read alouds, or do they just not want to read something on their own? Do I really HAVE to stick to the British literary canon? Where are the underrepresented voices in it? Why aren’t I focusing more on them? #g2great
I agree!! Don't push or rush through literature! It should make an impact!! It isn't one big scope and sequence or a list to get through! I would rather it be meaningful!! #G2Great
Everyone is liking my tweet about going back to the classroom....this is always one of those thoughts that creeps in constantly...what an amazing chat tonight! #g2great
#G2great A7 I feel that I am living in a "choice" bubble & I fear that our grade level has not properly prepared Ss to read non-choice texts & answer questions, mostly as test prep. It's a leap of faith to trust that the chg to choice in reading & writing will yield these skills.
A7: The push/pull of testing-- giving up weeks of teaching to do testing prep. This is my first year in many that I have to worry about it and I really don't know if all this time couldn't be better spent just being readers/writers #G2Great
A7 I have questioned my personalized approach as to how it can truly help students be prepared for what lies ahead (the ambiguity). I do not have an answer...which is okay...but I will always be questioning and fighting for what is best for kids. I will always find a way #g2great
#g2great@DrMaryHoward responded with ample practice. Its easy as Ts to forget that time for practice is non negotiable (indep small group writing scaffolds etc.) Plus our idea of practice time will look different for our diverse learners.
People need repetition and support to transfer learning. We can give that to them. Repetition by focusing on a skill or two. Support through small groups, charts, clear strategies. #g2great
A6: ⛓ Connecting new learning with previous learning is imperative!
I provide opportunities for students to share with one another the connections we can make.
Intentionally guiding Ss make the connections #g2great
A7 Are my practices really creating readers? Have they built a reading life that will sustain them? Should I worry more about standardized testing since everyone else does? Should I give more work? #g2great
A7: I am skeptical if I am on the right path. Sometimes the bumps in the road change course and other times they reinforce that we are on the right path it is just a tricky spot. I am currently undecided on where the bump is going to take me. #G2Great
A7: I've worked in a classroom where comprehension was taught by presenting isolated worksheets with a short passage and multiple choice- separate from talking about comprehension of the actual book we were reading. I am skeptical about this! #G2Great
Some skeptical thoughts I try to combat in others is the idea that just bc a student doesn't read well, doesn't mean they can't think well. We need to engage all our learners in rich discourse. #g2great
You are not interrupting! You are joining in the #g2great chat:) I read aloud the last 10 minutes of everyday & love it but I have not done a whole class novel (everyone follows) in over 10 yrs. I’m going to read @teachkate new book/perspective of how this could look in RW
A7-When I moved from first to fifth grade I was skeptical about the WCN. I was strictly RW, mini-lesson, independent choice reading, small group work, conferring. I gave the WCN a try and found a happy balance. Looking forward to reading @teachkate new book!#G2great
A7: I can't fit it all in! (I now have some answers for that one), What if I pick a terrible novel (again - answered here tonight) and I don't have a class (lit teacher) I can do a whole group novel with my intervention groups!! #excitedformonday#g2great
So much this. I worry that the "choice" bubble has given Ss a false sense of success that might not transfer once they stop getting to choose. #g2great
#G2great A7 I feel that I am living in a "choice" bubble & I fear that our grade level has not properly prepared Ss to read non-choice texts & answer questions, mostly as test prep. It's a leap of faith to trust that the chg to choice in reading & writing will yield these skills.
Some skeptical thoughts I try to combat in others is the idea that just bc a student doesn't read well, doesn't mean they can't think well. We need to engage all our learners in rich discourse. #g2great
A7: My conflict is that I LOVE S choice, but recognize one of the most important parts of student success in the classroom is the relationship the teacher has with the class, which happens best with a WCN. #g2great
A7. Post-Its (while I get it and preach it) promote an active stance, make the invisible, visible, are a form of annotating, transaction between reader and text - finding a happy medium, some Ss, some of my most passionate, proficient readers rally against it... #g2great
Thank you for the great #g2great chat. I have learned so much hand have been anticipating this chat and book release since last week and the video by Kate. Cannot wait to go deeper in my learning! Thanks @teachkate
Why are they seemingly “low readers”? There are so many possibilities. Have they found the right book? Are there potential gaps in their learning? Are they going through something personal that’s affecting their ability to focus or learn? #g2great
#G2great A7 I feel that I am living in a "choice" bubble & I fear that our grade level has not properly prepared Ss to read non-choice texts & answer questions, mostly as test prep. It's a leap of faith to trust that the chg to choice in reading & writing will yield these skills.
It’s soooo hard! But I do absolutely love my job so I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea! @joshua_lyons love what you do and always continue to push yourself and learn and remember what it’s like to be in the classroom every day! #g2great
#G2great So true! We have a S who is reading at least 3 grade levels below, so the text is clearly not accessible to her independently; however, bc it's a shared whole class novel, I read it and she readily offers her thoughts during discussion. So powerful!
Let's give a huge #G2Great cheer to @Eatbooks4brkfst she won a copy of @teachkate's book! Thank you @HeinemannPub for this generous donation. Keep reading, keep learning because we never stop learning!
