ch 5

Knowledge, experience, and motivation often enhances students desire to engage in a variety of texts. However, without the knowing how to read specific text, desire can turn into discourage in an instant. We have heard “never assume” over and over again, and this is a prime example. We can’t assume that any student has the skills needed to read and interpret hard to read text. It is our job to teach skills that instill independence in each student.

The ‘How to Plan’ (page 130) is a great example of how teach students to be successful readers with any type of text. Not only will this teach students to be great readers but good writers as well. It has been my experience that I have learned what kind of teacher I want to be as result of bad teachers as well as good teachers. I learned what I did not want to be or do in my classroom from the “bad teachers” and what I want to implement in my classroom from the “good teachers.” I believe students can “take the good and leave the bad”, so to speak, with difficult texts in any format or any context, and they can develop excellent writing skills in the process with the assistance of a great teacher.