Shades of Meaning by Santman

Reading:

Santman, D., (1938) Shades of Meaning:Comprehension and Interpretation in Middle School: Portsmouth: Heinemann


I have been reading Shades of Meaning by Santman and really reflecting on my own reading and the reading that is going on in my sixth grade classroom. I have also stacked up the books and articles from our LLSS 528 class and realized that I have changed. As I prepare to do my research on illustrations and text in children's literature, I know that I have changed. My sixth grade ladies are reading Romeo and Juliet with passion and enthusiasm...Yes Shakespeare! My boys are listening to A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines and reading finishing The Count of Monte Cristo. I struggle with Twain and Orwell as our next adventure and accept that I have changed in these past few months. 


Santman talks about patterns of misreading in chapter three, as I think deeply about reading being an end instead of a beginning. I know that I have to get back to my personal reading. I know I need to enjoy reading and writing again and break the patterns. I find myself reflecting more. Reflecting on every aspect of the reading process. From reading to assessment. From listening to discussion. I want to enjoy Romeo and Juliet with my students so that we all have an interaction with the text and the story.


Note: I know hat this is not the formal blogging process but I also know that something is going on with me and the reading process. I also know that I really want to understand what it is and not let these opportunities pass me by.

Write Again! Right Again!

Reading: Writing for the Soul by Jerry B. Jenkins

Instruction and Advice from an Extraordinary Writing Life (2006)

As I look at the reading from Sipe and the conference this weekend. I realize that we cannot judge a book by its cover or an analysis by its title. II often want to put thing in nice analytical boxes. However, intertextual, performative and transparent mean much more to me. Reader response means that it is really about the students (reader’s) response and not my experience, it is about making good book choices and thinking through how the reader is responding and not what I want them to interpret.

Maria Nichols refers to it as purposeful talk, “As students’ abilities with purposeful talk grow, it is quite easy to begin taking their competence for granted, forgetting that newly formed behaviors are not yet habits; they require consistent nudging and nurturing to truly take hold.” I am at the place where I really want to raise my expectations and understanding of my student’s responses and gently nudge hem along the pathway and journey of quality reading.

Carrie talks about the Collective Voices Conference, in both her blog and learning log, both she and I walked away from the conference not only wanting to expand our reading but write our memoirs. I am fascinated with children’s books and literature and want to offer a more “transparent” perspective the writing process. In simpler I want the opportunity to become one with text again.  This has been a great week in regards to reading and creative writing. I want to have a voice with students and learners outside of classroom. I want to write again. That alone makes the conference and this class worth the price of admission. 

I know that right now it is right again to write again. This time I want to write from my soul.