Schmoker, Chapter 4

I have mixed reactions to this chapter.  I agree with much of it, yet I find myself at odds with other parts of the chapter.  I love this quote, "Wide, abundant reading is the surest route out of poverty and the limitations that impose themselves on the less literate.  Reading changes everything."  Schmoker goes on to say that current reading standards and proposed national (CCSS) standards are guilty of teaching do everything except teach students to have purposeful reading (and discussion and writing).  "Students aren't truly mature readers until they can read and recognize about 50,000 words."  Schmoker viciously attacks the national standards for reading in this chapter (aka CCSS).  Read his quote, "These standards are all from national standards documents and written in that grating, fingernail-on-the-chalkboard prose that is unique to such documents.  Reading these, I can already imagine teachers drifting away from simple, powerful, team-built reading and writing assignments about authentic texts.  I see them drifting toward assignments provided by textbook and basal publishers, towards worksheets and prefab activities and those awful short "books" all "aligned with national standards."

Well, as we work with teachers in Indiana and Illinois, Judy and I would have to disagree with Schmoker.  Well I will say that I disagree with Schmoker, (I'll not speak for Judy) but as we work with our teachers I don't Judy or I would say that our teachers are running to textbooks and prefab worksheets.  Exactly the opposite is happening.  If anything for the first time, teachers are deciding their own lesson components and they are utilizing so much more than the texbook or workbook.  They are designing authentic lessons.

Schmoker goes on to say much more in his 4th chapter, but I will give you all time to read and respond.

Sarah