Alex- Week # 3

            This chapter was focused on developing reading in a science classroom. It centered on identifying several strategies that teachers could use to promote reading in the classroom. These strategies were based on 5 principles. These were; understanding the purpose of reading a science text, develop ways to preview the reading in their heads, monitor their understanding of the readings, extract correct and useful information from the texts, and to summarize that information.

            The first two sections looked to set up the rational for the chapter. The first dealt with performance expectations that students could use to focus their reading. Some of these include making inferences about the reading, comparing and contrasting different ideas presented in the readings, and using evidence to support their ideas. The authors describe these ideas as a “self help” for students as they read. The students can use the list as a guide that will allow them to focus their attention on the important ideas in the text as well as help supplement what they have already learned in class. The book provides a scenario where students perform research on the differences between sugar and artificial sweeteners.  For example, when the students break up into groups to discuss their findings, they will apply what they have read in order to defend their ideas to their peers as well as use their knowledge to evaluate other work.

            The second section dealt with a topic we have covered extensively in class, metacognition. According to Thier and Daviss, the performance expectations came out of several meta-cognitive goals. As we have learned, metacognition is the act of thinking about thinking. the Authors wanted to show that once students have develop the skills necessary to understanding their thinking and understanding then they will be much more adept at adjusting their habits in order to maximize their understandings. To do this, the book suggests that the teacher lead the class through several “reading comprehension prompts” that mirror the performance expectations. Within each topic there are several questions that the teacher could ask in order to guide the class. For instance, one topic is labeled, “summarizing” and under that there is a question that reads, “Can I identify all of the key concepts and write a summary using these concepts?”

            Once these two main ideas are laid out then the authors go about listing five strategies that can be used in the class. One that I found particularly interesting was called “Write as you read science.” Just as the title suggests, students will be combining reading and writing to solidify the key concepts presented in the text. For this strategy, students are asked to identify passages that are interesting or confusing as well as take notes about what they have read on a separate sheet of paper. The point is that by physically writing out what is important students are more likely to remember how to find it later on. I really enjoyed this strategy because it is so simple. There is no extended writing required from the students other than making a few simple marks and writing some notes. However even thought this is a simple task it has a powerful effect. I have noticed myself that I tend to remember things better after I have written the information down. It is almost like muscle memory in athletics. I also agree with the text when it says it is best to provide guidelines for students at first. This way they can really have a chance to practice.

            I felt this was an interesting chapter. Though I was not surprised as I was during my last reflection I did find some very useful information. I really liked how the book set out guidelines for both students and teachers. I would feel much more comfortable using these strategies because I have a framework to build from. What I did not like was that there really was no distinction between the performance expectations and the meta-cognitive sections. I understood that they were related but it seemed like they just restated the same information. Other then this, I found the reading to be very helpful and can easily see using some of the strategies described in the book in my CPD.