D&Z Chapter 5&8

I have said to begin every blog about D&Z and reading Chapters 5 and 8 proven to have yet again been an enjoyable read. This week's reading were interesting not because they wrote about radically new ideas I have never heard of before, but because they make me see things that I have already heard of in a new way.

For example in Chapter 5 what they called gradual release of responsibility reminded me of creating a lesson plan around Direct Instruction for my Micro teaching I in SED 406. How Daniels and Zemelman discribe gradual release of responsibility goes way beyond a 50 minute class period. I believe that the gradual release could be helpful because more often than not we will have students understand and grasp concepts at different speeds. I also like the idea of gradual release because students can go back if they need to or work without support if they are are ready to move along.

After reading Chapter 5, I realize that I will not be selling this book back. It just has so much valuable information, it would be silly to sell it back for pennies. Aesthetically speaking, the teacher strategies are well organized which makes for easy understanding. I really liked the turn and talk strategy (which we also do in class all the time). I like that it allows shy students to participate and the daydreamers on their toes. It also feels like a momentary break of having to sit silently among 30 students while the same three students do all the talking.

While trying to find a picture that perfectly embodied the turn and talk strategy, I stumbled upon a Pintrest full of funny, teacher oriented memes. Here's one:

D&Z Chapters 6&7

I am pretty sure I say this every time I blog about Daniel's and Zemelman's Subjects Matter, but I really enjoyed it! The way the book is written just makes for an enjoyable and interesting read. I love how they emphasize different ways that we, as teachers, can use the textbooks we are provided.

I know we've all had a teacher (or more) that we knew they're lesson plans before we even stepped foot in his or her classroom. It was not because we were teenage mind readers, but because Mr. So-and-So did the same old thing day after day. We would chat about a topic for about half the class and the rest of the time read a few pages in a textbook and answered the questions at the end. By June of Mr. So-and- So's class I am pretty sure we read that textbook cover to cover, but I could not tell you much about what I really learned.

So, I was happy to see that one of the first things Chapter 6 touched on was being selective with what we have our student read or what we assign from the textbooks. Focus on things or reading that really matter with help with student retention. I really liked the four filters they included, to help teachers decide whether we should include it in our lessons.

I think I would use these filters in the future, because even if I have a less than impressive or out dated text I still think using the filters would help me find useful resources or readings.