Book Snap #3 Lessons from the book

The authors advocate building through read-alouds, the use of text sets (reading a series of texts on a similar topic), and increasing students' reading volume (independent reading).  Earlier in the school year, I offered PD in each building about the best instructional practices for read-alouds.  NH's teacher-created SS/ELA Units use a variation of text sets because students are reading or being read texts on related topics throughout the unit. 

The ideas the authors present about increasing reading volume could be our next focus.  For example: using a variety of simpler texts on a topic to grow students' knowledge and motivation to read complex grade-level material (pg 28), the idea that studies can't give us a target quantity of pages or texts or words but it's likely more than what students are able to do during a typical school day as currently structured (pg 31), and ideas about independent reading (making it a priority; letting students choose books based on current, upcoming, or previous class topics; and letting students choose books driven by their interests) pgs 34-36.  We use to "require" teachers to have their students read indpendently for a certain number of minutes each week.  I worry that since that "requirement" hasn't been revisited in some years, teachers are no longer finding time for students to read indepdently...

“When we offer students strategies, it’s important to make sure we are considering their strengths within their goals.”
This line shows that teaching isn’t just about fixing what students struggle with. It’s also about using what they’re already good at to help them reach their goals. Good teaching builds on strengths, not just weaknesses.
One thing I learned from this is that teaching strategies should be personalized. Instead of only focusing on what a student is doing wrong, I should look at what the student is already doing well and use that to help them improve. This matters because students feel more confident when their strengths are recognized, and it can make learning more effective. For example, if a student is good at visualizing but struggles with summarizing,  I  could use visualization as a strategy to help them better understand and summarize the text.

"When we teach students that mistakes and struggle are positive, it has an incredibly liberating effect on them."

This idea is crucial because many middle school students start to develop beliefs about their math ability.  By reframing mistakes as a normal and valuable part of learning, a teacher can reduce math anxiety and encourage persistence.  At this age students are especially sensitive to failure so creating a classroom where struggle is expected helps them take risks and try challenging problems.  

In introducing the concept of the "Science of Learning", the authors discuss the common situations teachers find themselves in - an ever-changing environment where "best practices" seem to change constantly and such practices do not seem to be supported by anything more than "this is what is new."  The strategies provided thus far in the book are rooted in research and practice in a wide variety of settings (elementary, middle, high).