Another WONDERful Week

Wonder 

I recently bought an “I read Wonder” shirt and I was so excited to wear it to school on casual Friday. 

The students were also excited when they saw what I was wearing.  They quickly started asking if we’d be reading any of the book today.  One student even added “you cannot wear an ‘I read Wonder’ shirt and not read any of the book to us today, Mr. Sharp.”  They were definitely right.  Wearing the “I read Wonder” shirt made me feel like it was necessary to take some time to read the wonderful book to my class.  Since the students worked so hard throughout the first week of the MEAP test my mentor and I decided that after lunch I would spend some extra time reading Wonder (30 minutes or so instead of the usual 10-15 minutes whenever I can find time to read it aloud).  During the time I was reading students were allowed to draw pictures about the book.  After I finished I had those who chose to draw hold their pictures up and I provided a positive comment to every student who drew a picture.  It was very interesting to see how they interpreted specific scenes of the story and to compare them with how their classmates and I saw it in our heads. 

MEAP

The MEAP test is not the most exciting time of the school year.  In fact, it is quite boring.  Once the test begins, teachers are only allowed to read the directions to the students, dismiss students to the bathroom, and hand out sharpened pencils.  We can’t read, organize our room, grade, or anything.  Which I guess makes a small amount of sense since it could be a distraction to the students taking the test, and it would be unfair as a teacher to distract them.  But that is not even what makes the MEAP test less than exciting.  The hardest part is that the students cannot do next to nothing once they finish their test.  All they can do is go back and check their answers on the current test, sit quietly, or put their head down.  These kids are 8-10 years old; sitting still is and silent for an extended period of time is one of the hardest possible things for many of them.  It does not make much sense to me.  As an educator I try to put a lot of emphasis on the importance of reading. What better time to read a book than when you cannot make noise in the classroom?  I just think that the people who decide on the rules for the MEAP test should lighten up a bit, and allow the kids to read.  It would help them be less disruptive, and it would help them learn at the same time.  Isn’t learning the point of going to school?  If the students were allowed to read they would be able to improve their reading comprehension, improve their reading fluency, learn about something knew, and it is very possible that a student that does not enjoy reading might finally pick a book they love and could potentially fall in love with reading at that very moment.   

Habit 3: To be perspective-takers, seeking out, valuing and incorporating different viewpoints and positions about learners, learning, teaching and subject matter

 

By giving my students the option to draw about the story when I was reading Wonder it gave students a way to quickly show how they see the story, as well as what they might be learning from the book.  When I read the novel aloud students are also always free to raise their hand and share something the story is making them think about.  They could share an event it reminds them of, something they have learned from the story, how the story makes them a better person, a comment on how they would feel in a situation the story is narrating, etc.  It is fun to learn what my students think about Wonder and to see how the story can have a very positive impact on how they interact with their peers.