Keene chp. - 3

While reading chapter three i could not help but think about topics that i have fervently researched, learned about, and understood. Unfortunately, most of them are extracurricular, such as sports, hunting, truck parts, etc. So i have thought, through reading this chapter, what did i learn? Though not very educational content, i learned how i research and learn on my own. Doing so has helped me to research and learn about educational topics that have been required for classroom work. I feel that if students were given the opportunities to research, learn, and then present on topics of their choice, they would be able to understand how they learn best and understand. After doing this they could then use those techniques for their classroom work. i feel that far to often when children are given a task to accomplish, that requires research, they sometimes have no clue where to start, because they do not understand how they learn.

FPP chp. - 2

I feel that this book could be used in a very complex manner. The governmental ways of Germany, the geographic locations and movement, the U.S. immigration laws of the time, etc. could all be examined and talked about within a sixth grade classroom. I would try to obtain a map of Germany at the time, as well as Europe and the world. Then I would have the class track the families journeys around Europe. I would also talk to the class about how they would feel if the entire school started to vocally turn against only our class. How would they feel if they actually had to fear for their life, their families life, and be unsure of their future waiting on a piece of paper to travel to America?

FPP - chp. 1

After finishing chapter one I feel that some, or most children in a sixth grade class would be awestruck. The descriptions of what life was like in the camp are very vivid, and one could only imagine what it could have been like. In the first discussion about this book with a sixth grade class, I would start off by asking what they thought of the first chapter. Then I would ask them how they would feel if they had to endure everything that Marion's family and the rest of the camp members had to. How would they feel is they had to wear the same clothes all of the time, with no change? How would they feel if they were never allowed to bathe? How would they feel if they only received one meal a day? How would they feel about the communal bathrooms? How would they feel about going to the bathroom in the same cup or bowl they had to use for their food? How would they feel about living in the barracks with six hundred others, which are only meant to hold one hundred. Etc.

Keene, chpt. 2

Upon finishing chapter two, I too have realized that teachers are going through the motions, doing exactly as the curriculum book prescribes. One aspect i have noticed, throughout my own experiences, is that more of an emphasis is place on the amount of books read. I do believe that it is all fine and dandy that students improve on their reading rates, however, shouldn't they first develop their skills of understanding? I have seen students fly through a chapter in their reading group, and then not remember or comprehend what they read. So if the goal of their independent reading is to see how many books they can read, how many of those books are they just flying through, and not comprehending what they read?

Upon finishing chapter one, Keene raises some of the most difficult and controversial issues that almost all elementary teachers may face. This has to deal with more literacy needing to be taught, so what subject is less important than another to teach less or leave out? However, I feel that teachers can use books in literacy lessons that cover other subject areas.

One thing i like and have an issue with is how Keene suggests intriguing, provoking, and raising the bar far students. I feel that this may work for some students, however, what are teachers to do who have students that who are not affected by these strategies?

After beginning chapter one of "To Understand", by Ellin Keene, I have been uneasy about Jamika's comments. If you think about what does "make sense mean" really mean to a second grader. I they can retell a story, answer questions about it, and learn new vocab they have a good memory, not an understanding ("make sense") of the point. I wonder how many elementary school children feel the same way as Jamika did. If understanding is relating one's experiences with an authors message, how are young children, with very little experiences, supposed to understand an authors message?