Tovani Ch. 1-5

I loved that Cris Tovani wrote in her book how she herself wasn’t a good reader and then it took practice for her to be where she is now. She helps people who struggle with something she struggled with for years. I like how when she talks about her classroom she says she asked her students first what they expected to get from the classroom first before she tells them what she expects. I think this is a great strategy to use in the classroom because it gives them a little bit of autonomy instead of having a teacher what they can and can’t do the first day. I also enjoyed that Tovani is reminded of how she was when she was younger by some of her students when they reveal how they cheated on book reports and pretended how to read.

I couldn’t believe when she shared the experience of running into the teacher who was upset about having to teach reading comprehension just because it was a secondary classroom. Also that the teacher said if they can’t read after 6^th grade they are doomed. That is just awful to hear from a teacher but I understand why Tovani included this part in her book.

She admits that everyone can identify with having fake read before. Which is true because I did at times growing up pretend to know what I was reading and not really understand what I read.

I appreciated that Tovani points out that Teachers have so much they have to cover that sometimes it is hard for them to teach reading comprehension because they don’t know where to fit it in.

 

Demonstrating the reading process to your students can go a long way. It will help your students see how an experienced reading comprehends what they are reading. I thought this was great idea that I can actually use in the classroom.

Tovani makes a good point when she says that it is impossible to monitor every aspect of a student’s comprehension. As teachers, we can try to assess understanding of a text but when we are expected to monitor every aspect of reading comprehension, we are asked to do the impossible.

I agree when Tovani says some student’s problems is they don’t know why they are confused or that they are even confused. They don’t know how to tell when they don’t comprehend what they are reading.

 

I will admit even now sometimes when I am reading something I just won’t be focused and I will get side tracked with everything else going on in my life but then I just have to like relax and try to focus on what I am reading.

I believe that if students keep practicing reading that will help with comprehension. All they have to do is keep reading not just read when they are forced to.