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Read-Aloud: No thank-you?
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From: Barbara Tobin <barbtobin>
Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2004 00:23:42 -0400
Karen Sue wrote: <, is there anyone out there who doesn't enjoy/appreciate/even comprehend "read-alouds"? Or have students/readers with the same reaction?>
Oh yes indeed. In the past, I used to have my pre-service elementary education students fill out a 'reader profile' at the beginning of the semester (a la Nancy Atwell). One of the questions asked if they liked to be read to, and I was repeatedly dismayed and surprised at how many of these young people (mostly Juniors about 20! years old) said NO! It had never occurred to me that not everybody enjoyed being read to. Hopefully by the end of the semester most of those dissenters had changed their minds :-)
And yes, Lisa, that comment you got on your course evaluation (" I didn't come to graduate school to be read aloud to") is unfortunately not uncommon.
I found that the undergrads I taught more recently at another university had fewer reluctant listeners. Maybe I had improved after over 20 years of college teaching, but these students were mostly non?ucation majors, invariably very smart, and usually taking very challenging courses in math, the sciences, business, etc. I believe they enjoyed the change of pace. Many said it was the only three hour course they looked forward to each week. I would usually read aloud three to five picture books in that time period.
I remember reading aloud a quite powerful recent Caldecott honor book last year, and pausing delicately before I invited responses. One of the few education majors shot up her hand to open the discussion: "I just have to say that is a very long book to read to children" (her own listening concentration span was sorely tested). That really shut down the aesthetic mood.
I had to leave that job when we moved this year. On the first day of class, I sat home sadly whilst somebody else taught 'my' class. I was so antsy. I kept looking at my watch and thinking, right now I would be reading xxxxx to them; now I would be having them read xxxx in their groups; now I would be reading xxxxxx..... Obviously, it was the read-alouds that I missed most; and as Monica said, that special community that grows around such shared reading aloud.
Barbara
Barbara Tobin barbtobin at optonline.net
Received on Thu 26 Aug 2004 11:23:42 PM CDT
Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2004 00:23:42 -0400
Karen Sue wrote: <, is there anyone out there who doesn't enjoy/appreciate/even comprehend "read-alouds"? Or have students/readers with the same reaction?>
Oh yes indeed. In the past, I used to have my pre-service elementary education students fill out a 'reader profile' at the beginning of the semester (a la Nancy Atwell). One of the questions asked if they liked to be read to, and I was repeatedly dismayed and surprised at how many of these young people (mostly Juniors about 20! years old) said NO! It had never occurred to me that not everybody enjoyed being read to. Hopefully by the end of the semester most of those dissenters had changed their minds :-)
And yes, Lisa, that comment you got on your course evaluation (" I didn't come to graduate school to be read aloud to") is unfortunately not uncommon.
I found that the undergrads I taught more recently at another university had fewer reluctant listeners. Maybe I had improved after over 20 years of college teaching, but these students were mostly non?ucation majors, invariably very smart, and usually taking very challenging courses in math, the sciences, business, etc. I believe they enjoyed the change of pace. Many said it was the only three hour course they looked forward to each week. I would usually read aloud three to five picture books in that time period.
I remember reading aloud a quite powerful recent Caldecott honor book last year, and pausing delicately before I invited responses. One of the few education majors shot up her hand to open the discussion: "I just have to say that is a very long book to read to children" (her own listening concentration span was sorely tested). That really shut down the aesthetic mood.
I had to leave that job when we moved this year. On the first day of class, I sat home sadly whilst somebody else taught 'my' class. I was so antsy. I kept looking at my watch and thinking, right now I would be reading xxxxx to them; now I would be having them read xxxx in their groups; now I would be reading xxxxxx..... Obviously, it was the read-alouds that I missed most; and as Monica said, that special community that grows around such shared reading aloud.
Barbara
Barbara Tobin barbtobin at optonline.net
Received on Thu 26 Aug 2004 11:23:42 PM CDT
