Chapter 7
Patterns - very much reminded me of what Beers & Probst write about in Notice & Note with their sign-posts. Vinton writes about how "writers convey meaning through patterns that change and break". That's how you can find spots to think and perhaps revise or add to previous thinking. I love how reading is like a process - I find that often. I reread certain books over and over and each time find something new that I haven't noticed before. She speaks about the END being the final time to revise and how it might show us what the writer intended.
Patterns are also found in many other areas, such as math and science, reminding me again how important it is for students to learn how to learn. So much can be applied to many different areas. Patterns are universal.
Going along with this, I loved how she connected reading and math through the idea of Rich tasks (p. 127).
These are so important especially because they provide multiple paths for students to work. There is not one way of thinking!
In this chapter, Vinton also makes me think more about the language we use - maybe, could and might are all very vague - so that students must continue to think rather than just wait for confirmation by the teacher.
On to nonfiction!!! I was so excited to see this coming up because of what we do in the library with inquiry and evaluation of information.
I appreciated so much the focus on expository nonfiction - that is a genre that is difficult to work with and sometime I feel like I am only taking the text at face value. I loved how Vinton provides a way for us to be thinking about the facts "how they are related, what they might imply and how a phenomenon, process, or event works or happens" (p. 139).
There is a shift from just knowing to UNDERSTANDING.
Loved this: "aboutitis" from David Perkins (see p. 141 & 2) - this seems like just the knowing part, without the understanding.
P. 144 - The goal is understanding, not just collecting facts! I'm really going to be thinking about this and how to share this with teachers.
P. 155 Vinton does some comparing of CCSS purpose with a Problem-based process. In her opinion, CCSS is very product, answer getting, comprehension question focused as opposed to process, thinking and explaining, and understanding focused. I'm interested to see what other folks think about this.
Toward the end of the chapter, time is spent in thinking about the teacher as a learner in the class too. It is again a move away from "I know everything" to "we are in this together and we all get confused" types of mentalities.
Lastly, the takeaway about how confusion is actually really important. I have read/heard about how learning happens when 2 things almost rub against one another and so you really have to think. It can be painful sometimes, but far more rewarding in the end!
Continued to be fascinated by the ideas in this book!