Although I have never been intrigued by the idea of reading books, I was actually quite fascinated by the content in this chapter because humans read so differently. I know for myself I have to reread a passage several times to fully grasp it, whereas others can skim in half the amount of time it takes me and understand the text perfectly. As a teacher, I need to be cognizant that each of my students will be at their own reading levels. Not all of them will have the reading skills and background knowledge to properly decipher certain texts, and it’s my job as an educator to set achievable goals for my students and to help them reach those goals.
(Picture from BW Education)
In chapter 2, we were given samples of random texts with no background knowledge. The passage discussing a game of cricket confused me more than I’d like to admit; I thought it was talking about a video game or some fantasy land. That activity forced me to thoroughly read the text several times, and that reading process all came naturally. I don’t think through my thinking process while I read because I read hundreds of times a day. Chapter 2 has helped instill the importance of reading for myself. Whether I am teaching science or social studies, I need to be intentional about teaching basic reading skills and making sure my students understand key principles. The goal is to get my students to feel comfortable enough with the content to think on their own rather than feeling overwhelmed with completely new material and exceedingly high expectations.
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Good job. Rereading is a good reading strategy, so recognizing that you employed it is what makes you a good reader! Try to learn as many strategies as possible in this class, so you can teach them to your students.
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