You must, must, must watch this video. Nancie Atwell responds to the recent NY Times article regarding Reading Workshop. I found myself wanting to shout, “Yes, yes, yes! You go, girl!” while Nancie spoke.
This video should be mandatory for all parents, teachers, administrators, and school officials.
http://www.heinemann.com/shared/emails/AtwellChoice.html
Filed under: rants | Tagged: nancie atwell, reading workshop |
The Reading Zone 
I’ve been mulling that NYT article over, wondering why it caused so much buzz. I finally decided that it was because there is a difference in the way laymen (parents, general bibliophiles….) misunderstood what was being said (which falls on the writer of the piece’s shoulders, not the teachers profiled) and the way reading teachers understood it. Any decent reading teacher understood what Atwell had to take the time to address. Perhaps the NYT writer needs to amend the article???
I haven’t seen the article in question; however, I fully agree with the importance of choice in reading workshop. It is a fact that can be found in any educational psychology textbook that providing choice to students enhances motivation and learning. Nancie Atwell said it perfectly when she said that teachers are not just telling students to read whatever they want for a half hour, they themselves are readers, critics and guides. The teachers provide access to good literature and the students choose which one would be most interesting to them. When a student is actively engaged and learning, how on earth can that be looked down upon?
I enjoyed Nancie’s video and totally agree. However, I thought what she said about implying that Stephenie Meyer is clearly not a great writer was a bit harsh. A really badly written book is not going to sell like Twilight did. I know many teens and adults who finally started reading books because of the Twilight series. That’s the only thing I didn’t agree with Atwell saying. Thanks for posting the video site.
I can’t wait to see this video. For some reason it is not coming up right on my computer at home, and I forgot to try it out at school today. I did have a chance to read through the accompanying discussion link on Heinemann, and it was fun to read through everyone’s responses.
That was inspiring to me – now how do I bring my teachers along this way? I’m just starting The Book Whisperer and picked up Jim Trelease’s Read A Loud. Nancie will be next.
I’ve used reading workshop for the past 2 years in my 7th grade classroom. I see about 145 students per day. I’ve taught for 25 years, and I’ve used many methods, but I have NEVER seen a method that will turn a non-reader into a reader like reading workshop. It’s amazing to watch students actually sneak-read their books. Not just the great readers, readers of all levels. Frankly, I think this saved me as a reading teacher because I just knew the textbook, assigned novels, worksheets, etc. just weren’t working and kids were slipping through the cracks. I have never seen kids so enthusiastic about reading before! I know I have finally found what works.
[…] into an oasis of authentic assessments and project-based learning, a refuge of writing workshop and reading for pleasure, a sanctuary of art, music, woodshop, cooking, theater, languages, film making, journalism and […]
[…] You must, must, must watch this video. Nancie Atwell responds to the recent NY Times article regarding Reading Workshop. I found myself wanting to shout, "Yes, yes, yes! You go, girl!" while Nanc… […]
[…] Nancie Atwell Responds to Choice in Reading Workshop. […]
[…] an oasis of authentic assessments and project-based learning, a refuge of writing workshop and reading for pleasure, a sanctuary of art, music, woodshop, cooking, theater, languages, film making, journalism and […]