I spent the first part of my summer thinking, reading, and writing about identity with the Red Clay Institute, which naturally led me to think about reader identity so I loved the first part of our reading this week! I identified with Ripp's experience as my own reading identity was developed outside of school. I don't remember reading being much of a focus when I was in school. I was just fortunate to love reading on my own. I have been thinking about doing a lesson with my ELA teachers this fall and I think the ideas that Ripp offered will be very helpful when I design the lesson. I'm sure there are many teachers that already do many of the things that she outlined, but I'm sure there are many that do not and I cannot think of a more important lesson than one that focuses on creating a reading community. I could have cried when she told the story about her students wanting to visit the school library because the school librarian was a reader and they found his recommendations and book discussions helpful. How I hope my students see me this way!
I read chapter 5 with great interest as Ripp laid out so many ideas that she had learned as a teacher of reading—things that didn't work and things that did work. This is my area of weakness since I have not been a classroom teacher. I want to learn from those who've been with a class daily. Also, I have seen so many things in my role as a librarian that perplex me and I want to understand why teachers have the opinions about reading instruction that they do. The obsession with reading levels comes to my mind first, but also the reliance on computer testing is one area that I don't understand. Though I did not learn the answers to these questions in the reading, I did learn a lot of valuable information from Ripp's "then" and "now" explanations and modifications of her classroom workings.
One thing that stuck out to me is that she used picture books as read-alouds for her older students. I have found that older students love picture books as much as younger students and I love reading them aloud to students. There is so much that can be gained from a picture book read aloud—through modeling inflection and dramatic presentation, observing the visual techniques and cues, and discussing the characters and story. It may seem simple, but I believe the experience is very worthwhile to readers. In fact, as I write this I'm thinking I will start my PL with my teachers by reading a picture book :) I love that Ripp had her own library of picture books that targeted strategies that she wanted to work on with her students. I see this a great opener for a class and she mentioned even doing a read-aloud on the first day of school.
I think my biggest take away is the simplicity of what she said were the most essential components for reading success: choice time, access to books, and a supportive environment. Whenever I reflect on reading instruction in schools today this song comes to mind...
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