Week of June 26
We received an "invitation" to use the Book Head Heart framework ourselves for the poem The Journey on page 73. In this thread, I invite and encourage us to be learners as we consider our thinking. For further "practice" as a learner, I invite you to read the "Dung Beetle" article Kylene referred to in the Take Two video and participate in a "digital discussion" on a web tool I use with students for discussions: Now Comment. My 3rd and 4th grade students love to "talk about texts" this way; I can upload text easily and we can comment back and forth. It is easy to use and typically I set discussions to private so only students to access (for us, this discussion is open to anyone). Check it out and if you are interested in using Now Comment in your classroom, let me know how I can help you! Can Dung Beetles Battle Global Warning? Note: My podcast here reflects on chapters 7, 8, an 9 thus including week 5-6 topics.
124 Comments
Angie Toole
6/27/2017 07:49:21 am
I really enjoyed implementing the BHH framework into the poem. However to be honest I always find poems to be a little intimidating because I think my interpretation will be way off. I read through the poem a few times. At first I was thinking what is going on here and I wanted it to be longer. Then I was thinking this poor person has had it. They don't want people to keep giving them bad advice and they finally got the courage to stand up for themselves because they needed to save their self. As I was reading I was wondering is this person asking for the other peoples advice and then not liking it or are people trying to force her to be something other then what she is?
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Joan
6/27/2017 10:44:31 am
Loved this online tech resource! I'm still waiting for my activation link. Our school is notorious for blocking things- I have checked my spam, etc… If not, I'll sign up with my personal email. I do like the look of this since it looks "real" world. We use Google for everything too but I worry that kids just think of it as schoolwork! I'm saving this to show to teachers!
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Heidi Weber
6/27/2017 02:23:21 pm
Here's a set of resources that might help Joan: https://www.tes.com/lessons/gwxPCH9fsoe_Pw/nowcomment-for-digital-discussions
Heather Barnes
7/6/2017 08:42:54 am
Never heard of Now Comment! Signing out a Chromebook cart for any length of time is a challenge, but would love to try this! Maybe find a non-fiction article related to a fiction piece we are reading?
Heidi Weber
6/27/2017 02:39:33 pm
Angie, I am with you on feeling "not good" with poetry thanks to my 11th grade English teacher. She berated me and my "interpretations" to the point that I developed a strong dislike of poetry. Thankfully I have learned to enjoy it but still am reluctant to share my thinking about any poem. This was actually a big step for me!
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Lisa A Frase
7/6/2017 10:16:06 am
Angie & Heidi,
Kelly Cummings
7/11/2017 08:31:53 pm
Me too Angie! I always have to reread "adult"poetry like this a couple of times, and still can be way off. Probably because of some high school teacher too. Ive blocked it out. But I still do love to read it and try! 8/1/2017 12:37:16 pm
How could an 11th grade English teacher berate you for poetic intrepretation-ARGH!
Megan McCaffrey
6/28/2017 01:06:50 pm
Even when my students are what I consider to be way off base during a discussion or analysis of a text I try to let it slide! I feel as if they had the courage to speak up in class then who am I to tell them they are "wrong." In other subject areas--math, science--there are obviously right & wrong...but a luxury in ELA is that interpreting literature is something that doesn't have to have a right or wrong answer (for the most part) and so our classes can be a place where kids can hear and recognize their own voice...or learn that they can see things one way and a classmate can see them another way and that is completely ok.
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Tracy Obringer
7/2/2017 04:42:22 pm
Megan,
Lisa A Frase
7/6/2017 10:23:30 am
Megan & Tracy,
Angie Toole
7/10/2017 11:16:23 am
Megan I really like your perspective. It really takes a lot for kids to speak up and letting it slide is a great way to encourage others to use their voice. I like that you point out interpreting literature doesn't have to have a right or a wrong answer. I need to remember that myself as I apply these new techniques as I am reading.
B
7/4/2017 04:41:57 pm
I am joining this week's discussion a week late--vacation (thank goodness this is a catch up week). I, too, feel inadequate when reading poetry. I think this is how our students often feel too. They have that right and wrong mentality (which other's have alluded to in this week's conversation). The BHH method gave me a concrete way to tackle this poem. It is less "scary" to do when you have guidance--which I feel the BHH method can do for many of my middle school students. There is not and should not be one way to approach reading. Readers need to view from many perspectives.
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Tracy Obringer
7/5/2017 07:40:46 am
I definitely plan on using this when I teach poetry. I, too, sort of avoid poetry. It really isn't my favorite type of literature, so I really struggle teaching it. The BHH method is pretty simplistic and think that is sometimes the easiest way to decipher poetry! Sometimes, I think I don't like it because I try to read too much into it. AND the BHH method forces students to give some sort of reason as to why they are thinking what they are thinking...which means that their responses can't be wrong!
Andrea Conover
7/6/2017 12:35:04 pm
It sounds like being uncomfortable teaching poetry is a common theme on this thread; glad I am not the only one! I sometimes don't always feel like I can facilitate a rich discussion with poems. It is always more difficult for me to lead than other texts because the kids are more reserved with poems. I agree with others though that the BHH Framework gives a concrete way to not only interpret the poem for myself, but a way that is sure to help me lead discussions with my kids!
Kelly Cummings
7/11/2017 08:34:44 pm
I really like that BHH is something the students will be able to remember and apply to not only poetry, but as we find out in chapter 8 to writing a summary for a college course! That's exciting!
Heidi Weber
7/24/2017 06:41:02 am
First name please :0) I can't give "credit" as there is a "Barb", "Bob", "Beth" and two "Becky's" to track :0)
Jennifer Forren
7/5/2017 10:00:26 am
Angie - Your reflection matches my thinking:-) When I read that we would be using the framework to tackle a poem, I had the dreaded poetry reading induced anxiety that I get whenever I have to read poetry! It was a great reminder for me about how students must feel when they are tackling something outside of their comfort zone. The Beers quote struck a chord with me, too (albeit I didn't frame my understanding quite as eloquently as she did). Utilizing the framework, I definitely went with the "Heart" on this one as it evoked emotions over understanding on my first reads. I always enjoy reading the comments of others...interesting how many adults get a little anxious over reading poetry (and nice to know I'm not the only one lol)!
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Heather Barnes
7/6/2017 08:44:31 am
Tracy - I, too, think I sometimes try to read too much into poetry and have avoided teaching it whenever possible. Hoping to dive back in and try BHH.
Molly Klodor
8/21/2017 06:23:53 pm
I hope that this doesn't come off as critical: so many teachers say that they feel uncomfortable with poetry, but I'd argue it's because we feel that we have to know the answers. As a result, our students are uncomfortable with poetry, some who will eventually become English teachers, and then we build the cycle. Instead of avoiding poetry or groaning about it, teachers need to imagine poetry as an undiscovered land that the class will search through together. There's no map, so wherever you end up is the right place to be!
steve murray
7/7/2017 08:42:16 am
Angie,
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8/1/2017 12:35:25 pm
Angie, I think that the BHH framework can work really well for poetry, which can be super intimidating. By looking at a poem in regards to what the author is saying, what surprises you and what changes you can make, there are a lot more interpretations than just "this is what the poem means." You are also spot on in your interpretation!
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Angie Toole
6/27/2017 08:01:43 am
Wow Heidi!! I loved going into Now Comment. What a great interactive way to communicate with your students. I signed up and made a few comments (I hope that was OK).
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Jen Zarlino
6/27/2017 10:08:36 am
I agree- this is a really interesting way to interact with a text digitally. My district is a Google district and I do a similar activity with Google Docs, but sometimes that can get tricky with so many students having access to one document. I like this tool!
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Jennie Burris
6/28/2017 08:53:01 am
This is such a cool resource for how to get students to interact with a text. I can imagine doing this with poetry (I would start with a Shel Silverstein poem myself). It is sooooo frustrating because we don't have technology available to all of our students. I would LOVE to implement this in my own classroom but even thinking about reserving the chromebook cart and making sure I had it with enough time for this to be beneficial is stressing me out!!!
Becky Kondritz
7/4/2017 04:46:12 pm
I, too, like this tool even though we use Google Docs. I have not done any "discussions" on Google classroom, but I had planned to employ this technique this coming school year. This website gives a different option to change things up a little.
Heidi Weber
6/27/2017 02:20:42 pm
ABSOLUTELY Angie! That is what I was hoping for! My kids love Now Comment! We have been using it for years. It is a great way to monitor how students are communicating digitally. My students have learned so much about tone and being respectful. As a teacher, they know I can and will delete comments that are not appropriate. So while we are discussing texts, we are also learning how to be responsible digital citizens as well.
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Heidi Weber
6/28/2017 09:02:11 am
Jennie, I understand your frustrations. To be honest, I don't use Now Comment very often in class. My students can access this from home if this is an option. In fact I first started using this on a snow day when we were all at home! The thing I like about Now Comment is the ability to have discussions over time and distance. But again, I understand your concerns! I just thought it was worth sharing for anyone who could and might be interested in using it!
Jennie Burris
6/28/2017 09:08:38 am
Discussion Friday sounds great....I tried to do this with an article of the week but my students got really tired of it! I think if I focused on the BHH framework it wouldn't seem so frustrating to them to have to annotate & answer questions. This would be great to use this with!
Andrea Conover
7/6/2017 12:36:06 pm
I can't wait to look into this resource! I am always looking for methods to have better online discussions!
Tracy Obringer
7/2/2017 04:49:56 pm
I am looking into the "nowcomment" website. I have never heard of it before!! Before I dive too far into it (or create an account, thus creating MORE junk email flooding my inbox), is this something that can be used with high school? I have sort of tried to implement Kelly Gallagher's idea of "Article of the Week" but they got easily bored with it. This looks a little more engaging!?
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Heidi Weber
7/2/2017 05:06:25 pm
Tracy, NowComment was originally developed for business and collegiate collaborations. I first learned about it from a middle school teacher and started using it with 3rd/4th graders; I have heard success from 2nd grade through high school. It is just a tool for having discussions around text (images or video too as they recently added those features) of course I could see the novelty wearing off so I use it with other tools to keep it fresh and interesting. I find it preferable to using the commenting feature with Google docs as dialog flows easier when more students start joining in. I have set it up for a larger audience (students in different classes) or smaller groups (to keep discussions more focused). Students often more reluctant to speak up in class find engaging in a discussion this way less intimidating. Students could even use nicknames if you wish. Even better... you can discuss a document over time so students can go back to it whenever you need them to.
Kristin Scherman
7/3/2017 08:28:31 am
I asked the question in my post what makes this tool different than copying and pasting the article into google docs and interacting that way. I find my HS kids know this tool well and feel more comfortable interacting in that space. We use google for everything at school so that seems like a more plausible tool for me personally. I sometimes get overwhelmed by all the tech tools that we are exposed to and I feel we are overwhelming our students with having to log on to tool after tool, when simple options are just as effective. I know as a teacher I feel pressured to use many of these "modern" tools, but it just becomes one more barrier between my kids and their learning at times. I did enjoy being able to dive into one sentence at a time, but I think it was only that I could relate to the topic at hand that I felt as excited about doing so (I teach HS science).
Bob Long
7/8/2017 05:12:23 pm
Tracy, Newcomment is something I will definitely try this year. I agree with those of you who said there seems to be a plethora of new things to try and it is constantly changing in the world we live in. But that's why discussions with peers is so valuable. You can get an idea of what's out there and what to try and what to avoid!
Jen Zarlino
6/27/2017 10:14:13 am
Using the BHH framework as a reader was an interesting experience and I agree with Beers and Probst that sometimes the best way to understand something is to try it yourself. I've put myself in the shoes of a reader/writer many times to test out a strategy or concept and learn something new every time.
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Joan Miller
6/27/2017 10:46:24 am
I agree Jen- I love to talk out my ideas first. I always struggle how to honor this in classrooms but then also hold students accountable for bringing ideas to discuss. I am going to double down this year on having more student partnerships in reading and writing that allow for this systematic work within reading and thinking.
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Kelly Cummings
7/11/2017 08:39:29 pm
I agree. I think we all benefit from talking it out and then putting it down on paper. I wrote my colleague who is doing this book study with me and said Let's read an article together and try the framework. It's always a good idea to talk it out!
Angie Toole
6/27/2017 02:15:17 pm
I agree Jen. I had written the BHH questions down too and struggled with answering them. I wanted to also talk about the poem.In my head as I was trying to answer the questions I kept telling myself it is OK if your answers overlap. Then you look at how well Heidi did with hers and realize I need some work with this :)
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Heidi Weber
6/27/2017 02:35:30 pm
Angie, Jen, and Joan,
Jennie Joseph
7/5/2017 12:02:43 pm
Maybe that was part of their "evil plan" all along :) Seems like a lot of what they are saying is don't make kids do a lot of projects and questions with reading. Maybe us wanting to talk about it reminds us that this is also what kids just want to do when they read also.
Jennie Burris
6/28/2017 08:55:41 am
Jen - I completely agree with you. I found myself wanting to talk and not write! I struggle with poetry because I often think that I am not thinking what everyone else is thinking. I was interested in reading how everyone thought about the poem before I posted this reply. I have been reading Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince (for the first time) and I started using the BHH framework with that. I found that I had a lot more to write than I did with the poem. I think finding a relatable text would be beneficial when starting this with my students!
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Jen Zarlino
6/30/2017 06:40:33 am
Jennie I'm glad you shared this! I was wondering if a longer text would help with using the framework at first. Also, great thought about using a relatable text. I think that will also help myself and students using the framework for the first time. I really like the framework, just struggled a little, just like our students do! Discomfort with something isn't always bad, it can push us to be better and learn something new.
Tara O'Hea
8/6/2017 12:20:21 pm
What an awesome book! I am sure you are able to dig deeply into BHH in that one. It is actually my favorite book in the series!
Miranda Franck
8/13/2017 09:24:38 pm
Jennie,
Becky Kondritz
7/4/2017 04:49:56 pm
Jen--I, too, appreciated the comment that we teachers need to try these things along with our students. I see this with writing. When I write and experience a roadblock, I realize these are similar feelings to my own students. When I first saw this chapter, I was briefly tempted to bypass this exercise, but it is through doing that we learn best.
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Andrea Conover
7/6/2017 12:44:38 pm
Totally agree with you, Becky! I definitely see the value in practicing the skills we teach our students, but I often skip over it due to time. Shame on me, because this exercise was excellent!
Megan McCaffrey
7/5/2017 10:34:46 am
Class discussions are the best (provided you have a group of students who comply). Jumping right into answering questions or writing a response is again having students only worry about the text and not how it relates to them or applies to their life.
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Molly Klodor
7/13/2017 11:51:35 am
And once you've had those class discussions, those connections are going to be much more rich. I find that having the discussion first then asking students to respond in writing produces much more interesting products than if I ask them to write before discussing.
Tara O'Hea
8/6/2017 12:18:58 pm
I totally agree. I absolutely love to write, but I teach students with special needs and find that for most of them, discussing prior to writing is beneficial.
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8/17/2017 02:27:11 am
I found having students record their thoughts and then play them back and pause as they sketch out their outline/paragraph helpful. There are so many apps for this now.
Joan Miller
6/27/2017 10:36:22 am
Love this chapter- I love how when I read the poem I noticed things that they didn’t and vice versa. It is so wonderful to have that type of reaction to a piece of literature. I would love to try this with kids first week of school. We spend so much time “launching” reading and writing workshop that it feels so procedural. But, with middle school students, I really think I could just quickly go over these and put them up there with kids and say, “Let’s try!” I would also love to try to do this with song lyrics. I love when we can find engaging song lyrics, etc… Since my job is closer to that of an “instructional” gifted coach, I would love to get some teachers to bite on introducing some of these ideas as additional ways for kids to respond during their book groups. We are really trying to push kids to understand that we don’t teach and them demand they “use” what we have modeled or introduced. We are more about trying to show kids how to apply strategies so that we are filling their toolboxes with tons of strategies so that they have a bunch to choose from independently. I love the guiding questions- I would also love for kids to track their answers to these overall questions across varied texts and genres. Then, we could have some really powerful questions about how a variety of texts touched your heart and how we leverage that thinking moving forward as we read and choose books. I had some 6th grade teachers end the year with multi-genre readings and writings. They chose to use critical lenses for that study but I also wonder if these questions would be a useful addition on how to extend that work. I think we swung so far away from reader response that we lost why we read. I’m excited to see what you all thought.
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Jennie Burris
6/28/2017 08:59:58 am
Joan -
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Heidi Weber
6/28/2017 09:07:30 am
Discussions with song lyrics are a favorite! I try to have my students just listen to a song first and then share thinking, then I pass the lyrics out. (This is actually helpful with RL 7 which involves presenting content in diverse media!) We did 100 Years by Five for Fighting (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR-qQcNT_fY) and used Padlet to share our thinking: https://padlet.com/weberhe/lful2ldw9gj
Jennie Burris
6/28/2017 09:12:24 am
I just looked online (quickly before I head out for lunch) and found the following ideas for discussion through song lyrics in the high school classroom. (This is going to be exciting!)
Megan McCaffrey
6/28/2017 01:01:46 pm
Song lyrics are great...I use them a lot when teaching rhetoric (ethos, pathos, logos). Rather than using a speech I think students relate so much more to songs--I provide certain songs, then I allow students to choose lyrics. The BHH can easliy be implemented with song lyrics and could be a great way to transition to teaching rhetoric, rather than just jumping into with boring notes that define the various rhetorical devices.
Angela Westlake
7/3/2017 12:02:16 pm
I love your idea of using song lyrics to work through the BHH framework! I have used song lyrics in the past to teach theme or other topics, and it is always so engaging for the kids! I could see them really being able to understand the framework by using songs. Music has a way of being personal naturally, so I think this would definitely lend itself to a discussion about how the lyrics can change us, all while teaching BHH!
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Heather Barnes
7/6/2017 08:38:27 am
Love, love, love the song lyrics, Jennie!!! Let's do some collaboration!!!! 8/17/2017 02:29:28 am
To quote Dr. David Sousa, "All humans are born with musical intelligence." So, what happens when they enter the doors of our schools? Give yourself permission to use music. Songs can be a product of their learning as well.
Tara O'Hea
8/6/2017 12:23:45 pm
Thanks for the suggestions. I agree that we need to continue to use reader response. If reading is not meaningful to the students, how will they learn to love reading? I am so excited to start this BHH framework this year.
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Miranda Franck
8/13/2017 09:28:38 pm
I like the idea of using this poem and exercise with my students with the direction of annotate and respond. Then trying it again with the framework so they have buy in. Love the idea of introducing it through poems and see a great fit with "The Summer I Turned Fifteen."
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Jennie Burris
6/28/2017 09:06:19 am
I was just texting with Heather and telling her how short this assigned reading was BUT it did give me a lot to think about.
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Joan Miller
6/30/2017 06:52:17 am
Jennie- HA- not bringing the backlash. :) I too struggle with poetry sometimes. It is probably the time that I'm most open to letting kids run the class and showing my vulnerability because I put it out there that I have no idea what the poem means. I know it's amazing- but the kids come up with so much more.
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Kristin Scherman
7/3/2017 08:34:00 am
I was so glad to read that you did not enjoy poetry. Perhaps it's because I have a concrete black and white scientific mind (I teach HS science) but poetry has never been something I enjoy. I want to scream, GET TO THE POINT. I am not a fan of reading between the lines.
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Angela Westlake
7/3/2017 12:06:30 pm
Kristin, I feel the same way about technology! When I started teaching, I had two classroom computers and an overhead projector. Now, we have interactive projectors, iPads, and 1:1 Chromebooks, among other things, and it often feels like we are expected to use technology all the time! While I appreciate all of the great tools we have, I also see value in kids writing with a pencil on paper or reading a book that's made out of paper. I certainly believe there needs to be a balance.
Amy B
7/6/2017 12:06:07 pm
I have found poetry to be a genre that like math you either love it or strongly dislike it. I think the BHH will be a great strategy for students who don't find success in math or science because they are the romantic creative learners. As I read the poem trying out BHH I found I disliked the exercise. Where was the definable out come? How do I know if I am right? I ask these questions because I am a math person who likes an answer key to check my success. Then I realized because I am a math person this is exactly why I need a strategy like BHH to guide me through an uncomfortable academic practice of reading for deeper meaning. This strategy would have greatly helped me with Shakespeare and classic poetry in high school where the teacher kept asking what does the text mean over and over. These guiding questions could have saved me hours of blank staring text.
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Kate Simons
6/30/2017 08:32:51 am
Beers and Probst said that they often start using the BHH framework with poetry because "more than other genres, (it) ought to speak to the heart" (p. 77). For me, "The Journey" was a great way to start learning about how to use the BHH framework. Below is how I analyzed the powerful poem:
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Angela Westlake
7/3/2017 12:09:17 pm
Kate, I think you did a great job hitting each of the three areas. As I read the poem, I kind of thought about them all like spaghetti, intertwined. However, I like that you were able to really boil it down to a clearly organized list! I love your idea about tying poetry to your science standards/content. It would be a great way to work on ELA standards within the content areas!
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Kate Simons
8/15/2017 01:19:21 pm
Hello Angela! You are right...the three areas are like spaghetti! The ideas are intertwined. I think the connections between the book, head, and heart areas of focus would allow students to deeply understand and appreciate what they read.
Jennie Joseph
7/5/2017 12:09:57 pm
Thank you for sharing you "answers" -- it kind of helped me move in the right direction as I was stuck mimicking what I can hear my own students say "the poem didn't change me" or "I didn't learn anything about myself". I'm sort of struggling with the simplicity of this reading concept and the "complexity" that is likely to occur for our students. Feel like it's just not quite the right questions to ask middle school students UNLESS the text speaks just right to them...and not all texts do that.
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steve murray
7/7/2017 09:11:40 am
I'm lucky in that our urban school has a great Humanities program. All kids take the same into to Humanities course in their freshmen year. iI get them as upperclassmen and to a person they recall the poems they were MADE to read, the Shakespeare they were MADE to memorize. But you know what, they remember all of it, and I have them reflect on them for their final senior portfolios, and my walls are festooned with images from literature they encountered throughout their years at our school, images that they recall and then paint on the walls. I'm lucky because we so often wonder what if any impact we have on our kids, and this lets me see them at the end rather than just waving goodbye and wondering what they'll remember. 8/17/2017 02:34:22 am
Does this help you with your need to find poems to align to the standards?
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Tracy Obringer
6/30/2017 10:28:57 am
BHH...I have to admit when I read this idea a few chapters ago, I was pretty skeptical. To me, it seems to be a very elementary idea. I had a hard time envisioning my 18 year old seniors telling me what a piece of reading is telling their heart. Call me a cynic, but I just dd not see it working.
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Amy B
7/6/2017 11:57:27 am
I agree with your skepticism. It is hard to think about teaching students to feel with their heart when nowhere in the standards is emotional academics discussed. This strategy is asking teachers to do more blending of art (feelings, emotions...) than science (evidence based practices) which really have been deemed not as important in today's modern education system. At the same time, I find as a professional that I can't teach without showing emotions. Being humorous or giving a stern look are my constant go tos but they work because they cause my students to feel emotions. So, on the idea that I need to be able to use, express, and understand emotions to be a teacher why wouldn't we teach some emotional academics to our students? What I find the BHH framework does is turn an art teaching strategy into a structured solution to discussing emotions.
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Kristin Scherman
7/3/2017 08:23:24 am
I'm going to start off talking about the article & using the "now comment" tool. I really liked breaking down the text, as a reader. It made me more engaged in each and every sentence, as I was searching for things I could comment on or discuss. I wonder, however, that because the topic resonated with me, I was more willing to and apt to participate. Honestly, if the topic was not interesting to me, perhaps I would not have made the effort to "log in" to participate. I am wondering if it would be just as easy to copy and past an article into google docs and comment there with my students. I was getting very frustrated with how long it took to save my comments and once I even lost my entire entry. Do you use this tool live with each student on a computer commenting on the text? How is this tool more useful than the traditional conversations the class can have? Are we encouraging relating to each other via electronics when a face-to-face is just as effective or a highlighter and a small group? I worry when I put my students in front of electronics in class to do something like a virtual lab or a tool like "now comment" during class time. Do they use this as a homework assignment?
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Heidi Weber
7/3/2017 08:36:33 am
Hi Kristin! First, I don't think NowComment should replace face to face conversations. The advantage to using this tool would be for asynchronous discussion so that conversations can take place over days and distances. I use it to allow students in different classes to discuss the same text and actually first started using it on a snow day when we couldn't be together! So while my students may access a conversation during class, my goals would be to teach them how to communicate effectively and respectfully online, build "typing" stamina, and focus on using the text to drive their thinking (as opposed to just commenting about things they think they already know). When the text and discussion are visible, they tend to hold each other more accountable.
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Angela Westlake
7/3/2017 11:58:57 am
Interestingly, I didn't think about "BHH" the first time I read the poem; I just read it. And my reflections were actually more "heart" and how that poem could be talking about my life than they were about "book" or "head". I suppose this comes from years of reading for enjoyment and making those personal connections in my reading, without specifically thinking about the framework. It seems to me that it is our ultimate goal to have students use the BHH framework so that they will no longer need it. It will be a natural response for them to think in terms of all three, specifically how it can apply to their own lives, which I think is the most unnatural response for students.
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Tracy Obringer
7/5/2017 07:45:03 am
Angela,
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Katy Flynn
7/19/2017 05:58:04 pm
Tracy, I agree that our high schoolers have gotten very quiet in expression, especially in discussion. I think that there are many factors at play when this happens. I definitely think that BHH could help them gather some sort of thought so they may be slightly more likely to participate in a small group discussion (or maybe larger?) . I also wonder if NowComment, or similar discussion resources, could be of assistance in that regard, allowing students to make statements or ask questions as they arise. I was thinking, as I read the Dung Beetle article, that NowComment would be great for someone to, as they were reading, be able to post, “Hey what does “blank” mean?” or make comments as they were reading, “Hey, I think that this is saying... Anyone else think that?”, etc.
Molly Klodor
7/13/2017 11:56:34 am
Angela, I think the fact that you didn't initially read with a framework is a good thing. Sometimes we thrown a lot of strategies at our students and we don't ask them just to read. When teaching poetry, I ask my students to just read the poem first (whether it's out loud or silently). I ask general questions about what they think the poem is about, what did they think about the poem, and so on. Then I introduce a framework and we analyze. I like just reading first because it typically gives students more confidence. They usually get the meaning of the poem on that first go!
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Megan McCaffrey
7/5/2017 10:30:55 am
I think it's best said on page 76..."made the text important to us...gave it a place in our lives...helped us think about matters that were of significance to us...we weren't just answering the teacher's question." This is ultimately the goal--to have students read a text and apply it, somehow, to their lives. Probst & Beers provide a lot of strategies to help teachers get out students to do this and they definitely work. Sometimes, however, I don't think we need a specific instruction strategy, per say--all we need is to provide students with the right text. As I pick literature for students to read, I don't always pick the proper lexile score or what ODE deems an exemplar for specific grade levels--but I try to appeal to my kids. We can use every research based strategy out there and if a kids can't relate--they simply can't relate. But if we provide them with relatable topics and subjects then getting then to think outside the text is much more simple.
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Amy B
7/6/2017 12:16:50 pm
I agree now as an adult I read or listen to a podcast to find meaningful ideas for my own life. Why would I listen to a speaker about flooding in Las Vegas if I wasn't curious about the consequences of flooding at the lake by my house? Sure, there is an entertainment value but I can't think of the last time I read or listened to a text that I wasn't some way somehow applying it to my own life. What a great idea to install in our students so when they have left the safety of school they can find employment, happiness, and future success.
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Katy Flynn
7/19/2017 06:08:56 pm
Oh Amy, what a compliment! Also, what an observation for that librarian to make. To model the importance of taking time to explore a book is neat. I can’t begin to calculate how much time I’ve spent standing in the library looking at books, picking them up, flipping through, figuring out whether or not it grabbed my attention enough to invest my precious reading time, sometimes putting the book back on the shelf, or adding it to my already overflowing arms. It’s an experience that I enjoyed as a reader, but is one that also built upon my enjoyment. Sometimes a book is just *that* much more interesting knowing I went through four or five (or more!) to find just that book. Now I want to go read my books! I’d love to know that there are students who are developing similar memories.
Miranda Franck
8/13/2017 09:37:49 pm
Megan,
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Kate Simons
8/16/2017 07:48:04 am
Hello Megan! I highlighted the quote you shared in my book! I also feel that it is important that we provide students with text that can have a place in their lives.
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Jennie Joseph
7/5/2017 06:34:14 pm
I was floored when I looked up the Shel Silverstein poem "The Little Boy and the Old Man". I know I have read it before as it was very familiar, but this time I was much more moved by it. That made this whole heart thing a little deeper for me. I'm still a bit surprised that there isn't a bit more to this strategy. I am trying to be patient as I love Bob and Kylene's Notice and Note ideas and am used to them packing several ideas and strategies into a book. I could see this heart thing growing old if it's always used, so I hope they show us how to mix it in with other things. Some texts I think are much better for this than others. Looking forward to trying it though.
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8/1/2017 12:51:34 pm
I agree Jennie that the strategy of Book, Head, Heart seems a bit simplistic from my AP Literature analysis perspective, but I think like Kylene and Bob talk about at the end of the chapter, it is more of a jumping off point to richer conversations than the 'be all, end all.' I especially like Kylene's point that this is better than answering assigned questions. My only worry is that we need to train students to continue with their discussion rather than simply answer the three questions and be done.
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Heather Barnes
7/6/2017 08:37:18 am
I'm a little late to the party on this one. . . sorry! Poetry has never been my strong suit. First day of high school. English class. Teacher gave us each a slice of watermelon. Read "Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle" independently. Discussion followed with little time to reflect. First student to share gave this elaborate analysis and personal reflection. I. Was. Done. Felt very inadequate. Maybe using the framework would have helped???
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Lisa A Frase
7/6/2017 09:12:15 am
Heather,
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Katy Flynn
7/19/2017 06:25:50 pm
Lisa, you are so supportive! (You always are!) I can totally relate, Heather. I’ve never been a fan of any poetry in school during the middle school years and older. Thinking about reading when I was much younger (picture book days), there were many poetry books that I greatly enjoyed. The emotions associated with those allow me to read them even now with fond memories and gratification. So where did my disconnect happen? Heather, you know the poem, the teacher, the class. I’m left wondering... If I can’t pin point my moment, could I be doing the same thing to my students?!?! (Horrified face right now... I’m also not an English teacher, but I’m absolutely sure parallels can be drawn to the science classroom/content)
steve murray
7/25/2017 05:03:27 pm
I may have said this elsewhere; if so apologies. When students say "Aren't we reading too much into this poem/fiction/ whatever?" I respond with an anecdote about Georgia O'Keefe. When she was asked if there was female anatomy in her paintings she replied "I'm not denying it's there. I can say i didn't intend to put it there. And if you see it maybe it's yours and not mine."
Lisa A Frase
7/6/2017 10:04:25 am
Several things have responded with me in reading this chapter, listening to Heidi's podcast and read in others' responses.
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Heidi Weber
7/29/2017 04:43:41 pm
Lisa, thank you for the kind words and any feedback on the podcast is appreciated! Thanks for listening!
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Jennie Joseph
8/19/2017 10:25:01 am
Lisa -- I JUST had a conversation with one of my young co-teachers. She admitted that when she got the long list of questions and a book, she just worried about the questions and finding the answers the whole time and didn't enjoy the reading -- it was an ah-ha for me and I was surprised. I also agree with you about this working very well for poetry. I think I might start there myself.
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Amy B
7/6/2017 11:51:13 am
Part 2 Chapter 7 was a great way as an adult to relate to the authors' suggested reading technique. I loved how it encourage a second read just as we suggest students should when solving problems or writing. A second look is always a strong simple strategy to improve student understanding. The questions they used to support the BHH framework were solid ways to focus and guide student thinking. These could easily be put on a reading cube or note cards to help students get started or embellish their thinking.
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Barb Gall
7/26/2017 07:42:42 am
Great points! I didn't even consider what you posted about in your second paragraph. I'd love to hear Heidi's opinion on this.
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Heidi Weber
7/26/2017 07:53:18 am
I don't think readers should always feel "changed" by reading something; and I don't think that is the message we want to convey... rather open minds to the possibility of change. Some things speak to us and others don't. My boys can be "changed" by reading something about a football player, but I could care less. I have students passionate about cooking and reading a cooking tip might change them, but again, I could care less. By inviting students to consider it something might change them, it opens possibilities. I think about the texts I have my 4th graders read on immigration (because it is in the SS curriculum). Why should they care about the "reading tests" or the scrutiny of Ellis Island? Well, most don't, but it was interesting when they started to make connections and see relationships to what is happening in the world today. When they started to do this, then the reading changed them.
Kate Simons
8/16/2017 08:06:37 am
Hello Amy! I think that you made some great points.
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Andrea Conover
7/6/2017 12:49:42 pm
When I first read CH 7's introduction I was very tempted to skip the exercise; however, I am SO glad I didn't. I'm also very glad that they set up the practice through a poem. I, like a lot of others mentioned, struggle to teach poetry. As I have been reading about the BHH Framework I have become more and more excited to introduce it to my students this year. However, I had not considered introducing it through poetry until this exercise. Now I can't think of introducing it any other way!
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Traci Kennedy-Brockfield
8/4/2017 01:54:52 pm
I did the same - jotted down my thoughts. I think the post-it would work great for students and then allow them to meet up in small groups to compare and start a converation!
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steve murray
7/7/2017 09:05:27 am
Hope i am not violating any copyrights here. But I think an excellent companion piece to The Journey is "Introduction to Poetry" by Bill Collins.
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Angie Toole
7/10/2017 11:24:20 am
"Wait time" is so hard for me as a teacher. It is my instinct to want to jump in and help them solve the question. I really have to focus on not jumping in when helping my students. It is amazing when given even a little amount of wait time how my students are able to solve problems and answer questions.I agree that the BHH framework will help me to also improve in this area.
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Jenn Ramage
7/26/2017 07:36:46 pm
Yes! I love what you say about students interacting with passages without fear of my opinion looming. I think this will open so many more avenues of exploration for the students. I wish I could effectively envision how this method could work for informational text in my science classes...I'm working on it!
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Jen Zarlino
8/1/2017 06:43:24 pm
Thanks for sharing this! This was my first read and actually leaned forward and reread the last two lines. Whoa! I think I have only dabbled in using poetry because my experiences as a student, and truthfully as a teacher, resonate with those last two stanzas. Hmmm.... BHH may definitely help me open myself to poetry again.
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Miranda Franck
8/13/2017 09:43:59 pm
Thanks! Great poem to use to help ease fears!
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For me this poem spoke to me. Personally I have been through some difficult times. I have learned...who my real friends are, my family will always be supportive, and ultimately is is me who will have to "save my own life".
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Jenn Ramage
7/26/2017 07:29:47 pm
I loved writing poems when I was in school. I enjoyed rhyming and the challenge of syllabication. I'm sure your kids enjoyed that unit a lot.
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Kelly Cummings
7/13/2017 10:21:51 am
After looking at the Now Comment by reading the Dung Beetle article and reading the Journey using the BHH framework, I definitely think I can use this for my class, My sixth graders would love to talk about the text using the Now Comment. How cool that its free.
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Molly Klodor
7/13/2017 12:02:25 pm
Everything comes down to time for me when I read this chapter. I have to remind myself that if it creates more engagement with a text, then it's worth the time spent on the exercise. I struggle with this because, as an AP Literature teacher, the personal part doesn't elicit a high score on the Free Responses. trying to marry the personal connections to a text with the analytical part is the most challenging. Any advice on bringing these two worlds together?
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Barb Gall
7/26/2017 07:31:26 am
What if the students were able to support their personal connections by using the 'dreaded' text evidence?
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Traci Kennedy-Brockfield
8/4/2017 01:42:30 pm
I can sympathize with so much of your statement! Also being in a tested grade (4th) it isn't all about the feelings when it comes to those darn tests. I think it is about using your Heart ideas and connecting them to the test - a big task for elementary students, but not impossible!
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Katy Flynn
7/17/2017 12:45:18 pm
I had a total “student moment” right off the bat with this chapter. I don’t like most poetry, with a few exceptions, so I was lost with the request to read a poem. I went straight into “Heart” with this, letting bias influence what I was feeling at first. In the spirit of the exercise, however, I persevered and read through the poem multiple times, taking something different away each time. Using BHH absolutely helped me read poetry in a different light. Instead of getting caught on the different idiosyncrasies of a poem (such as the verse or punctuation) I could read with the guidance of “What is actually written?”, “What do I know about this?”, and “What was I feeling while reading this?” and found that what started of as an arduous task became something I appreciated the exposure to.
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Barb Gall
7/26/2017 07:40:13 am
I was right there with you. I didn't want to complete the exercise, and it was a struggle to get through. But, using BHH was worth it in the end.
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Barb Gall
7/26/2017 07:29:09 am
I had such a hard time with this exercise which is why I probably kept putting off posting about it. When I read, I think I automatically think about how I feel and how it impacts my life. Having to think about the poem in terms of BHH was hard! It definitely opened my eyes to how my students may feel while reading. Once I decided to dig in though, I felt a little more confident. I began to look at the metaphors and imagery that the author used. I was surprised that I could connect with the author of the poem, specifically as a woman/mom. The line, "Mend my life!" really hit home for me. As a mom especially, I constantly feel that tug and pull to make others happy, To fix what's broken in their lives. By the end I felt empowered! It is okay to take care of me first, to push away the negativity, the neediness, the fear, and chase my own dreams.
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Jenn Ramage
7/26/2017 07:22:08 pm
I love your thoughts on motherhood and how this poem represents the weight we carry as moms. Wonderful thoughts!
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Jenn Ramage
7/26/2017 07:20:16 pm
When I opened to chapter 7, I immediately found myself in student mode and had no interest in employing a method because I "had to" use it. So, in true student fashion, I put off the assignment for three weeks.
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Heidi Weber
7/29/2017 04:47:31 pm
Jenn, ask your son about BHH! He did a book "bit" with a classmate and used it! http://greenroomlisteningstation.weebly.com/greenie-book-bits.html
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8/1/2017 12:57:15 pm
I, as a former high school AP Literature, tend to love poetry, and I did like this one, although I didn't find anything I would really change based on the message in the poem.
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Traci Kennedy-Brockfield
8/4/2017 01:37:38 pm
I'm sure your students LOVED poetry with you :) I find myself asking students what they think about the poem, so I can get a better idea myself, because I feel so inadequate sometimes - then I'm like "oh, yes, that is a great connection or idea" :)
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Traci Kennedy-Brockfield
8/4/2017 01:30:42 pm
So, like several others, poetry is a struggle for me. I read "The Journey" and tried to jot down my BHH thoughts. I read it several times and came up with two things -
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Tara O'Hea
8/6/2017 12:17:17 pm
I really enjoyed practicing this method. I liked interacting with the poem with the BHH questions. What surprised me was that I also liked reading Beers and Probst's comments about the poem. it gave me the opportunity to see how helpful it is to interact with others as we follow the BHH framework.
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Miranda Franck
8/13/2017 09:57:28 pm
Using the framework and actually completing the exercise was the smack over the head I needed. I've had a goal to incorporate more poetry, and I am seeing that I must meet that goal. I don't really know what my hang up with it is--other than poetry makes me uncomfortable.
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