After
reading O’Keefe’s article on The Habit of Kidwatching, it seemed to me to be a
catchy word for the reading conferences we have always done. This, in my
opinion, is what effective teachers do. If you were to ask me about any of my
students, I could tell you pretty much anything you needed to know about their
work habits, likes, and dislikes. As I read, I could pick out strategies I
already do with my students, such as talking with them to learn their likes and
dislikes and taking anecdotal notes about concerns or accomplishments I have
observed. Additionally, I noted ways I can improve on my Kidwatching. I like
the idea of having kids record themselves reading so they can make
self-observations and self-corrections. Another area of improvement for me
would be making Kidwatching a habit. When I give students time for engaged
reading, I find myself trying to catch up on grading papers, blogging, or making
lesson plans for the next week. This needs to be the time that I do more
chatting with the students and making my own personal observations. It is a
work in progress, but something that will be very helpful for both the kids and
myself.
Aww - a work in progress. I know that you will find that true Kidwatching will reveal much as the year progresses. I would love to hear about how the children asses themselves and what they learned!
ReplyDeleteHi Susan,
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this article I thought the same thing you did - that kidwatching is similar to conferencing. What I needed to grow in was that many times I began my conference with talking to my readers and writers and I realized that I needed to spend more time gathering informal data by kidwatching first so that I taught the reader and didn't just target on the reading. I loved the coaching strategies the author shared and I read that you did too. I appreciate your honesty with your reflection and sharing the ways that you wanted to grow too. Sincerely, Dawn