Chelsea's Reflection (Ch.6, On Solid Ground)

Chapter 6: Retelling and Reading Conferences is about having your
students retell the stories they are reading at that time so that you
can make sure they are understanding what they are reading and
not just reading through the words. From what we have read so far,
these chapters in Sharon's book have been teaching me quite a bit on
how to get my students reading. In addition, these chapters are
teaching me quite a bit about my own self as a reader. I wish I had
more time to read when I was in elementary school. We hardly ever
read books, and if we did, it wouldn't be a book that we got to choose
of the shelf ourselves. It would be books that the teacher chose for
the whole class to read together.
As I reading this specific chapter, I was thinking to myself that if I
were ever asked to retell what I had just read, would I be able to do
it? Honestly, I don't think I would be able to give a great response.
I could probably give bits and pieces, but I don't always remember
what I read unless I am really concentrating with no distractions at
all. Just one distraction from the littlest thing can take my mind off
what I am reading. Does that make me a bad reader? I've noticed
that my mind tends to wonder off a lot while I am reading certain
things. I sometimes start to think of other things and have to lead
my mind back to what I was reading to concentrate. I don't know
what it is. I love to read, and Sharon's book is one text book that is
easy to read. It is very informative and provides a lot of examples
for the reader to visualize what she is trying to explain.
Overall, what I got out of this chapter is that I want to get my
students to enjoy reading. I don't want them to have to think they
need to write everytime they read. I want them to learn to understand
what they are reading and not just spitting out some words in a book.
Sharon really has an amazing way of assessing her students' reading
skills. I'm anxious to one day get into my own classroom and test her
strategies to see if they would work out for my students and I.