Spring Inspirations

I was very impressed with NCTE Past President Kylene Beers when I sat at her table at the New Literacies Summer Institute in 2008. During her presentation, she did a memory activity with us where we paid attention to the fragments she told us to rather than the reading material. We learned a lot about how tests work. At lunch, she told us that if a kid gets hooked on a series, they will become good readers because of the practice with the genre. I've told many worried parents that piece of advice. In her NCTE Presidential Address, she has some interesting observations about whether students ask questions while they read and on what employers are "looking for" from graduates (high school, two year, and four year--which connects us all), and at the same time questions whether job preparation is all that education is for.

Also, I had the chance this week to listen to Rico Gutstein, who teaches critical math at an alternative high school in Chicago. He showed us videos of his work with students--how they "read and write the world mathematically." He teaches high level mathematics based on student-generated themes like the morgage crisis, gentrification of the neighborhood, and AIDS/HIV. We had the chance to watch his students collaborate, communicate, and critique their world. I hope to find a video online. For now, here is a transcript of a student's podcast.

I hope you will find inspiration in your teaching and learning day!
Lucia