http://www.heinemann.com/authors/760.aspx
Just in case anyone's interested, here's a little about the authors of Subjects Matter.
Honestly, I have to say I like these guys and I like this book. Not only do they pretty much align with my values and concerns, they are good writers. And since they're not interested in teaching through mid-century content textbooks, I appreciate the creativity upon which they've layered their chapters.
So McDonald's story was great....obviously inspiring and super positive...and compared to poor "Steve" the boring Science teacher it was obviously a way better option...but I'm wondering and maybe it's because I'm super cynical...but what subject was the unit on fast food in America? English? I don't know, I love it! I've been a pescetarian for years (oops I've been eating chicken lately though) ...but I do think it was a little too much cheer-leading for the ultra-progressive school district which most of us probably won't find ourselves in.
With that said, Smokey D and Zemelman have some great criticisms of Common Core; I thought these were super honest and they showed me some issues I should expect to have while using them. Thanks guys!
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Moving on to chapter two, there is some great info in this chapter. I absolutely love the concept that, "prior knowledge is the main determinant of comprehension." I don't think I realized how much more I am doing other than just reading words on a page. I'm glad this book is teaching this concept and I also really appreciate the following tips in teaching others to read effectively. I have long since been a believer that reading is one of the most important lifelong skills to acquire.
Overall, great start Smokey D and Zemelman!
And.... to get our week off to a great start...here's an awesome cat picture! His name is Ra and he's so smart and big and handsome!
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Hi Emily - cute cat!
ReplyDeleteIn response to your question about the fast food project - I think it was an interdisciplinary unit - this is one of the things I found most effective about it because it gave the students a personally-driven real world project that was rooted in the curriculum of their core subjects. It gets me thinking about how a science teacher like myself and a history teacher like you could work together on a unit like this - I think it's a great idea. But I agree with you that the specific subject of this project is pretty progressive - which I personally think is great, but agree would be difficult to pull off in many schools - it would take brave teachers and a very supportive administration.
Ra is a stud.
ReplyDeleteGetting to D & Z - I totally agree with the McDonald's story being a little too "cheer-leady." In a more realistic mind set the unit would obviously affect and inspire students but I'm not so sure it was cause a such a scene in a local McDonalds. But hey, who knows! You could definitely put together a smaller lesson on the same idea on a history class and collaborate with teachers of other concentrations, ensuring everyone's on the same page! Possibly something to do with heritage - the lesson you were talking about in class last week! You could incorporate something science and English - there has to be something about DNA or some other science thing that could go well with that idea! (Obvs not literate in science whoops!)