Interactive Reading December 5, 2009

We Feel Fine is a project created by Jonathan Harris and Sep Kamvar thats expands both the purpose and methods of reading. The project explores feelings of people worldwide by recording  every time phrases beginning in I feel or I am feeling are shown anywhere online and posting it on their website in a unique way. By viewing we feel fine and clicking on the interactive version, you are experiencing a piece that is challenging the conventional rules we have for literacy.

The most obvious difference between the website and reading an article or book is that the website has no linear method of reading it. The floating balls fly every which way and it’s up to you to choose which one you want to view. You can  narrow down your material by choosing what age range, location, feeling, weather, date and gender. There is no right or wrong choice and the choice you make is not going to be the same as many other readers.Also, the website is constantly changing so the feelings you read today may not have been available to readers yesterday

The way this website was created also changes the way we think of authorship. Who is the author of a project like this? Some argue the authors are those whose feelings are shown but could the reader also be the author? Since the reader is picking what is read and in what order, he or is forming links between texts that a print author would create. Without the reader, the balls on the websites would be just as they are; The text wouldn’t make sense.

Finally, with the creation of the site, one of the purposes of reading has changed. When reading conventional text, there is a writer-reader connection that is created but not always what is being looked for. With a website like this, the reader is looking to identify with the authors. He or she wants to feel what they feel and see that they are not alone in their thoughts. This is similar to other websites such as Post Secret where readers seek connection with anonymous authors. As in the example below, readers who are having a rough day can see that they are not the only one who feels like crap.

Right On About Reading! November 22, 2009

Speaking as a future teacher, I feel it is extremely important to be familiar with different programs that promote literacy and provide great resources for teachers and students. It is not a surprise that students learn differently and need individual instruction. As a future educator it is imperative to help children succeed in every way possible. Introducing different interactive programs into the classroom presents successful educational outcomes. Rigby Reading is a great website that provides advanced and effective learning solutions to meet every individuals needs. A spotlight program relating to Rigby that I like is called Literacy by Design. This literacy program gives teachers insightful examples and explanations about how to better instruct students in a differentiated classroom. It presents educators with different strategies to help improve students’ reading, comprehension and grammar. These strategies can also be incorporated into other subjects in order to enhance learning in the classroom. To learn more about this program, visit http://rigby.hmhco.com/en/literacydesign_comprehension.htm

Since I am an elementary education major studying for my reading certification, I think this program will be beneficial to both me and my students in the future!

Expanding Your Horizons November 11, 2009

     How much do you read?  What types of books are you reading?  Where do you even start to pick out a “good” read?  All of these questions and more bump around in a reader’s mind.  There are so many choices that it can be a bit overwhelming to start.  One of my more recent web searches has been about book lists, reading lists for different grade levels, and Eastern and Western classics.  That is certainly a wide range of material to cover, let alone think about.  But I found a pretty good list that mixes classic novels with contemporary fiction for a wide range of ages that is certain to please even the unsure reader.  Courtesy of Telegraph News, the Top 100 books house many different selections that may or may not have been expected.  Of course, this list varies from all the other types of top 100 lists, but this is the one that I found the most fascinating.  It contains all types of genres from horror to romantic feminist, from children’s fiction to sophisticated teen novels that are both required reading in school, but also sought out for their unique storylines and powerful meanings.  There are some lists that go as high as 500 books-that is certainly enough to read in one lifetime.  Another interesting list, courtesy of The Modern Library, that I stumbled upon is a collection of 200 books  that were “board” approved, which mostly consists of the classics, and next to that list is the “reader’s” list, which contains the more contemporary modern novels.  

Check out this video that shows the importance of reading using actual quotes from classic novels and inspirational authors and individuals of merit.

Reading Made Fun, Courtesy of Your School November 9, 2009

     The value of independent reading has finally taken a step to the awe inspiring level of academic literacy.  Recently, I observed an exceptional independent reading program in a middle school.  Every day the students had to read independently, select their own books, and upon occasion, blog themselves about their book.  This was a truly amazing strategy that got books into the hands of children without harping and over emphasizing the ability to read and to read well.  There has always been that saying floating around, that in order to be a good writer, you have to be a good reader.  This was certainly proven to be true in the academic pursuits of the students.  Not only were the topics created by the teacher very innovative, but the stories that the students would produce were astonishing.  Their levels of higher knowledge concepts and forms of expression can easily be identified as an extension of the independent reading sessions.  By having the students self select their text, they were enjoying their reading more.  They were able to pick books that they were interested in and not ones that were always required. The conversations between the teacher, the student, and the student’s peers, was fascinating to observe because there was so much more going on in the student’s mind and their ideas were just flowing with creativity.  As a result, the students were also discussing their books and recommending them to other students.  In fact, even the blogging assignments seemed fun to do.  The students were able to critique their books using a variety of “pioneering” questions.  For example, if your book was a color, what color would it be and why?  That sounds like a pretty fun way to talk about a book to me!  In addition to blogging, students would also write book reviews.  Of course, this may not have been as fun because it has a slightly more academic spin to it, but the fact that the students are so deeply involved with their reading processes is simply amazing.  This is truly an amazing concept to behold in the students and teachers (because they would read during the provided time as well); the school definitely inspired learners and educators to embrace the wonderful world of reading and stories.