Crump/ Chapter 4 Teach With a Sense of Urgency

     I enjoyed this article and the outline of the reading learning model.  I really liked the fact that at the heart of everything is the relationship that the teacher has with the students.  We are encouraged to demonstrate the topic/lesson--sharing our hearts and thought processes as we do.  This means we aren't only TEACHING students a skill, but we are relating to them as learners ourselves.  Modeling our thinking and how we solve problems we come upon in our own learning is powerful.  Students can relate to this.
     Once students are successful and have experienced the learning model, they can be put to task in small groups.  Small groups allow students to be teachers and learners as they share information and strategies with each other.  I really like these strategies and try to implement them in my math classroom.  I try to rationalize my thinking through math problems with my students.  I try to share how I would solve things if I encountered them.  After I feel that we have had experience together, we break up into learning partners.  My hope is that I have paired my learning partners so that teaching and learning can take place within the small groups.  I hope that my students can learn and gain confidence from each other.
     I also like that the reading/writing connection is a strong one.  I have always thought good readers are better writers.  They have been exposed to the great language used by so many authors.  Our lower readers may not have had this experience.  Reading and writing are so powerful and important to the success of ALL of our students.