The author shares the importance of being informed as an educator and teacher of reading. One key piece of information is the National Reading Panel Report. Focus is on fluency, comp, teacher ed, and tech. and not home culture, social contexts, embedded skills instruction, writing, access to books, and ongoing assessments. Effective teachers and programs spend 50% of day on reading and writing, clear demonstrations and explanations, purposeful open-ended conversations, and ongoing student evaluation of progress. Purchased programs are best used as a resource and not the total reading program. Direct instruction has its place but needs to be worked in if and when best fits. Computerized programs such as AR need to be used with care....noting that the focus should be more on introducing more books to students, focusing more on fluency and accuracy rather than points and promoting the love of books and reading and not just treats.
I thought the chapter was filled with many good points and the author has a good grasp on what promoting reading and moving students is all about. I do feel that as educators, we need to make a choice on when and how to use purchased programs, computerized reading programs, and various approaches. Good research has value and we need to stay informed and use the data in decision making process for the teaching of reading.
I love in your second paragraph how you talk about the importance of teachers being able to make choices on what is best for students. I feel like there are so many external initiatives that de-professionalize teachers, but administrators play a big role in treating them like the capable, informed decision-makers that they are!
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