Hmmm... what can I say about Lanham that I have not expressed in class... like Autumn said – idealistically, he has some really cool ideas... and I like I said, it would be very hard and unrealistic to think we can implement many of them. Standardized tests have made a teacher’s life increasing difficult. There are so many concepts that have to be covered in a limited amount of time. Reading aloud is definitely one of his better ideas. That would definitely appeal to the auditory learner – and that is one of the learning style we have to implement lessons around. In fact, there are several reading and pre-reading activities that are centered around that learning style specifically. I know I seem to have an intense dislike for the book, but that is not the case. Like I said in class, I just cannot be so anti-textbook! I am very much a believer of using it as a secondary source and finding outside sources as primary sources... but there are things in the textbooks that we have to cover or risk reprimand. I am hoping that I am going to be one of the lucky teachers that come in and are able to have a little say so in the choice of textbook... that would be great.
To sum it up: Lanham’s ideas are good just difficult to implement. =)
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I agree that Lanham's book is a little unrealistic when it comes to secondary education, but I think his main focus was college aged students. I think that he has certain ideas, not entire stratgies, that you can implement in the classroom. I think it gives all of us education weirdos a different perspective on reading, writing, and how to teach both.
ReplyDeleteThis book reads like Tarantino got hold of it. The thing I liked about this book was that it did not read like a normal textbook. Maybe it should. I think the ideas are good enough that they could be absorbed better in a more traditional organization, like a normal textbook.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have a good grasp of realism vs. idealism. I wonder, though, if there is some way to merge Lanham's ideas with the realities of the classroom, such as maybe trying to make reading/writing exciting? Not sure how. Your point about reading aloud might help.
ReplyDeleteReading aloud is very important to use in a classroom and that would be one of Lanhams ideas I do agree with but like you said standerized testing is geared toward students everyday. I think if we as teachers put fort the effort to teach like lanham would want us to then it may be possible.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Lanham's ideas are a little hard to use in a classroom setting. I get what you're saying about reading aloud in the classroom and how that could be useful for some learners, but I used to HATE when we read aloud in class because I would always read ahead or would stop paying attention. For the auditory learners it would be good, but I'm not too sure about others
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree that standardized tests make teachers' lives difficult! I hate that people are encouraged to "teach to the test" because 9 times out of 10, the standardized tests don't show what the students have learned at all!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. I also liked Lanham's ideas on reading aloud...it's definitely more active and will help auditory learners. I also agree that standardized tests make teachers life more difficult...hopefully one day this will change.
ReplyDeleteI agree totally with standardized testing being a nightmare for teachers everywhere!! If teachers were free to assess their students in ways seeing fit to each individual teacher and student, I think public schools would be a lot better off!
ReplyDeleteI am with you on the not being completely anti-textbook. I agree that there are problems with pretty much all of them, but maybe we shoule figure out how to fix the problems instead of getting rid of them and ignoring the problem. I also agree that his ideas are pretty good, but would be very hard to implement
ReplyDeleteI agree that standardized tests make a teacher's life HELL! It is hard to concentrate on my making writing interesting for students when you spend most of your time teaching the 5 paragraph essay form and tedious grammar issues.
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