HOW we READ matters. And it should change how we WRITE

Well, I got past page 22 of Disrupting Thinking, but had to stop and reflect after reading page 29. I've been thinking about how to blend reading and writing, especially with our new TEKS on the way. We've forgotten somehow that reading is supposed to "CHANGE who we are" (p. 23). But let's not stop there. Let's remember the power of what we read and how it can help us say what we need to say.

Let's ask kids comprehension questions. But for goodness sake, let's let those be a result of the questions we ask because what we are reading causes us to respond emotionally and intellectually. Let us connect first to humanity, and relevance, and meaning.

But for goodness sake, let's not stop there. Let us look at how authors crafted their messages to have those intellectual and emotional reactions in us. Let's stop telling kids what to write and say and think and show them that reading and thinking and discussing can inspire them to create something they know and care about. Let's help them understand the variety of choices and vehicles that are available to carry their thoughts.

While I was reading, I pulled up a word document and created sets of questions from the text. I think you can use these as prompts to help your students with both reading and writing.

Important Questions for Reading and Writing

Beers, K. & Probst, B. (2018). Disrupting thinking: Why how we read matters. New York, NY: Scholastic.