Time to Read, Write, and Reflect: An Essential Element for Middle School Readers

by Polly Collins

Collins, Patty. (2001). Time to Read, Write, and Reflect: An Essential Element for Middle School Readers. Ohio Reading Teacher, Volume XXXV, Number 1, 13-20. Used with permission of Ohio Reading Teacher.

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Recently another teacher asked, "Why do you want these long blocks of time? Don't the students get restless and create problems? Whatever do you do for ninety minutes with the same group of students?" Immediately the voices of students answered those questions in my mind; "I love the way we can read anything we choose;" "I wish you would read aloud longer everyday. You make the characters sound real;" "I need more time to finish the artwork I am doing about Tuck Everlasting;" "Ashley and I want to read this chapter as partners, O.K?" Also, I heard my own voice saying, "Most importantly, I have time to do what I believe is supportive of my students."

With adequate time, middle school language arts teachers can provide a language arts program that integrates reading, writing, spelling, grammar, listening, and speaking in ways that address the needs of these adolescent students. This type of program also addresses the needs of teachers who believe that positive relationships between adolescents, reading, and writing can be encouraged and developed in structures considerate of the development of students, the processes and skills of the subject matter, and the beliefs and decisions of the teacher.

Time: To Be Members of a Literate Community

Middle school schedules are traditionally divided into eight 45-minute units. Reading, English, spelling, math, social studies, and science are the usual topics of instruction, each possessing its own map of content and boundaries of instruction. In the framework of this traditional schedule, students and teachers tend to think of courses as material to be covered, rather than ideas and concepts to be taught or learned. Clocks and bells become the controlling factors in the learning process. Speed rather than quality rules as the standard of performance (Raebeck, 1998).

Raebeck (1998) suggests that changes in scheduling in the middle school should be based on the idea that less is more. He describes cutting all programs and classes that do not support the goals adopted by a particular school. Even after the cutting, there may still be too many good and necessary courses left to fit into the schedule. That is when combining, rather than cutting, becomes the mode of operation.

Reading, English, writing and spelling are taught as distinct subjects within the traditional schedule. Using a block schedule and integrating those subjects to form a language arts framework is a sensible approach to enhancing instruction in each area. "When major interdisciplinary units replace fragmented single subject, text-driven approaches, there is more time and more focused, productive use of that time." (Raebeck, 1998, p.100).

There are several advantages of the block schedule (Bevevino, Snodgrass, Adams, & Dengel, 1998). The teacher meets with many less students per day. The extended time also allows the teacher flexibility in the organization of presentations in the classroom. Additional time also allows the teacher time to plan and reflect on emphasizing the integrated approach. The use of writing and/or reading workshops or a variety of other approaches such as cooperative learning, collaboration, reader response, inquiry based learning cycle, and learning stations are enhanced due to the available time.

Time: To Design and Implement Literate Behaviors

I am a teacher who believes that reading and writing are processes that can support the development of spelling and writing conventions. I believe that children learn in a wide variety of ways, and that it is the responsibility of the teacher to design lessons that meet the diverse needs of learners. I believe that students, who have access to books and time to self-select and read, become better readers. I believe that students, who have time to write and create other responses to literature they have read, become better writers. I believe that students, who are given opportunities to work with others, develop a necessary appreciation for the diversity of people in our increasingly diverse society.

The block schedule allows a match between my practices and my beliefs about learners and teaching. The 90 minutes of time not only allows, but dictates, the use of a wide variety of teaching methods. Mini-lessons take the place of lectures. There is time for self-selected reading and writing, including modeling by the teacher. There is time for cooperative and collaborative groups. There is time for literature circles. There is time for projects in response to literature. This gift of time empowers me as a teacher. I can make decisions about what to do based upon my understanding of my students and the subject matter rather than responding to the sound of a bell.

Time: To Recognize and Provide for Uniqueness

In my classroom, there are boys who are smaller than any girl is, and boys who have mustaches and raspy adolescent voices. There are girls who resemble the fourth graders in the elementary building and girls who look as though they could be high school freshmen. It is apparent on some days that all is right with the world. Other days, scowls or tears mark the faces of my students. There are times when I perceive I am loved by all and other times when I perceive I am merely another adult intruding in a world of close-knit peers.

These physical differences and mood swings reflect the psychological, social, and intellectual transitions from childhood to adolescence. Middle school students alternate between periods of great physical activity and fatigue. Peer and social relationships acquire increasing value. These early adolescents are beginning their search for autonomy, and, at the same time, they are also seeking meaningful ways in which they may participate in families, school, and other social relationships. As they search for opportunities to demonstrate their competence and achievement, they enjoy creative expression and physical activity.

Atwell (1998) reminds teachers of adolescents that many of the behaviors that are perceived as indications of a poor attitude are, in actuality, the marks of this developmental stage. She also reminds us that adolescents continue their earlier need for recognition as individuals and continue the desire to learn. These students need structures that assist them in becoming independent participants in life, responsible for their learning. She admonishes that if teachers are to be successful with these students, they must accept the realities of this time of life and design middle school curriculum to support the "mercurial minds at work and play there" (p. 85).

The block schedule meets the needs of the middle school learners in a wide variety of ways. Young adolescents seek social acceptance. The block schedule allows the time to engage in cooperative group work, which promotes the development and use of social skills, as students work toward a common goal. Adolescents desire autonomy. The block schedule of integrated language arts promotes self-selected reading and writing, and choices about research and literature response projects. Adolescents desire outlets of expression. The extended period of time aids the development of creativity as students write, create artwork, and perform in response to reading. The need for physical activity is met in the extended period of time by offering a balanced program alternating active participation with opportunities to work quietly on individual reading.

Time: For My Students and I to Read and Respond to Books

The language arts block gives us time to read and respond to books. Routman (2000) cites several studies supporting the use of school time for independent reading. A relationship does exist between reading achievement and the time spent by students actually reading. Atwell (1998) also supports the use of class time for independent reading. She has gathered evidence that when students are provided opportunities to read in school, "...students read more, comprehend better, and value books and reading to a greater degree.." p. 96. According to Routman (2000), older students in the upper grades receive less time to devote to in-school, independent reading.

The language arts block does allow time for students to read. There can be daily, sustained silent reading time. There can be frequent use of in-class time to do extended reading of trade books, fiction and nonfiction. There can be time for students to partner read sections of books to one another. There can be time for implementing programs like Book Club.

Book Club is a teaching technique designed by Raphael, Pardo, Highfield, and McMahon (1997) during which students assume responsibility for student-led discussion groups in a literature-based instructional program that integrates reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The Book Club approach is based on the social constructivist theory of learning, which regards reading as a complex process of constructing knowledge through meaningful, collaborative activities.

Book Club groups determine what they are going to read, how much will be read daily, the method they will use to do the reading, and choice from a variety of activities for responding to their reading. Some days, students read silently. Other days, a visitor would find students spread around the room reading with a partner. Their reading is interrupted by conversations about the story. Readers are encouraged to ask and answer questions, debate ideas, and reflect on meaning. It is a procedure that uses large amounts of in-school time for reading, discussing, writing, and responding.

During Book Club, students reading Tuck Everlasting have been observed wondering aloud with a partner what it would be like to live forever. They have followed their reading with an opinion paper expressing their ideas about the ideal age that they would choose to remain forever. These papers have contained some very thoughtful responses. The general consensus of this group of sixth graders is that they would want to be at least "old enough to have a driver's license" before drinking the magic water that would cause them to remain the same age forever.

Following the reading of Shiloh, Joey wrote a wonderful letter.

32345 Leatherwood Pk.
Friendly, West Virginia 56143

November 13, 1998

Dear Abby,

This is a friend from Friendly, West Virginia. I have kind of an animal problem: dogs. See, I was walking up the Ohio River pasts the ol' Shiloh schoolhouse when a dog walks up behind me and follows me home. My dad thinks it's this mean guy's huntin' dog. His name is Judd.

After supper, my dad and I take him up to Judd's place to see if it's his. We pulled up to his house and he was standin' ou' there as if he knew we was coming. He saw the dog and said, "Get on out there." Shiloh, the dog, jumped out and the man kicked him. We saw that it was his and we drove off.

That night all I could think about was Shiloh. I came up with a plan. My plan was to earn some money and buy Shiloh off of Judd.

How should I get the money?

Desperately needing help,
Marty

My own journal entry about Joey's work reveals my pleasure with his response: "I was very pleased with Joey's Dear Ann or Dear Abby letter. He was to be the character, Marty, and write about the problems with the dog. Then he was to be the advisor and write advice to Marty. Joey told important details in descriptive terms. He even used dialect! How great it was to see this type of work!"

The language arts block allows time for me to read aloud to my students. At the beginning of each year, teacher read-aloud time is awkward. Students seem to think they are being returned to a primary classroom setting. The use of Harris and Me assists us in overcoming that awkward time. Everyone laughs at the antics of the boys in the story. It becomes obvious that everyone enjoys hearing good stories, and the students become much less subdued about responding to the stories that follow. Other books that have been favorite read alouds include Walk Two Moons, The Giver, The View from Saturday, and the Harry Potter books.

Time: To Know and Trust One Another

The time to read and write also enables the teacher and the students to know one another as members of a classroom community. Through journal entries, written responses to literature, and discussions we share more than the books we are reading. We share our lives and feelings with one another.

Journals are painful experiences for some of the students and a work of art for others. Larry's journal was a vivid portrait of his home in a wooded area near a lake. I enjoyed the changes of seasons as he described the plants and animals he observed on his wanderings. I renewed my understanding of just how much work it takes to operate a family farm as I read Rusty's descriptions of days full of chores before and after school. I found myself smiling as I read of his pride in his work reflected in words describing his weekend helping his father.

"Saturday I helped my dad spread 150 tons of lime. Then we took the lime spreader back and stopped and ate supper at Malaga. Sunday, I helped my dad work on our new building. I ran the chain saw most of the day. Then we fed hay bales to our cows and we went back to our house."

Several of Rusty's later entries revealed his concern for his father who had been injured during work on the farm. I believe I know more about Rusty, his family, and the work they do from the entries in his journal.

Christina expressed her growth from childhood into adolescence. Her September entries describe playing tag with the neighbors while her entries the following spring express concern over her looks, boys, and the confusion of friendships.

"I am nervous. All of the middle school, including J.P. and A. B., are going to see me on the floor (of the gym). I personally think I have plenty-a-reason to be nervous. This costume extravaganza is driving me bananas!"

Some of our knowledge about each other as human beings develops during literature circles. During one literature circle discussion, I learned that sharing books can affect the relationships between students and their teacher.

Jesse was one those troubled kids, tender inside but covered by tough layers of hard times. He did not want to write in his journal. He did not want to do sustained silent reading. He used cooperative learning times to socialize with others, not contribute to my plans for learning. There were frequent problems between Jesse and me. Jesse was also addicted to cigarettes, and the long hours of the school day without a cigarette were difficult for him. One day in frustration with his behavior, words escaped my mouth and hung in the air between us. I told Jesse that I thought he would have less trouble attending if he were not such a heavy smoker. My behavior caused Jesse embarrassment. He responded in his journal by referring to me in obscene terms, and he gave great detail to his writing. This conflict resulted in a serious discussion between us during which we were able to make an agreement to survive the year together. We did not expect much from one another.

We read Maniac Magee that year, and it was our first attempt to use a literature circle for discussion. During that circle the students revealed their understandings of Maniac's reasons for running. One of the girls mentioned that anger might make Maniac want to run. Jesse immediately joined the discussion by saying, "Just like you and me, Mrs. P." When I inquired further, the answer came with the hint of a smile on Jesse's face. "You made me angry. I couldn't run, so I wrote. Maybe Maniac is running to let his anger go." During that literature circle, I apologized to Jesse for embarrassing him. He accepted my apology and our relationship improved for the remainder of the year.

Teaching in the integrated language arts block not only allows me to know my students, it also allows them to know more about me. As we share as a literate community, my writing and my responses to reading reveal parts of my life to my students. One year I wrote about the first Christmas after my parents' divorce. I have written of my adult pride in my children, Rick, Jen, and Amy, and their wonderful accomplishments. I have written of the love my dog, Joy, brings to my life. When we discussed Belle Prater's Boy, my students discovered my own mother disappeared from my life, and I read to them the paragraph from that book that brought me healing some 30 years later.

I tell the groups of students about my love of children's books and my collection of them. The books begin making the journey from home to my classroom. I read aloud from them at regular intervals. Sometimes the students write in response to those books. The Screaming Mean Machine has inspired writers to tell stories of the fear, excitement, and fun that they have experienced on amusement park rides. I introduce the idea of point of view using The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. When I read Tiger, there is frequently an audible gasp at the beauty of the illustration of the tiger on the last page of the book.

Time: To Be an Author

Reading aloud these picture books has led to a project that most of the students enjoy. Each year the students write and illustrate their own children's book. This project involves both the classroom and home due to the amount of time and devotion that is necessary to complete a book.

After I have read many picture books to the class, we begin to discuss the characteristics of the books that they like. We also reminisce about their favorite books from childhood. We brainstorm a list of the characteristics that seem to appeal to young readers. Then the students formulate their own ideas and create storyboards to outline the book they plan to write. We gather materials: old coloring books, clip art books, magazines, computer clip art programs, a variety of pens and markers. Then we let the writing begin. Students share their talents with others in order to draw items needed for illustrations or to find a more specific word. They read to one another for revision and editing purposes.

The original intent of this project every year is to create a book to give to one of the primary students in our elementary building. Every year, the result is the same. My students will gladly share the book by reading it to young children or by letting young children read to them. However, these students cannot give away these creations of their minds and their hands.

The time involved in this project is about three weeks of 90 minutes daily. A visitor would find actively engaged learners creating a work of art with words and pictures throughout this process. Students are by no means quiet during this time. They are busily involved in social interaction, discussing ideas and assisting one another. They are building books and strengthening the depth of their literate community.

Time : For an In-Depth Unit

The extended block of time encouraged me to try a thematic unit of study. An "Ocean Full of Literature" is the focus for about six weeks as we are immersed in poetry, novels, non-fiction, and research materials related to the ocean. The students read nonfiction books such as Coral Reef, Whales, and Sharks. They use various videos and publications for developing background knowledge about the oceans, the plants and animals that live there, and the interdependence of coral reef environments. I read aloud Coral Reef: A City That Never Sleeps and conduct mini-lessons on strategies for reading and organizing nonfiction. Students share their own personal experiences with the oceans. They watch videos of their teacher snorkeling and the DARE officer scuba diving.

At other times during the unit, students read The Cay, The Island of the Blue Dolphin, The Black Pearl, and The Music of Dolphins. During this reading they are attending to plot, characterization, symbolism, dialect, problem and resolution, and theme. The students read in groups, in pairs, and independently. Students research characteristics of ocean plants and animals that are discussed in the books. They write and edit research reports. They write cinquains, acrostics, and limericks on ocean themes. Groups locate islands in the Caribbean Sea and in the Pacific Ocean. They create Venn diagrams comparing and contrasting the characters in the novels. read aloud The Bomb, and we discuss the changes that occurred in cultures and in nature when the atomic bomb was tested on Bikini Atoll.

Artwork and poetry displays overflow the classroom to the hallway. Students prepare and present culminating activities. The creativity and artistic abilities of these students underscore the connections they have formed in their reading. Malorie and Alesa amazed us with their miniaturized puppet play complete with a spray bottle of water to simulate the hurricane as it was described in The Cay. Jeremy presented his nonfiction reports on langosta and coral reefs complete with illustrative artwork and diagrams. Sarah carried in a huge bucket of sand in order to more realistically display rocks spelling out, "HELP!"

Conclusion

Middle school students have unique developmental needs that influence their development of literacy skills and their desires to be members of a literate community. I believe that one element is essential to meet the needs of our middle school students and encourage them to be life-long readers: time. We need time to read aloud as models for our students. We need time to engage our readers in meaningful learning such as thematic units of study. We need time to vary our activities and allow our students opportunities to explore a variety of genres of reading and writing. We need time to match our practice with our philosophy.

In recent, anonymous surveys, students remember their years as learners in the integrated language arts block. Their words say it best:

"I had never been in a class where we used our imaginations and created things, and did great projects, and wrote in journals, and read our own choice of books before. It was great!!!! (Grade 10)

"In my sixth grade language arts, you actually wanted to do something and learn. You looked forward to going to school for once in your life. You got to share your thoughts and feelings about everything." (Grade 10)

"I remember making a book, which I still have, and writing in the journals—still have that too." (Grade 9)

To incorporate the practices that match what you believe about teaching and learning, I offer this advice. Examine the research to discover what qualifies as best practice. Examine your current classroom practices. Use your experience and your knowledge of yourself and students to select what should remain and what should be replaced with a more appropriate method or material. Enlist the support of your administrator by carefully presenting what you know and what you want to do. Create open communication with parents and students about the differences they will encounter.

Change incrementally in order to avoid feeling overwhelmed and retreating. The starting place for me was to restructure the time available for my students. From that change, other steps seemed to naturally occur: replacing basal readers with literature, replacing workbooks with literature responses, replacing grammar textbooks with functional writing, and replacing teacher led instruction with student centered instruction.

Giving substance to an ideal is challenging. Persistence is a necessity. Without persistence, problems can become indications of failure rather than difficulties requiring a solution. It becomes too easy to return to "the way it's always been done."

References

Atwell, N. (1998). In the Middle: New Understandings About Writing, Reading, and Learning. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Bevevino, M., Snodgrass, D., Adams, K., & Dengel, J. (1998). An Educator's Guide to Block Scheduling: Decision Making, Curriculum Designs, and Lesson Planning Strategies. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Raphael, T., Pardo, L., Highfield, K., & McMahon, S. (1997). Book Club. Littleton,MA: Small Planet Communications.

Raebeck, B. (1998). Transforming Middle Schools: A Guide to Whole-School Change. Lancaster, PA: Technomic Publishing Co, Inc.

Routman, R. (2000). Conversations. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Children's Books Cited

Allen, J. (1992). Tiger. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Babbitt, N. (1985). Tuck Everlasting. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, Giroux.

Cerullo, M. (1996). Coral Reef: A City That Never Sleeps. New York, NY: Cobblehill Books.

Cowley, J. (1993). The Screaming Mean Machine. New York, NY: Scholastic Books.

Creech, S. (1994). Walk Two Moons. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.

Hesse, K. (1996). The Music of Dolphins. New York, NY: Scholastic Books.

Kroningsburg, E.L. (1996). The View from Saturday. New York, NY: Athenum.

Lowry, L. (1993). The Giver. NY: Bantom Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers.

Naylor, P. (1991). Shiloh. NY: Bantom Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers.

O'Dell, S. (1967). The Black Pearl. Boston, MA: Houghton Miflin Co.

O'Dell, S. (1971). Island of the Blue Dolphin. New York, NY: Bantom Doubleday Dell.

Books for Young Readers.

Paulsen, G. (1993). Harris and Me: A Summer Remembered. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace & Co.

Rowling, J. K. (1997). Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Scieszka, J. (1989). The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. New York, NY: Viking Kestrel.

Seymour. S. (1989). Sharks. NY: Scholastic, Inc.

Seymour, S. (1995). Whales. NY: Scholastic, Inc.

Spinelli, J. (1990). Maniac Magee. Boston, MA: Little, Brown, and Co.

Taylor, T. (1969). The Cay. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co.

Taylor, T. (1995). The Bomb. New York, NY: Harcourt, Brace, & Co.

White, R. (1996). Belle Prater's Boy. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, Giroux.

Polly Collins taught a variety of elementary grades for 32 years in the Barnesville Exempted Village Schools. She is now a teacher educator at Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio.

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