Learning Logs for Reading History

I just started my last course for my Reading Endorsement. This course looks at the history of Reading. I was unsure at first how interesting this would be...let's be honest...don't we want to know more about what will work in our modern day classrooms. But after reading the first few articles and book, I realized something. As in everything that we do, we need to know where we have been to know where we are going. It's been amazing to read about studies from the early 1900's, that have made such an impact still on how we teach today. 

My other "aha" moment this week was realizing how our teachers today don't value research as much as they should. Or as much as our counterparts in other fields do. We simply say...."Oh, I don't like that test." or "I don't think that works." If they only understood the validity of some of these instruments. If they only read more about their craft. I know we are overwhelemed with the job expectations and demands. But we, as educators, need to stay informed and educated, after all we are practitioners of our craft.

Stay tuned, as I resurrect the Learning Logs with some historical facts you might find intersting and might even realize that it's not "new" after all. For example, Thorndike in 1917 was bringing to light the need for reading comprehension, to understand what we are reading. Or how in 1970 and 1978 Singer forshawdowed the concept of Common Core. Singer's research revealed the need for student mobility as well as teacher mobility. Singer noted the need for curricular validity regarding standardized testing. 

So many interesting facts. Hopefully, you will look at our current state of instruction and see where it gained it's footing.