I usually leave a star rating on Goodreads as I use it, not
to find books, but to challenge myself to read more so it is scan the barcode
on the book, record pages read, get out. Except for Nancie Atwell's 'In
the Middle' - I read all of the reviews after I finished reading the text and
then added something of my own because it is not often that a book that
is predominantly about the teaching of writing (no romance, dystopian
landscapes, or political satire here!) can have such a profound impact on the
way that I saw myself as an educator and the way the story Atwell's
school, the Center for Teaching and Learning, altered my thinking in the
most profound way.
My Review: I love reading Atwell's publications. She's a marvellous
story teller and the depth of her explanation for each aspect of reading and
writing workshop is so engaging and useful. I enjoyed the inclusion of student
compositions (some brought tears to my eyes) and the pieces really are a
testament to the methods outlined. Atwell's ideology and her engagement with
her students is heartening and inspiring. She outlines how she would do things
in a different context, how to work in supporting students with the
requirements standardised testing, whilst always reinforcing the premise that
students need regular opportunities to compose as authors and read critically
and for pleasure.
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