Slice of Life: Creating Space to Consider #SOL20 #TWTBlog #booklove #readaloud

“It is sad.”

“Yeah.  They are poor and now they can’t go.”

“They probably saved for a long time for the tickets.”

“I think the tickets were free. Since they are poor.”

Lots of students are nodding and giving each other the “I agree” gesture.

“What makes you think they are poor?” one student timidly offers.

The conversation pauses and the class sits in the silence. I join them in the moment, creating space for us to consider, wonder, and think about the conversation.  I decide not to ask them to prove their thinking. 

“Readers, it sounds like you have a lot of ideas and important questions about this book.  I am thinking we should reread this book tomorrow to see what we notice.”

Lately, I have been thinking about creating more space in my read aloud.  Space for students to think, ponder, and wonder.  Space for me to listen.  Space for them to resist finding the right answer.  Space for them to listen to other points of view.  Space for them to revise their thinking and grow new ideas through authentic conversation.  Space for us to notice and name our assumptions and biases. 

Read aloud is a time for our students to approximate and construct a deeper understanding of books, characters, information, and our world. It is a time for teachers to listen to our students, so we construct a deeper understanding of them.  If we tell them what to think or ask them to prove their thinking too quickly, we may reinforce the notion that a quick response is valued more than one that requires time.  We may unintentionally send the message that it is not important to carefully choose our words before we say them. 

As I continue to do the work of recognizing my own biases and assumptions, I find it helpful to slow down to do the work necessary to be antiracist.  I need to take time to examine my responses, think through actions I need to take, and seek feedback from my colleagues.  Students also need time to think, question, and be open to hearing a new or different perspective.  Read aloud seems like the perfect venue to do this work.  A time to respond, talk, question, listen, reread and revise as a community.

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