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Mentoring

I’m still thinking about the power of mentoring in higher ed. It’s so crucial.

While I was at Harvard, I was able to focus one one thing, one person, and her ideas, as well as my own inquiries into helping students who struggle with reading at the upper grades into early adolesence.

One of the thoughts I had while in the Chall collection was how I was ‘mentored’ by the intense reading of texts, mostly from the 1960’s-1990’s by Chall and prominent Harvard scholars. I was inspired in the following ways, and I feel I brought that inspiration back with me:

1) From both the interdisciplinary span and focus of her collection on helping students who struggled in reading, I knew this was a person who was intensely focused on finding solutions to helping students who find reading challenging. She looked back to Thorndike, Gray, and Harris. She had collections of alternative teaching alphabets (i.t.a., UniFon, for instance, and accompanying ‘readers’ for both). There were rows and rows of books of readers. The most interesting were the ones she created which included classic stories from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s (e.g., folktales and fairy tales). Some were my personal favorites. She had a focus on her field and said that the books she wrote were her children. Her interest in the history of the field was fascinating.

2. Chall’s advice was sought out for Congressional testimony and she remained an activist throughout her career. I hope to be more of an activist. I am still working on ways to do so. Maybe one way can be though writing.

3. As you walk into the special collections room in the basement of Gutman Library, you see a framed photo of Chall, and there is this quote by her: “Thus I came early to my two loves in education: teaching and inquiry. Although research and practice are often seen as different pursuits, I found that for me they had great similarities and were intimately related to each other.”–History of Reading News. Vol.XVII No.1 (1993:Fall) I love this connection of theory to practice.

Chall’s marginal notations in the works of others, whose theoretical orientation’s differed from hers were fascinating. She wrote “Where’s the evidence?”. This gets as the heart of the ongoing debates in our field. What counts as evidence  of literacy learning as well as what we are working towards as goals of literacy learning are contentious. So is the very definition of ‘literacy’.

So, I learned through my visit the ‘power of focus’, a firmer fascination with research, and an appreciation for New England fall foliage! :)

I love, too, that mentoring can be found in books and in the peace of library basements. I am grateful to have been a recipient of the Chall grant.

Texas

One reason I’m glad to be back in DFW is the pleasant weather. Today was sunny and in the 70’s. It was like the warm days of my childhood in San Diego.

I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. I hope to knock out at least three grant proposals, do some serious data analysis and otherwise “catch up” on things.

I bought “The Grapes of Wrath” today at Borders. I’ve been meaning to read it for a while.

Last Day

Yesterday, I went with a class on a “field trip” to a local elementary school in Boston to see the Community School concept in action. It was a large collaborative effort; “it takes a village”.

Over the last two+ weeks, I learned:

1. To get out of my comfort zone in a new town, state, region, and university.

2. I met some great people and made some great professional connections. I learned the value of taking initiative and networking. Visiting the classes was great!

3. I learned how to focus.

4. I became intrigued with the history of our literacy field. It’s truly new, interdisciplinary, and evolving. It’s also contentious and deeply rooted in our own personal and public allegiances and ideologies. Reading Chall’s work and other’s work (both similiar and different) helped me to solidify my own theoretical orientation.

5. I learned to be on my own. It was great–like a much needed retreat into my own thoughts and being.

6. I will be sad to officially leave tomorrow, but that’s how life is, always changing. Memories stay. I’m glad I wrote things down on this blog.

This was a great opportunity! I really learned to appreciate academic libraries. I hope the next person that does this has a great time!

I ate at the Harvard Faculty Club today with the librarians. It was fabulous. All the walls of the many rooms were covered with art and portraiture. I then toured Wiedner library (briefly) and saw an intact Gutenberg Bible. It was so magnificant–like a recurring dream I have often of being in large, stately, and spacious libraries.

I like it here; it’s just a good place to be. I love the way the sunlight reflects off the multiple hues of colored leaves. I am meeting some great people who want to know things. There are a lot of good resources here, too. I can’t wait to get back to Arlington and start writing it all up in the form of academic articles.

Laundry

Library

Burrito

That was my day!

Day 10: Pics

Sounds of Cambridge near the campus: the ongoing bells that ring from the morning onwards. I haven’t figured out the schedule…and…according to this link, there were extra ringing of the bells to raise awareness about climate change. I thought I heard this as I made my way to the library!: http://www.wickedlocal.com/harvard/news/x927264519/Harvard-Local-Churches-ring-their-bells-for-climate-action

Highlights of the day:

*Eating the savory red velvet cupcake I received for my 36th birthday! I had it for lunch.

*Reading Chall’s narrative of her milestones and turning points of her life in “Reflections”. I am discovering so many treasures in the collection. I am going to join the History of Reading SIG through IRA and also attend the history of reading group at NRC in December.

*I am continually amazed at the vastness and design of Memorial Hall. It’s impossible to capture its magnitude in a photo.

I attended a class titled, “Learning in a Globalized World: Scenario Planning, Brain Research, and Linguistic Diversity”. The instructor was taught by the sociologist Bourdieu. He discussed the concept of fields and how we participate in the “rules of the game” in each (overlapping) field. “The game is about acquring a dominant position,” he said. We “pay an entrance fee” to be a player, e.g., in academia. He discussed identity and alterity, among other things. I liked how he recapped and referenced student’s comments from their online forum (like a blog/online discussion board).

I enjoy the breakfasts in the design school with lots of sunlight streaming in.

Walking back in 45 degree weather, I took a photo of Harvard Yard with a newly paved middle pathway:

Day 8

The days are going fast. I am really enjoying my time here. I hope to have a productive day tomorrow and weekend. I will definitely take more pictures. Friday is my 36th birthday!

 

Above, the famed Burdick’s chocolate shop across the street from Gutman library.

I read some really interesting documents in the Chall collection today, including a  copy of her testimony about reading instruction before Congress.

In addition to researching Chall’s perspectives and views on the 4th grade slump (i.e., “reading to learn”), I am considering the following:

From College to Congress: Literacy Scholars as Shapers of Policy
Question: In testifying before Congress, what did Chall say and report? [Her belief system was based on evidence-based practice]. What evidence did she provide that supported her testimony?
What policy and/or curricular changes resulted from her testimony and her beliefs [e.g., as explained in three versions of The Great Debate]?

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