Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Why Benchmark?


In the kitchen, one window was cloudy and never looked clean. The other windows around it looked fine, so I replaced the cloudy one.

When the project was done, I stood back and admired my work. The new window is clear and beautiful. All the other windows now look a little occluded. The new window is the new standard. (Well, durn.)

It made me think of working with kids. Sometimes I have a student and it is obvious what he is ready to learn next. I also have had students read so well that I’m not sure what to do with them.

This is why I like having the Continuum. I don’t compare one student to another and make decisions based on the comparison. I notice what each student understands and can do. I use the Continuum of Literacy Learning to see what is appropriate for each student to learn next. It turns out, everybody has something to learn to help them be a little more strategic as a reader and a writer.

Everything is just a little bit clearer.

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