"Backmapping", Inquiry Projects, and Struggling Readers

Chapter 10 of Subjects Matter begins with an example of “backmapping.” The term means that an educator creates an inquiry project first and then decides what goals and standards the project will check off second. This sounds like a process that is opposite of the UBD model. Backmapping sounds like it focuses on an activity or project that an educator really wants to incorporate and then considers the standards later. A few things can go wrong here. First, lets say an educator gets very excited about an inquiry project for their students. They spend lots of time and energy planning the project. Then it is time to look at the standards and the project does not relate to any of the standards. What will the educator do? Most will create a new project, some will adjust the existing project so it fits a standard, and few might make it fit a standard that it does not relate to. It sounds like educators will waste a lot of time using this method of “backmapping.” Also, the focus is on the project, not the standards that we are responsible for teaching.

The pros are understandable. Students will be engaged in an exciting, interesting, and real-world learning experience. The take-away will be huge! But I do not think standards are a bad place to start when planning an inquiry project. Standards do not measure or consider every aspect of learning. Surprise – they are not perfect. We are still responsible for making sure our students reach the state standards and part of that responsibility is being creative. Make meeting a standard just as interesting and authentic as your favorite activity. I do not think it is impossible to create an inquiry project that meets a standard even if you did not start it with a standard in mind. As teachers, we will spend most of our time planning and this model seems like it could potentially waste a lot of the little time we do have. That is my opinion on backmapping.

On the other hand, inquiry projects sound awesome. A project that engages students in an investigation has immense potential. It produces a deeper learning experience, takes a longer time to process, and does not result in a simple “yes or no” answer. There are many moving parts so teachers in other content areas can collaborate with you on the project. They can lead and assess specific areas of the project, too. Some challenges include time management and project progress.

Chapter 11 offers tips on supporting students who struggle with reading. I think the most important tip is to model reading for your students. By showing them your thought process, your personal techniques, and application of reading skills, you will encourage students to utilize new ways to read more actively. Continuous reassurance is also a great way to show a student you care about their reading skills.

A Balanced Diet of Reading

I love nonfiction, which is something not many English teachers proclaim. They presumably admire Shakespeare, cherish traditional novels, and value plays. I enjoy reading most literature, no matter its form or age, but I don’t favor “the classics.” I prefer nonfiction but I can respect the fact that a balance between the two is necessary. It may not come as a surprise that I was torn between History and English when I was choosing my content area for my major. Since I declared English, people assume I have a favorite author or that I admire Shakespeare. I don’t and I don’t. When I imagine myself teaching high school English to seniors, I imagine preparing them to understand real-world literature. Literature like lease agreements, news stories, reviews, or manuals. I want them to be prepared for college books, a job, and/or independent living. I don’t think textbooks prepare them for the literature that they will encounter outside of high school.

Therefore I appreciate that Daniels and Zemelman advocate for more nonfiction texts in classrooms. The amount of information is growing so fast that it would truly hinder a student if they only learned how to read from a textbook or novel. Real world information is not solely presented in textbook or novel form. I believe it is very important to introduce students to some of the other formats they will encounter as adults.  It will make them become more independent as readers instead of feeling like they need an interpreter to understand English.

One thing I had a hard time agreeing with is that Daniels and Zemelman state, “kids don’t always have to read the whole thing. Dipping in for a chapter or two works just fine . . . ” but I disagree. Maybe the word is not “disagree” because it is not clear what they mean. For example, if they mean it’s ok to use just one chapter from a book to excite students about an upcoming unit then I understand and agree. But if they are referring to a student who picks up a book, reads a chapter, then gives up and that’s ok because something is better than nothing, then I don’t agree. It’s hard for me to permit a student to give up on a text. If it’s a challenge for them, I would like to help them work through it instead.

Personally, I didn’t get to read that many nonfiction texts in high school. We had a library in the school and computers in our classrooms but we never used them to search for nonfiction texts.  I did not encounter a review, manual, or contract until I had already graduated from high school and was in the “real-world.” It took time to understand the language in these texts, recognize the format, and decipher its purpose. I hope to prepare my students better for such encounters.

Learning How to Assign Meaningful Writing Assignments

In the beginning of Chapter 6, Strong illustrates a scenario narrated by Darth Vadar. The teachers are called “instructional managers,” which implies that the administrative tasks that teachers are responsible for make up the majority of their identity. It is true that they must manage attendance records, core standards, work trackers, homework, a grade book, assignments, and much more, but Strong suggests that this has become our general image of teachers. Writing assignments have become meaningless and bland. Students are not encouraged to think critically or creatively. Although this is not always the case, I can understand how easier it could be to assign a writing topic or administer a multiple-choice test that is quicker to grade.

I think what makes a good writing assignment for students to write also makes a good one for teachers to read. For example, by letting students choose their topic, allowing drawings to support their writing, or having them write for an audience beyond their teacher, the assignments will be fun and interesting to read. The writing would be more colorful. A mixture of the 10 design principles would certainly elicit critical thinking as well as critical enjoyment.

The Table of Raft Assignments on page 100-101 are so inventive. They actually sound like assignments I would enjoy as a student. If I’m being honest though, it is daunting to think about making every assignment that creative. Of course that is the kind of teacher I want to be, like every other teacher (candidate), and with the resources out there, I should be able to. So why do we end up with teachers who assign disappointing work? I’m sure they did not strive to become that kind of teacher on purpose.