Chapter 6

Tovani, C. (2004). Do I really have to teach reading?: Content comprehension, grades 6-12. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Summary: In chapter 6 Tovani gives different ways to be able to hold your thinking and remember what you have read so that you can reuse it later. A few ways that she gives are: using sticky notes to mark important parts or to writing questions on them, highlighting, writing notes, thoughts and ideas in the margins as you read, and writing a double-entry diary. By being able to ask questions while reading helps keep ones interested, and being able to bookmark important information helps one be able to reference back to these details.

            While reading this book, I find it hard at times to think of ways to use the tools that Tovani had given in the text. I always think that math teachers do not need to know this information because we do not ask students to read anything. While reading sometimes I will fade and not comprehend what I am reading because I feel that it is irrelevant. But to keep my attention I really have to think about how I could apply these tools to my teaching. I find it helpful that Tovani provides examples for how to use the tools she has given in a variety of different subjects. Towards the end of the chapter, Tovani talks about having a quad-entry diary and relates it to and algebra lesson. When reading this section, it really caught my attention and I recalled a time in my high school geometry class where we were asked to take notes using the quad-entry diary. I found it very helpful and easy to look back at my notes to study for tests. I realized that this tool would be very useful for students to take notes and to especially recall properties or theorems.  I also realized that students could also highlight important formulas or definitions that they may need for assignments or to study for a test. The more I thought about the tool, the more I realized that the students did not need to be reading a novel or textbook in order to use these tools. It could even be for just simple note taking from class lectures.