Renata Brown: #1 The Habit of Kidwatching

"Kidwatching is the direct, intentional and systematic observation..." of students by the teacher.   Why is it important?  It is important because it allows teachers to better understanding how children learn and how to create effective and individualized instruction to enhance and build authentic learning.  As stated in the article, "Kidwatching is not something apart for the curriculum but rather what holds it together and pushes it forward into new and unexplored territory." Some important components of kidwatching include note-taking and coaching. Note-taking is important while observing students when they are reading independently. Gathering information on students' reading habits through observations and conferencing gives teachers a deeper understanding of  how students think and understand the text.  Note-taking also allows the teacher an opportunity to collect information specific for the individual needs of each student.  The article states that, "Coaching is perhaps the most significant teaching and evaluating tool..." necessary in Kidwatching.  Through coaching teachers record particular information about the reading process through fluency test and comprehension questions.  Here teachers can get a better understanding of the strategies students use to decode and bring meaning to their text and provide suggestions for improving. The author also suggested allowing students to listen to a recording of themselves reading and have them evaluate and set goals for themselves.  I feel that kidwatching is something that all effective teachers of reading have ALWAYS done.  It's nothing new... just a coined expression of "good teaching".  It is watching and listening to your students in a deep and meaningful way that guides your instruction and helps to propel your students to the next level.