Text-Dependent Questions - Helpful or Hurtful?

Kylene Beers notes that David Coleman dubbed "'text-dependent questions' (as) questions that answers to which may be found in the text or deduced from evidence in the text."  The term threw me for a loop when I read it.  "Text-dependent"...hmmm, how often have I asked text-dependent questions to my students?  How often have I based units of study over years and years of teaching on text-dependence.  Too long.  I still do it.  Doesn't everyone?

The idea that I have subjected generations of students to inauthentic questioning because I did not understand the importance of letting students self discover is a scary one to me.  Whether it be through a series of questions I thought the answers were important to in a text, or the guidance of a textbook that has directed me to ask questions that "scaffold" thinking, I have been a classic example of text-dependent learning.

I have pushed students to simply find the answer rather then to think deeper about the text.  To ask their own questions.  I have not encouraged them to connect to the text, to draw upon the experiences of the characters and relate them to their own life.  I have simply taken the book and determined what I thought the authors purpose was and then in turn taught students to believe that was the author's purpose.  I did not allow them to draw upon their own experiences and relate them to the text.  I made the assumptions that they understood loss, or grief, or happiness they way that I have.

Beers is quoted as saying, "The most rigorous reading the student can do involves more than simply drawing upon the basic definition of words; it involves exploring the understandings of those words that the student brings to the text and weighing them against the apparent understandings of the author."

As I consider these words and the notion behind text-dependent questioning, I can not help but think that I could have done more to support deeper understanding then stifling it.  Students should be able to develop their own questions to drive the conversation.  This will foster the accountable talk that seems to be at the core of the Common Core in Speaking and Listening Standards.

It's time for me to rethink what conversations about the text look like.  What I thought was right I now think was wrong even though I really thought what I was doing made sense. As much as I thought I was helping my students I wasn't.  While I don't think I ruined them completely, I certainly did not help them as much as I could have.

Chapters 1-5

Hi Everyone!
Hope you are enjoying the break.  As we begin our discussion, I just want to make clear that this book is not a network initiative,  but a vehicle for discussion.  In fact, folks on my team might disagree with Beers in places and you should feel free to disagree as well.  I chose the book because I found it to be inspiring, provocative for conversation, and practical for classroom application.  I think it asks questions that can help us all reflect on the teaching of literature during these new times.
So, I'll  kick off the conversation and we'll see where it leads.
I am wondering what you think of the rigor question.  I ponder this daily as I grapple with DOE  initiatives, visit rooms, watch kids, talk with teachers.  What do folks think about Beers's claim that "the essence of rigor is engagement and commitment?"  During this test prep season, we have no choice but to load kids up with complex texts.  I think it's vital that TEACHERS, not administrators or academics or government officials, come to together to discuss how that's going.  What are we discovering?  What works?  What doesn't? What are OUR thoughts on rigor, given what we see with the young people we teach?
Likewise, I wonder about the intellectual community concept.  Is it relevant to us during these times?Beers is pretty pointed on this topic, going so far as to say "New standards, without addressing old problems, won't change anything."  I'm not so sure I agree.  I think the new standards give us  something clear to shoot for.  On the other hand, I have to agree that if students don't engage with the work, we've got problems.
I'm traveling, but will check in on the conversation nightly.  Rest up, awesome teachers--and post your thoughts.

Welcome to the 411 book blog

Hi Everyone!
Thanks for joining in on our first online discussion of a professional publication.  To get us started, I've chosen the first book, Notice & Note:  Strategies for Close Reading by Kylene Beers and Robert Probst, but in the future I hope others will suggest titles we can explore together.   This time, I'm also going to suggest a reading schedule to keep us generally concurrent in our reading and on schedule to finish the book by the time we meet face to face.  We'll see how it goes. Please let us all know if this seems feasible for you:

Monday, March 18:   Introduction + Part I, Chapters 1-5
Monday, March 25:  Part I, Chapters 5-10
Monday, April 8:  Part II, Chapters 1-8
Monday, April 25:  Part III, Chapters 1-6 + Conclusion

Possible dates for a face-to-face meeting (location to TBD):  May 1, 6, or 13

I will make new posts on dates listed above that focus on chapters indicated.  You'll notice that the book includes some handy discussion questions at the end of each chapter which we can use to spark our discussions.

So, let's try it!  Happy reading.  Look for a post on the first section on March 18.

Betsy