ost educators would agree that critical thinking is an importantskill for students to develop. Educators, parents and primarycaregivers want to help children to grow up to be independ-ent and critically reflective thinkers. Curriculum documents,

teacher resources, educational websites, workshops and conferences allfocus on the importance of instilling and nurturing student’s thinking competencies. In this Digital Age, children as young as four, use complextechnology with ease. In order to function effectively in today’s society, weneed to help all students learn to interpret messages and formulate opin-ions based on concrete evidence that is free of bias and prejudice.

It is not uncommon for educators and parents to express frustration whena child or teenager takes a course of action that does not appear to exhibitcritical thought. Students are not always consistent. They may exhibit crit-ical thinking in academic situations or in social situations, but not alwaysin both.

As a vice principal, I meet with students to help them examine their wordsand actions as they work through conflicts. When students are asked to reflecton their decisions, they need guidance to consider alternative viewpointsand to think about the implications of their course of action. One of theinteresting aspects of this process is that when students begin to think critically, they also begin to develop a greater sense of empathy and appreciation for one another.

Engaging in critical thought is a life-long task, demanding effort andpractice on the part of the student as well as modeling by educators andparents. It is not easyto be a critical thinker,and unfortunately, oursociety does not alwaysreward those who arecourageous enough toquestion what is com-monly held to be true.Schools, while beingobvious places for fos-tering critical thought,cannot be solely responsible. Students are inundated by advertisements,television shows, song lyrics and video games, to mention just a few messagesources. Discussions with family and friends that explore and uncover hiddenmeanings in mass media, on-line, in print or in electronic games, can help

Speaking of ReadingPRESIDENT ’S MESSAGE

Spring, 2011AS WE ENTERinto the spring ofanother school year,we take this op-portunity to reflecton the work andaccomplishmentsof the East York-Scarborough Read-ing Association. Firstly, thanks toeveryone who attended this year’svery successful Reading for the love ofit conference at the Sheraton.Comments and feedback from del-egates and speakers confirm ourfeeling that Reading for the love of itis one of the best reading confer-ences for educators anywhere inthe world. At this annual event, werevitalize ourselves with stimulating

SPRING 2011

M

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“Thinking is skilled work. It is nottrue that we are naturally endowedwith the ability to think clearly andlogically — without learning how,or without practicing.”

Alfred Mander, Author, Logic for the Millions, 1947

FOSTERING CRITICAL THINKING

An Administrator’sPerspective

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

2 Five Questions Critical Thinkers May Ask

2 Reading Award Winners

2 e-Newsletter Survey

3 Teaching Critical Thinking Through “Article of the Week”

4 Conference Reflections

6 Critical Thinking Applications fora Study of Short Works of Fictionand Storytelling

6 Outreach 2010-2011

7 Picture Books That Inspire CriticalThinking

7 2011 Great Summer Reading

8 Debby’s Adios

8 Thanks to You

For more great articles go to www.readingfortheloveofit.com

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to build the confidence childrenneed to confront the inconsisten-cies and inequities in their world.

Time spent in after school pro-grams, ranging from clubs to or-ganized sports to classes in the arts,can all help to inspire criticalthought, but it cannot happen byosmosis. For example, when adults

make critical thinking transparentby demonstrating the process ofdecision making, students are em-powered to make their own deci-sions that are more reasonable andjust. After school programs holdvaluable opportunities for childrento develop open-mindedness, em-pathy, the ability to express theirvalues and beliefs and to be re-spectful towards others.

The complexities of our modernworld demand innovative thinkerswho have developed the capacityto work outside conventional frame-works and to travel unexploredpaths. Critical thinking is intrinsicto education and personal growth.Environments where it is promotedare invaluable to students.

Kelly Manning, Vice Principal,Our Lady of Lourdes, TCDSB

tionally and around the world. Ourassociation understands the con-nection between literacy and lifeoutcomes and we work diligentlyin this area. I would like to com-mend Marguerite Campbell, Out-reach Chair and the committee fortheir outstanding efforts.

The Newsletter Committee, chair-ed by Kathy Lazarovits, is responsi-ble for providing you with thisbiannual publication. We hope thatthis year’s theme of critical thinkinghas provided you with informationthat has supported your classroominstruction.

I would like to take this opportu-nity to thank Erica Townson, whohas stepped into a new position asExecutive Administrator for our association. She has provided a freshperspective and did a wonderfuljob at overseeing our recent confer-ence. Erica has contributed greatly inpositioning us for ongoing success.

Best wishes,

Anthony Petitti, President

...An Administrator’s Perspective cont. from page 1

speakers and add new authors,books, and professional ideas toour teaching repertoires. Thanksare extended to Teresa Paoli, Con-ference Programme Chair and theProgramme Committee memberswho worked diligently on our be-half. Thank you for your attendanceand the feedback you provide. Weare incorporating helpful sugges-tions into next year’s conference.

Congratulations to our ReadingTeacher of the Year award winners —Giulia Di Carlo, grade 8 Teacher atSt. Louis Catholic School, TCDSBand Dolores Sullivan, Teacher/Librarian at Kent Senior PublicSchool, TDSB. Hearing about thework these talented teachers dodaily in connecting children tobooks and reading is an inspirationto us all. We hope that honouringteachers in this way results in ourcollective commitment to improvingliteracy instruction in our schools.

Our Outreach Committee, an increasing emphasis for our associ-ation, continues its excellent work.It brings enhanced literacy oppor-tunities to those in need locally, na-

...President’s Message continued from page 1

e-Newsletter SurveyCongratulations to Kaitlin Coopman,winner of our e-Newsletter Survey.She has wona comfy Reading blanket.

Kelly Manning

Five Questions CriticalThinkers May Ask1) What am I being asked to believe or accept? What is the hypothesis?

2) What evidence is available tosupport the assertion? Is it reliableand valid?

3) Are there alternative ways ofinterpreting the evidence?

4) What additional evidence wouldhelp to evaluate the alternatives?

5) What conclusions are mostreasonable based on the evidenceand the number of alternative explanations?

Anne McDonagh as published inLearning Curves, March/April 2011 Issue

Reading Award WinnersMany wonderful teachers and curriculum leaders were nominatedthis past year for the 2011 ReadingTeacher of the Year award. We are honoured to announce this year’s recipients:

Giulia Di Carlo, grade 8 Teacher at St. Louis Catholic

School, TCDSB

Dolores Sullivan,Teacher/Librarian atKent Senior Public

School, TDSB

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amongst themselves about theirdreams of owning and using a cellphone. I am hoping that once theyread they will begin to weigh thecool factor against the healthfactor in cell phone ownership, butI say nothing as I hand it out. Likeevery Monday, I tell them that thefirst thing we will do is read thearticle on our own and underlineor highlight our confusions. I dothis at the same time as they do,working on the document camera.When I am done, I circulate aroundthe room looking at what theyhave underlined. When they aredone, I read the article aloud,paragraph by paragraph and askstudents as I go, what confusedthem. In the process we are able todiscuss the article as well as readingstrategies. One week the word“resurgence” came up. When I askedthe students if they had a way tofigure out what the work meant,one student said the “re” meant“again” like in “repeat”, whichmeant say it again. When wedecided what resurgence meant, Itold them that using prefixes to

t is Monday morning and thechildren are buzzing abouttheir weekends as they comeinto the classroom. After a

quick “1-10” to see how everyoneis feeling that morning, we beginour weekly “Article of the Week”.The anticipation is high becausestudents enjoy reading articlesthat are pertinent to their lives. Ilove “Article of the Week”, becauseit introduces relevant texts that helpthe students think critically in a veryreal way and create an opportunityto share their thoughts.

The idea and strategies for “Articleof the Week” came from speakerKelly Gallagher at Reading for thelove of it 2011. Kelly, a teacher andauthor of many books, including,Readicide: How Schools Are KillingReading and What You Can Do AboutIt. He originally came up with theidea for “Article of the Week” to helpbuild his students’ prior knowledgeabout the world. He says, “by theend of the school year I wantstudents to have read 35 to 40articles about what is going on inthe world… if my students are tobecome literate, they must broadentheir reading experiences into real-world text”. I think “Article of theWeek” does that and so much more.For my grade 6 and 7 class, “Articleof the Week” provides me with achance to do a whole group guidedreading lesson and helps thestudents to think critically aboutmedia texts and points of view. Itallows me to see their criticalthinking in a very visual way.

Teachers select a high interestshort reading each week. Kelly’swebsite, www.kellygallagher.org,has a selection of articles that areengaging and interesting, even formy much younger students, but I have also found great articles,columns and editorials in the daily

newspaper and various magazines.The key to the article is that it mustbe short, engaging and relevant tothe children’s lives. The first articleI tried was on the dangers of cellphone use, particularly for children.Students were instantly engaged,because if they didn’t already havea cell phone, they wanted one in abad way.

The key to success with myjunior aged students (I have donethis with primary students withvery short readings) was a lot ofmodelling before the “gradualrelease” to them. For the first fewweeks we did the entire processtogether, with me working on thedocument camera, thinking aloudand writing my own comments,questions and reflections, so mythinking processes became veryvisible to the children.

The announcements are over andthe children have settled. I tell themthat today’s “Article of the Week” ison cell phones. They excitedly chat

Teaching Critical Thinking Through“Article of the Week”

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1 Best selling author Lawrence Hill

2 Reading for the love of it banquet

3 Setting the tone for the Dinner Banquet

4 Directors Margaret Talbot, Vangie Kalanderopoulos,Denise Canning with Mélanie Watt

5 ESL session in progress with Peter Heydon

6 Allan Luke speaks to whole school literacy curriculum planning

7 Mariatu Kamara author of Bite of the Mango

8 Teresa Paoli, VicePresident and Programme Directorconsults with colleague

9 TDSB Music Consultant ColleenOrr with Associationexecutives DorisWukasch and Carol Munro

10 Award-winningauthor Wayson Choyand Director KathyLazarovits

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“Thank you for giving me the inspiration to “keep the course” not only in teaching, but in life.”

conference 2011

“Wonderful, very practical and applicable

for my classroom.”

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11 Engaging sessions that fill the house

12 Mary Bigler with Director Jane Milligan

13 Networking at the Annual General Meeting

14 Sharing a laugh at the Annual General Meeting. Left to right: Jill Eason, Mary Francone, Deborah Chisholm,Jo-Jo Guillet

15/16/17 Publisher’s Display

18 Jeff Smith and his ever popular graphic novels delightthe audience

19 Jian Ghomeshi with a few of his fans

20 Author/illustrator Mélanie Watt thrills fans at book signing

21 Frieda Wishinsky with one of her most recent books

“Very uplifting! Fabulous conference!”

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n the unit, The Unexpected,students explore short worksof fiction. Throughout thisunit, they are asked to critically

consider the guiding question,“How do you tell a good story?” asthey read short works of fiction andwrite their own story. They learn tounderstand how authors use narra-tive elements to build an engagingstory, and to apply these elementsto their own writing. They alsolearn to identify and to apply descriptive elements and literarydevices to make their story morecompelling. Finally, by reading theshort works, they gain a knowledgeof the narrative form, and observeand compare how authors acrosscultures effectively use storytellingto illustrate that which is unex-pected or unexplainable in life.

To begin the unit, a scary story-telling session is held completewith popcorn, dimmed lights andhaunted house music. Students areencouraged to tell a personal storyin small groups. They use this storyas the basis of their own composi-tion. Concurrent with their ownstorytelling and story writing is thestudy of ten short works which in-clude: folktales, ghost stories, playsand short stories.

Applications for critical thinkingcan be supported by the use ofthinking tools such as visual or-ganizers, checklists, and classroomor peer activities. When reading theselected short works and consider-ing plot construction, students areasked to analyze a story using aPlot Jigsaw Worksheet and thencompare their findings with a friend.They then apply this technique totheir own story — graphing it todetermine if it is an effective storyand presenting it to a small peergroup for feedback.

Once they are satisfied with thestructure they begin to refine theirstory. The use of the Narrative Para-graph Worksheet ensures they haveall the elements and the structureof the story. This worksheet mirrorsthe Story Tracking Worksheet theyuse to collect information about thestories they study.

Students revise their stories byusing a Narrative Paragraph Check-list and a Narrative Paragraph Rubricthat they develop as a class. Theythen share their story with theirpeers, and assist a friend (think-pair-share) in the editing of their story.This checklist reviews language applications such as descriptivewords and clauses, past tenses andliterary devices. Students have col-lected these items through threemethods: the Story Tracking Work-sheet, a teacher-guided close analysisof text, and the Literary DevicesChart. This takes place as the studentsread the short works and answerguiding questions.

To complete their story-writingprocess, the student conferenceswith the teacher and a formativegrading of their story with therubric regarding ways to improvetheir story before submitting it for afinal assessment. The culminatingtask for the unit is a Short Works ofFiction test. This assesses the con-tent and understanding of the worksstudied, student’s ability to respondconcisely and completely to shortanswer questions, and their abilityto understand literary concepts byapplying their knowledge to a sightpassage of a short story. Studentscan be guided in their preparationfor this test with the Study NotesOrganizer.

This unit, The Unexpected, hasbeen successfully used with ESLDO (Level 4) students. It has helped

them learn to identify the criteriaand techniques of effective story-telling and provided them with thetools to think critically and analyseshort works of fiction — includingtheir own creative writing.

Mandi Gerland, ESL and International Languages Coordinator, Branksome Hall

For all resource notes and referencedworksheets please visit the Newslettersection of our website at: www.readingfortheloveofit.com

Critical Thinking Applicationsfor a Study of Short Works of

Fiction and Storytelling

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Outreach 2010-2011On behalf of the East York ScarboroughReading Association, I would like tothank all the delegates who attendedReading for the love of it for their support of our Outreach program.Every purchase made at our Outreachtable including bags, pins and thebeautiful new reading blanket, helpsus assist organizations focused onimproving literacy in the lives ofmany people around the world andin our own backyard.

This year, we have sent school suppliesto an orphanage and made a donationto Solidarity Haiti, which is working toimprove the educational opportunities.Funds sent to the Canadian Friendsof Peru help provide financial aid tostudents while in university.

Closer to home,your purchases haveenabled us to helpsustain the JaneFinch Coalition andHomework Club; tomake donations tothe Children’s BookBank of Regent Park;and to contribute totwo Food Banks.

Thank you for the support you havegiven us. Please visit our web sitewww.readingfortheloveofit.com formore detailed information about theorganizations that we currently assist.

Marguerite Campbell, Outreach Chair

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figure out a word was a goodstrategy. We go back and ensurethat we understand the sentencethe word was used in. Discussingour way through the article ensuresthat everyone has a chance tounderstand what it is all about.

The next step in the process is, inKelly’s words, “show evidence of aclose reading on the page”. Myjunior students love this. To them,it is being critical of the author’sthoughts or information. Theywrite questions and comments allover their pages. After the closereading of the article, “Should Yoube Snuggling with Your CellPhone”, by Randall Stross fromthe New York Times, I knew thatthere was no doubt the childrenwere thinking deeply and criticallyabout this issue. Some of their“close reading” comments, scribbledon their pages include:

Can high cell phone usecause memory loss?Children should not beallowed to use or buycell phones.

This is scary — your cell phonehas a risk of killing you?Are these statistics real? Where didthey come from?Where else does radiation comefrom?

We quickly discuss the questionsand comments at table groups.They are genuinely engaged. I hearone child tell another that he willstop begging for a cell phone,“Why would I beg for somethingthat can make me sick” he says.Another argues back, “We need tofind out more about this. Do youthink it is all true?” Still another ismaking the connection to wirelesstechnology in the classroom andwondering what the dangers fromthat might be. I am smiling, becausea simple article, that peaked theirinterest, has provided rich fodderfor thinking. Without much pre-paration on my part, “Article of theWeek”, carefully selected for its

relevant articles that help childrenquestion this new world and theirfuture place in it. Teachers have avital role in helping children tocritically read and question theinformation they are presentedwith. “Article of the Week” is oneway to do this.

Terri Howell, Grade 6/7 Teacher/Literacy Coach, Trillium LakelandsDistrict Board

ability to engage, can provide mystudents with opportunities todemonstrate their understandingof a media text, express theirpersonal opinions about the ideasin it, identify points of viewpresented and those that thatmight be missing, and they evenenjoyed doing it.

The last step in “Article of theWeek” is for each student to write areflection about the reading. Kellyprovides some questions at thebottom of the article that might helpthose children who are strugglingto get started. Most of my childrendo not need the prompts. Theirclose reading and table groupdiscussion has provided them withmaterial to write about. They makeconnections and inferences easily.I encourage a half page reflection,cognizant of time, but most writemore. As the year goes on, this couldbe a homework assignment, due atthe end of the week, as Kelly sug-gests. About the cell phone article,Max writes, “Good thing I don’thave to get a cell phone until I amin high school. I will probably onlytext. I will only call in emer-gencies…” CJ wrote, “This articlereally woke some of us up to seebeyond having the good life toseeing reality! When I read this itmade me feel worried because allmy friends and family have cellphones. The article says that theyare harmful to our brains, but whatabout when we are carrying themin our pockets?” The students aredoing what good readers do; theyare thinking about the world andtheir place in it, and asking questionsthat are pertinent to them andtheir lives.

Many of the Ontario curriculum’smedia literacy, reading and writingexpectations are perfectly metthrough “Article of the Week”.Students are able to demonstratetheir ability to interpret media textsthrough their close reading andreflections.

In today’s highly connectedworld it is important that we find

...Teaching Critical Thinking cont. from page 3

One by Kathryn Otoshi

No, David by David Shannon

My Two Mothers by Patricia Polacco

The True Story of the Three LittlePigs by Jon Scieszka

The Wretched Stone by Chris VanAllsburg

Riding the Tiger by Eve Bunting

Subway Mouse by Barbara Reid

The Lighthouse by Robert Munsch

Scaredy Squirrel by Mélanie Watt

One Thousand Tracings by Lita Judge

Swimmy by Leo Leoni

Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Typeby Betsy Lewin

Picture Books That InspireCritical Thinking

2011 Great Summer Reading

The Glass Castle: a Memoirby Jeanette Walls

The Beauty of Humanity Movement by Camilla Gibb

Secret Daughter by Shilpi S. Gowda

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards

The Elegance of the Hedgehogby Muriel Barbery

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RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED

Plan to Attend 2012

Meet us back at the Sheraton onThursday, February 9th and Friday,February 10th, 2012 at the SheratonCentre Hotel, downtown Toronto. Online registration will open on October 1st, 2011 at readingfortheloveofit.com.

We recommend that you register early.

Debby’s Adios

Best Wishes Debby…Adios to all my friends at the East York-ScarboroughReading Association. It is with some sadness that Ihave decided to resign my position on the Executiveafter 20 plus years. My affiliation with this group has provided me the privilege of working with an

incredible group of educators from both the Toronto District SchoolBoard and the Toronto Catholic District School Board in a wide varietyof ways. This experience has been invaluable to me both professionallyand personally. After retiring from the TCDSB last June, my husbandand I are off to work at the Mont’Kiara International School in KualaLumpur, Malaysia come this August. Here I will serve as Principal ofthe pre to grade 6 school. It is a new adventure and I am looking forwardto the challenges and learning that this experience will provide. Bestwishes to all and keep on doing the wonderful job that you have alwaysdone in providing excellent educational opportunities for children.

Deborah Chisholm, Director, EYSRA

Return undeliverable items to:

East York-Scarborough Reading Association1315 Lawrence Ave. East, Unit 309Toronto, Ontario M3A 3R3Tel: 416-444-7473Fax: 416-444-9282E-mail: eys@readingfortheloveofit.comWeb: www.readingfortheloveofit.com

We are committed to improving the quality of literacy instruction and encouraging the development of a lifelong interest in reading.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2010-2011

Toronto Catholic District School BoardDeborah Chisholm, Michael FranconeTeresa Paoli, Tony PetittiBrenda Stewart

Toronto District School BoardMarguerite Campbell, Lisa HawkinsVangie Kalanderopoulos, Kathy LazarovitsCarol Munro

Speaking ofReading...Thanks to YouA note of appreciationand gratitude is ex-tended to educators,

parents and students who submitarticles to Speaking of Reading. Thankyou for taking time to share yourknowledge, expertise and experi-ences. A heartfelt thank you is alsoextended to the incredible commu-nications team who work with greatcommitment and diligence to pro-duce this newsletter for our readers.

Kathy Lazarovits, Communications Chair

Executive (2010-2011): FRONT ROW (left to right):

Jennifer Baker, Mary Wilson, Mike Francone,

Marguerite Campbell, Teresa Paoli, Tony Petitti,

Kathy Lazarovits, Vangie Kalanderopoulos, Erica

Townson, Kelly Manning; MIDDLE ROW (left to right):

Liz Blake, Joan Barrett, Judith Laskin, Lise Hawkins,

Margaret Talbot, Jane Milligan, Carol Munro, Jill

Eason, Doris Wukasch; BACK ROW (left to right): Jose

Molina, Denise Canning, Nora Lovgren, Brenda

Stewart, Deborah Chisholm, Val Collins, Marisa

Liscio, Tanya Reilly Primaylon, Brian Svenningsen

Visit us online and see what people aresaying about Reading for the love of it.