Getting To Got It!

The Administrative Team in my district completes book reviews to make it easier for everyone to receive information for many more titles than we could ever find time to read. With their permission, I will occasionally post some of them for you.

Title: Getting To Got It! Author: Betty K. Garner
Reviewed by: Deb Alden
Note: ASCD Premium and Select Member book, November 2007
Also available as an eBook

Pages: 150 Chapters: 9

Summary:
Cognitive structures are the basic mental processes people use to make sense of information. We use cognitive structures to process information and create meaning by making connections, finding patterns, identifying rules and abstracting principles. Underdeveloped or underused cognitive structures can be a source of learning difficulties and teachers often don't immediately identify this b/c we assume cognitive structures operate automatically. Each individual has to develop his or her own cognitive structures and it is never too late to develop cognitive structures. The premise is that teachers can assist students in development by asking open-ended questions, making sure students understand "why" and "what" they are learning and developing relationships.

Chapters 2-9 go through eight cognitive structures. Each chapter defines the cognitive structure, how to help students develop the cognitive structure and specific suggestions for practice. In addition, throughout these chapters are anecdotal accounts with students in all grades.

Recommendations:
Excellent book for teachers K-12. This book would be great for study groups. Specifically in terms of "Response to Intervention" and the work we are doing with intervention. It really shows what can be done to help students before labeling them with a disability. Not focused on just one subject area. VERY applicable to all subject areas..in this sense it would be a great "all school" read. While reading this book

Other considerations:
A specific chapter could be useful to a teacher of a student with a certain difficulty. These may be used by "student study teams", at referral meetings and also by our school psych. service providers. All ASCD members should have a copy of this book and we will be purchasing several for our central office library.
image from amazon.com
bettygardner
sharonbetts
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