One Child at a Time...a Book Review

I always have a list running for my summer reads... I like to stay updated on what's changing in education, new trends, ideas, etc.

What's on your need-to-read list?

This is about a book I read in grad school last year that I enjoyed and was beneficial.

One Child at a Time

Pat Johnson

Look inside the book on Amazon.

This book is an essential item to any new teacher’s bookshelf. It provides useful information on what needs to be done in the classroom for struggling readers. Johnson provides a framework for teachers to become thoughtful, explicit teachers. The framework begins with observing the student; analyzing the situation and reflecting on what needs to be done; making a plan; and taking action. Through this process, the teacher truly comes to understand what the student is really struggling with. Many times, teachers will implement interventions without an understanding of the problem. When teachers make a plan, it involves modeling to the students, providing a scaffold to help them try, prompting the students to use the strategy, backing off, and reinforcing what was taught. It is imperative to understand that this process may not take just a week- it may take months. Johnson is explicit in her explanation of the entire process, and provides strategies and thinking teachers can use with their students. More importantly, Johnson brings her suggestions to a personal level that helps explain how it works in a classroom by recalling her past experiences and using real-life situations that she has personally encountered.

What I liked about Pat Johnson was how she understood that every teacher faces struggles in the classroom. Her book is not one to make a teacher feel like they’re not doing their job; rather, her book encourages teachers to reflect on their teaching and to really think about each, individual student. Johnson states, “teachers do not need more tests to tell them who is struggling; they already know that. Rather, they want help with how to make their teaching more effective for struggling readers,” (2006, p.3). Her book encouraged me to think about the students that I already see having trouble with in reading. Although I knew much of the assessments she used and strategies we need to work on with the students, I found her book interesting to read because of her experiences and immense knowledge on the topic.

Johnson, P. (2006). One child at a time: Making the most of your struggling readers, K-6. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

I also have her next book (thanks, Mom!) Catching Readers Before They Fall (2010), looking forward to reading it in my spare (what?) time.