Disrupting Thinking-The book we need now.

The Framework  BHH or Book, Head and Heart is introduced in Disrupting Thinking as a way that responsible readers can respond to something they have read. The book part should be pretty self explanatory, what is the book or article talking about, what does the author want us to know?  Head revisits the ideas presented in Beers and Probsts previous work, Notice and Note, What surprised me, what did the author think I knew (what confused me) What did I notice? Finally heart, How does the text impact me, what did I learn about myself and how could it help me to be better? At first my students gave me that "You have to be kidding me" look. "We have to talk about our feelings?" to which I said no but you need to be open to how the story makes you feel personally. After reading through this book I knew the power of the framework within my own thinking but I was not ready for how easy my students would pick it up as long as they could connect. The even crazier thing was the freedom to represent it how they wanted made them like it even more. I keep reading journals (I get it not everyone does, AND THAT IS OK) the majority of my kids chose BHH as their way to reflect when asked to record it from day 1 going forward. There is power in giving kids choice, there is power in helping them open their minds, to question, to think, to feel what the words they read make them feel. I can not give this book a greater endorsement. I think every teacher needs to read it, I wish every teacher training program gave it to their graduating students and I wish every parent had the chance to sit down with their children and talk to them about BHH and why allowing ourselves to look at a text in many ways helps us to think. Kids need to be thought of as more than a test score, more than a reading level. They are the future and we need a future of responsive, responsible readers that are guided not just by achievement (trust me though the ideas of Kylene and Robert do assist kids in achievement) but also their heart, a desire to see the world as more than just how it impacts them but how they can impact it. Man I love this book. Here is a few examples of my kids BHH reactions from last year. Now go read this book :)