The Anatomy of a Teacher Guide
by Debbie Gonzales
Of late, publicists, teachers, librarians, parents and the like are clamoring for a strange creature called the Teacher Guide. Why? What is this thing that has the Gatekeepers all agoggle? And, while we’re at it, what’s the difference between a Teacher Guide, a Discussion Guide, and an Activity Guide? Furthermore, why should we care about these critters? Fear not, confused author, the answers to these questions are forthcoming. Slip on your literary lab coat as we study the Anatomy of a Teacher Guide.
To begin, let’s consider the poetic structure of the word ‘guide’ as an acrostic poem. Acrostics are descriptive poems that read downward. The first letter of each line must form a word or phrase that is usually central to the subject of the poem. (And, dear reader, you might find a lesson about writing a structured poem such as an acrostic in a Guide.)
The Anatomy of a Guide
Guide – the skeleton
Understanding – the skin
Instruction – the brain
Discussion – the lungs
Enthusiasm – the heart
G is for Guide because the act of guiding is the primary purpose of these documents, the bones that hold the critter together. In much the same way as a trail guide takes the lead and, along the way, points out elements of interest or importance, a good Guide does the same. An experienced Guide-crafting professional, one who understands the needs of Gatekeepers, dissects a book—your book—and restructures it in a systematically teachable method, pointing out various literary elements to consider.
Like the bones of the body—from the femur to the phalange—Guides differ with regard to their functionality. Suitable for all ages, Teacher Guides tend to approach the book in a more structured, systematic, cross-curricular manner. Although most Teacher Guides include entertaining activities, their main focus is to offer instructors the tools with which to incorporate books into the curriculum.
Activity Guides are the perfect complement to picture books, early-readers, and chapter books. These typically include a series of cleverly crafted discussion questions to aid in the child’s comprehension as well as enchanting word play games, crafts, songs, and hoopla all designed to keep your book in the hands of the child and the mind of the teacher.
Discussion Guides, on the other hand, are best suited for the older reader. Also known as Reading Group Guides, they guide the reader toward understanding of the text and, quite often, toward a deeper understanding of him or herself. The questions posed in these guides are usually open ended, allowing for reflective interpretation. This guided discussion analysis encourages deliberation, discourse, and even argumentation as a reader interprets aspects of literature.
U is for Understanding through employing a multi-sensory approach to teaching. Just as the skin is sensitive to tenderness or pain, sensory experiences connected to literature can be unforgettable (which is how you want readers to feel about your book, is it not?). Guides should include multi-sensory elements, especially if they have been crafted for younger children. Video links, recipes, phonetic sound sorting, and a variety of opportunities for artistic expression are all great examples of multi-sensory activities. Older readers benefit from project-based activities that incorporate concept application, personal reflection, and a whisper of the whimsy. In short, Guides incorporating lessons that use the five senses lead to a deeper understanding of the character’s experiences, the historical setting, and the author’s purpose. In other words, they cause a book to become unforgettable.
I is for Instruction which requires a bunch of brain power. A Guide of any kind must be structured as to make a busy, busy teacher’s life a breeze. The easier it is to teach academically sound activities, the more likely Gatekeepers will keep a book on their classroom shelves for a long time. Lesson objectives, material lists, and procedures must be spelled out clearly. Guides should include ready-made print-outs for suggested activities. Teachers, librarians, and parents appreciate short, smart lessons and clearly written, succinct directions—to the point, void of clutter and fuss, yet filled with lots of instructive fun.
Another helpful instructional component is having the Guide’s lessons and activities aligned with state and/or national academic standards. Standards annotations provide the teacher and librarian with an instructional framework. Through the academic alignment of lessons, the Guide is providing testimony of sound instructional assimilation of lessons, thus enhancing the child’s learning experience, and hopefully, book shelf-life longevity.
D is for Discussion, the breath of a Guide. Similar to the lungs of the body, interesting, probing, and enlightening discussion questions are intrinsic to a Guide’s foundational structure. Multi-faceted questions lead to a personal connection between the illustrations, text, and reader. With the book in hand, young readers flip though the pages to validate their own personal perspective of various literary elements. Beyond discussion questions, supplemental activities such as craft creation, research opportunities, and games breathe life into a Guide. Lessons such as these keep kids and teachers talk-talk-talking about a book—an author’s dream.
E is for Enthusiasm, the pulse of a Guide. A well-crafted Guide is a like a thoughtful gift, mindfully created with the needs of the child and the caring Gatekeeper at heart. Filled with entertaining activities, depth, inspiration, and solid educational practices, Teacher Guides, Activity Guides, and Discussion Guides are welcome companions along the educational trail. These creatures offer support and lighten a teacher’s work load. And, oftentimes they are playful and amusing, like a furry little friend!
Similar to the variety of animals classified on the zoological charts, quality Guides come in all sizes and shapes. There are small, mouse-like, one-page varieties such as webpage listings, brochures, and printed hand-outs. Mid-sized Guides can run from fifteen to thirty pages and are usually attached as website downloads. And then there are gargantuan, elephantine Guides comprised of well over one-hundred pages of in-depth, academic study.
Occasionally publishers will automatically provide a Guide as part of a publicity campaign. Usually though, if an author desires to have a Guide especially designed to complement their project, they generally have to arrange for this service on their own. With the current trend toward romancing the educators, Teacher Guide designers are offering their services to writers for children, young adults, and for the adult market. The new website, ReaderKidZ.com’s contributors are committed to the presentation of quality K-5 literature to parents, teachers and librarians—the beloved Gatekeepers. One component of the website is the Tool Box, in which a variety of Guides, games, interactive activities, and website links are posted to provide instructors with supplemental educational materials. Should an author desire to peruse the plethora of Guide styles currently available in search of a critter to call their own, the Tool Box on ReaderKidZ.com is a great place to start.
After taking a pseudo-scientific approach to understanding the anatomy of the creature known as the Teacher Guide, the Gatekeeper’s titillation is completely understandable. As a trusted companion to a well-written book, these beloved beasts offer a structural guide for study, comprehensive literary understanding, instructional soundness, depth of discussion, and enthusiasm for learning! Guides are the bones, skin, brains, lungs, and the heart of a lasting partnership between an author, a reader, and those that care for the child’s learning experiences.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks, Debbie, for educating us about the different guides that can enhance a child’s reading experience in (or out of) the classroom.
Thanks, Debbie, for helping us understand Guides from the inside out.
Wonderful instruction on the anatomy of Guides and their many layers.
Great job…it’s so important to address different types of learners! And I don’t think any guide should ignore state standards; it’s the world we live in. Thanks, Deb.