We created a GatheringUs memorial to celebrate the life of Kenneth S. Goodman. Collecting your stories and memories here will offer us great comfort. As we plan virtual and in person gatherings, we will share details here. Thank you for contributing to this lasting memorial.
Because of Ken, I transformed from a teacher teaching the answers to comprehension questions in the 70s to a teacher who for four subsequent decades taught literacy as a joy of discovery. Inspired by the early miscue work of Ken, Yetta, Carolyn et al.... moreBecause of Ken, I transformed from a teacher teaching the answers to comprehension questions in the 70s to a teacher who for four subsequent decades taught literacy as a joy of discovery. Inspired by the early miscue work of Ken, Yetta, Carolyn et al. as well as the later developments of Debi Goodman, Ruthi Davenport and others, I was able to create classrooms in which miscues were celebrations and food for thought, whether the group was kindergartners, middle schoolers, or graduate students. Thank you Ken for helping create this ripple of literacy, love, and learning! less
I have so many memories of Ken, it fills my heart every time I think of him: His calm keynotes explaining important issues; many Passover dinners; his comments on my comments during readings in class; his encouragement and support when my due date for... moreI have so many memories of Ken, it fills my heart every time I think of him: His calm keynotes explaining important issues; many Passover dinners; his comments on my comments during readings in class; his encouragement and support when my due date for my twins fell on the same day as my walking date for my Master's of Language and Literacy program...In my life, I have been fortunate to have had a few mentors who have changed me for the better. Ken is one of those. less
Ken's "Manifesto for a Reading Revolution" caught my eye, and his words found a home in my heart. As an early reader I knew that children needed to make sense of using language.
I first met Ken as a young professor in the Reading Department at the University of Arizona in the seventies.
Ken was always so curious and his thoughts were both mesmerising and daunting. Whenever I questioned him, it was if his ideas were... moreI first met Ken as a young professor in the Reading Department at the University of Arizona in the seventies.
Ken was always so curious and his thoughts were both mesmerising and daunting. Whenever I questioned him, it was if his ideas were undergirded by a spiritual force tied to his devout belief in the power of children to learn language as they sought to make sense of the world. His Yoda-like force was that his thinking was measured by his appreciation, trust in and understanding of young children’s power of meaning making. He opened me to ideas and spaces that were not just new, they illuminated my thinking and shaped my perspectives going forward.
His patience with me and others reflected the same and more. Not only did he want to spur my thinking, he wanted to learn with me as he moved me beyond myself.
Personally and professionally, I felt as if I could do no wrong in his eyes. He treated my miscues in life with empathy. I felt as if I became akin to an adopted son for whom he was forever caring. less