Hello Everyone!
I enjoyed reading chapter 1 in our text book. I made several connections within this chapter since I teach reading to younger students each and everyday. This year will be my 4th year teaching in my whole entire teaching career. I've been in First grade the whole entire time. While reading the Reading ability components, I made connections with teaching my students on how to use strategies for word recognition, comprehension, and reading fluency. Also teaching vocabulary is taught daily throughout the different content levels. One thing I did learn more about was the component called critical reading (literacy). At times, I will have a brief discussion about a book and we will discuss the author's purpose for writing the text.
In my classroom, we have Reader's and Writer's workshop combined within a two hours block. Since we are still at the beginning of the school year, I have been teaching the students the routines and procedures for both workshops. This upcoming week will wrap up the lessons that are taught to implement these workshops. I feel that my students are going to enjoy participating in both workshops this school year.
At my school, we do have a basal reading program that we use as a resource. It's the Harcourt StoryTown Reading program. Even though I'm following the Common Core ELA frameworks, I'll still use the level readers and the student editions books for my Guided Reading groups. Also the students will use the books to place in their Independent Reading mini book bags.
I did watch the "Teaching Reading" podcast by Phyllis Hunter and she gave several viewpoints on how teachers should be teaching reading. I like how she said "Teachers don't need to be teaching from the top of their head or from the side of their hip". She implemented how teachers should use research based practices when teaching children how to read. A vision came to my mind when I heard her say " We need to TEACH students how to read RIGHT the FIRST time around because Success breeds Success!" It made me come to my senses that my job is to make sure my students learn how to read the correct way so they won't have a hard time later on in life. I still consider myself as a new teacher and everyday I am learning new techniques/ strategies that can help my students become successful.
~Brittney
Brittany,
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean. Although I am only in pre-school and am not technically teaching children how to READ, I am responsible for exposing them to the written word for the first time. I am giving them their first impression of reading and could be a major factor in determining whether or not reading will be something they enjoy. My attitude toward and my emphasis on reading could change their entire outlook. I also am responsible for teaching them letter recognition, phonemic awareness, letter-sound correspondence and other important skills that lead to fluency. According to the YouTube documentary "Who is Accountable?" only one year of poor teaching can put children behind for years and years to come. Some may never be able to catch up. That is so much responsibility for a teacher. I use this as incentive. I need to give these children the best teaching and the best attention I know how each and every day. I need to do my best to ensure that they will not fall behind and will be ready to continue with their academic career when they leave my classroom. That is a lot of pressure, but we do it because we love the children and care so much about their futures.
Grace you are so right about the students falling behind after one year. There are some 3rd grade students at my school who are just reading at 1st grade level. Somehow they have missed out on some important reading foundation in the previous years. It's going to take a lot of work to pull them up to where they need to be.
ReplyDeleteI love your approach to teaching students. I really like how you take ownership of teaching students to read, but also being their biggest cheerleader in the process of reading. You look at the best way your students will learn, and you are able to connect the text with what your school and program are doing. Its scary how fast a child can fall behind in reading, and we need to all use a creative approach...we need to lead our children by example!
ReplyDeleteThis is my 7th year teaching and I still find myself learning every day. I believe as teachers we are life long learners regardless of the number of years we've been in the education field. I concure with Phyllis Hunter when she said to teach reading the correct way the first time around. Kindergarten and first grade play a vital part when laying the foundation for reading. It's hard for a third or fourth grade teacher to teach a child how to read when they've missed the foundation in the early grades.
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