Literacy Centers

I really enjoyed the article, Meeting academic standards through peer dialog at literacy centers that we read for class this week.   The importance of literacy centers is rarely questioned.  In her article, Putting Literacy Centers to work: A novice teacher  utilizes literacy centers to improve reading instruction, Rebecca Stout provides a great summary of all the good learning that can go on in a well designed literacy centers.  She writes,  “ In summary, literacy centers enable teachers to differentiate instruction, address the interests of students, keep the learning child-centered, create socially-based learning, and teach children within their zones of proximal development.”   Centers are a great way for us to scaffold what is taught through whole and small group instruction.

While I have never doubted that children do a lot of learning at centers, I was really surprised by the amount of learning they get from their peer interactions.   The Maurer article states, “Research has shown that many word are learned without direct and explicit teaching, but rather through social interactions with peers.”   Further on the author writes, “Children learn sight words, use inflectional endings, discuss homophones, create compound words, and learn definitions while engaged in peer dialogue at literacy centers.”    

I’ll admit that last year I tried to keep the noise level down during our centers rotation.  This article has definitively made me rethink that strategy.  I know I need to keep the noise to a manageable level but I am backing off on constantly asking the students to be quiet.  I’ll also be listening to hear the second level of learning that is going on through the peer interactions.   I think this is an area where new teachers stuggle - if some noise is good, how much noise is acceptable?  I guess we all need to determine the best level for our sanity and the learning of our children.

References:

Stout, R. (2009) Putting Literacy Centers to work:A novice teacher  utilizes literacy centers to improve reading instruction. Networks An On-line Journal for Teacher Research  (11) 1 - 6 Retrieved from  http://journals.library.wisc.edu/index.php/networks/article/viewFile/181/185.

Maurer, C. (2010) Meeting academic standards through peer dialogue at literacy center.  Language Arts 87 (5), 353-362. Retrieved from http://www.ncte.org.proxy1.library,jhu.edu/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/LA/0875-may2010/LA0875meeting.pdf

Assessing our studends

I found the chapter,  Assessing Students’ Literacy Development, to be particularly interesting as I start my second year of teaching.  Last year, it took a lot of time and effort to get comfortable with the palm and using running records.  This year, I am looking forward to honing my skills and continuing to conduct meaningful, on-going assessments. 

Last spring, I took a class where we used a book called, Words Their Way.  This book contains a number of assessments, including a spelling assessment and the Qualitative Reading Inventory.  The spelling assessment was very helpful as it showed me specifically which consonants and vowels my students knew and which ones I needed to work on in small group. The implications for instruction were incredible and it allowed me to really hone my instruction and customize it for my students. I look forward to using the spelling assessment and the "Words I Know" within the next few weeks.

As important as formal assessments are, I do agree with Yetta Goodman (1978) when she said effective teachers are “kid watchers”.  We cannot, and should not, rely solely on standardized tests and assessments.  As a teacher, we should be continually monitoring our students to listen for the words they have trouble pronouncing, reading, and/or spelling.  I think there can be so much pressure that the kids meet the benchmark that we can lose sight of the daily contact and observations we have with our students.  Spending time with our class provides us with a wealth of information.  It is my job to make sure I notice that information and use it to guide my instruction.  I sure hope I can do that!

References

Tompkins, G.E. (2010). Literacy for the 21st century: A balanced approach (5th ed.). Boston, MA:         Pearson Education, Inc.

Bear, D. et al. (2008). Words their way (4th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ:     Prentice Hall.

A Community of Learners

This week my assignment was to read Chapters 1 and 2 of Literacy for the 21^st Century, A Balanced Approach.   This is a great book, well laid out and full of useful information.  The section that really spoke to me was in Chapter 1, Principle 3: Effective Teachers Create a Community of Learners.  I think there is not enough time spent on this topic during teacher preparation.  Creating the proper learning environment is essential for effective learning to happen.

The authors list 10 characteristics that are essential for creating a community of learners.  These characteristics create an environment where students can feel empowered to try new things and know it is okay to make mistakes.  The students are actively engaged in what is going on in the classroom and they are given many opportunities to express their opinions and share their ideas.  

In Developing a caring attitude in the early childhood pre-service teachers (Education, Winter, 2002 by Krystyna Nowak-Fabrykowski, Paula Caldwell)  the authors discuss how to create such an environment:

“The guidelines for decisions about developmentally appropriate practice, developed by NAEYC (Bredekamp and Copple, 1997), stress creating a caring community of learners including the concept that the early childhood setting function as a community of learners in which all participants consider and contribute to each other's well-being and learning; a setting comprised of positive relationships, where each child is valued for his or her strengths; a learning environment enabling children to construct understanding through interactions with adults and other children; a program that protects children's psychological safety, where children feel secure, relaxed, and comfortable; and a learning environment that provides a variety of materials and opportunities for children to have firsthand, meaningful experiences (p. 16).” 

 I believe this is true for all classrooms, not only early childhood classes.

The underlying theme of the caring classroom is that the teacher must model and foster treating each other with kindness and respect.  Each student should be recognized and cherished.  A teacher can develop a wonderful lesson plan, but if the classroom is disorganized and the children don’t respect each other, it is unlikely that good, quality learning is happening.  I have seen classrooms where the teacher yells and belittles the students. The children are afraid to take chances or try new things.  They can develop a bad attitude toward the subject being taught or towards school in general.  My goal is to create an environment where students of all backgrounds feel welcome and secure.  I try to create an atmosphere where the students know I care about them and they care about each other.  Since I am still new at developing lesson plans and creating meaningful centers, I can, at a minimum, have an organized, cheerful, caring classroom.

My Blog

Welcome to Reflections on Reading!  I'll be commenting on a variety of topics that relate to reading.  I teach first grade and I love to see my students blossom into young readers.

When I am not in the classroom, I am finishing my Master's in Early Childhood Education at JHU.  I have a very supportive husband and three great kids who all share my love of reading.