Building Cohort Community

What I find so great about our Cohort is the opportunity we have to work with one another and to learn from one another. I am lucky enough to be in a cohort where 2 other ladies are also interning in Kindergarten and we have found a real advantage to working in groups together based upon our Kindergarten area of curriculum. We find strong advantages to working together because we are currently in the mind set of what will work best for K and how do we get the message across to them.

Recently, I've found Ann's blog to be helpful because she shares her own observations. I also took time to comment to her how we can most definately learn from one another through these next few months as we build our lesson plans around what we are learning now. Within Ann's Blog I found it important to comment under her posting titled, "Literacy, Winter Quarter, Week 1."

Leia's Blog is another great resource for me. Under blog positing titled, "Reading Essentials Chapter 4" I found it important to comment. Within her blog I am realizing the lack of book talk is quite common in both her and my classrooms. I find it beneficial once again to be able to keep our communication open in the form of a blog. While we all lead busy lives, the blog is available whenever we need to discuss or answer positive or negative concerns.

While Jocelyn's Blog discusses her own experiences within a 1st grade classroom, I realized I can learn a lot about how K will eventually transition. I specifically found motivation in commenting on her blog posting titled, "The Importance of Trust" because I too was able to invision myself in a certain aspect of her observations.

Literacy Response 2.3

Looking over both of my Literacy readings today as a comparative analysis, I've discovered two very different, yet similar articles I can use in my future teaching. Both Cooper and Routman use different approaches to teaching reading comprehension.

Routman's chapter titled, "Teach Comprehension" highlights a common missconception that students will automatically learn how to comprehend without illicit intruction on how to do so. I appreciate Routman's layout strategies. She beings by reminding the reader that we cannot forget to teach comprehension, and then smoothly transitions into how we can go about teaching using a variety of strategies. Some of these strategies were, writing to help recall, making connections to main ideas, self-monitoring, using notes, summarizing, grouped discussion of the reading, etc. Each strategy is positively mentioned in a few paragraphs.

Cooper's article, "How to teach strategies for constructing meaning" is similar in the fact that it lays out clear and easy to follow guidelines. I can also appreciate their articles format because it includes an easy to follow poster-style layout to help the reader (of any age level) understand how to go about constructing meaning. I even enjoy how Cooper makes the approach user friendly.

Both writer's use many of the same approaches but go about teaching them in different styles. Both use visualizing, connections, monitoring, and inferencing in their approach.

If we align these strategical approaches to that of the optimal learning model we see how important it is to not only teach comprehension but to also model how we ourselves as teacher use our own comprehension processes. Routman takes the time to explain the importance of modeling, and this approach more often than not allows students to see the benefits.

In my own observations, I have seen some guided practices used in writing personal stories. Kindergarteners are encouraged to write everyday about something they experienced. Through their writing we are teaching them to reread what is written in order to make sense of the story. Because K is still at the beginning stages of reading for comprehension, they are still just learning how to read. I think that even when students are reading their own writing they are using re-reading strategies that will be invaluable for life. They are able to take more time to focus in on their ideas and construct them in a way that is understandable for the entire class.

I believe what is most important to note is the issue that Routman addressed, one that I hadn't really thought about. We must teach comprehension before we can test our students on their understanding.

Literacy Response 2.2

Regie Routman's Chapter on Teaching with a Sense of Urgency disucsses the "Top 5 Things I do to Ensure Students Become Excellent Readers." Of these 5: Demonstrate that I am reader, provide an excellent classroom library, let students choose books they want to read and give them time to read them, teach strategies students need to know to process and understand text, and evaluate students regularly, giving them feedback and helping them set goals I've found them all to be extremely relevant and useful. Right away I want to start discussing a few of these and how they pertain to my own teaching experiences. As a Kindergarten intern I've found myself struggling to help students find "Just Right" books of interest to them. Students so young are still discovering all the different types of books out there. The younger the level, the lack of interest in the reading subject. The truth of the matter is is that there aren't many books available at the A level. So how do I go about helping my students find books they are interested in? Get to know my students!

One of the other things Routman discusses is evaluating your students regularly while giving them helpful feedback. These last few days I've been working closely with 3-4 students a day while they read. I Listen and offer my support when needed. I've found this time to be especially beneficial for the students. They are given one on one time, someone is there to assist them when needed and they have the chance to practice reading aloud. I give at least one compliment and one suggestion for next time. Our meetings are casual, quick, and informational.

While I see all of these ideas as great, it is better to look at them as a whole rather than as separate parts. I strongly believe in allowing your students to see you as a human being. Letting them know that you too read and you have a library willing to share shows the students how reading can be good thing rather than just a chore that young students do.

Read on!

Literacy Response 2.1

Blog prompt: Reading Essentials Chapters 1, 2, 3: This section of the book is about the essential reading life. Pick a quote that strikes you as being important to your reading life as a teacher. Explain your choice and consider how it relates to your current teaching placement.

Response:
For this week's readings I've chosen to quote Regie Routman's idea of how and why we should find bonding opportunities with our students. Routman states, "Bonding depends on teaching that incorporates a learning model that assures success for all children. That is through demonstrations, invited participation, guided and independent practice, in an accepting and encouraging social and academic environment, students gradually become confident learners" (p. 13).

For me this quote speaks volumes to one particular experience I had just this last week during my first week back at my main placement.Thursdays are our reading buddy day and it just so happened that one student whom I've had a more difficult time bonding with was buddy-less. I quickly invited myself to be her buddy. I knew in the back of my mind that my time with her was crucial because our opportunity to bond had not yet happened. I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. As we headed out into the hallway to read a few of the books we selected I found her to be delightful. The one on one time was just what our student-teacher relationship needed. This was a positive experience for the both of us. She read to me and I read to her. I helped her to reflect on her favorite parts and I watched her as she created a drawing. I wanted to create a positive experience for her because I wanted her to know I care about her even though I havn't had the time to let her know.When we were reading together she frequently told me she couldn't read and that I should do it. Right away I knew that if I could create an inviting, accepting, and encouraging session with her that maybe her confidence would inspire her to give it a go, and she did! When she struggled, I told her that it was okay and when she read an entire sentence I modeled positive reinforcement.

I felt that our time together was successful in a number of ways. Eventhough our session was only fifteen minutes, it was exactly what we needed. I learned more about her as a person, and as a reader. Hopefully she learned that I am here to help her. I hope to have the opportunity to always take this experience as motivation.