Sarah Duer - Blog

Teaching Imagery With Poetry

3/9/2015

I was inspired by Debbie Miller’s (2002) assertion that by “using poetry and picture books, children practice creating and adapting images in their minds and make them concrete through artistic, dramatic, and written responses” (p. 103). This work is certainly helpful for primary readers, but I wanted to try it out in my fifth grade placement classroom. I gave students miniature copies of a Mayan Poetry Anthology, and we read the poems for a few days together. At the end of our study, we illustrated lines from the poem using watercolors. This turned out to be a truly beautiful way to teach imagery and visual interpretation.

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Interactive Read Aloud: Teacher Moves

3/3/2015

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As I reflect on my read aloud experience, I would like to incorporate some props in my next read alouds. I would like to know how the use of props would improve students’ understanding and comprehension. The use of “movement, hand gestures, facial expressions, and props to provide the animation and expression that seemed necessary to fully engage students” would certainly make an impact for students (Fisher et al, 2004, p. 12). I have observed some classes that incorporate sign language for students to silently communicate their ideas during the read aloud. For example, students can make the sign for ‘wondering,’ or the sign for ‘connection.’ If several students have a question or a connection, then the teacher would see that the students needed a chance to talk. I often think that my ‘wondering’s aloud’ seemed rushed and unnatural. Next time, I will take the time to think out loud, slowly, in the hopes that students are also developing some ‘wonderings.’ I am also wondering if it might be helpful for students to jot down one or two ideas on a post it or note card before jumping into a sharing circle for accountable talk. Not all of the students would need this, but for those who struggle to participate, it might help them feel more comfortable to share.

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My Literary Artifacts: Who am I as a Reader? A Writer?

2/23/2015

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Creating the space for students to grow in authentic ways starts with an understanding of who I am as a reader and a writer. In my future classrooms, my goal is to model a positive, well-rounded reading life for my students by reading alongside them, sharing my thoughts about my reading, and discussing my struggles as a reader. An amazing way to showcase my own growth and to excite students about their future learning is to use two of my own literary artifacts from when I was a first grader. My copy of Winnie the Pooh is so ragged that it may fall apart any day now! I celebrate this though: the book has been a part of my life since I was very young. I want to share this with my students to inspire them to forge lifelong “book friendships.” I would also love to share my All About Transportation report. I remember making this report, and I was obsessed with spelling the word ‘transportation’ for whoever would listen. It will be a truly cherished experience to share these artifacts of my own literary life with my future students.

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Building a Love for Reading and Writing

2/9/2015

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I frequently consider how I model a love for reading and writing with my students. How have my experiences as an elementary student impacted my teaching of reading and writing? When I was in primary and secondary school, I rarely read books that I was happy to read. I was entirely focused on reading enough books for a personal pizza certificate, or highlighting every metaphor, or nervously hiding my own interpretation of a sonnet for the fear of being mocked by my AP Literature teacher. The books that I read on my own were my little treasures; for my eleventh birthday, I asked for an enormous bookshelf for my collection. I was successful in school, but I was not a passionate reader in school – I was an efferent reader. When I am teaching, I think it is critical for me to honor my student’s right to choose books and topics that they are interested in and fit their “just-right” needs. How do we balance opportunities for pleasure reading within an assessment-driven and fluency-score-obsessed school atmosphere? I think a critical responsibility that I have as an educator is to model what a strong reading and writing life looks like beyond the classroom walls.

I attended Kathy Collins’ session during the Fall Reading and Writing Project Reunion, titled “Effective Strategies to Help Students Turn the Page on Reading Reluctance, Resistance, and Hesitation,” and she provided several ideas to encourage readers to build their reading life. She started her session talking about how hard it is for some teachers to understand that there are people who do not enjoy the act of reading. Her comment somewhat took me by surprise; I had taken for granted the idea that everyone loves to read when they are capable. She compared how our school characteristics of “good readers” and “good writers” sometimes fail to capture what adults consider to be elements of a strong reading and writing life. Too often, the characteristics that schools praise and encourage are measurable characteristics. To build a better reader, she explained, we should focus on habits and dispositions such as:

       1. I have healthy reading habits and behaviors.

       2. I have reading goals and plans.

       3. I have a social network and support system.

       4. I can respond to my reading.

5. I have reading tastes and preferences.

I think these actions more closely align with our goals for students to enjoy reading and writing and feel confident about their capacity to be a well-rounded reader.

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The First Step of Balanced Literacy? Knowing Your Students!

2/3/2015

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Throughout my work in classrooms, I have been fortunate to work with many different student populations: English Language Learners, students with disabilities, students with exceptional potential, and other areas of strengths and needs. While the needs of these student groups are so diverse, they all share a common thread; every student is capable of growth and progress. I strongly agree with Wolf’s (2004) assertion that “highlighting the intelligence of children is essential, and if you give them a chance, children will let their engagement shine through” (p. 16). I spent three years as a teacher assistant in a low-income public elementary school in Los Angeles, and one of my primary responsibilities was to lead an intensive literacy intervention program for struggling first graders. My principal handed me a script that included “stories” such as “Cat on a Mat” and “Gus and Rus.” Within minutes of our first session together, I knew that the books recommended for the students to read would not work…the students were so disengaged and disillusioned by the books. I chose to end our precious few minutes together by reading Frederick by Leo Lionni. At the end of the school year, one student, Georgina, explained to me that she collected words all year like Frederick did. As a future teacher, I want to be able to simultaneously make my students into passionate readers and knowledgeable and curious learners, and a thorough understanding of their strengths will help guide my instruction to accomplish that goal.

Still, even with the best intentions, it is a challenge to truly know a class with a wide spectrum of strengths and needs. How can I manage my time efficiently so that I can meet the various needs of my students? How will I organize student work and keep track of their progress? First, the reading and writing interviews are an essential component to developing a curriculum plan responsive to students’ needs. It was helpful to see how my students perceived reading and writing before developing my instructional goals for them. These interviews can help me develop my classroom library to match student interests as well. Perhaps the most common piece of advice given by the speakers at the Reading and Writing Project Reunion was to know your students, and these interviews are one way to accomplish this goal.

Allington (2006) explains that in order for reading instruction to be effective it must reflect a personalized and purposeful approach. Noguera (2014) agrees with Allington (2006) that reading instruction can be fruitful with personalized attention to students, saying “the learning needs of every child should be guided by a plan, rooted in a careful diagnosis of their specific needs” (Noguera, 2014, para. 4). Rather than using scripted literacy plans, I will use my knowledge of my student’s strengths, interests, and needs to create a responsive and balanced instructional plan for success.

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