Catching Readers Before They Fall: Ch. 5 and 10

In chapter 5 it referred to the classroom environment as a “comprehensive literacy framework,” and that really caught my attention. Throughout the chapter it discussed different components of the comprehensive literacy framework in regards to reading and writing, and that is something I really want to be sure to encourage in my classroom one day. As I was reading through the different components it made me realize how much patience, effort, and work goes into reading and writing on the teacher’s part and how crucial it is to help the students develop a solid literacy framework.  One thing that really stood out to me was the importance of a book’s introduction. Whenever I read a book I don’t spend a lot of time on the introduction; instead I just skip to the body of the book and start reading. As a future teacher that is something I will really have to work on especially when working with elementary students because the introduction is what will get them “thinking before reading” as the book said, and it will get them to engage in the book.

            Another quote that stood out to me in chapter 5 when it discussed scheduling groups for reading was, “Being fair does not always mean equal time with the teacher. It means providing children with the kind of instructional support required for them to continue to develop as a reader (pg. 81).” I think this is so, so important to understand as a teacher. I think a lot of teachers are constantly trying to be fair and give all of their students’ equal attention and time, but it just doesn’t work like that especially when it comes to literacy. It would not be fair of the teacher to spend the same amount of time with a struggling reader as they do with a very advanced reader. If a student is struggling I think it is important that the teacher focuses on their needs until the student feels confident. Literacy is something the students will use throughout the duration of their lives, so I think it is understandable if the teacher spends more time with the struggling students and doesn’t take into account having “equal time” with all students.  However, teachers do need to give attention and be there for the more advanced students as well.

            I think a lot of people mostly think of reading when they hear the word literacy, I know I am guilty of this, but writing is just as important. Community and independent writing is so important in the classroom. I think community writing is a great way for students to learn from one another and reflect on other student’s work to come more efficient on their own. Independent writing is a good time for the students to see how much they can do on their own and to apply the techniques and strategies they have learned in class. Writing is a crucial component to one’s life whether you are writing for school, for fun, for extracurricular activities, etc.; therefore, as a teacher it is important to start the students off as early as possible and have them writing all throughout the day to get all the practice they can get to become fluent writers. As they discussed earlier in the book…. practice makes perfect.

            Teaching kids how to read and write is imperative, but as teachers we can’t forget to be observers as well as discussed in chapter 10. When doing my field experience and volunteering in classrooms, I always feel uncomfortable observing and watching my students work because I don’t want to make them feel weird or put too much pressure on them that they can’t complete their work. After reading about different strategies and tools however in chapter 10, I do feel better about it and I feel like I know more about assessing and appropriate ways to do it. One specific test I particularly liked to assess student learning was the developmental reading assessment 2 on page 183. I like this test because it focuses on many different aspects of the child’s literacy level such as instructional level, comprehension, and fluency. This test can be used for beginners or experts in the literacy department and I look forward to trying it out in my classroom!