Book Review Tuesday - The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

Book Review Tuesday - The Colors of Us

Why Multi-Cultural Literature?

In response to an excellent article "What 'White folks who teach in the hood' get wrong about education" by Kenya Downs.

I choose books for my Book Review Tuesday for two reasons, 1. the book teaches a necessary social skill. 2. that the story includes lifestyles, cultures and races that are different from the mainstream white culture.


This description of "Reality Pedagogy" really speaks to me:

"Reality pedagogy is an approach to teaching and learning that focuses on the realities of youth experiences as the anchor of instruction. It’s the idea that every young person who comes into the classroom has realities that vary from the realities of the teacher, especially if that teacher is from a different ethnic, racial, cultural and socioeconomic background. It holds that uniqueness about the youth experience as a fundamental and essential piece of teaching and learning. Before you teach content, you first teach to understand the youth experience. If you understand the youth experience, that allows you to deliver content more effectively and that better allows you to deal with classroom management."

I've been looking for a way to explain why I choose to post multicultural literature, and this article helps me articulate my ideas. Every young person has realities that are different from the teacher! Also, unique to one another. Reading multi-cultural literature opens students' eyes to a reality different from their own. It also helps me to remember to check my own lens and viewpoint and make sure I am being inclusive of all cultures and providing content that is relevant to each of my students.


... many more great ideas and reflection needed on this article.. stay posted.

Book Review Tuesday - I Got the Rhythm

Book Review Tuesday - Sam and the Lucky Money

I am currently teaching the strategy of using context clues to figure out unknown words with my 4th and 5th graders. I have chosen this book to practice our strategies. There are several words that children may not know but can be figured out with the use of context clues. I have created a graphic organizer for students to use. See my lesson plan here.

Book Review Tuesday - Handa's Surprise

Conferences

What is your role in conferences? 

What information do you share?

We have conferences coming up next week. As a Literacy Intervention teacher, I struggle to know my role at conferences. I love to attend the conferences of the kiddos I see but unfortunately, I can't make all of them. Also, teachers only have 15 minutes with each family, I don't want to be a nuisance and take away from their time.

Here is what I am thinking for this year...

* Guided Reading Leveled Charts for each student.
I like this because it helps to visually display growth to both students and parents. The one thing I like about these charts I made is that it not only shows their progress, but it also shows where they should be in each grade level. It can be hard for some parents to see, but I also think it can be the push they need to get their children reading at least 20 minutes every night! I like to use that to set realistic goals for the student for the end of the year. Get them here.

* Student's Oral Fluency Chart
My principal has asked that the interventionists work on repeated reading with our students to increase fluency. I was a little hesitant at first, as I felt it was monotonous and boring for the kids. Surprisingly, my students look forward to our "Speed Reads" as I call them. I do them 3 times a week with my kids, just 1 minute at a time. I have them complete their own graphs so that they can see their growth. Just recently I started recording my students and having them assess themselves on accuracy, prosody, etc.

* Students' Reading Goals
I made reading goals with my students right after the New Year. I think next year I will do them right at the beginning of the school year. For most of my 3rd graders, they chose goals to finish reading a book series or read a certain number of chapter books. I think it is important for them to come up with their own goal, something that they are motivated to do.

* Resources to support students reach their reading goals.
If I am going to identify areas where my students need to improve, I feel it my responsibility to provide the resources necessary. I have RAZ kids accounts for my 2nd and 3rd graders, I have repeated reading passages available. I have comprehension questions that parents can use when reading with their children. Really, I try to focus on what the student need is and then come up with an easy way for parents to work with them at home.