Describe how literature is included in the literacy
curriculum in your classroom. Based on
today’s readings and your own ideas, what thoughts do you have about additional
ways to incorporate literature into the curriculum?
I am in a fifth grade classroom. My teacher includes literature though having the students read aloud short stories and asks the students questions along the way to scaffold critical thinking skills. She does this out of the treasures book (http://www.abebooks.com/9780021988143/Treasures-ReadingLanguage-Arts-Program-Grade-0021988145/plp). Read the blurb about that. I think it can be really effective if the questions assigned throughout the reading to aid discussion were thought through ahead of time so the teacher knew more of what kinds of responses to repeat because they would be used later.
My teacher also has students read a book every two weeks. She has a massive collection of Newbery winner books and they are categorized in bins according to their genre. She uses this website that has a packet of comprehension questions students need to answer throughout the reading as well as other activities related to the book (cross word puzzles).
My mentor teacher owns all of these books herself, but she gave me ideas for starting this in my own classroom eventually. Like what to coordinate with the school librarian or with my local library. I like this idea and think with proper modeling and an added element to promote student creativity these ongoing packets could be a great thing to incorporate in the classroom.
I read the article about understanding literature and its role in your classroom and how to appropriately incorporate it into your literacy curriculum. It talked it being important to encourage higher level thinking and promote critical thinking skills, not only to teach about cultural norms and experiences. The author also stated that it was the teachers job to help the reader "make sense" of literature, helping build their understanding. It went into more detail about how to do this. She mentioned "envisionment building". This is scaffolding understanding of the text throughout the text. Asking questions about what they understand, what has changed from what they thought they understood, and what do they still want to know.
To connect the article I read with my teacher two week reading projects, I would make sure that these packets are aiding critical thinking rather than demanding to recall rote knowledge. I think they do, but I would look over packets more and make sure they are doing that.
Also the packets miss the critical element of discussion and dialog with others about the reading. I would also try my best to have already read all the books my students are reading so that at any point throughout their reading they can come and discuss their concerns, excitements, findings about their book with me. Also I can approach them at any point and provoke discussion to promote "envisionment", motivation, and higher level thinking.
What questions does your colleague’s post raise for you, and why are those important questions for thinking about technology use in today’s society?
ReplyDeleteI really liked what the article said as well when they said, "it was the teachers job to help the reader "make sense" of literature, helping build their understanding." The part I would analyze more would be how to practically and creatively get them "Asking questions about what they understand, what has changed from what they thought they understood, and what do they still want to know."
I know a lot of students may not be very motivated to read and they may not be that engaged in the first place to even answer questions about what they understood and so forth. I think bringing a laptop in (the students in my class LOVE using a laptop in class) and have them work through a story as a group using something like an interactive story map.
There is one called Read Write Think (http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/story-30008.html) and it has the students fill in what info about each of the characters, the setting, conflict, and resolution. You could focus on each one at a time and them bring it all together and have them write or orally tell a summary in their own words and THEN what they learned that could be applied to how they view the world.
When your teacher has the kids read a book every two weeks, do they read the book as homework outside of class? Or individually/partner in class? Also, when she has them do comprehension questions from the website, are they graded on it as a test or homework grade?
ReplyDeleteAbout the reading and the point you pulled about about promoting critical thinking skills was interesting to me as well. Im in a first grade classroom and they haven't yet gained the skills to take stories or literature further than words on a page. When we read, the teacher asks simple questions that can be answer based on pictures. They have been accustomed to pictures, so when there isn't pictures, they have a hard time making assumptions, taking guesses about what's next, explaining how people could be feeling, etc. I think in time and with encouragement to critical think, they will start to think critically about literature on their own.
I also think that your idea to have read the books prior to students reading them, is a great idea. I remember in high school, I had a teacher who did that and he made the books to much more in depth and interesting vs. teachers that read the books with us.
My teacher does a book club with her students where they read on their own. I have also read picture books to them corresponding to the topic they are talking about. I stopped the book to talk about things and to ask and answer questions that they had, to help them understand or really feel for the topic that they are covering.
ReplyDeleteI really like the article that you mentioned Sarah, i agree that it is the teachers job to help the students understand the literature, no matter if it is a novel or a picture book. I wouldn't really say that my teacher incorporated literature into math very well. Because I am in a montessori classroom, they do a lot of hands on things in other core subjects. I think my teacher does a really good job at making sure the students know the context of the book and understand why they are reading what they are.
Also, regarding the Digital Denizen article, I think I would be categorized somewhere between digital immigrant and digital native. I do use technology and have grown up with it. I love using it, but I don't use it to it's full potential like the digital explorer is said to. As regards to my placement classroom, I would consider it at the same level as me. My teacher uses the smart board, laptops, calculators and recording devices. However, with each of these, more can be done with them, especially the smart board.
ReplyDelete