Vinyard #5 Miller Section 2

Miller Section 2:Why not? What works?                                                                       

                I love the statistics of the 5^th graders that this chapter provides for us to see that IR does increase test scores. In fact, I may share this information with my students! I agree with the chapter that we need to provide TIME in the classroom to read and allow students to choose what they are reading. I am thankful for the new books that were donated to our classrooms because my students were very interesting (and still are) in reading those books. As a young, 2^nd year, teacher, my classroom library could use a little updating. I have a lot of older books and students are not interested in the same old books. I have tried switching books out that are in my closet and “refreshing” my library in order to get them to become more interested and motivated to read.

                Also, 5^th grade teachers assign “20 minutes of reading” for homework each night. I feel that students may feel “forced” to read and that this is not reading for “pleasure”. I also agree that students need explicit instruction about what, why and how to read! If students can understand WHY they need to read, they may become more motivated to do so.

                As I stated in my previous post (on Section 1), I try to make it a point to refer back to the list I have from the beginning of the year. I took a reading interest survey and I can use this to point students in the right direction when choosing another book. I also have a list of the individual student’s lexile levels that can help me to direct them to reading material that will not be “too hard” or “too easy”. I try to stress to my students why their lexile levels are good for them and that they will gain more and understand more when reading. I do have a lot of students who choose the same types of books (such as comic strips) and I agree that they should be reading different genres of books and experience in reading a variety of texts. In fact, this is one of the 5^th grade standards. Recently, I have gotten my students interesting in reading not only library books but news articles, etc.

                I agree that the teacher needs to be an active participant in what the students are reading and helping to engage the students!

Vinyard #4 Miller Section 1 "Not This"

While reading Miller’s Section 1 “Not This”, I found myself thinking about all of the times that my class could “drop everything and read”. As an ELA teacher and Science teacher, I try to tie in reading materials for most of my lessons, but I can be guilty of not giving much time for “independent reading” for pleasure only. I have made a point to try to find out what my students like to read and I have written down not only their lexile levels, but their reading interests. I took a reading interest survey for my students at the beginning of the year and I have that ready to pull.

                I try to allow time at the beginning of the day and at the very end of the day SPECIFICALLY for independent reading. Sadly, most of my students would rather play on the laptops instead of read and continuously ask me. For this reason, I have made it a point to conference with my students again about what they are reading. I help my students pick out books and if they do not see one they like, I allow them to write down their interests so that they may take that to the library.

                I think that our reading/language arts standards have become overwhelming for teachers and I agree that we spend a lot of time teaching our students the skills but not actually allowing them to read. One thing that is challenging for teachers, however, is getting our students to WANT to read. They need the extra push and motivation to read. It’s almost as if you have to hold students accountable for what they read in order to actually get them to read. Sadly, I know that most of my students will not read when they are at home. In that case, it can be a lot of pressure to get the students to read at school.

                While I am not a worksheet or workbook fan, I do plan engaging ELA and Science activities that are hands on. It is challenging to get students to just sit and read sometimes. I do think it is possible, but I agree with Miller that sometimes you just have to find the time AND support/motivate your students.

Tori Miller Blog #5 Inquiry Based Learning (December)

In my classroom we utilize inquiry based learning throughout the subject areas. Through IBL I encourage my students to ask and create questions on their own. Starting at the beginning of the year, my assistant and I work together to teach them to research and explore the classroom and outside sources to answer questions they have and would like to know the answers to. In the beginning we provide a lot of assistance to the students and slowly back off has they become familiar with the classroom and school setting. I also help my students make connections to their learning through investigations. These connections help to students to justify their answers to the questions presented.

I find that students of today have such a knowledge of technology that is often hard to keep their focus unless technology is involved. However, using IBL in the class the students are always excited about what we are learning and eager to know what the "plan" for the day is. Letting the students lead their own learning provides them with the opportunity to discover, explore, and research beyond a text book. My kindergarten students are little sponges that love to soak up the knowledge they discover.

Schmidt Blog Post #5

Routman (2003): Chapter 6- Plan for and Monitor Independent Reading, and Chapter 7- Make Assessment Instruction's Working Partner

January 12, 2016

     Independent reading in the classroom is essential to help students become better readers. This is one thing that gets shoved on the back burner because we run out of time, but it is very critical to help students become better readers. Independent reading does not mean just have students grab a book and read for a certain amount of time- there is so much more to it for it to be beneficial to the students. One thing that is important is to help students select books that are "just right" for them. This doesn't just mean a book that is "on their level" either. For the book to be just right, students need to be interested in what they are reading. They need to understand what they are reading, and be able to summarize if asked to. They need to keep a reading record to keep track of their reading, etc. It is also important for students to have time to partner read, switching reading and discussing the book/ answering questions. Before doing this, the teacher must model how it is done so that students know what to expect. While students are independently reading, the teacher can be walking around, or conferencing with students to record their progress.

     Assessments are also important to help students become better readers. One of the best ways to evaluate a student's progress in reading is to sit by them and listen to them read. Conducting informal reading conferences is a good way to keep up with the progress of a student, and find out how they are doing. When conferencing, make sure the student has their book with them, and that they are ready to answer questions by the teacher regarding their reading/ what they have learned. If a student struggles, that means they might not be reading a book that is "just right" for them.
Assessments are no help if they are not used in the classroom. It is important not to make an assessment that doesn't move teaching and learning forward. If assessments aren't doing this, they are a large waste of time.

     I learned a lot from this section of reading- what each is and how they can be implemented in the classroom. Implementing independent reading in the day is going to be hard.... I can barely get through lessons as it is! I will definitely do my best to try and find ways for my students to independently read throughout the day, because I know that it is very important for student success!

Lindsey Layton Blog Post #5: Routhman Chapter 8: Teach Comprehension

          I found Chapter 8 in Routhman’s Reading Essentials to hit home in a lot of different areas.  Students work hard and spend a lot of energy and focus on word calling and fluency that sometimes they are not able to recall and understand what they have read.  Some students can be outstanding readers but not understand and comprehend what they are reading.  This is why it is essential for educators to use different strategies that promote student comprehension and understanding.  Students should be able to make connections with a reading passage and/or book.  For instance, text to text connections and text to self-connections are excellent ways for students to make simple connections to their lives or books they have read.

            When reading as a whole group, small group, or conferencing with my students we will make inferences.  This allows students to make predictions about what they think will happen next in the story, wonder why the characters are doing what they are doing, and assess what is happening in the story.  By allowing and teaching students to make inferences, I am able to check for comprehension and understanding of the text.

            We use the SC Social Studies Weekly Newspapers as part of our 3^rd Grade informational text.  While reading the newspapers, we allow student to use highlighters to highlight important information or to review and identify specific skills.  For instance, when we were studying Common and Proper nouns, we had students highlight any Proper Nouns they could find.  This helped to check for students understanding and comprehension.   While fluency is a vital part of reading, student comprehension and understanding plays a very important role.  By educators implementing different comprehension strategies, it allows students to learn different ways that help them recall important information from a text.

Yurko #5 post

Chapter 5 Organize an Outstanding classroom Library

                My classroom library took a whole year to purchase it and to get it close to the way I wanted it to look.  Now, I add books every time I order from scholastic books.  I love buying book for the classroom library.  I also love seeing the student’s eyes when I get a book basket and they know that I got books for them in it and that our library will keep growing.  I have a check in and out system and the students can keep them in their desks and soon I will start letting them take it home so they can enjoy the books there too.  At first I do not allow the students to bring the books home because we have not developed trust in the classroom.  We are all to one  to each other but by about Halloween I know I can trust them and they can trust me and I let them take the books home that they have checked out.

                I really enjoy having a very diverse classroom library because it also opens my eyes to what the students are reading today.  When you walk to my desk, my library is the first thing you see.  All the basket with book genres on them and how they can be categorized.  Students take their time looking for the genre that they like and once they do they keep going back to that basket.  It is very nice to see since I was not a “reader” growing up. I love seeing my student go and get book from “Ms. Yurko favorites” and we can have discussions about them.  Nothing warms my heart more then to share the love for a book with my students.  Since I never had that growing up.