Step 3: What might
these events mean?
My unit was based
on my curriculum provided by the district, Reading Street. Reading Street is
set up in a 5-day program, the main sections of the daily lessons are: Get
Ready to Read (Question of the week, amazing words, word analysis, literary
terms, story structure/text features), Read and Comprehend (Comprehension,
vocabulary, and fluency), and Language Arts (Writing, conventions,
speaking/listening, and research skills). Every unit begins with a two-page
overview of the main selection, paired selection (small books) and the concepts
and skills to be taught in each of the main sections. Each day is packed with
lessons from each of the categories, but in my classroom it was just not realistic
to be able to tackle everything every day. I was able to pick and choose what
sections I felt would be beneficial for my class, and interchange the
“days”.
There are some
obstacles that I encountered, because in some instances I felt like I was just
teaching to the test. There are lessons that I did not like, but yet they are
tested on it on Friday, therefore I started creating my own lessons that teach
the topics Reading Street wanted. There are benefits to Reading Street, such as
the technology aspect. Many days when I am teaching Spelling and Grammar, there
are “Grammar Jammer” videos with interactive videos presenting what we are
learning that day, such as verbs, sentences (exclamatory, imperative,
declarative), along with vocabulary games for the week, there are also videos
for the question of the week. I find using technology in the lessons is very
engaging for the students.
I still want to
learn more strategies to teach my students surrounding comprehension. Comprehension
is such a vital skill for students, and many other skills lead into
comprehension, therefore I would like to explore the aspects of improving student’s
fluency as well. It brings me back to our huge literacy project we created in
301, how everything in literacy is connected and they all impact each other in
different aspects.
The unit proceeded
as I expected, I knew which student would struggle, form knowledge of previous
lessons as well as looking in their CUM files before school. I knew I might have to differentiate for my
student with an IEP plan for reading and writing. He definitely stressed me out
a few times, because he is the type of student that always wants you by his side
and working one on one with him, and will say “this is too hard, I don’t get
it” before I have even given the directions because he wants me to basically
give him the answers. I did have an “aha moment” with this student because
during one lesson I was getting frustrated and needed to just walk away from
him. I had told him when he could act like a big 4th grader and talk
like one instead of whining I would come back and help him. When I would walk
away and work with other students, he realized that he had to do it himself and
I wasn’t going to help him. After a few minutes of pouting (yes he did pout),
he opened his book and tried answering the questions alone, and was able to
finish all the questions.
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