SU19 L504-Identifying and Working with Learners w/ Literacy Difficulties

" While numbers work pretty well for communicating certain kinds of precise information, we have kept words around for their evocative, emotive, associative power. Increased pressure to standardize our reactions to words violates their nature." (Wilson, 2007, pg. 63) As I was reading the articles for this week, I kept recalling how we've talked a lot about how teachers might have a more subjective view of the students in their class when we think in terms of discipline. We've learned how this holds many barriers for students in the classroom and how this can be problematic at times. But if we think of subjectivity in terms of assessment, rubrics have a way of forcing teachers to think too objectively . This seems to say to students, don't be outspoken and opinionated in a classroom setting, but make sure you bring it in your next essay. Anyone else think they are getting mixed messages here?   "Rubrics were developed to make direct writing assess...

Let's take a vote: How ready do you feel to take on a classroom of students, who bring with them a variety of backgrounds, cultures, potential traumas and more...and then you have to manage them? I'd venture to say that even the most prepared student, with a 4-year undergrad program under their belt, doesn't feel super confident in their abilities. And with our condensed program, I'm sure you are feeling overwhelmed with wondering how you will react to the myriad of behaviors that will be ever-present.  Enter our reading for Wednesday - I just want to lift up a shout of praise for these restorative discipline strategies! (I'm all about the tools to put the theory into action!) But first...Chapter 2 in our book gave us an overview of the cradle-to-prison pipeline and how schools contribute to the "inequity, inequality, racism, and various other forms of discrimination" that inevitably push some students to prison "as soon as they are born...

Effective Learning Can't Take Place Without Relationship by Lauren Creek At this point in our program if you don't understand how important it is to create authentic relationships with your students then here I am jumping up and down waving in front of your face screaming " HELLO!!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN???" .  There is nothing that we have learned this year that resonates with me more than the simple but crucially important idea that each of our students are their own unique individual, and fostering genuine relationships with each of them is integral to their overall success in your classroom.  I've said this before but as a person who is incredibly relational this idea seems second nature to me; of course you can't reach someone or make an impact on their life until you get to know them, show them that you are invested in their life, and truly care about them.  I regularly say that if you take the time to talk to someone and meet them on thei...

Raphael et al. (1992), “Literature instruction had focused on learning the “correct” interpretation, understanding how texts were structure and how they communicated their meaning.” (p. 54). This was something that I experienced during my time in school, where at times we were not looking for anything other than what the book was saying…and if we did not get that correct… we were incorrect. However, the issue with this notion and practice is that people interpret texts different as each of us have unique identities, experiences, etc. that ensures our interpretation of texts (or anything) is going to be, in some ways or another, unique. Thus, “More recently, reader response criticism has favored emphasizing the readers’ experiences as the source of meaning .” (p. 54) Raphael et al. (1992) introduces the ideas/concept of book clubs and explains that these focus on the individual perception/interpretation, sense making… and that “Reading has become more than a place to read silent...

Book Clubs:  Literacy Through Discussion "Responding to literature through discussion, preferably in small groups, is a time-honored way to promote literacy growth through reading, reflecting, and reevaluating one's response in light of the responses of others." (Sloann, 2002, p. 28) Critical literacy seeks to interrogate issues of equity present in texts and society, for individuals to make applications to their own lives, and for individuals to take action towards social justice. When our students reach adulthood, they will be in relationships with people who aren’t like them. They need to know how to talk with others in away that doesn’t cause a fight. Book clubs provides a platform for students to express their thoughts about BIG ideas and practice their responses to people who might oppose them.  In the article by Robin Jocius and Samantha Shealy, they mention " we believe that student-led book can empower readers and writers to cr...

“ Blaming the children's parents, the culture, and their language for their lack of success in school has been a classic strategy used to subordinate and continue to fault the ‘victim.’ ” (Flores, et al, 1991, p. 371) We are all familiar with terms like at risk, below grade level . They are labels we are used to seeing associated with certain students often without thinking of the historical, social, political or economic origins of the terms or the implications they have for students labeled as such. If we are not conscious of the origins of such labels or how they are likely to shape a students relationship to school, then we will be responsible for perpetuating, “policies of those in power that are used to control those who are not in power” (Flores, Tefft Cousin, Diaz, 1991, p.369). As educators we are obligated to advocate for all students, especially those that need extra support. Too often children are blamed when they don’t succeed. As stated in the article Transf...