Toria's+Project+Page

WHO NEEDS STARBUCKS?
** Literacy has gone tropical! I can't say that I'm not jealous... --Prof. K. ** Just goes to prove literacy is everywhere :-)

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He was so excited to get started with the Garfield Assessment. A fun way to start. In fact I was talking with his classroom teacher and I told her about the Garfield assessment she loved the idea and hadn't heard of it. I made her copy. She's looking forward to using it with her class :-) ======

We did a few more assessments today. On the interest survey "O" mentioned he loved polar bears. I printed lined paper and put a polar ear picture to keep his interest on the 25 words. He again was excited to work. I spoke to his mother and she's so happy he's getting a little extra attention. She also offered if I had any ideas of things she could work on in between the tutoring sessions she and her husband would do whatever, LOVE parents like that. __ DAY 1: //15 minutes// __ **Garfield Assessment:** Score 59 scoring slightly higher in academic reading **Interest Survey:** There isn't much O doesn't love, but love. He didn't enjoy that word :-)

__ DAY 2: //20 Minutes// __ **Spelling Feature Assessment:** O did well with consonants and short vowels. Blends, long vowel patterns, etc. were much more of a struggle. O never gave up he wanted to try all the words. **Examiner Word List:** I started at grade level and quickly assessed we were not at grade level. We tried primer level and O scored 40%, I wanted to leave the day on a positive note so we went over the pre-primer. On this section O scored 75%. I am thinking of giving him a pre-primer 2 book based on his performance. Any suggestions? ** Toria---What grade is Owen in? It is so wonderful that you have established a positive rapport with him right from the very start. Obviously, when we meet next Friday we will discuss a plan for improving his skills in reading. --Prof. K. **

Owen is in first grade. I don't have all the details I know one of the diagnoses is A.D.D. but I know there are more. He's already medicated. The plus is he wants to please and he wants to learn. He does best with routine. One of the reasons I want to work in short bursts with him instead of a whole session. A little everyday. He will know what days we are going to work and what to expect ahead of time.

&
 * Writing Sample: **

Writing Assessment using P.87 Rubric

Gunning, T. G. (2010). Creating Literacy Instruction For All Students (Seventh ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

__ Content: __ __Organization__: While his paragraph was only 3 sentences; it’s pretty much at level for first grade at this point in the year. He was asked to write about something he did on the weekend. He stated what he played, how he did, and how it made him feel. Well thought at. Not elaborate. __ Sentence Structure: __ He used simple sentences, verb tense and nouns agreed. __ Mechanics: __ Few capitation errors, punctuation was right on. He also had spelling errors __ Word Choice __ Owen used simple words but all words were used properly. Words are average for grade level.
 * Level 2 (Basic) **
 * Only one paragraph was written. However, Owen did understand the writing topic.
 * Level 3 **
 * Level 2 **
 * Level 2 **
 * Level 3 **


 * Based on what I see and our group discussion on 2/25 I am leaning towards site word practice and work with blends to begin. After the comprehension assessment I will have a better direction in mind. I know we aren't suppossed to start working, and I'm not, but I have a few new ideas I want to try with O. He is a very active kid. He is also extrememly rough on toys. I have a bop bag and I am thinking about having blends written on it. To hit the bag he hwill have to say the blend etc. After hitting it he will have to repeat the sound.

This activity sounds like a great idea. I think he would respond very well to it especially because it sounds like fun. -- Kimberly

__ DAY 3-4: 20 minutes each __ We worked on reviewing the phonic blends. I made cards up and we drilled, reviewed, and went over some sight words. Then Owen's mother informed me that he was going to Ohio for a week! I didn't want to loose what we started. When I created the cards I made 2 sets and lamintated them. The sets then could be used as the game memory. I sent Owen off for the week to play Memory with his folks and grandparents. Now I am away. Hopefully we set-up a good schedule starting Thursday.

__ Day 5: 20 minutes __ Finally, Owen and I are in the same state, and an added bonus Owen is healthy. When I got back he was out sick. We worked today for about 20 minutes. First reviewing the memory game cards. He did very well, I was so pleased to see he and his family really practiced. We then read the book __Truck Tricks__, the book comes from the Dr.Maggie reading series my school used to use. The book concentrated in consonant blends such as trick, truck, grass, drops, crash, flag, and flathbed. I asked a few comprehension related questions after thought Owen was able to recall the story events. He also used picture clues to help figure out unknown words. Our next time together I am planning to play a frequent word game and review & reread __Truck Tricks__. __ Day 6: Materials __ Today I plan to read Truck Tricks and then play a game with Owen. Besides blends Owen could use some work with sight words. It is hard to compete with baseball practice. He loves the sport! I needed to come up with something engaging. I created the below contraption. It will be used for 2 different activities with Owen. First today I have also prepared ping pong balls with sight words on them. He will have to say the word, then toss it into the cups. He will receive different points depending where the ball falls. Literacy, math, and sport all rolled into one. I made this yesterday just out of plastic cupsI had and a piece of foam. I glued it together using a glue gun. It isn't as pretty as I had in mind but it will serve the purpose. I was unsure of the concept. I was delighted when one of the older students saw it and asked what it was, and the response was "That's so cool I want to play." Other children wanted their hands on it to. I may set it out and let Owen play with his peers as I observe. The other way I plan to use it is to set it up like a fishing pond. In each cup will be a word that incorporates a blend. The paper will have a paperclip attached. Owen will have a "fishing rod" connected with a magnet. When he "catches" a word he will have to attempt to say it. **These word study activities are absolutely fantastic! I am also impressed that you were able to make so many connections between these activities for phonics development and Donald Bear's presentation at the Rutgers Reading & Writing Conference. It was exciting to be able to experience his workshop with you, especially because he came over to introduce himself. I never thought we would have the opportunity to "network" with the creator of Words Their Way. You might seriously want to consider emailing him samples of some of the word study work you've done with your tutoring student. How great would it be if you ended up in his PowerPoint presentation? --Prof. K.**

__ Day 7: 20 Minutes __ Inspiration for the latest activity came from the workshop with David Bear on April 1st and the teachers in Colorado who designed the iPod Shuffle “Take Your Teacher Home” project.

First I put together a word sort using blend/diagraphs. I used online sources for words. I then found 4 phonic sentences that used some of the words in the sort. Combining these two components I made an activity page.



Second, I recorded the blend sounds using a microphone and the sound recorder program on the computer. Sound Recorder can usually be found under programs, accessories, and then entertainment and comes standard in most computers. You can commonly record up to 60 seconds each file. After the blend sounds I recorded directions for the sort and the sentences. I took the files and made a CD of the recordings through iTunes.



Third, in meeting with Owen today our only activity was to review the new sounds, the sort, and the sentence. We went through each activity together. I then explained the activity was on CD and he would be doing each night on his own. Each week he will get a new activity sheet and recording.



Owen really seemed to enjoy it. I like the idea of the independent practice. I also like being able to verbalize the lesson. It would make it easier for the struggling reader to grasp the directions. The sort seemed a little long. I told him for the first night to sort 5 words for each blend instead of all nine. Given this is our first run through I wanted to keep our time short today.


 * This documentation of the tutoring project is fantastic. I would consider printing out your wikispace page for your Bloomfield College portfolio. --Prof. K. **

Reflections:
Chapter 1:

 I will have to remember that name and look him up. Dinnertime conversation??? That is now a novel idea in so many homes. It was very important to have dinner as a unit and to talk in my family. Now adays parents want their children so well rounded they are running from sport practice to music lessons that they leave out family time, down time. Parent's don't value homework or talking. If a child gets downtime it is infront of a TV or game system. It's a different concept but I could see closed captioning having some educational value. Better yet not just c.c. but shows with some substance. The things I hear children quote these days! I have looked up some Youtube videos after hearing children discuss them, I can't believe parents allow some of these things. Then again, I don't know all parents are aware what their children are watching. This all goes back to family involvement. We learn so much from our parents, or WE SHOULD LEARN SO MCUH FROM THEM! -Tori As an adult, you sometimmes take for granted how easy it is to read!! You forget that once upon a time it was actually a struggle to decode words and create sentences. It is important as an educator to remember that reading is not something that comes natural so it's no wonder so many children have difficulty when it comes to reading. Because of the stress, it turns into a chore and reading although essential and necessary should be enjoyable and that can only be achieved if the initial learning process is stress free and attainable. -- Frances M.
 * Response to Chapter 1: You are absolutely right about vocabulary development. Reading and speaking to a young child is a crucial responsibility for parents. I once had the opportunity to see Jim Trelease present at a workshop, he is an expert on Read Alouds/Literacy Involvement for Parents. He suggested that if parents are going to park their kids in front of the television, they should at least turn on the closed captioning. I know this sounds silly, but as a kid I would always turn on that function. My mother would get so upset and tell me to disable the words. Now I secretly wonder how many words I was learning from reading/hearing at the same time. Then again, we spoke a lot as a family and constantly held to that dinnertime conversation. --Prof. K. **

I think one of the key elements of an effective teacher is the ability to be flexible in order to match instruction to student need. Not all children learn the same. I believe that if more teachers planned their instruction to accommodate the different modes of learning, you would have a greater number of students learning more effectively and efficiently. Many teachers need to get past the “one size fits all” idea of teaching. --Kimberly

So right you are Fran that we forget how "easy" it is for us to do something. No matter the subject I am helping a child with and I am becoming frustrated for a lack of better words that they aren't getting it. I know I have to rethink what I am doing or saying. I ask myself what is 1+1. Obviously the answer is 2. I just know it, but how did I learn it. Just as I can't recall how I learned it the child can't grasp what I am doing. There are a million ways I may have learned 1+1 and there are a million ways to teach this child. Makes me step back and re-evalute.

I was helping the 3rd grader that I made the Lego video for with a math/science word problem. The problem gave the scenerio 1 person was kicking the ball and 2 people were chasing the ball from behind the kicker. The ball went to the left. Explain how that occurred. I rephrased it, I had him take time and think about it. I modified and told him not to think of the other players, just the kicker and the ball. We went back and forth for 10 minutes. I was as frustrated as I could tell he was. He's a bright boy. I went to that 1+1 philosophy. There had to be a way to lead him to discovering an answer. Then it hit me. I asked 2 other boys to follow me, I grabbed a soccer ball, and asked the boy to watch. I along with 2 other students acted out the word problem.

Like a flick of a switch he got it. Then laughed and said that's all they wanted. I said, "yes, now write it." -Tori

Chapter 2
 * Chapter 2: Toria, your responses to the text are so interactive. You are making excellent connections as a future educator. If I ever become a supervisor I will hire you! The idea of 100% proficiency is a tough pill to swallow. However, you are absolutely on point with the fact that there are multiple factors that come into play in the classroom. Last year I taught in one of the more affluent schools in the district. Now, I teach a classroom filled with mostly economically disadvantaged students. I'm honestly finding this year so much more rewarding. My instruction of course had to be tweaked, but I find my students are so appreciative of participating in literacy centers and cooperative learning projects. Modeling is what makes my classroom run the way it does. Starting in September I go step by step and review what instruction in my class will look like, sound like, and feel like. It makes a huge difference in the long-run. Even if all my students don't pass the NJASK, I feel good knowing that the 6-7 hours they spend with me they are learning. --Prof. K. **

Thank you so much, it means a lot to me. Being in a less advantged district I am going to guess you have less materials to work with. I remember you mentioning your Smart board came from a grant. Do you find having less material items isn't as important as having more minds ready to be challenged? I hope that question makes sense. A good teacher teaches, they don't look for excuses. They work with what they have and do their best. Teaching doesn't occur because of objects it occurs because of love and commitment to education. Education of the students but education to/of self. -Tori Because we are a Title I School we get a lot of state aid, so believe it or not there are plenty of resources. I applied for the grant when I was teaching at a school with less resources due to higher test scores. Since I worked so hard to get the board, I took it with me to a school in the district where I felt the kids would appreciate it that much more, and trust me they have! You reminded me of a quote that we just posted in our new school professional development room: "Some people go into teaching because it is a job, Some people go into teaching to make a difference." :) --Prof. K.

I cannot agree more when it comes to collaboration! It definately does take a village and students act different around different people so it is important to get everyones opinion to get a good idea of the students overall behavior. Sometimes children demonstrate their creativity around that one teacher who encourages it and demonstrates how knowledgeable they are around the teacher that encourages education. -- Frances M.

Children model what they have learned. As a teacher, you are a huge role model in a child’s life. Often, children spend more time with their teacher than they do with their own parents. This is one of the reasons why I want to be a teacher. I want to make a difference in children’s lives. Teaching has to be one of the most rewarding jobs out there because you get to see what a difference you are making every day …..whether it be big or small. ---Kimberly

Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Motivation is an important part of fostering literacy. A child is more likely to want to take part in literacy activities if the environment in which it takes place in is fun and exciting. I agree Toria; classrooms should have words and pictures everywhere. Books should be displayed as much as possible. Centers are also a great way to engage children in literacy activities. Unfortunately, centers are not commonly used in my daughters’ school. However, when they are given the opportunity to take part in them, it is all they can talk about when they come home. They think its fun and thats how learning should....fun.

Children should be encouraged to write at all ages, even if it’s just scribbles. It is such an important part of the process. I have my daughters write in a journal every night and they love to help make lists for me, especially when I have to go food shopping. My youngest daughter is always asking me how to spell words or to write things down so she can copy it. In regards to working with parents, you know this is something I am also very passionate about. I think most parents want to help their children succeed, however may lack the know how to do it or be intimidated to ask for help. As a teacher it is our job to reach out to parents and include them in the literacy development of their children. -- Kimberly

Kim, you have spoken about the frustration with your daughters' school before. Is it specific teachers or the school philosophy. The moreyou speak in regards I feel as if it is set-up like when you and I were students in elementary school! I am frustrated with their school and I have no personal interest invested!
 * When reading Toria's reflection and both of your posted responses I can't help but think about what happened this week during reading. I was pulled out of class for an IR&S Meeting (Intervention and Referral Services) and my student teacher was left to take over instruction. She is very hesitant to take over the reading block entirely, after seeing how all of the components I organize run so smoothly. It can be overwhelming for a new teacher to balance all of the different components. I left her with independent reading and fluency activities, hoping my meeting would not last long. Of course, this was not the case. The kids were begging her to let them go to literacy centers! When I finally returned, she breathed a sigh of relief and told me that the kids really wanted to go to the centers. I was not about to let this go, so we made a schedule adjustment and the kids were motivated and engaged. --Prof. K. **

R eaching out to the parents is so important. Often times we contact parents when something is wrong; if a child is struggling, behavior issues etc. .As a child I remember one teacher leaving a message on my parents message machine. (Yes message machine, I'm dating myself.) It was impossible not the it in the house. I was horrified. I was used to messages about how I didn't complete my work. Instead the teacher called to tell my parents how great I did. It made me feel so good. It also opened a door to my parents. Unfortunately I think it's easy to make calls over problems. It's much harder to make positive calls. By calling for good reason it helps build such a trust/partnership between teacher and parent.-Tori

*Side note: I am using Safari as apposed to Explorer today. Safari spell checks on wiki! I think it was Fran that brought up spell check.

o yes! good to know Tori

Yes I agree, I think it is very important to inform parents not just about the negatives but also about the positives! It keeps the parents updated on their childrens progress and it also helps to build their self confidence. I think it also helps to build a healthy student/teacher relationship, the student see's that good behavior is encouraged and that it will be brought to their parents attention for positive reinforcement, the only time the teacher calls home is not just for bad behavior. It creates a necessary balance!---Frances M.
 * So true. In the beginning of the year I make it a point to make every first phone call/letter home a positive one. Parents are usually quite taken back by this. :) --Prof. K. **

Chapter 5

This is Janie Brown's chart that page 202 reminded me of.
 * Thank you for including this! This Picture-Phonics chart is absolutely fantastic. --Prof. K. **

Teaching the ABC’s –Thank you for sharing your story Toria. It really puts things into perspective. I agree 100% with you. As new teachers, we have an extraordinary opportunity to make a huge difference in children’s lives. (How awesome is that!). Hopefully, most teacher’s view their job in the same way and realize what a huge impact they are making on their students, whether it’s teaching them the ABC’s or High School Algebra.

High Frequency Words – Learning sight words are an important step in learning to read. It helps students with their fluency, thus freeing up their minds to put more energy into comprehension. However, I think it is extremely important that teachers assess their students frequently. I sometimes find that the process of teaching sight words is rushed (mainly because they want to get through the ‘100’ words by the end of the year) and therefore many students are left without mastering the words. This can leave many students at a real disadvantage.

We assess the 100 words once a month at my school. Each child has a binder. One of the items is the 100 word list. If a child masters a word it is highlighted in green. Each night they are asked to review thenon highlighted words. This review is in addition to other homework and oppurtunities in school to go over the lists. -Tori

Tori - I wish that’s how my daughter’s school taught sight words. Instead, they introduce ten words a week for ten weeks starting in March of their Kindergarten year. At the end of the ten weeks, they are assessed on the words they know. Then parents are then given a list containing the words the child doesn’t know and is expected to review them over the summer. The around the second week of First Grade the students are once again tested on the same 100 words, however, nothing really is done about the final outcome. It’s not like they offer special help to those children who are still struggling with the list. It’s unfortunate to say the least, especially since our school is a blue ribbon school and considered one of the best elementary schools in our town. --Kimberly

“Instruction should be geared to the stage the student is in” - - Absolutely. This goes without saying. Unfortunately, some teachers are so overwhelmed with getting as much “knowledge” into the children’s brains that they forget that not everyone learns at the same speed. It can’t be said enough; it is our jobs to figure out what level each student is on and teach them at their level.

I also like the idea of a word wall. T his idea seems to be relatively new in my school. I am just starting to see some teachers using it. I think children benefit greatly from a word wall. It gives them regular exposure to the words in print and also provides for a great resource when doing writing activities. -- Kimberly

Chapter 6



// Talking over experiences // – It is important that children have the opportunity to discuss their experiences. It allows the children to build upon the prior knowledge and make new connections. It also gives the teacher a chance to learn more about their students, which can assist in preparing a more effective lesson plan. I agree but sometimes talking needs to have a limit. It could consume a lesson.
 * To avoid that, I often implement "Turn and Talk" in my daily mini-lessons when modeling. "Turn and Talk" about what you learned today, etc. I would love to pretend that I came up with this idea but it's actually used often in the Comprehension Toolkit by Harvey and Goudvis. The professional development videos are extremely useful. I will see that we keep a few going in rotation. --Prof. K. **

// Teaching students how to learn new words // – It is essential that teachers model different learning strategies and provide ample opportunities for the student to apply what they have learned. Without this groundwork, students are left without the tools they need to achieve success.

// Learning vocabulary words before reading a selection // – Introducing vocabulary words prior to reading a text is essential. It gives students background knowledge and understanding of words they may not necessarily know off. It also affords the student more opportunity to understand the meaning of the text as a whole, rather than spending time and effort in trying to decode a difficult word and its meaning. -- Kimberly 3/9/11

Chapter 7



__// Comprehension //__ – When you think about it, the ability to comprehend what you read is not an easy task. There are so many things that make up this complex process. For this reason, teachers really need to take the time to teach and model effective strategies. They also need to provide ample opportunities for students to apply such strategies. It is also important to remember that reading strategies should be taught all the way to the middle and high school levels. The authors of //Best Practices in Literacy Instruction// argue that, as children get older and their text becomes more technical, strategies need to be taught to assist their comprehension of reading these texts.

I love that word stradegies. Children need the guidance. Some are fortunate to comprehend without effort for many of us it is an ungoing process. Sometimes to comprehend we need to assign meaning. A great stradegy is to learn how to find meaning when there is no interest in the subject. A concept many adults don't get.

__// Situation Model Theory //__ – I think that creating a mental picture or model when you read assists greatly in how effective you comprehend the text. However, in order to do this effectively, you have to have some prior knowledge of what you are reading. If not, creating that picture may not come as easily and comprehension can be hindered significantly. –Kimberly

How do we create that "picture" then? I think a teacher can be a great asset in establishing prior knowledge, in order to create a picture, in many ways. She can talk about the text prior to reading it. She can introduce vocabulary and discuss their meanings ahead of time as well. Another great idea would be to bring in props or pictures regarding the topic that is going to be read. For example, bringing in sand and seashells if the students were going to read a story about the beach or ocean. Some children can rely a lot on their own physical experiences when creating a “picture” to connect meaning to a text. But, for those students who may not of had some opportunities, I think the teacher can offer a lot in order to help them. -- Kimberly
 * Again, your conversation is closely focused on the ultimate goal of reading: comprehension. When I look at the picture you posted of the child scoring 91% on their science test two thoughts come to mind. 1.) How great must it feel for that child to have experienced success? and 2.) Comprehending nonfiction information is one of the most daunting and difficult tasks. The more I read these posts the more I know that you are ready for the classroom. You should really consider working towards an Ed.M. Many of the topics of discussion that arise from this online discussion are only currently explored at the surface level. Every day we learn more about metacognition (thinking about one's one thinking) and different comprehension processes. As teachers, you can truly add to this field of knowledge. --Prof. K. **

I asked Jason if I could include his hand photo on our literacy page before posting. I just showed him that it was up and that my professor commented. I asked him how he felt and why? His response. "It feel good. I was stinky and I studied for a whole week and added to my notes. It paid off." I love 5th grade language, stinky :-).

I have given much thought to my Masters. Funny you should mention that. I was just looking at the flier for the Rutgers April 1st workshop. I was wondering if it was to late to contact Dr.Marrow and ask if I could sit in for a reduced fee. -Tori

Building Blocks

Toria - I think this is a fantastic lay out. (I wish I knew how to do it...lol) Is there a way for me to enlarge the text somehow? The font is very small and at times difficult to read. If not, I can always print it out and try and read it that way. Thanks -- Kimberly

Oh, Mrs. Hartland do you have to make things difficult? Actually, I don't think it will be a problem at all. I shrunk the images a bit to make them fit better on the page. I will enlarge them. Let me know if they are easier to read now. You have seen my powerpoints you know I couldn't do the same old, same old. Thank you for the compliment. -Tori

 Good point, Toria. Sometimes we focus too much on fluency and not enough on motivation. Although it is important to assess Words Correct Per Minute, reading should not be a race. Students can become disengaged when constantly timed and assessed for fluency. Also, you still have to consider comprehension, as you mentioned. A student in my class can read 140 words per minute and score very low on comprehension. Thanks for linking us to the research article, I will definitely check this out. --K.
 * Toria, this is an excellent format for responding to the text. You have to show me how to do this when we meet next! --K. **
 * Of course! To be able to teach students to be active learners we need knowlege of how we learn. I have to be honest I felt limited by Wiki when it came to formatting. (I was a graphic design major at one time.) For me to learn items have to look interesting & organized -- helps hold my attention. For this I used Publisher and saved my response as a jpeg. I then uploaded to my own Wiki and simply loaded it onto my student page as a file. If you don't have Publisher could you let me know what programs you have? I will be better prepared to demonstrate this technique. -Tori **

Not only disengaged but overly competitive. Friendly competition is good, even beneficial. Comprehension can be lost but past that - creativity. Where can the child take the information at hand? One student I have known and worked with on and off for 4 years comes to mind. Brilliant child, he could read, he could comprehend, and that is where the process stopped. He could not apply the knowledge or take it to another level. His family was from abroad and the value was in rote learning not creativity.

The flipside I have worked with children who struggle. Struggle to grasp blends, recall site words etc., but when the switch turns on (usually after hours of phonics work) they are off to the races. The places they take the knowledge they learn amazing. Phonics can be tedious for both instructor and child but when we keep a child engaged with their personal interests while building the reading foundation with phonics when they get it, and most will get it, they are prepared to use their knew found literacy to take them beyond the classroom. -Tori

I agree that students benefit tremendously from learning in small groups with an effective teacher. For this reason, I am a big supporter of keeping class sizes small. I think when class sizes get to big, it is very easy for children's individual needs to be overlooked.

Along with phonics development, I find that most teachers today rely on "sight words" to build vocabulary and fluency in young children. I understand how this can benefit most children, however, I don't think it works for all. I agree with you that many children find the constant repition of learning a word by sight to be difficult, especially if they have attention problems. Based on my own experiences with my daughter, I find this to be a problem because by first and second grade you can see a marked difference in reading abilities between the students that easily were able to memorize the sight words versus the children that struggled and continue to struggle with learning them. -- Kimberly

Even as an adult, I personally thrived in a smaller class setting. Taking college classes in lecture halls with hundreds of students was not beneficial for me as a learner. It is very easy to get left behind and if you are not an assertive student it is very easy to get looked over. Once I transferred to Bloomfield College where the class sizes were typically between 10-15 students I was able to focus and get one on one attention from the professor. Students can really benefit from the smaller class size because it gives them a closer relationship with the teacher where their needs can be met. --Frances M.

I agree, I think we are all doing well in our small little group. There is more accountability, less people to lean on, and more one on one interaction with the instructor/teacher. I get lost in large groups myself. -Tori

What does a "balanced approach" to reading instruction mean? 

I agree. I don't believe that any one single approach is the answer. I think that to be an effective teacher, you need to look at the individual needs of your students and then plan your instruction using the knowledge you have gained from the different philosophies’ and your own experiences of what works and doesn’t work. ---Kimberly

I was just looking over the book __Whole Language: The Debate__, in it they quoted Dixie Lee Spiegel and I think her statement holds much truth. "The reality of the world of schooling is that teachers //will// draw what works best for them from both worlds." I only argue that the teacher should not just choose what works for them, but what works for the student(s).

Smith, C. B. (1994). //Whole Language: The Debate//. Bloomington: Edinfo Press.

Bio:
I grew up in Hunterdon County and attended Clinton Township Schools from k-8th grade and eventually went onto North Hunterdon High School. Afterwards I graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College with a B.A. in Pre-Art Therapy. My grandparents were "sweatshop" workers however the rest of my family seems to be in education. My mother a retired English teacher, my father a social worker but served on the Board of Education, my brother is a High School Special Education teacher in New Paltz, NY, and my aunt is a college professor.

BUT who am I? I am a... daughter, sister, niece, partner, abstract artist, photographer, optimist, gym goer, pet sitter, hiker, geocacher, ANI DIFRANCO FREAK, dog lover, cat respecter, try to be tree hugger, reader, former hand bell player, day dream believer, cyclist, Broadway goer, walker, music lover, your best supporter, a shoulder to cry on, someone to laugh with, child care director, instructional aide, an A.D.Der, soon to be s k y d i v e r... and so much more if you take the time to learn.



<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Video from Intro Course: [|Who is "A"?]

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Video from Recycling, Reuse Lesson. Jake, my dog, "put together the video" for the class: [|What happens to the animals and the Earth?]

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">I have a 3rd grade student that comes to my child care program. He has many signs of Aspergers and is new to our school this year. I noticed he had a hard time connecting with other children. If the conversation did not include dinosaurs, legos, and maybe video games he did not engage. I've also slowly watch as he interacts with less and less children. Many nights he is the last child with me, two weeks ago he told me he made videos of his Legos and put them on YouTube. We looked them up and there was video after video of Legos and mostly his hands :-). He inspired me to make my own quick video. I showed it to the AfterCare group of kids and told them this child was my inspiration and that is videos were amazing. A little praise goes very far. Now he and I are working on storylines and I am showing him how to make videos. The quick video he inspired: [|Run Lego Man, Run]