Module 6: Instructional Challenge

Next year, you will be teaching in a school where the vast majority of students did not meet standard on your state's criterion-referenced test and where more than 75% of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. What are some specific universal literacy strategies you may implement to ensure students success? Include both in-class examples and things you could do outside the classroom. Post it to your blog and name the posting "Module 6:Instructional Challenge.

When assessing my classroom demographics for the following year I see a lot of things I am looking forward to implementing into my classroom. I want to create a literacy program in which each child is able to grow at their own pace while still feeling successful, here are some strategies I would implement:

I would use both reading and writing workshop for my class.  Both of these are great tools to use for students but allowing all students to read/write what interests them.  I believe that the power of choice is a strong technique that will help many students feel more comfortable in the classroom.  With workshop teaching I will use the idea of mini lessons on the rug.  By having the students come to the rug, I will be able to use mentor texts (typically picture books) to help them create ideas for both reading and writing.  My teaching mini lessons, it allows me to zoom into one idea so that the students are not overwhelmed with information.  I will be able to teach a lesson, model, and then send the students off.  Along with workshop teaching I will incorporate book clubs into my classroom.  Each book club will be put together based on reading level, sex, and interests.  By doing this, the students will be paired with other classmates who have similar struggles as well as interests.  By doing book clubs students are able to have scaffolding from their classmates, this also allows me to sit with each group for a long period of time so that I can confer and see how they are doing. (**I definitely think as a teacher you should be reading EVERY book your students are reading so you know what is going on... I have been caught reading Junie B. Jones at the gym...) I also want to incorporate reading and writing celebrations so that students feel celebrated and proud of their work! Sharing is a great way for all students to feel cared for and special!

As far as outside of the classroom:
I do believe that there are certain strategies that must be implemented outside of the classroom so that students are successful.  I will make the students fill out a reading log with the date, title, and pages read.  This will help both me and the students keep track of their reading. Students will be given time to go to the school library and may also take books out of my classroom as well.  I will also have a parent teacher meeting at the beginning of the school year laying down expectations. Parent involvement is critical and has been proven to help student succeed in literacy programs.  Parents should ask students to read to them (fluency), should read to them (expression), and should also ask their child questions about what they are reading(comprehension). This can be a 5 minute check in on the way to school or over breakfast so that the same strategies are being implemented in my classroom and at home.