Ch.2 & 3 in WK

BOOK
"...remember that anyone can struggle given the right text. The struggling isn't the issue; the issue is what the reader does when the text gets tough." (Ch. 2; p. 14)

"Not being able to read can mean a range of things, depending on the student's strengths and weaknesses." (Ch. 3; p. 24) "Teachers- not programs- are the critical element in a student's success." (Ch.3; p. 38)

RESPONSE
On pages 14 and 15 it described different struggling readers. I really liked reading about this because it is true. The "struggling reader" isn't just the person who sits slumped over in his/her seat or the one who sits at the back of the room. Anyone can struggle with a text. This is important for teachers and students to understand. I really liked the last part of this quote when it said the struggle isn't the issue; the issue is what the reader does when the text gets tough. This came to my attention on the fist day of class when I defined myself as a struggling reader and Dr. Saldana disagreed. I hadn't put thought to that or taken that perspective. Now I understand and agree. This chapter also mentioned teaching students to "struggle successfully with a text". I still think I struggle but I guess I struggle successfully.

Every student is different. What causes one student to not be a successful reader does not mean that same cause is why another student is not a successful reader. Every student has their own strengths and weakness which results in differentiated instruction. Teachers need to recognize their students as individuals. One method may work on one student but it may not work on another. Later in this chapter it mentions how the teachers, not programs are the critical element in a student's success. It can be very easy to get attached to this "high-tech/super advanced world" we live in today. Being a teacher is stressful and with it comes a lot of responsibility. It's easy just to put in a program and say "here, watch it and do this worksheet" or "take this computer test that says you have completed the phonics task for today and go back to your desk". The technology and programs can be great aids however the teacher above all is the most influential and is the one that can make an impact on a child's life.

Literature Circles

Through my experience with literature circles I feel this would be great to use in my classroom. I think it can be very beneficial to students and they would gain a lot in participating. The literature circle with my group went really well. I got a better understanding of what they are all about. I learned some things from my group members and if we were not sure what was going on or had a question, we were able to work together and come up with an answer. Literature circles should start as early as kindergarten and first grade. The more children are exposed to literature circles the more they will actively get involved in the book they are reading involuntarily. For older grades, sixth and seventh, literature circles can build up to something even deeper. As we read the article in our previous class it talked about the different roles students could play, for example: The Connector, the Vocabulary Enricher, and The Investigator. All of these “roles” are great for students and would help them see they are a big part of something. I think this would teach them responsibility. It will also help them in their upcoming school days because they will have more of an insight of what literature circles are all about. By having literature circles in my classroom, I would hope that my students would gain more knowledge about what they are reading, learn from their peers, become better readers, begin to think critically, expand their vocabulary, learn to work with other cooperatively with others, and so much more. Literature circles are a great tool to use in the classroom and would be very beneficial.

CH 2&3 in BK

BOOK
" Learning occurs when the individual is motivated and actively engaged in the experience;" (p.24)

"... describes a "Matthew effect" in reading achievment. Simply put, the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer: Capable readers get to read more books and engage in reinforcing activities such as talking and writing about what they have read, while stuggling readers get a steady diet of skill instruction and few opportunities to actually read real books. The evidence suggests that it is the amount of reading that differentiates low-achieving students from high-achieving students." (p. 45)

RESPONSE
I think this is very important for teachers to remember. It is so obvious and simple however I think sometimes teachers forget about trying to get their students to be excited about learning. When a teacher sparks my interest or gets my attention in a unique way of whatever he/she is teaching about, I feel I learn a lot more. I also think teachers should teach in a way that is natural and goes with the flow. A good teacher is not defined as someone who follows the book or curriculum strictly and never gets off topic. A good teacher recognizes his/her students as unique individuals and teaches in way that fits all the individuals' needs. It is important to remember students learn from students.

This was a very interesting analogy and so true. I think the amount of reading a child is exposed to definately impacts thier reading achievement. Students who are exposed to a lot of reading have an advantage over those who have not been exposed to reading. They show to be high-achieving. This is unfortunate for the child who has not been as exposed but it goes to show what a great impact reading has on children and how important it is.