What do I Want to Learn More About?

Well, we 're in the final week of our summer course, and it's been a reading odyssey. I have tried to assimilate all that I've learned, and then we need to discuss on Monday's class what we want to learn more about. I honestly would like to learn more about reading mini lessons and reader's workshop. Some of my colleagues attended Columbia Teacher's College and took reading and writing workshops over the summer. I am interested in finding out about what I can apply to my fourth grade classroom. I'd like to learn about the reading lessons that work and the timeframe that's needed to complete them.

My Thoughts on How Technologies Are Changing Literacy

I have watched the YouTube video on Web 2.0 a few times. At first I was frightened about what it could mean about the machine being us, but now I have a new understanding of this video after participating in two online courses. We are the web because we are all communicating and collaborating on the internet. We are the machine because we are connected to each other, and it’s our way of communication.

These new ways to communicate are our new literacies. We can collaborate on topics in Wikipedia, IM our friends and get instant feedback while we are working on a paper, collaborate on documents in google, surf web 2.0, and watch YouTube or be on YouTube.

My sister-in-law emailed me a link to her daughter’s interview about the opening of Liberty Science Center that was broadcasted online. This was so much more informative than her explanation of the opening could have been; I received the news story and saw the science center on my home computer. Wow! I’m from the days when my mother and her sister wrote letters to each other to save money on their phone bills. We had such a time lag with information. Now I’m truly connected to my relatives in so many special ways. I receive home photo albums in emails with birth announcements. We share photos and information. I am more connected to them than just receiving a card or phone call even though I still enjoy both of those things. We can communicate in many new ways.

With these new forms of communications, we have created a new language and set of skills and strategies. In order to function in this new form, we need to be open to new and exciting ways to connect with our friends, families, colleagues, students, and others in the world community.

This article gave details on the history of literacy. Throughout history need dictated the next type of development in literacy. It became necessary to record business information and cuneiform was invented. Depressed groups needed to communicate and invented their own language, religious beliefs were written down by priests, and then came the printing press which opened the world of literacy to the masses. The article touched on the social forces that effect literacy such as our global economy, the internet, and competition for achievement. Government policy is attempting to prepare for the challenges that we are facing in the world community, and they are raising the literacy standards in order to compete in the world economy. With all of these changes, the definition of literacy needs to be changed to include technology.

Our schools have been affected by the changes in technology. The article mentioned how education has changed. The students who are graduating now are accustomed to using computer technology on a regular basis. The internet has entered our classrooms, various software programs are used, and new programs are being developed to utilize new technologies. This past year, I was able to incorporate new literacies into my fourth grade social studies curriculum. We have a classroom moodle site that is similar to MSU’s blackboard, and the students created podcasts or radio shows on New Jersey explorers that were posted to the website. This created a lot of excitement with the students, and they needed to learn how to communicate in another way. The community was then able to listen to their podcasts and be connected to our classroom in a special way.

I enjoyed the section that discussed the social learning aspects of new literacies. Students can draw on their strengths to help each other with technology to research and create their projects. This will have an impact on learning theories and classroom situations. The web is a collaborative entity, and education will need to be seen as a more collaborative in nature. I have taught a laptop class, and the students worked in cooperative groups to create projects. They were able to learn from each other and utilize the technology at the same time. This will impact the teacher’s role to being more of a facilitator. I was also no longer the authority in the classroom because most of my students were more computer literate than me. We need to be open to new ways of educating our students as technology changes and transforms the way we communicate in an ever changing world.

My Thoughts on NCLB & the Politics of Education

This law has not really had an effect on me in my current district in Bergen County other than that I had to fill out a few forms and prove that I was a highly-qualified teacher. Our faculty meetings have not really touched on this subject directly. I think as it gets closer to the date, our administrators will be forced to look at the test scores in this regard, and I know that we will be asked to do something at our faculty meetings.

In theory, NCLB is a wonderful idea, and as I researched success stories on their website, I was able to view examples of schools that have successful programs. I was impressed with Rome, Georgia's Main Elementary School, and all of the effort that they have put into creating individualized instruction that was tailored to the students' needs. It was the only school in Georgia where all of their 3rd and 5th grade students were at or above proficiency levels in math and reading. I liked that they had early intervention programs offering after-school tutoring. Their teachers had a tool box of resources, had high expectations for their students, and they had small class sizes. They also had special professional development for all of their staff to help their students succeed.

I also was impressed by Denver's Summer Scholars program in reading and writing. They showed proof that their 6 week summer enrichment program helped their disadvantaged children move forward in the areas of reading and writing. They received small group instruction in the morning, and they had fun activities in the afternoon such as a swimming program that was a big incentive for the students to attend. Also they offered a family literacy program with childcare for their parents. Everyone benefitted from this program.

By watching the examples of success stories like these, it was evident that children can be successful when they are offered so much help. I worked in Union City a few years ago, and they offered their students so many programs: before school breakfast and tutoring sessions, an after-school program, a safe-haven after the after-school program, a great recreation swimming center, and a Saturday morning program. The community was also involved in the school where their parents could take courses to help them learn English and computer technology. By teaching in this district, I was aware of the great strides that you could make when children receive the services that they need to be successful.

In answer to the question on how I feel about this law, I can't help but wish that all children would receive an education where they could become proficient in reading, writing, and math. Should the government help districts fulfill these goals? Yes. Are they funding the services that are needed to accomplish this? No. Is everyone able to make this possible? No, not yet. Is it fair to all of the districts? No. Is it going to hurt some districts? Yes. Have we seen great strides in education? Yes. Do we need to continue to make these strikes? Yes. Then, what needs to be done so that we can make it an attainable and equitable goal is my question.

I'm very interested in reading everyone's blogs on this topic. It sounds like a good discussion topic.

My Connections to the Readings on Assessment

I am a fourth grade teacher and I could relate to Ms. Rodriguez's article about "Authentic Classroom Assessment in Action." When I taught 8th grade in Union City, we were required to keep student portfolios that were passed to their new teacher each year. I remember how cumbersome they had become from all of their school work throughout the years. Each marking period the students were asked to choose five writing samples and complete an assessment form. I thought that they were accustomed to this activity since they had been doing it for years but, I learned the hard way that unless you model everything, you don't get exactly what you want. A few students picked their spelling tests because they received 100s instead of choosing their writing assignments. We also had to review the form so that they really gave a lot of thought to this activity. During the next three marking periods, we completed the same process, and we conferenced throughout the year. I learned a lot about my students from the various entries that they had made in their portfolios. They also were very hard on themselves, and the portfolio was considered a test grade for each marking period. I liked the idea of keeping a portfolio, but when I shipped them to the high school, I wondered what was going to really happen with them.

My daughter had a portfolio in elementary school, and I remember wanting to keep the assignments. She would always make me return them to school, and just as I had feared, her portfolio was never returned when she graduated from grammar school. They said that it had gotten lost. How do you lose 26 portfolios? This really upset me.

Currently, I teach 4th grade and keep the students' work by subject throughout the year in a file cabinet, and I return everything at the end of the year. I like being able to discuss their work throughout the year, and the students can see their growth. I share their folders with parents at two of our conferences. Throughout the year, I conference with my students, and we can focus on their strenghts and weaknesses when we view a writing piece. Unfortunatley, this district does not require a portfolio and no one else really uses it as an assessment tool in my school.

I really liked the author's idea of a portfolio that contained important items and pictures. I never thought that students could personalize their portfolio by bringing in other items. I also liked the idea of sharing a "Me Box" with your students. This year I decided to keep my own writing journal and complete the assignments that I was asking my students to do. I learned so much more about the assignment and what goes into the writing process by participating in it myself. Sometimes during one of our writing celebrations, I shared my journal with the students, and they enjoyed hearing what I had written. I think this year I will start my own "Me Box" and assign it for the class also in September. It's a good way for each of us to get to know one another in the beginning of the school year. I think that I might set up a display for back-to-school night of everyone's boxes.

I liked the literacy assessment chart from the links to readings because I can refer to it when I'm planning my reading units. I also agree with the "Principles of Effective Literacy Assessment" that it should be a collaborative process. The students need to be actively involved in their evaluation. That is why I like to conference with my students and get feedback from them.

In our textbook, I agreed that self-assessment is vital but I don't think it is effective unless an action plan is included. If the students just reflect and write down a goal, they rarely accomplish anything. I think we should keep a record of our conferences and meet with the students to see how their strategies or plans are working and if we need to adjust anything. By holding them accountable with a real plan, I think that we are more apt to see progress.


I know that standards are important, but I could really relate to the quote on page 585: "The true measure of whether or not standards are any good is whether or not kids are learning more." I like setting clear goals and objectives, but I'm not so sure that teachers have a clear sense of what to do with all of the standards. It's a little overwhelming when you're handed a standards booklet. In Union City, I had to label everything with a standard in red ink in my lesson plans and on my bulletin boards. I often wondered if anyone even bothered to check to see if they were correct or not. I use to spend so much time on the standards in that district and now I work in one where no one really refers to them except at an occasional faculty meeting. In New Jersey, each district is so different; we don't have standards on how to use the standards from one place to another. I think the most important thing is that the students are learning and achieving more.

On page 599 in the chapter summary, the author's point is that we must foster a "love of learning and desire to continue learning must not be hampered by testing." I couldn't agree more. This is exactly what I hope to do in my classroom. I do have to teach for the test in March, but for the most part, I try to make learning fun and engaging throughout the year. But after March, I was totally devoted to literature circles, read alouds, story telling, reader's theatre, group projects, and so much more. If we are really doing what we're supposed to be doing, we have multiple ways to assess our students from day to day.

Chapters 5, 6, 7 What do we actually know about reading?

Chapter 5 concentrated on the various theories that help explain literacy development in children. Piaget believed that children learn through "direct experiences and social interaction with peers." He is known for his Theory of Cognitive Development, and his writings explain ways in which children develop cognitively. Teachers can use this theory to understand children's thinking at the different stages in order to create lessons and activities that are developmentally appropriate to their level. Maturation Theorists believed that literacy instructin should commence at 6.5 years of age when children would be ready to learn how to read. The Theory of Literacy Development held that literacy development begins in the children's homes, and Holdaway used big books and shared reading to help teachers recreate early literacy instruction that took place in the home. Stage Models of Reading Theorists described the stages that children go through in their literacy development. The Emergent Literacy Theory explained how literacy develops from birth, and Family Literacy Theory focused on the parent's role in children's literacy development.

After reading about the literacy theories, I have a better understanding of the historical perspective on these theories. Even though my brothers grew up in the 40s and 50s, my mother did not believe in waiting until children were 6 in order to read. She had her own literacy theory, and she was an avid reader. Every day she read the newspaper, and she always had her nose in a book. We had quite a library of our own at home, and books were considered treasures. She devoted Sunday afternoon to the New York Times. She would take me to the library every week as a child and worked in the children's library in my elementary school. She read to me every night when I was growing up, and she also was a great storyteller. Because she had me when she was forty, I benefited from her vast knowledge on all different subjects. Both of my brothers got married when I was little, and she was able to give me a lot of individualized attention. I realize that my mother was ahead of her time because I grew up in a home where her family literacy theory was practiced well before it became a popular theory. I could relate to the teacher's anecdote on page 87 in the textbook who wrote about her mother.

Chapter 6 was on social learning perspectives, and after reading this chapter, I felt that the whole philosophy of education in Union City where I taught 8th grade several years ago stemmed from this perspective. Their educational philosophy was based on their belief that students learned better when they worked in cooperative groups and individuals in the groups had roles. Every classroom was organized in this fashion. Everyone in this district was an ESL student, and they believed in whole language instruction. They used thematic units of study that crossed the curriculum. The students' culture was also an important component of the learning process, and it was viewed as an important aspect of their literacy development. We celebrated their culture throughout the year in various reading and writing lessons, and one of our marking period themes was multiculturalism.

In my 4th grade class in Bergen County, I model our various writing assignments with a think-aloud on chart paper. The piece is written collaboratively where the students can visualize the writing process. I also do something similar to the morning message with my students where we revise and edit a writing piece that has something to do about the history of the day. This has been my second year using literature circles in the spring after state testing, and this is my favorite part of the school year because the students can apply what they have learned in previous literacy mini lessons. They also benefit from talking to each other about their book club books. They rotate various roles each week similar to the ones mentioned in chapter 6, and they respond to their readings and share their ideas during circle time. The only problem that I have had with this experience is that some children come unprepared, and then they are not allowed to participate in the literature circle activity.

This year our school held its first literacy fair where my students presented their literature circle board games, posters about the books, and commercials that they wrote to advertise their board games. The five groups each had read a different book club book, and the parents were able to see the various projects during the fair. The entire school participated in the fair and on that day we also had buddy reading. Each class paired up with another grade level where the students read their favorite books to another student. The children enjoyed this experience, but I'm not exactly sure how to proceed with book buddies.

Chapter 7 was about the "underlying cognitive processes involved in reading." I could relate to the teacher's anecdote about the Information Processing Model. What bothers me also is how students do not retain information after the test is completed or after a long weekend because the information is only placed in their short-term memory banks. It's a good thing that reading is a part of their long-term memories because that skill is remembered. In the Interactive Model, the four processes are simultaneous instead of linear. I agree with this perspective because there are so many ways or strategies that you can use to identify a word in the reading process. Both approaches to reading can help students identify words. All of the processes in chapter 7 helped me to understand the history of the reading process. I found out that there are many different ideas about the process of reading.

Language Acquisition

According to Wikipedia, language acquisition is the "process by which language capability develops in a human." There are different theories on the acquisition of language. Nativisit theories believe that children have an "innate propensity" to acquire language which makes learning a first language easier and enables children to master grammar by three years old. Nativists also believe that there is a "critical period" when children near to be exposed to language to "stimulate an innate trait." Lenneberg claims that the period of acquiring language ends by twelve, and he states that if "no language is learned before then, it could never be learned in a normal and fully functional sense."

In the article, "Mama Teached Me Talk," discusses how children learn to speak. I learned that children learn to speak by being exposed to language, and they learn grammar from hearing the language. Children also place words in the correct grammatical order such as "Daddy go" instead of "Go Daddy". The position of the author of this article is that from 2-7 children learn language by hearing it spoken and learn it perfectly when they reach the "critical period". Some evidence is given in this article to support this claim. It mentions a wild boy called Victor who was probably raised by wild animals and was unable to speak. After years of Dr. Itard trying to teach Victor to speak, he was only able to acquire a "few lexemes." Another example is of Genie, a 13 year old girl, who had never acquired language because she was never spoken to. Psychologists were unable to teach the nuances of language, and she ended up in a mental institution. This article stated that after the critical period of language acquisition has passed that it "becomes increasingly more difficult for humans to learn languages." This is also why it is difficult to learn a second language.


This brings me to the next article called, "Learning Languages" by Ciaran O'Riordan. This article gave many tips to learning another language and I agree that it takes years to acquire a second language. I can relate to the problems adults have in learning a second language. I had a difficult time acquiring Spanish. I worked in Union City that was composed of mostly Hispanics, and I felt like I was in a foreign country. Everyone spoke Spanish fluently but me. I tried to learn the language and borrowed audio tapes from the library. I learned some phrases, but nothing that would really help me have a decent conversation. I listened and was able to understand key words, but I was unable to follow along. I would only speak key phrases to get my students attention, and they would teach me a little Spanish when we had a chance. English was their second language and they were fluent in both English and Spanish. I was only there for one year, and my lust to learn the language waned when I left the district.


Now my ESL students speak Korean, Japanese, or Chinese. I don't think I'll even attempt that. I feel thoroughly inept in the acquisition of those languages. It's a good thing for me that most people speak English as their second language throughout the world. Our high school is adding Chinese to their Foreign Language department this year.


After reading about language acquisition, I think that we should emphasize learning a second language in the elementary schools when it is easier to acquire another language. Currently in our school that is K-6, the students receive instruction two times a week for a short period of time in either French or Spanish. This year my students learned French, but last year the students learned Spanish in fourth grade. It alternates every other year and the children do not get to decide what language they are learning. I am in the classroom for these leasons, and I can pick up some Spanish, but I never was able to acquire French this year. I do not have a natural ability to learn another language. It is very difficult for me. I think we need to rethink foreign language instruction for the elementary schools.

Response to Three Questions

Hello, I'm a 4th grade teacher and this will be my 5th year in the same district. That is a big accomplishment for me because I have never been in a district this long. I really enjoy my job. I teach literacy (reading/writing), social studies, and math to my homeroom. My partner is the science teacher and I teach her class social studies while she teaches my class science. We get along well and help each other out.

I'm married for almost 25 years. On July 3rd, I'll be celebrating my anniversary. I have two children. My daughter is turning 19 on Thursday, and my son will be 17 next Thursday. We have a lot of milestones within a seven-day period.

What did I get from the readings in terms of thinking about reading and literacy?

I read that literacy has changed throughout history. Also the meaning of the word has changed too. In order for students to become "proficient readers," they need to be taught subskills: phonics, "decoding, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary." I learned that we do not have an answer to the question: "Which approach is better?" I found that students need to learn phonics and also guided reading is very beneficial. My point of view is that the two should be intertwined. In my district, "round robin reading" is frowned upon. Students read silently and we use other strategies to assess comprehension.

I agree with Wikipedia that the nature of literacy has changed and we have a whole new set of "new literacies" that I studied in the spring. Now in order to be literate, we need to be able to use technology and communicate with the world on web 2.0.

I was appalled by the article called Silencing Teachers in an Era of Scripted Reading. I know how administration can dictate curriculum. After districts spend thousands of dollars, they want their curriculum followed.

Last August I attended an Everyday Math workshop during my vacation, and I also was sent to MSU to attend another math workshop at the Prism Center. I usually welcome new and exciting ways to teach subjects, but 4th grade math is not a mystery to me. Nevertheless, I go where I'm told to go.

Our district just switched to Everyday Math this year, and I know that no one dared to speak ill of the new math. Now the students did so well on the state testing in math, they are applauding their decision to switch to this curriculum. They do not want to hear how we now teach 1 1/2 hours of math per day instead of 40 minutes, and that we used two different test prep books not to mention, the hours we spent making up lessons to fill in the gaps from other sources. We do not dare mention this fact.

What are some of the key issues that stick out to me?

I am sorry that education has come to this where teachers can be demoralized, and that the children suffer because they are not given an opportunity to learn in a creative enviroment where teachers are given the opportunity to differentiate and teach to the students' ability levels. When curriculum does not meet the students' needs, it needs to be revamped or thrown out. This is truly a crime. It saddens me that McGraw-Hill was given a free reign with that school district. At least, this article exists and there are signs of some hope for this district. I'm so happy that this has not happened to me.

What am I wondering about?

I'm wondering about the future of reading programs. In education, there is always the flavor of the year or decade. What will our focus be on next?

I'm hoping that through technology "new literacies" will empower students to become avid readers.

I'm hoping that my next crop of students is just as excited about reading as I am and that I will be able to create great reading mini lessons for my students.

I'm also wondering how all of this will effect me and my teaching position. My principal is leaning to writer's/reader's workshop, and she wants her staff to attend their workshops at Columbia Teacher's College. I am unable to do this because I work in the summer and I also am taking graduate courses. If I was able to attend during the school year, I would welcome the opportunity. We'll see what next year brings.