As a teacher, I can comfortably say that I am fairly good at what I do. That being said, I am not afraid to admit that there also are many areas of my teaching practice I know I need to improve. One of these key areas is how I teach children how to read, especially those who struggle with reading. It seems like countless times I have had to tell a reluctant student at one time or another to stop moving around, stop talking with classmates, and stay focused on their book when everyone is supposed to be reading. I am still searching for the most effective ways to help reading become more enjoyable and engaging for all.
Below is an excellent article in Scholastic Instructor that illuminates several reasons why many of us teachers fight this battle everyday. One of the most powerful deterrents for reluctant readers comes as no surprise--the pressure of standardized testing. Fear and anxiety about reading in the classroom is another factor that I have been aware of for years--and wish I could remove completely. Reading this article gives me a critical lens through which I can reflect on my own arsenal of strategies for teaching children how to read.
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Creating a classroom podcast has been one of my dreams for a very long time, and this summer, I was determined to make it happen. I searched the internet for other classroom podcasts to get inspiration, but interestingly enough, didn't find very many out there, and wondered, why ever not? There are so many rich benefits to having students create a podcast. For one, it integrates so many of the Common Core standards, beginning with writing . . .
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.5--With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.4--Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences. . . . and here was the standard that came as serendipity for me, which especially validated my idea for a podcast on top of all the others, and I only happened upon this after my students and I finished our first podcast: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.2.5--Create audio recordings of stories or poems; add drawings or other visual displays to stories or recounts of experiences when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings. And this is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of how many standards this touches on, and of the learning experiences that students gain from creating a podcast. I knew, before diving into the world of podcasting, that my students would be able to have a very rich, very deep opportunity to communicate in a way that would extend beyond writing a first draft of a story, editing, revising, and posting it on the classroom's bulletin board at Open House. They would be able to share with a much wider audience, with friends, family, and with people outside of school. I also knew, with this new and cool technology that children typically have never dealt with, that they would be extremely motivated to read and write. I have made it a condition in my classroom that no writing can be shared on a podcast if it does not demonstrate all the qualities of good, polished writing, as agreed upon in our class rubrics. I also have made it clear that students may only share their writing on a podcast if they can read their pieces fluently and with good expression. The interest in writing stories, not to mention the amount of time my students have practiced reading their own writing, has increased tremendously. This year, I hope that students will be able to write and share about anything they are learning, ranging from social studies, science, art, literature, music, and anything of personal interest to them. I get giddy just thinking of all the possibilities that come with integrating this technology with countless topics! And above all, I find that podcasting has been so very gratifying for me and my class this past week. The children worked beautifully together, encouraged one another, and had fun as they learned. And perhaps, most powerful of all, they have been given another way to make their voices heard. Have a listen to Room 17's PhoenixCast here, and comment below to tell us what you think! PhoenixCast Episode 1 In this episode, the students of Room 17 explore the theme of friendship. Featured here is the poem, "Could We Be Friends," by Bobbi Katz, and children's responses to the question, "What do you look for in a friend?" |
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