"Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or duty. It should be offered to them as a precious gift." — Kate DiCamillo
Ever since I was younger I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher. This being said, I have always had a passion for learning and school. I was fortunate enough to come from a family that could constantly promote books and education in my home environment. In chapter one it talks about the importance of family involvement when teaching young children to read. After reading this chapter it helped me think about how not all families are as lucky as I was growing up.
A 2-year-old child is riding in the car with their mother. On this drive they pass a fast food restaurant. While this child can not read they have associated the big M symbol outside the building with food. The child begins to scream and cry because they know and understand the connection between the two. I stated this example to help prove a point brought up in chapter one of the book, "Babies begin to acquire information about literacy from the moment they are born. They continue to build their knowledge of oral language, reading, and writing as the grow" (2). It is clear that at a young age children are able to make clear connections between an object and it's meaning. This is a stage in literacy that a child must understand to be able to learn to make later connections. Many people might agree that reading to children and talking to infants are important examples that are part of development, even when the children don't understand what you are saying. No parent would say that educating his or her children is not important. The issue is because these parents might not have access to resources or money to help their children grow. My first question is, As a teacher what would you do to help the children that come from families that may not be as privileged to access books and other early literacy aids from home? What effect do these environments have on literacy for young children? I know a big way that I would try to help would be sending books home with the children. This would help parents and children practicing reading in the home environment. I would also make sure i communicated with the parents to figure out the best way to help their child learn.
From reading this chapter and considering all the ways that an environment changes literacy at an early age, it is also good to consider How should teachers work with a child in his or her classroom that may be struggling with literacy? I think it is important to consider the emotions that a child could be feeling if they are struggling I will want to make them feel comfortable and open to trying. Getting books that appeal to the child can also help them dive into reading and enjoy it! If a new reader does not like what they are reading it can make the process harder.
In this chapter it brings up No Child Left Behind (NCLB). This act states that every child should be a fluent reader by third grade. "The education community is concerned that using one test as the measure for success could have a negative effect on the curriculum. Moreover, using a single, designated test puts pressure on children and teachers and is not the true manner in which to judge success" (23). The real question is, Is federal research challenging schools and students in a negative way? I personally believe that every student learns and develops at their own rate. This act puts pressure on all people in education and challenges the way we think in terms of students in special education.
In chapter one is brought up many points that influence literacy in early education. It is important to explore a child's environment and the effects that we as educators can have on them positive or negative. We should always remember that education should always be exciting, fun, and engaging for students.
I agree with you that an child's environment either hinder or nurture his or her educational development. Pestalozzi's theory may be outdated, but his intentions are for the best interest of the child. He believed that it is our duty as teachers to provide children with the best learning environment possible for them to flourish on their own. We are to create the best setting for them to delve into the reading process. For emergent literacy theories, I believe the book has provided excellent foundations to serve as a guideline for teachers in early childhood.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I was fortunate to have been raised in an educational environment which encouraged reading. Starting from a young age, children are building upon their schema for continual growth.
(As a teacher what would you do to help the children that come from families that may not be as privileged to access books and other early literacy aids from home? What effect do these environments have on literacy for young children?) I like your idea of providing students with books to read at home. Most schools have libraries that students can rent books from. This is a resource I would rely on as a teacher. Visiting the library regularly could help to nurture children's love for reading because there's a plethora of books for them to find. As for the effect on children, I think that would be a good discussion question for the entire class. In my opinion, children can suffer from under-stimulated environments (in regards to education) and from over-stimuated environments (ex: parents who are overbearingly expecting too much).
(How should teachers work with a child in his or her classroom that may be struggling with literacy?) RTI time would be ideal for working with a child who is struggling with literacy. Also, it would be helpful to keep documentation of their progress, so you can look back at their growth.
(Is federal research challenging schools and students in a negative way?) I definitely think that high stakes testing is affecting students in a negative way. It will be interesting to see everything has to say about high stakes testing, especially when it comes to the reading test in 3rd grade.