Organizing and Managing the Literacy Program

     "Classroom Management" is a term pre-service and active teachers alike are all too familiar with. As an elementary education major, I (and my peers) must complete the EDEL 300 course, which centers entirely around classroom management and planning. As we interact with the course material and create our own classroom management plans, it becomes increasingly apparent that classroom management is the key to successfully implementing any type of curriculum. So, to my delight, reading this chapter just reinforced that idea within the context of literacy. This is reiterated right off the bat, but is important to remember while absorbing the rest of the information in the chapter. I found this to be one of the most important pieces of information noted, as it is truly an element for success of any literacy plan being enacted.
     A very important concept mentioned in this chapter, is the idea of Literacy Centers. More buzzwords I know I've heard many times, but this is perhaps the first time I've read in-depth descriptions of what it really takes to create an effective literacy center. An element commonly forgotten is the writing center. How have you witnessed the writing center component in action? Has it been as crucial as the texts suggests? As we have discussed in class, the idea of including writing in daily instruction is sometimes pushed to the back burner, but is a cornerstone to literacy. What creative ways do you plan on involving writing in every day instruction?
     The text stresses the importance of different discipline based centers in your classroom. This is critical for involving students in active and engaging learning processes, as well as instructing in subjects that may receive less than superstar treatment when it comes to time spent on explicit instruction. Centers not only involve any subject you can tie-in, but also can have a literacy element to each of them. Have you seen this implemented at AppleTree or another classroom? Personally, I witnessed this in a 3rd grade class I observed. Students participated in a science lab, but had to keep a fully detailed science journal, documenting their activities and processes. At the same time, other students were completing computer activities, while others still participated in a music activity. All stations can and should include some type of physical record of their work completed at that station, often allowing for the literacy component to be added in. Centers are an incredible way to engage the entire class in critical activities, while allowing for movement and fun.
     The chapter next provides many instructional tools, strategies, and tips for teaching in a differentiated manner with your students. I personally believe that literacy is one of the most challenging subjects to teach, simply because students in any given class or grade level, will be at so many different varying levels during their time in your classroom. Obviously as an effective literacy teacher, it is crucial to be aware of each student's point in development, as well as goals for where they will be at the end of the year. However, getting the entire class to meet those goals is an incredibly daunting task, seeing as their levels are all across the board. The text suggests small group instruction is crucial for maintaining student attention and affectively teaching. In addition, this is a method for easily differentiating groups and allowing students to be grouped more specifically into like-levels. This can be a difficult task in a classroom of 25 students. Have you seen teachers use this method? How has it been successful? Tier programs and inter-classroom exchanges can be a way for students to be grouped homogeneously and have successful smaller group instruction.
     Finally, the text reminds us that, much like classroom management, setting up daily schedules is critical for successful literacy instruction. Whole-group, small-group, and individual instruction should be rotated as much throughout the day for successful literacy instruction. Like we've stated many times in this class, literacy can implicitly and explicitly be taught nearly any time throughout the day, and it is important to consciously plan for that, to guarantee success. Having a daily schedule not only strengthens students in a management regard, but can be a key factor in literacy growth and success.

   

Literacy-Rich Households

"Teachers have children for about 30 hours a week. Families have their children for the other 138 hours. What happens in families outside of school plays a big role in the success a child will have in learning to read" (Morrow, 419). Learning to read can be hard enough but if the household of these young children are not actively involved in the child's learning process then the child may find it hard to succeed when it comes to learning to read.
So, what does a literacy rich household look like? In a home that promotes literacy, books are everywhere. There are many different types of books all throughout the house. Along with books, there are many other items that the household has to help with the children's development. Literacy-rich environments include: pencils, markers, paper, crayons, and paint. At a young age, children begin drawing and writing. Even though young children may not be able to write legible letters, the key is that children understand the difference between writing and drawing.
Environmental print is another part of a literacy-rich household. Environment print is used in the classroom but can be more helpful if it is used in the household as well. Creating grocery list with your child and going to the grocery store can help tremendously when it comes to learning to read. Children learn to recognize signs, logos, and billboards. Parents must actively point on environmental print to their child. By doing so, the child's awareness of the print around them will be greater.
Children in literacy-rich households will ask many questions and make comments, the parents jobs is to answer those questions and further the discussion. Discussion about print can only help being more awareness to literacy. The more a child immersed in literacy rich environments that better. Although a teacher has an important job to do when it comes to teaching a child to read, the household that the child lives in must pull its' weight. A child that developed in an environment that fostered literacy through the guidance and support of adults in their household, have a higher vocabulary and more reading skills than those who were not. A child's family is their first teacher. Parents who are actively involved in their child's learning have children who will succeed.

The Classroom

A classroom is much more than just a room where students go to learn. It is a place where children discover what they love to do, what intrigues them and motivates them to learn. It is a place where they learn through their peers and establish social interaction. It is very important to have many different centers to facilitate this hunger for knowledge. The more the merrier really! Students should have all sorts of different educational options so that they can choose what they enjoy to do. This will then in turn motivate them to want to learn instead of feeling forced. Most importantly, they will have fun while doing it.

On page 381 the chapter talks about how to set up the classroom and what to include to encourage literacy learning. They talk about how important it is to contain many different items in each center to give the students different choices. When I was in grade school every classroom was set up the exact same way. Teacher in the front of the room at his/her desk and 20-something desks facing them in rows. We didn't have any centers, for the most part, and kept things pretty basic. Now that I work with students in a classroom setting I can see just how beneficial it is for them to have options. We have an iPad center, a reading center, a homework center, and a study center. Having these centers lets our students be more goal oriented. When at each specific center they are only thinking about that specific center. They do no worry about other work that needs to be completed and they focus on the task at hand!

Centers are extremely important to the classroom and can help the growth and knowledge of a student in a more meaningful way. Why haven't all schools established multiple centers in their classroom?  It is very clear how well these students learn when they are more goal oriented and focused. I wish that all schools had the means to offer their students more.

Connection Between School and Home

Teachers only see their students roughly for seven hours a day, five days a week. All the other hours that fill up the week, the student is at home with their families. Realizing this, it's very important that teachers make that connection between the student's home environment and their school. One way that teacher's can help with making this connection is by having parent involvement in the classroom. To have a successful school literacy program, there must be a literacy environment at home.

I remember my parents always read to me before bed, even my brothers would read to me when they were able to. As I grew older, I began reading books to my parents and brothers. Aside from reading books each night, my family helped me with homework. I have noticed from being at AppleTree and in other school environments, children love having a book read to them. The child's excitement and engagement level increases if the child has the ability to choose the book. Reading at home is a great beginning to a child's literacy development.

Having a print-rich environment also helps with the literacy development. Having an ample supply of pens, crayons, pencils, markers, etc along with paper is a must. I believe that the saying "A picture is worth a thousand words" perfectly describes this situation. Children can express themselves and their thoughts through drawings, especially before they know how to write.

The Importance of Family Involvement in the Classroom

            Family involvement plays a key factor in a young child’s cognitive and social development. There are many benefits that go along with the use of family involvement in the classroom. It cannot only help the child, but also help the family and school/community. When the child’s family is involved, there is a communication to children about the value of family life. All children need families that talk to them, read to them, provide experiences that build their vocabulary and are aware of the important role they play in helping their children to read. Family members who care for children are children’s first teachers. Starting at birth, a child’s experiences affect their success in becoming literate.

            The child’s success in a schools literacy program usually depends on the child’s literacy environment outside of the classroom. This means that it is important to have a home life that supports and promotes literacy. A simple way to do so is to have books readily available throughout the house. It is very common for children to see family members reading and want to join in. Have you ever spoke to a young child about books? If you have, you would remember their reaction. Children love being read to. At my experience at Apple Tree, I have noticed that when I read out loud to my student, more than often a group of others with gather around me to listen. They also love when they are given the freedom to choose a book for me to read out loud to them. This excitement stems from their interactions at home. Reading to a child at night is a great way to start the literacy development early. I remember being read to almost every night right after my parents tucked me in. It was one of my favorite times of the day and I looked forward to when the time would come every night.

            It is also equally important to have literacy-rich environments to encourage writing. The home should have pencils, pens, crayons, markers, and a supply of paper readily available. Young children love to express their ideas and thoughts through drawings before they are old enough to write words. Opening this experience to them at an early age can make a difference. Literacy-rich environments can have the power to motivate a child to learn through experience. Inquiry-based instruction can be as simple as having a blank piece of paper and a writing utensil.   

Parent Involvement - Chapter 10

One of the things that has been the most prominent in all of my education class, early childhood and elementary, is that parent involvement is one of the most important things to have in your classroom.  Creating the parent and classroom bonds creates a community that will change the dynamic of your classroom for the rest of the year and for the rest of your teaching career.

To create the parent involvement framework, you need to think of every family and every culture that is a part of your students’ lives.  The purpose of the framework is not to discourage what is already happening related to different cultures and literacy, but to also include these school-like literacy activities in their homes. 

Teachers need to reinforce literacy in their students’ homes to help them achieve now and later in their lives.  Teachers need to make sure that the children have reading and writing materials accessible for their students and make sure their homes have these materials, as well.  To do this, teachers can promote literacy and writing in their weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly newsletters, remind parents in emails, and provide a ‘library’ in their classroom for students to bring books home.  If the children have access to materials that they normally don’t have at home, they still have the option to learn how to love literacy.  Teachers can also, provide journals to write in during school hours that they can also take home—the liability of letting the children take the journals home, is that they bring have to bring it back to school.  This would be appropriate for at least 2^nd grade and higher because they have the maturity level to bring them back.  Teachers need to remind the parents to read with their students and have their students read to them after school, possibly when they are getting ready for bed for at least 30 minutes a day.

When talking about parent involvement in my other classes, we have mentioned that everything you do, try to incorporate involvement.  Remind parents to volunteer with classroom supplies, ask them to come in and talk about cultures or read a story during circle time, or have parents with a special background come in to the classroom and plan a lesson with you.  To have parents come in, you need to have an open door policy that is lenient with the parents but also reminds them that they know when they are not needed.  

Home and School Go Hand In Hand

Family involvement is the number one predictor for a student's success. Chapter 10 focuses on the importance of families when it comes to children developing literacy. Teacher's play an enormous role in a child's life. We are with the children for 30+ hours a week and so much learning takes place in that time. However, we go home at the end of the day and so do the children. The time that the children spend at home is valuable to all involved. Each home works on a very complex system. Things have to get done - chores have to be completed, dinner has to be cooked, homework needs to be done and relaxation is a must. This chapter talks about just how complex family literacy is and how valuable it is to the child's success.

At my childhood home, I had a huge bookcase right outside my bedroom door. It was filled with children's books that my brother and I loved dearly. Every night, I would pick a few books from the bookcase and take them into my parent's room - and they would read them to me. It was a special time for me to bond - and also learn about the joys and functionality of reading. I looked forward to those times - and it gave me something to think about while I headed off to bed.

On page 421, the book talks about what a home that promotes literacy looks like. It describes the home as being lined with books - books in the child's room, books in the kitchen, books in the car, books in the family area and pretty much anywhere the child has access. In addition to books, they also have access to markers, pencils, notepads and different kinds of paper. Environmental print should be everywhere the child goes - and more times than not - it is.

Families that provide rich literacy environments to their child provide various experiences for their child, which heighten the child's responsiveness to the world around them.
As we all know, this perfect picture is often not available for the children. Not every family has the luxury of buying books for their child, or allowing their child to have a nook. As teachers, we need to be aware and responsive to this fact. We need to have resources for the parents in our classroom such as books that parents can take home, resource sheets, game ideas with environmental print (think cereal boxes,) and other ways to give those children the same joy that many of us had as a child.