Week 5 - Assignment 2

1.     The part that surprised me the most is that some of students were very fluent readers. They had great word recognition, reading fluency and decoding skills. I didn’t expect kindergarten students to be reading at that level. Also, they knew the classroom routine well and had knowledge of where everything belongs. It’s very important that students built that sense of responsibility at an early age to help them become more organized and learn organizational skills.

2.     I found that read aloud was an integral part of the day where students observed the teacher model proper reading that included emotion and fluency. This activity introduces students to new types of texts that are engaging and fun. I do this occasionally with my fourth graders and they enjoy it very much. I usually choose a short story, or poem that is connected to something else we are currently learning about in another subject such Science, Math or Social Studies. This develops students’ comprehension and critical thinking skills because they are able to visualize the events. In between the reading segments, I pause to ask questions to assess their listening and observational skills.

3.     I am going to try the shared reading and interactive writing to promote a better sense of community in my classroom. I really like that after the student wrote the story about doing homework, everyone else was analyzing it commenting on it. This is a good way for students to share their experiences and it allows others to relate to some of those experiences as well. For example, something as simple as sitting around the table and doing homework is something almost everyone can relate to. Most importantly though I liked that the teacher chose a student who was timid and gave him a voice in the classroom. That support and encouragement is vital for early learners to help build confidence.

4.     I have never taught students in kindergarten through 3^rd grade. I am not at all familiar with how students actually learn to read past the alphabet recognition and sound stage. The questions I have are as follows:

a.     What do these students learn to read after they learn about the alphabets and the sounds they make?

b.     How can phonics be reinforced for those students who cannot read fluently?

c.     Does independent reading benefit those students who cannot read well?

5.     The experiences I have had thus far from classroom observations have been very insightful. I have seen different teachers’ classroom management skills and organizational skills. There’s a lot one can learn from observing a model teacher and her actions.