Week 8-Writing Community

• The components of an effective writing program includes Personal Connection, Writing Conventions, and Inventions. Personal Connection is important for students to incorporate their own personal experiences into their writing, which may include an interactive journal. Writing Conventions are the different writing stages that the teacher will go through with a specific student. Invention is giving the student an opportunity to experiment with different writing formats.

• I would have students incorporat their personal experiences into a narrative because I believe personal experiences is a great motivation for students.

• I would allow students to make personal connections in different subject areas by allowing the student to come up with their own format for their working. For example during a science unit, if the class is studying animal habitats, I would give the students a chance to compare and contrast their own habitat to the given habitat. This gives the student a chance to incorporate their own enviroment into their writing. This motivates the student to find information on how their habitat compares to other habitats.

• I believe this truly depends on the class you have because the class that I am observing now, I would incorporate more personal connections into the writing program for them. I would incorporate more personal connection writing because the students are more motivated to work when it comes to giving details about their own personal experiences.

• I would incorporate student inventions during narrative writing because this gives the student the chance to either write their narrative in a poem form, an essay form, or through using pictures and diagrams.

COCA-Concepts of Comprehension Assessment

The COCA was designed to assess the processes rather than the products of comprehension which I believe is a great concept. In so many schools today the process leading up to comprehension is often overlooked. The process of comprehension is so critical when students are in the primary grades because that can potentially have an effect on how they will do later on. The different books for assessment of the COCA include the Salmon, and the Dragon files. In the COCA one major thing that stuck out to me was that the students had to fill in the blanks of the specific story. I think that is a great tool because this way the teacher has a true understanding of whether the student comprehends what was just read to him/her. It is also a good way to assess the students vocabulary and word recognition. I would incorporate this assessment tool in my classroom because I believe it gives the teacher an idea of where his/her students are in relation to their reading comprehension abilities.

As a future teacher would this tool be something you would incorporate into your classroom? Why or Why not?

Observations at New Vision Elementary

So, Today was my first day at my observations. I coincidentally have the teacher I did my first observations with during my first semester. (Ms. V) She is all about her student observers working with the students on a more hands on basis. I got the chance to do a short reading comprehension sheet with a small group of students. The students are smart but they are extremely loud and obnoxious from what I seen today. Overall it was a good experience because she allowed me to work with the students on my own unlike a lot of the teachers I had to observe in the past.

Christopher Myers: A Writing Story

This video was so exciting to watch because of the way the students reacted to Christopher Myers. Myers showed the students that everyone has a story to tell about either themselves or the things around them. Even though some of the students did not like to read they were excited to come up for a character for the story he was creating on the whiteboard. What caught my attention was when Christopher said " his grandfather could not read, but yet he told the best stories. My question to everyone is why do they think that is?

When I observed in Rockville Centre 2 semesters ago they had a famous children's writer come to the school. I thought that was so amazing because in many ways that motivated the students to want to read. For many of the students the writer definitely made a difference in their interest in reading.

Placement

I have been placed in New Vision Elementary School, I will start Wednesday at 9am.

Podcast-Creating a home-reading program

I found the podcast to be extremely informative and interesting because not only are teachers trying to work with students at school, but there also trying to encourage students to read at home. The podcast made a lot of great points about how when students read at home it definitely increases their vocabulary and reading skills. The reading that can be done at home can include reading a magazine, a newspaper or even reading about a topic of interest for the student. The podcast spoke about "R4" which stands for reading, relax, reflex, and respond. After listening to the main ideas behind the R4 I would definitely incorporate it into my classroom, because it encourages the student to read and at the same time it allows the teacher to test their comprehension of what they have read. In this day and age reading at home is extremely important because it can actually determine if your reading on grade level or below grade level for a lot of struggling readers.

The interview I was unable to complete because I have yet too be placed, but I called the school yesterday and I was told the principal will call me back to set up my hours so I can begin observing. I will be observing in New Vision Elementary School in Freeport if everything works out. I am waiting for her call, so hopefully I can be placed at the latest Monday.