Literacy Focus

 LeRoy Elementary School takes hands on approach to teaching literacy in the classrooms. For my learner demographic analysis I interviewed Erin Conn the Principal of LeRoy.

Conn says LeRoy’s main goal right now is to have a guided reading workshop approach model. As a school they want there to be consistency on what is being taught to each child according to their level. I thought this was really neat because I remember when I was in elementary school their was no set way of teaching reading as a school. It alternated between teachers, which confided me and gave me anxiety ultimately deterring me away from reading completely. Thus, I think Principal Conn’s approach is realistic and attainable.

Additionally, LeRoy Elementary School uses the Fontas-Pinnell Guided Reading to scale their students. This scale allows each student to be given a Lextile score.  I have been placed in Traci Holtke’s third grade classroom. For this clinical assignment I have decided to focus on a guided reading group consisting of  four girls. Their Lextile level is between 600-699.

Instructionally this group of students is at a P on the Fontas-Pinnell Guided Reading Group. This is the teaching level that Mrs. Holtke is implementing them on. She is currently working with them on comprehension, fluency, and decoding words.

Right now independently they are at an O on the Fontas-Pinnell Guided Reading scale. These are the books they can read at home on their own independently. It is books that are meant for fun that does not cause stress. The words flow easily and will deter the students from getting stuck on words.

Additionally, LeRoy likes to use blooms taxonomy and apply it to the students level. Some examples of this that Mrs. Holke uses are using a character from the book; solving a problem and having the students apply the story to their own lives. She also says she has the girls illustrate something from the book as well. Overall she wants the students when writing about the story to state their opinion, the proof and the explanation from the text that proves their opinion.

I choose this group of students because I believe they need to focus on comprehension. They need to think more in depth. I want them to ask themselves questions while reading. For example why does this happen etc… Lastly, the more they are aware of foreshadowing and making predications the better readers they will be.

Traci also believes that they too can focus on comprehension as well. I have been observing Traci teach this group of girls since being in her classroom. I feel comfortable teaching the classroom because Traci makes 

me feel comfortable and at ease in her classroom. After teaching this lesson I will feel more prepared to student teach because I will have itemized a lesson based on a small groups needs not a large groups needs which I believe is harder. This lesson will be more rewarding for me as a future educator.

Overall, I think the lesson will go very well. One other thing I like about Traci’s room I that there is a vast amount of books students can use and check out to bring home. This is very sweet of Traci.

Social Studies

The third grade team at LeRoy alternates units between social studies and science. Typically they spend a month on each unit. When I first began my clinical experience in Traci’s classroom they were starting a social studies unit on explorers. Me being the history buff I am really enjoyed this and jumped right into the activities. It was fun to teach the kids more of the history component to social studies because that is my passion. I had my explorer lesson all set to go but unfortunately was unable to teach it.

When I got back they were already done with the unit on explorers. They were working on taking their ISAT. After testing had finished the third grade team has bow started introducing the topic of simple machines. This was good and bad for me because I could no longer teach my explorer lesson. However, I did get to teach my science lesson on the lever.

After talking with Traci we have decided that when she moves from the simple machines unit to the famous inventors unit covering the social studies end that this will be a perfect time for me to teach my lesson. I am going to teach on April 25^th at 10 am. I haven’t decided if I want to teach my lesson on Ben Franklin or Thomas Edison. However, I know that with either inventor I can plan some fun historical interactive lessons.

I am really excited to teach this lesson because history is a passion of mine. I originally was a history secondary education major. This is why I love our class because I think it is vital to teach students about the past and how we can learn from our mistakes.

Last semester I was at Tri- Valley in Downs. It hard for me to compare the two social studies units to say if one is better then the other. At Tri-Valley they were not interactive and fun like at LeRoy. It was more work sheet based, writing and reading.

Overall, I think LeRoy does a good job encompassing social studies into their teaching. I don’t know if I like how they alternate between science and social studies monthly. Where at Tri- Valley they alternated science and social studies every other day.  Honestly, I am so unsure of my feelings on the two situations that I can’t give either a fair assessment at this point. I think they both have great qualities, I know once I teach everyday I will a better understanding of what I prefer and what I don’t prefer.

Honestly, I think Traci does a great job teaching about the past and is sensitive to every child and their backgrounds, Traci always makes sure to tell her students before she begins a lesson and says that if at any time they feel uncomfortable to put their head down on the table. This way she will know to stop the conversation. This was a great learning experience for me because all students should feel safe in their classroom otherwise they won’t want to learn. That is the last thing any educator wants. Traci knowing this deters any negative feelings from happening. History is one of those topics that can be had for others, which is why I believe many schools try to ignore it all together which doesn’t do any good. Children need to know about the past because they are our future.

My question for Traci is. I want to know what her teaching philosophy is when it comes to social studies in general?