As
novices students acquire their knowledge of academic discourse from their
interaction with content-area teachers who are experts in their field. It is
imperative as educators to incorporate effective literacy learning strategies
into the content-area curriculum through systematic, explicit, and direct
literacy instruction and the use of repetition. The improvement of literacy is
an issue that all teachers should be equipped to address in their instruction. To
be effective content-area teachers must be aware of instructional approaches
and strategies that can be used with their existing curricula to help improve
the literacy levels of struggling readers, by understanding the literacy challenges
they face. The inability to decode multi-syllabic words, which provide much of
the new information in content-area texts, negatively influences reading
comprehension and can prevent struggling students from reading grade-level
texts independently. Also morphological skills can be strengthened when
introducing new content-area vocabulary by incorporating base words, prefixes
and suffixes, and compound words into the instruction activity. Teachers can
help with fluency by reading aloud and giving students ample opportunities to
do the same, either through whole-class share-outs or by participating in
cooperative learning activities. Content-area teachers should also focus on
specialized words that are unique to their specific discipline. In content-area
reading, where text is more technical and abstract, insufficient vocabulary
knowledge can be especially problematic. To learn and retain new words and
concepts, students need to connect them to what they already know, have
repeated exposure, and have the opportunities to practice using them in
different contexts. Finally, teachers can approach reading through Functional
Behavioral Analysis, which enables them to help students recognize the
specialized patterns of language in the texts they read. By making
discipline-specific ways of using language explicit, teachers help students
better engage with school knowledge and more effectively develop disciplinary
literacies across academic content areas.
It
is crucial to take the time to know your students. “Don’t be afraid to connect with [your] students on a personal level:
ask questions, do your research, know the population you are working with.”
(Ms. G 11/7) I will never forget the voices of the students we met in the panel
discussion and I will let their words guide my teaching. I will challenge my
students and push them to do their academic best. “Be empathetic, not sympathetic; have high expectations.”
(Principal J 11/7) I also plan to incorporate 21st Century skills
into my curriculum to enable my students to be academically competitive in and
out of school. This semester has shown me the importance of culture and
community in learning. Effective teachers take their students’ funds of
knowledge and personal differences into consideration when planning their
curriculum in order to create culturally responsive classrooms. Students’
input, knowledge and differences should be seen as assets, not hindrances. There are 24 students in Mr. S’s
Sociology class; 12 of these students are ELLs and 6 students have IEPs. In
today’s inclusive classrooms it is increasingly more important to “individualize your instruction as much as
you can.” (Ms. G 11/7) I will listen to student voice and take my students’
opinions into consideration when making decisions about curriculum and
instruction because I believe that students know best what they need as
learners and they will tell you, if you take the time to listen. “I always learn the most from my students.”
(Dr. H 10/31)
There
are endless teaching strategies and methods that can be utilized in teaching,
many of which I will discuss in my presentation, but what truly matters is
implementing what works best with your current students and their learning
needs. Teachers have more success with behavioral management when their
students are engaged in activities that are well planned and tailored to their
interests. This, coupled with a predictable classroom routine and assignment
rubrics, provides students with clear expectations of what to expect and what
is expected from them as well. During one of observations, Mr. S jingled his
keys and all of his students began putting their notebooks away. Without a word
his students knew that the jingle meant that it was the end of independent
work. This type of interaction is a result of clear teacher expectations.
However, even in the best run classrooms there are always going to be good days
and bad, but you have to “discipline in a
loving way” (Ms. G 11/7) and remember that “everyday is a new day.” (Vice Principal T 10/24)
Almost
every experience I have had this semester was a highlight. In fact, this
semester has been the highlight of my college experience thus far. The only
“disappointment” and I wouldn’t actually use that word, is that we did not have
more instructional practice with lesson planning. However, I have learned that
lessons must be meaningful. “You must
have purpose” when planning your curriculum because students want to know “why am I doing this?” (Principal J
9/26) For this reason, and because of my experiences over the last few months,
I plan to make civics and civic involvement a large part of the curriculum in
my history classes, providing my students with the social and civic skills
needed to become active and informed citizens and “Real World Learners.” Finally, this semester has taught me that
the educational experience is
not merely a teacher passing their knowledge to students but a learning
community where knowledge and ideas are shared between all members of the
classroom, creating a culture that encourages both teachers and students to put
themselves in the roles of educator
and learner.
