Introduction to Language Arts Reflection

I definitely feel that I have changed over the course of this semester. With every education course I take, I feel I become more knowledgeable and prepared for my future. This course gave me a lot of great ideas that I am sure I will use in my classroom as a future teacher.

I felt that we did a lot of different activities this semester that will be very useful in the future. One of the first activities that we did was when we were broken up into groups, given a big sheet of paper, and had to teach the class one of the steps of the reading process. I thought this was a great way of teaching a topic, and having the whole class be involved. I noticed that by using this method of teaching I was better able to remember the steps and components of the reading process. I think students would really benefit from learning topics this ways.

We recently did the “chalk talk” activity. I really liked this too for a few different reasons. I think this is a great way for students to get their ideas out and not have to raise their hand and wait to be called on. I like how a student can write something down, but not be tied to those words in the same way as if they said them out loud. I think a chalk talk would work great for some groups, but may be more difficult for others. I know for me, I was caught up reading other peoples comments and never got around to writing anything myself. If I could do it again, now knowing how it works, I think I would be able to better participate.

The read aloud we had all semester of “Sahara Special” has been probably one of my favorite parts of the class and something I will DEFINITELY use in my future classrooms. Before coming into this class, if someone had asked what a “read aloud” meant to me, I would have probably of said, “its books that teachers read to students in elementary school.” I now know that read aloud can be done at any and all ages. Even at the college, I really enjoyed it. It was relaxing and also very entertaining. I had honestly forgotten how it was to have someone read to you. I think read aloud are great for students and invite them to use different types of listening and enjoy a new book with their teacher.

I have also enjoyed blogging this semester. Before coming into this class I would have said I would never be a blogger, but now I have done it and enjoyed it. I can see setting one up in my classroom for the students to participate in. I think blogs are great because technology is on the rise and students can relate to doing something on the computer and internet. I also thought the text your response activity was really cool and something students would love! Texting is so popular and students would think it is so neat that they can text something and it pop up on the screen. I would have seen texting as a negative thing at the beginning of the semester, but now I see how teachers can turn it into a positive thing.


Overall, I feel this semester through course discussions, and field experiences, I have become more open minded now different types of ideas can be incorporated into the classroom than I was at the beginning of the semester. I feel that I have learned so much, and when I am in my classroom I hope to remember all the things we have learned this semester and how I can effectively use them in my classroom. I have realized that for different groups of student’s ideas and lessons may have to be altered to fit their needs. I feel that the activities we have done in this Language Arts class have better prepared me for that and will have many ideas for how to differentiate for those students.

Favorite Poem...

My favorite poem is one I had to memorize in elementary school. We got to pick any poem we wanted to memorize so I chose to memorize “Sick” by Shel Silverstein...

"I cannot go to school today,"

Said little Peggy Ann McKay.

"I have the measles and the mumps,

A gash, a rash and purple bumps.

My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,

I'm going blind in my right eye.

My tonsils are as big as rocks,

I've counted sixteen chicken pox

And there's one more--that's seventeen,

And don't you think my face looks green?

My leg is cut--my eyes are blue--

It might be instamatic flu.

I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,

I'm sure that my left leg is broke--

My hip hurts when I move my chin,

My belly button's caving in,

My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,

My 'pendix pains each time it rains.

My nose is cold, my toes are numb.

I have a sliver in my thumb.

My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,

I hardly whisper when I speak.

My tongue is filling up my mouth,

I think my hair is falling out.

My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,

My temperature is one-o-eight.

My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,

There is a hole inside my ear.

I have a hangnail, and my heart is--what?

What's that? What's that you say?

You say today is. . .Saturday?

G'bye, I'm going out to play!"

I loved this poem and really enjoyed memorizing it because of its flow and I always thought it was funny. I think in my future classroom I could incorporate a similar lesson by giving the children a chance to pick a poem of their choosing and memorize it. They could also take a poem and instead of memorizing it, maybe they would write “what the next part” of the poem could be. For example, with my poem “Sick” I would have to write the next stanzas about what happens to Peggy Ann McKay since she faked being sick because she thought she could stay home from school, or what she chose to do outside on her Saturday since she really didn’t have school. Another extension could be having the students write a poem on a time they faked sick or were really sick and what happened to them. Did they stay home from school? Where they really sick? What did they do on their “sick day?”

"Magic Talk"

In class we used the technique “magic talk.” This was a new experience for me that I had never heard of before and obviously had never done before either. I really liked this technique and can see why it would be so useful in the classroom. I liked it for a few different reasons. It is a great way to allow students to think about their reaction(s) to a statement and then write their response. It also means that this student will not only be tied to what he or she said because they have written it on the board. I also liked this method because ever student would get a chance to think up and write up their opinion without having to raise his or her hand and wait to be called on. This technique is also great for those who do not like to speak out very often or maybe can’t speak.

This activity was definitely challenging for me. I felt like there were at times multiple discussions and thoughts being put on the board. I see this as a positive aspect of the activity but it was challenging for me to keep up. I also was consumed with what everyone was writing and really thinking about what they were writing about and how it related to the statement on the board. I have always been a visual leaner and I thought this activity was great for those who are more visual. I can definitely see myself using this in my classroom. It is great because it can be used at all ages and grades!

Conferencing with Peers...

I felt that the conferencing session with my peers was overall helpful. I thought it was helpful because I was comfortable enough with my peers to allow them to read my paper and give me positive and negative feedback. I usually do not have anyone read or review papers that I write. I felt this experience will encourage me to do so in the future though for a couple different reasons. First of all, my peers were able to make suggestions that I myself would not have thought to do. Secondly, they were able to spot errors that I probably would not have caught and provide suggestions to make my paper stronger.

I remember doing peer editing and peer revising in the classroom in middle school and upper elementary school. I think it is a good practice for the classroom because it takes the child out of their comfort zone and allows the peer to provide the writer with a new perspective. I think a con of this practice would be the student not feeling comfortable having someone else read his or her work. I remember when I was in elementary and middle school always worrying that who ever was going to read my paper would think it was horrible! I feel that it is harder for some children to share their work but providing them with the opportunities to do so will allow them to become more comfortable over time and better readers and writers.

Writers Workshop, Readers Workshop, Literature Circles, Literature Focus Units, Thematic Units

I remember doing Literature Circles in elementary school. I remember very little about it but when we discussed it in class and we talked about the different roles each student plays that sparked my memory. I would not say that I did not enjoy literature circles but obviously I remember very little about them from school. I do not remember doing much with writer’s workshop or reader’s workshop. I do not have any similar memories of a writer’s workshop like the one we viewed in class. I can recall in elementary school a teacher would let us brainstorm and we would have to write for thirty minutes or so. However, there was not workshop leading up to this as I can remember.

I really like the idea of a writers workshop and would definitely like to implement it in my future classroom. It can be time consuming but I think there are many benefits to doing writers workshop. I also see the same benefits for having a reader’s workshop. I also can see myself doing literature circles but would hope to be able to make them fun and more memorable than my past experiences are.

What I really like about Literature Focus units is that it incorporates all five stages of the reading process. I think that Literature Focus units are very beneficial for students. They are being challenged by the text they can not read independently and also using all stages of the reading process over a span of 1 to 4 weeks. Also, I like the idea of Thematic Units because it wants more than just a text book learning and understanding style. It wants to incorporate all different types of text to develop an understanding. I do not think text books should ever be the only books in a classroom that the students have access to.

Books and Novels

After taking EDU 255 I became aware of all the different options for books and novels that could be used in a classroom. For a younger elementary classroom I would definitely want to not just use specific one or two books but have many options for the students of all different topics that will engage their interests. I think for the beginning of the school year I would like to have “first day of school” books out so that they children can relate to them. Also for holidays like Presidents day, Halloween/fall, Fourth of July, etc. I would like to base the books around that theme. I really like having a central theme but would also like to have a small “library” in the classroom of books of different interest and themes that get changed out throughout the year.

I feel by doing a holiday theme the options are endless for how to apply activities. For example, for Presidents day, if the students were read books about the past Presidents of the United States, they then could write a short story about what they would do if they were President for a day.

To Blog or Not to Blog...

I have enjoyed blogging so far this semester. I think it is a great way for us as a class to apply what we are learning in the classroom and reflect on our learning. I have really enjoyed it as a class activity because we can read and comment on our classmates and their opinions. I like the idea of blogging also because it is more like keeping a journal without the pen and paper. I really like how it is computer based.

One of the only downfalls I have found from blogging so far is that if you get behind on the responses it can be very hard to catch up! I like that we only do one blog a week. It makes it easier to put more thought into the response because I am not overwhelmed with having to do another post in a few days. Overall, I think blogging is a great way to get thoughts and ideas out there and to be open to others responses and new view points. I think bogging has helped me to become more open-minded especially when I read my classmate’s blogs and they have ideas and insights that I may not have even thought about before.

Teaching Practices

There are two different kinds of teaching; there is direct instruction and indirect instruction. Direct instruction is when teachers teach mini lessons. I like this style of teaching because it introduces the information to the students, then they are given an opportunity to practice it, and then they can apply. I like how mini lessons work because it allows the students to apply what they have learned and still have the teacher’s guidance. Indirect teaching is more of an on-the-spot lesson. These can take place in a whole group or small group activity. I really like this style of indirect teaching because it is something a teacher can do when they realize the students may not be grasping certain concepts or need a brief reminder on a particular topic.

Something I believe all teachers need to realize is that all students are going to vary in how they learn, and what their interests and motivations are. Differentiation is very important to implement into the classroom. Students are going to have differences in their background knowledge and prior experiences. Our text does a great job of giving five examples of how differentiation can be applied in the classroom. I really like the example that talks about offering the students choices. This is a great way to differentiate because it allows the student to pick something, like the topic they want to write about and allows them to write based on their prior knowledge and feel comfortable writing because they are writing on their level. To me differentiation is not making things easier or harder for students but allowing them all to be successful on their own level. Our texts sums up the idea of differentiation the best by saying, “Teachers are able to differentiate instruction when they implement the patterns of practice in their classroom.”

Ralph Fletcher

Ralph Fletcher states, "In order to have an affect on someone else, you must first allow him to effect you." His words play a role in creating and developing a writing community. No writer is going to write the exact same way or about the same things as another writer. Also, many different writers have different views and opinions that can affect a reader. I think Ralph Fletcher’s words in the writing community would say that we should be opened minded to other author’s writings and see the kinds of affects it can have on us. If we allow ourselves to read other author’s writings and allow them to affect us, then we too can affect them.

I also see how Ralph Fletchers words can play a role in the teaching community. I once had a teacher at Meredith that told us a good teacher will know her students well. I relate that statement to Ralph Fletchers words. If we know our students well and get to know who they are and what they are capable of then we are more likely to let them affect us. We have to be able to engage the students in what interests them and make an outstanding impression on their lives. However, without knowing them and allowing them to affect us, then we as teachers are less likely to affect them too.

Writing really is worth reading!

I think it is important to read writing for a couple different reasons. When we read writings we are able to choose readings that are interesting to us. With these readings we can learn and find out new interesting things. As future teachers it is very important to motivate students to want to write and read their own writings, as well as other people’s writings. We should also motivate our students to read things that interest them. I think that if a student reads something that really strikes their attention, they may be more likely to write their own story about a similar topic.

It is also very important to read writing because it helps us to become a better writer. We can learn a lot from reading other peoples writings and we can also gain new views and ideas we may not have thought of before. Reading our own writings also help to identify the mistakes we make while we write and therefore learn from them. We become better writers when we read our own work and other people’s work too.

Learning to Read

I would have to admit that I really do not remember how I learned how to read. I think I probably had a mix of phonics and whole language. I do recall sounding out letters to make words but I also remember taking apart words to read a bigger word. I remember being in reading groups that was more so based on phonics. We would sound out letters and we also used a lot of rhyming words. I remember reading the Dr. Seuss book, Green Eggs and Ham. This was one of my favorite rhyme books when I was younger. It is a longer read, but very easy since it uses rhymes.

In my future I think it would be most effective to use both phonics and whole language. Some learners learn differently and I think incorporating both styles would be most effective. I think part of the reason I can not completely remember how I learned to read is because I had a mix of the two methods. I feel using both styles of reading to build off one another would be most effective for teaching children how to read in the future.

Sahara Special

I have really enjoyed the book Sahara Special so far. It is a nice change of pace to have someone read aloud a book to you. I remember having books read aloud in elementary and maybe even middle school and it is very relaxing and calming. I feel that I can relate to this book because Sahara likes to spend time in the library and so do I. Especially when I was young like Sahara, I would go once about every week and find a good spot to sit and read some books and then I would choose a few to take home with me. I still enjoy going to the library, especially over the summer, to pick out a good book. I think that Sahara is going to find someone that appreciates her writings. It may be her mom, her friend from the library, or a teacher from her school.

The Six Language Arts

Overall, I was surprised that there were actually six language arts. Of all six discussed the one that surprised me the most was writing. Typically when one thinks about language arts, reading and writing come to mind first. In elementary and middle school the writing process is implemented in every writing activity completed by the student. I can recall having to pair up with a different peer each time I wrote a paper in middle school and edit each other’s writings. What surprised me was realizing how the high school and college levels do not encourage the use of the writing process. Understandably, at this point a high school or college student does not need to be told to sit with their buddy and edit each other’s drafts. However, teachers at this level hardly even encourage the use of the writing process. They give the students the assignment and a final due date in which the final copy is to be handed in. I feel that some teachers are more willing to review and make suggestions to a paper; however, it does become the student’s choice to take advantage of this offer since it is not required. I feel that many adults write up a report and solely rely on technology to do the editing and revising for us.

I was also surprised at how talking and listening are the two language arts that are most often neglected in the classroom. Teachers often assume that a child knows how to talk and how to listen because it is an action they have been doing most of their life. It is important to realize that listening is not the same as hearing and talking should consist of a student actually engaging in a purposeful conservation. Realizing these things will help to improve the amount of attention given to these categories of language arts.

I think that viewing and visually representing should definitely be included in the list of language arts. I am always so surprised when I go into a classroom at how many young students know how to use a computer and do things on the computer such as creating a very extensive power point. I have a younger brother that is in middle school who spends hours creating power points related to topics he is learning about in school. Not only is he studying a topic and creating a presentation on that topic, but he also knows how to do things on power point that I still do not know how to do. Viewing is important within language arts because many children are visual learners and being able to read a short story and then watch a movie based off that story can bring about better understanding for these students. I have always been more of a visual learner and appreciate things such as having a power point to follow my professor’s lectures rather than panicking to listen to all the information they are giving and writing down all the important things.

First Blog Post!

Hey Everyone! I have created this blog site to reflect and discuss different topics from my EDU 300 class. I am new to blogging and look forward to adding more to my page.