This video was very touching and I believe there are a lot of parents that should watch it. I agree that parents can initiate a love for reading by reading bedtime stories to their children. I really enjoyed B. F. Skinner’s quote that “We shouldn’t teach great books; we should teach a love of reading.” I believe there are numerous ways that parents can encourage a love for reading with their children. Children should see their parents read for pleasure on a daily basis whether it be a magazine, cookbook, or a library book. Parents should read aloud to their children daily when they are younger and discuss the pictures and make predictions. Also, parents can create stories aloud and have their children help add details to the story. Children need to have a “book nook” where they can relax and enjoy their books. Parents and children should visit the library together to rent books. They could also visit book stores or thrift stores where they can buy some books to take on a trip or just read at home. Additionally, parents should hold discussions with their children as they grow up and become independent readers. They could also have their own book club where they could discuss the plot, analyze characters, etc. These are just some ways that parents could encourage a love for reading and exhibit their own love for reading to their children.
Using the Smart Table for Collaboration Video
I love the idea of the Smart Table! Our school has one located in our library that is utilized for special rotations. However, I have never used it nor have any of my students. This table actually allows all of the students to touch and interact with it at the same time. My students love my Smart Board, but we always dislike how only one person can maneuver it at a time. The Smart Table requires students to work collaboratively on activities. I believe this technology piece lets students to create, discover and explore new knowledge and information. I like how there are already readymade material on the Smart Table, just like the Smart Board. The Smart Table could be used for extension, remediation, or just a small group with any topic. I feel the possibilities with the Smart Table could be endless just like the Smart Board.
Exploring Social Studies and Technology Video
This video contained more information about the Smart Table. I found out that the Smart Table can be manipulated in 12 different languages which would be great for students who are in the ESOL programs. I also like how you can control the document camera with the Smart Table. The Smart Table is friendly enough for kindergarteners, but I also think fifth graders would enjoy this technology. I could see kindergarteners using the Smart Table to make stories using real life photos like the presenter showed on the video. On the other hand, I could see upper elementary school students using the Smart Table for making their own presentation or activity based on their specific topic (e.g., World War II or Benjamin Franklin). I believe you could integrate any subject with the Smart Table. Students could explore social studies and technology by creating interactive sorts, timelines, charts, etc.
Integrating Science and Literacy in Early Childhood Video
I believe that reading and writing can be integrated throughout a child’s daily life at school as well as at home. Literacy will help students achieve goals in their everyday life. I agree that we should focus on students’ strengths in literacy so they can grow as a reader and writer. Teachers should be able to observe children and understand where they are in their current life and help scaffold them to further strengthen their skills. I liked the idea of using an alphabet book with butterflies for preschoolers so these students can learn information about butterflies (science), count how many butterflies are on the page (math), and learn the alphabet (reading/writing). This program was helping students build their literacy and will also help build their math, science, and reading skills. There are numerous real-life experiences (i.e., walking to the park, going grocery shopping, getting dirty by digging in the yard, etc.) that children should have as a preschoolers that provide them with a background for literacy, math, and science. I agree that it is important for students to interact with nonfiction texts to gather more information about their favorite topics. In my classroom, we constantly have read alouds about our current science topic. I also have students who further research their questions spark a new found love for a current topic in science. Science and literacy work easily together because one can read an abundant amount of nonfiction books to learn about such things as the rainforest or sharks which are normally places we cannot physically go and visit.
Development of Literacy Strategies Presentation
I am glad that this presentation offered a “plain English definition” of information literacy, because I was quite confused when I tried to comprehend the original definition. At my school, fourth and fifth graders visit the library as part of their specials rotation because educators have seen a deficit in basic library and informational skills. We were asked to answer “How would you describe literacy development?” after viewing this presentation. I believe literacy development begins before children are in elementary school because literacy is developed during the communication of reading, writing, hearing, and speaking. I believe that it starts as young as a couple of months old when they are cooing and babbling nonsense sounds and words, scribbling on pictures, and listening to stories. They are not completely clear about their verbal messages but they fine-tune their skills as they watch and imitate others. It is important that adults interact with children and remember to build their vocabulary (i.e., do not use “baby” talk). Children then start to form words, simple sentences and eventually they are chatting away, reading small picture books, and drawing pictures.
Article Expository Text Structures: Moss
This article discussed the benefits gained when teachers help students comprehend common expository texts by having them retell with information trade books. I think it is vital that we use expository texts throughout our school day because students have a high interest in nonfiction texts and there is additional vocabulary to be learned. Most expository texts are a higher reading level due to their challenging vocabulary. A child must first understand how to read a nonfiction text by being scaffolded and modeled on the different text features and their purposes. I agree that information is constantly being updated or changed especially since we live in the “Technology Era” where students spend a lot of time with technology whether it is a television, internet, music player, etc. I enjoyed reading the section on “What are Retellings” because I just went over the difference between a summary and retelling with my class and there are adults that still have problems differentiating between the two. I ask for a retelling when I want to check my students’ comprehension. However, I ask for a summary when I am asking about the main ideas and supporting details. The article gave some specific examples of how to teach the retellings using informational books, which is good for teachers who are just starting this type of reading skill in their classroom. In my opinion, if we expose our children and students to expository texts as early as kindergarten, they should be able to extend their knowledge as they reach the intermediate grades and become experts on topic with further research and reading.
Smith-Kathryn: Effect of Explicit Instruction on Reading Preferences
This was a research action project performed with second grade students that explored the effects of explicit instruction on voluntary reading preference. I enjoyed reading this article because I often wonder if gender plays a role in our academic or social lives. I was not surprised to learn that most classrooms have an abundant amount of fictional titles. I have two bookcases full of fiction but also have one entire bookcase full of nonfiction because I know older boys tend to like to read about the “world around them”. I am not surprised to see that students tend to increase their selection of nonfiction because my students tend to be excited about our academic subjects when I intertwine them with our reading workshop. I believe that nonfiction texts are not “too hard” because children learn about the world and challenge their reading skills though these books.
