Chapters 1 &2

Camille Sogluizzo
Blog 1
Chapters 1-2
6/6/15

                                                           Chapter 1

     The word "create" best reflects the meaning of chapter one.
     Chapter one is about creating, rethinking, and restructuring schools where all children can become readers and writers. It is important for schools to help all children succeed in reading and writing because it will allow them to succeed in school and society. "We emphasize creating schools where all children become readers and writers because that has been the primary focus of our own work and because learning to read and write is essential to success in school and in society (Allington & Cunngingham, 2007)."
     In my experience as a first grade teacher, I see the struggle for students to learn how to read and write. When a student beings to struggle in learning how to read, it is hard for them to catch up in the other subjects as well. They also begin to get frustrated and uninterested in learning. I believe it is important to "create" a school where all children can become readers and writers. "We can create schools where all children become readers and writers. We can create good schools where every classroom is occupied by an expert and effective teacher. But such schools do not simply emerge. They have to be created (Allington & Cunningham, 2007)."
                                                   

     "Gift-of-time"
     This was created as a waiting period for students to develop interest and readiness. "Children who arrive at school with few book, story, and print activity experiences are most likely to become candidates for 'gift-of-time' projects, but waiting for development to occur rarely fosters development (Allington, Cunningham, 2007)." Developmental kindergarten denied children involvement in literacy- learning experiences and it gave students that were in kindergarten an advantage over these students.
     "To develop concepts about print, stories, and literacy, children need to be immersed in literate activity and literate environments (Allington and Cunningham, 2007)." They need a chance to develop what their peers developed in their homes or in pre-school. Their lack of experience should prove the importance of being in a literacy-rich classroom.
     Students who were given the "gift-of-time" were not exposed to story circles, big books, scribbling tables, drawing and labeling activities, or any story and print experiences. They enter Kindergarten with a disadvantage and never catch up. In my experience, these are usually the students who struggle with learning how to read in my first grade classroom. This widens the achievement gap for struggling students.


click here for the 5 predictors of early literacy

     This is a video of the 5 predictors of early literacy. It proves the importance of students being exposed to oral language, phonemic awareness, alphabet awareness, concepts about print, and early writing and inventive spelling at an early age. This video explains that the "gift-of-time" is actually not a gift. It puts students at a disadvantage.


     "By becoming more informed and more focused on closing the existing achievement gaps, schools can become places where all children learn to read and write."
     This chapter focused on creating schools where all children can become readers and writers.       By focusing on research and staying informed, schools can implement successful instruction to help students learn to read and write. Learning from the past also helps to stay informed. For example, after research, we know that the "gift-of-time" is not really a gift at all. It is highly important for schools and staff to stay informed so that the proper instruction is implemented and all students can be successful. It is important for schools to keep teachers informed by attending meetings and having professional development days. When teachers are informed they can improve their instruction.




                                                         Chapter 2

     Instruction
     The word "instruction" best reflects chapter two. It discusses instructional programs and models in the classroom. Research has shown that some instructional programs are more effective than others in improving student achievement. Change in classroom instruction is based on providing success- orientated instruction for struggling readers. "The change needs to focus on more effective responses to the instructional needs of all children, but especially children who are struggling to become readers and writers (Allington & Cunningham, 2007)." I always reflect on my instruction in my classroom and I change it if I see that it was not effective. Improvement of instruction will increase student achievement and lead to better schools.


     Rethinking the process
     When administrators/supervisors decide that it is time to make a change, it means that they are "rethinking the process." They are thinking about what is working and improving student achievement and what is not. They are also thinking about what programs they can change to help struggling students improve. "This story of change at one school shows how a faculty can alter the outcomes of education of 'rethinking the process of schooling' (Allington & Cunningham, 2007)." The story about the elementary school in the beginning of this chapter shows that after rethinking the process, the outcomes can change and improve. It is important to remember to make these changes at a slow pace.
     
                               

     "FROG was designed to provide the intensive instruction needed to ensure the success of all students (Allington & Cunningham, 2007)."
     At the end of the first year that this was implemented, the combination of Four Blocks and the FROG model was working. This story of change at this one school shows that rethinking the process allows the staff to change the outcomes of education. Opening activities, FROG, Guided Reading Block, Self-Selected Reading Block, Working with Words Block, Writing Block, Teacher read-aloud, and Integrated science/social studies blocks allowed struggling students to read, write, and share with other students who were good models. Implementing FROG has helped students improve. This is why "rethinking the process" is so important. I have implemented guided reading in my classroom and have also seen improvement in my students reading levels.



Allington, R., & Cunningham, P. (2007). Schools that work: where all children read and write (3rd      ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.