I am currently placed in a first grade classroom. In this classroom, the majority of the morning is devoted to literature. At first I was skeptical of so much time being focused on literature while math, science, and social studies, in my opinion, suffered as a result. However, I have been very wrong about the other subjects suffering. Math is the primary focus during calendar time and their technology class that meets twice a week. The subject of science has very little time in the scheduling block but all benchmarks are met by the end of the year by each student. Finally, as in science, all of the state benchmarks are met in social studies throughout the year. Knowing this, I have felt very comfortable about the amount of time devoted to literacy. However, these readings assigned this week have caused me to question the literacy education these first graders are receiving.
Today, I no longer concerned about the fact that some much time is spent on literacy, but instead on how literacy is taught. The majority of literacy is in the recitation form. Students answer simple questions about a story. The teachers do not encourage students to discuss what questions and thoughts they have about the pieces of literature they read. This recitation form of literature discussion disappoints me simply because the students are not being given the maximum amount opportunity to succeed when it comes to literature education.
In order for my CT and her student teacher to begin the scaffolding process of response-centered talk to take place I feel that they need to sit back and let the students guide the conversation. Currently the “discussions” consist of the teachers asking the students key questions (“What happened at the beginning?” “What happened in the middle?” and “What happened at the end?”). In addition to these key questions, most of the time the teachers correct the students’ responses to better fit what the teachers are looking for. To change this would be very difficult but possible.
Overall, the majority of the students in the classroom I am placed in could participate in discussions or response-centered talk. Not only would these students be able to participate but they would also succeed as a result. There is only one girl that is an exception. I could see this not benefiting her at all for the time being. This girl has made drastic improvements since the start of the year in all subjects. However, there are many times still today that she struggles to catch on.
4 comments:
Another way to deal with this issue of what subjects get shortchanged is to read and write informational texts- there is no reason to separate content area knowledge and literacy. In fact, combining the two is quite beneficial as skills reading and writing narrative texts don't necessarily translate to other genres. I also get worried when recitation is the dominant form of instruction (though I believe it does have a place) because a lot of learning happens as a result of disequalibrium. What I mean is, when kids have to wrestle with ideas and entertain alternatives, a lot of powerful learning happens. It is important for kids to be able to answer the structureal questions, as well. Drawing their attention to storty structure helps them learn what to expect in a story, which aids comprehension. Also, shaping student response is sometimes appropriate because kids need models of proficient readers thinking as well. I think it's more an issue of balance- kids need both literal and inferential comprehension skills and it is the job of the teacher to be sure that they have opportunities to increase both and to tailor instruction to student needs. As far as how able different kids are able to participate, I think that all kids can do it with varying levels of support. If you think about it, this talking about things on a deeper level gives kids more entry points, more places to that they might be able to connect.
I know that in my classroom the students are always writing small moments about themselves and i think this is a good thing that my teacher is doing. I think that she is starting the scaffolding process by allowing them to write about themselves. The only thing that she corrects in these writings are the spelling. while they are writing in any class they are always using a form of inventive spelling where they sound out and write the sounds that they hear. i think that this is a good thing and now my teacher needs to take that scaffolding over to other subjects.
When i entered my first grade classroom i had the same thought that you did. I thought that there was two much emphasis on literacy and math and not enough of science and social students. while i still like that it is kind of the case i realized that the students are getting all the core subjects whether they know it or not. I also feel that the way that some of the literacy taught in my classroom is based on recitation.
Do you think that this is a quality that first grade classrooms share? or do you think it is a coincidence? i know that the first grades do not take the meap but that teachers are so focused on teaching towards the test. is it a first grade thing? i wonder especially now that you and i are having similar experiences.
I have a similar schedule in my classroom. I have actually seen very little science and social studies, and math is usually focused on for an hour or two in the afternoon. The majority of our morning is also devoted to literacy. I haven't experienced very many social studies lessons, but like you said in the beginning I think I tended to assume they may not be as strong in those subject.
In my classroom, one-half of the day (at least) is directly devoted to literacy. I have seen drastic improvement with almost every student in many aspects of literacy since I first came to the classroom. The students talk about science and social studies one time per week, in a twenty minute block. Math only takes place three time per week, in a twenty minute block. When I asked my teacher why so little emphasis on science and social studies, she said because they are a Reading First school and in kindergarten the teacher does not have to worry about whether or not the students grasped the concepts in science and social studies, instead they want them to feel comfortable with the idea exploring new ideas or concepts.
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