Professional Reading [What Really Matters for Struggling Readers by Richard L. Allington]

A common misconception many secondary teachers hold onto is that we need know very little about the reading process. This ideal is false for so many reasons, but the two most important are these facts:

1. In every subject area, reading is required and assigned.
2. In every classroom across the United States struggling readers struggle through this assigned reading.

We cannot ignore the fact that in order to be good at any one thing we need only to be able to read. For it's in reading books and journals and articles that we gain knowledge about advancements, ideas, directions, instructions, information, discoveries, &etc. Albert Einstein once said that the only thing we really need to know is how to get to and use the library. Therefore, if we are ignorant enough to believe that the reading process does not add to our teaching, there is no helping the struggling students in your classroom.

With that very pointed point, there are many books every teacher should read - yes, including secondary teachers - and one of them is Richard Allington's What Really Matters for Struggling Readers: Designing Research-Based Programs. It was required reading for my Diagnosing and Correcting Struggling Readers class, but it is well worth your time. You know it's a good book when my copy contains tabs of unbelievable ideas, quotes, and facts that I do not want to forget:

It is packed full of information readily available to use in the classroom. 

It debunks any misguided thoughts we have on reading intervention programs.

It tackles difficult issues such as standardized testing and Dibel's assessment with researched facts.

It offers research based strategies to help struggling readers that are easy to implement and simple to follow.

Overall this book has motivated me, given me confidence in what I know, built upon knowledge, and gave me the will to fight for what is best for students. 

It is one I will be returning to many times over as I fulfill the desire to become the very best teacher I can be. And I highly recommend it goes on your teacher-tool shelf as well.

Weekly Writing Prompt [The Day I Was the Teacher]

Hopefully I'm back in the groove of sharing weekly writing prompts, professional reading musts, and my curriculum creations! With that, here is a prompt that could be used as a title or a sentence starter!

My Example:

The day I was the teacher I decided to take a nap. I called the students one-by-one to lay their head upon their desk, "Throw aside your homework, forget the assessment, the lesson's a wrap. It's time for a nap." I was tired of their belly aching and whining and rolling of the eyes, so tired in fact that I needed a snooze. And when we wake up, what have we to lose? Fighting sleep is the hardest thing for me to fight, and while I did with all my might, I gave up in round two, and barely made it to my desk before I closed my eyes and enjoyed the view. This is a sad attempt for rhyming, but the reason is super clear: I'm tired. So tired of grading, lesson planning, teaching, guiding, assessing, and loving on all of you.

Elementary Plant Seeds Unit

At this point in my life I am designing lessons for my 1st grader rather than the secondary units on English/Language Arts that I am used to creating. Originally, I thought I would look into a curriculum to purchase, but my smart husband made this point: that would be like being a master carpenter and hiring someone to build a fence. His point: my masters degree is in curriculum and instruction, therefore it just makes sense that I create it. His common sense approach is another reason why I am incredibly thankful for this man. I am so glad I took his advice, it has been fun designing and doing these lessons with my own child.

Objective

Introduce plant basics while learning the value of the Scientific Method: observation.

Lesson Format

Each particular lesson I create follows the 4MAT method - a learning and communication tool that takes into account the different ways students perceive information, learn, process and share what they learned. Each activity is purposeful and hands on; there are very few worksheets.

(Download your FREE 4MAT lesson plan template HERE.)

Length

This unit took us 4 weeks to complete, however, it can take as long as you wish. There is quite a bit of time on observation, so the amount of time you take to complete these particular activities is entirely up to you and the time you have or need. 

Cost

$8. This is the decision process I struggle with the most. This took me hours to complete and I did try it as a one-on-one lesson successfully for 4 weeks. If you purchase it, you are not even paying for my time, but my hope is that if you like it, you give it a high rating and encourage other teachers to purchase it to make up for that. The other side of the coin is this: teachers are always purchasing items for their classroom from their own pocket. I know $$ is short and do not want to overcharge.

How to Purchase

Follow this link to Teachers Pay Teachers: 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Plant-Seeds-4091638

Be sure to like my page or follow me via email or Facebook!