Ashley Blackwelder December Post: Inquiry in the Classroom

When our school first took on this challenge of STEAM-focused instruction last year, there were a lot of nerves. A lot of us were overwhelmed by terms like "STEAM" and "inquiry," as we immediately envisioned massive building projects, Lego robotics, and a host of other projects that we assumed would require either expensive materials or a level of expertise that we didn't have.
As the year went on, however, many of us began to realize that we were already doing so many of the things that were expected of us in a STEAM- or inquiry-focused classroom.  Why? Because we were connecting to our students, giving them the opportunity to ask questions, and providing them with resources to find answers that they wanted to know. That's the whole point of inquiry: to encourage our students to ask questions and enable them to make discoveries on their own. We still made many changes to our instruction, because once we realized what our students needed, we wanted to do an even better job of it.  As fifth grade decided to "re-vamp" our units from previous years to include more opportunities for inquiry and discovery, I worked harder on lesson plans AND in the classroom than I had in years. And I loved it! It was a lot of work--and, yes, it did require me to give up a certain amount of control in my classroom--but it also got me excited about teaching these topics again. Even better, the level of excitement, motivation, and success I saw in my students was amazing. Their response to our inquiry-based units convinced me that it was worth the risk and effort.
Now that I am in a new position at our school, I love that I get to help other teachers work on these types of units all the time.  We are all definitely still learning about how to best meet the needs of our students, but I see the fear of STEAM/inquiry slowly starting to melt away.  I haven't heard the question "But is it STEAM?" in quite a while, because we are all starting to understand that we don't have to do magic to "do STEAM." All we have to do is allow our students some freedom to find out more about the things that really interest them. And, yes, we can still do that while teaching the content that is required. What kid doesn't want to know more about the crazy creatures at the bottom of the ocean...or what really happens when you get trench foot...or what happened to the first dog in space? We start by getting them "hooked" on some aspect of a topic we're learning, and then let the wondering begin!
One thing that I really enjoy about inquiry in the classroom is how easily we can base it on our reading. When we were planning our 5th grade units, we started every lesson with a short, shared reading about some fascinating/shocking/gross detail of whatever topic we were covering. It worked EVERY TIME. Not only were they hooked, but the questions my students asked were so impressive and insightful...and enough to keep them interested, often throughout the entire unit. One thing that I have really enjoyed about my new position this year is that Heather and I have been able to do some planning together. We've put together several school-wide, inquiry-based events, and we always keep the focus on literacy.  This month, we're really excited to bring a STEAM Family Night to our school. We'll read The Popcorn Book, by Tomie de Paola, allow our students and families to ask and answer questions based on their reading, give them some time to share what they've discovered, and help them to collaborate with our other families using Padlet. It will be a great way to remind everyone that inquiry doesn't have to be intimidating--all we have to do is inspire our kids enough to make them wonder, and allow them the freedom to investigate. No matter what we call it, it's what we should always be striving to do for our students.

Kyra Woodyard December Blog; Routman Chapter 8 Teach Comprehension

Of the chapters I have read thus far, Teach Comprehension has been my favorite and most meaningful. Routman breaks down teaching comprehension to our students in a way that makes sense. She shows us how we typically teach comprehension in reading by using basic strategies, we assume our students know how to do these. They can put into play what we spend weeks practicing but never really understand why they are supposed to do that practice; make connections, ask questions, mark up the text, and make inferences, to name a few. As teachers we assume our students are understanding a text if they are fluent as they read, Routman mentions as we get into intermediate grades, this is not true. Just because my 5th grader can read 95% on a 9th grade level does not mean she is able to have a meaningful conversation with me about what she just read.

Routman talks about in this chapter we should model the practices we want students to use daily. We should get up in front of the class with a challenging article, read it aloud, and try to talk about it. Discuss how we, as the teacher, struggle to understand what we read. We then should reread the text and show our students that once we have reread a text we can make more meaningful connections and begin having a conversation about what we read.

I like a lot of the practices Routman discusses in this chapter. It opens my eyes how to better teach comprehension to my struggling readers. I need to take more time to model reading text in front of my class. Model how I break down something I may not find super interesting, how I struggle to stay focused and keyed in as i read through the article the first time. As I reread the article to my students I stop and show them where I make key notes, what I underline to be important, and where I make connections. I believe doing these few things would benefit my students who struggle and maybe even make my life a little less stressful. I think sometimes as teachers, we forget to just sit down and be honest with our students and show them how we read for pleasure.

Helen Reed - Blog Post 5 (Dec.) - Routman Ch. 9: Emphasize Shared Reading

I purposefully selected this chapter to read because I was unsure of if I was incorporating a shared reading component into my literacy instruction. I also wondered, that if I was (as I thought I might be), was I doing it correctly?  As it turns out, after reading and reflecting on the chapter, I do indeed incorporate shared reading, but not during my ‘Literacy’ time in the day.

I realized that I do shared reading in regards to social studies and science.  I will distribute an article about the topic we are learning about to each student and then we will read it together.  I normally start by reading the beginning and throughout we will pause and talk about the article.  The students will also have the opportunity to read and we discuss and annotate alongside the article.  Until now, I did not realize how many literacy strategies I do incorporate when we are reading an article as a class.  When I ask students questions, I always have them go back into the text and underline or circle where they found the answer. (I tell them that they have to prove it to me). When they do this they are rereading the text, finding the answer, and/or inferring the answer.  When we pause while reading, I will have the students turn and talk with their partner and summarize the sections we just read, ask the students what questions they have, or name some unknown words that we need to figure out.  Each student has their own article and can follow along while we read and mark up the text.  While I’ve been teaching this social studies or science content, I’ve really just been thinking about social studies or science.  But honestly, it is like an additional 30 plus minutes of literacy instruction, with a focus on non-fiction texts! 

I would like to incorporate more shared reading with fiction texts, as I have not included that at all. (I’ve really only done read alouds.)  I’m thinking since we are working on poetry right now, I could easily give everyone a copy of a poem that we could share read.  I hope to incorporate more of the strategies Routman suggested such as reading aloud with a partner to practice fluency, summarize what they read, and then respond in writing to questions discussed.

Olivia McNorrill - Post #5, Routman, Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - Share Your Reading Life

Young students emulate their teachers. One only has to listen carefully at the lunch table, recess, and/or center time to hear students pretend to be them. After all, children spend a majority of their waking hours in school so it is a natural occurrence. Why not use this natural tendency to expand their reading habits?  The benefits are well worth the extra effort to share and model our personal reading life.

As a lover of literature, I enjoy sharing my passion for reading with students. Reading together is one of the many highlights of my day. To vocally bring a book to life, share the magic of discovering, create a connection among the class, and wet the appetite for more has long been a goal.   My approach to reading a book, questions I ask while reading, how I review a book, and how I select a new book as well as my next are a few strategies of being a reader shared with my students. Now, I am challenged to take it even further after reading how Regie Routman approaches her reading life in the classroom.

One area that I plan to implement into our reading routine is the importance of having personal libraries. While I mainly read now on my Kindle, I still have books that I purchase and collect. B sharing my personal library (both electronic and printed) and why I cherish having each one, will I hope inspire the students to have a new approach to the books collected at home. Teaching students how to begin and maintain a personal library is critical for reading success. "Kindergarten students who do well in school own more than fifty books, at a minimum!" (Routman, p. 27)

I have been part of the same monthly book group for at least ten years now. Over the years, we have read and discussed a variety of genres. We have served food from the book or area the story took place, traveled on a boat while discussing a story that took place on the water, and hosted a few authors when possible to discuss the book with them. Also, we have book swaps, discuss favorite authors, and favorite books so we always have books or ideas for books to read. Bringing a book group and/or book discussion element into the classroom is a great way to enhance a students' reading life and develop comprehension.

In our age of technology, students need to realize that electronic books are just as valuable as printed copies. Keeping a reading record/log/journal can help keep that tangible. I have never kept one but after reading about it, I see the value of maintaining a record of reading accomplishments and as an encouragement for further reading. But, it must be authentic and not time consuming. The goal is to teach procedures and expectations in keeping a meaningful log of books read not to overwhelm students (and parents) with multiple requirements of number of pages read, minutes read, who did the reading, etc. The reading record should be something that a student wants to maintain as a prideful reminder of his/her reading history.

I desire to further enhance and develop the reading lives of my students. Reading gives me so much pleasure, new perspectives,connections to others, thrilling adventures and so much more. I want the same for every one of my students. Through modeling how to establish and maintain a personal library, start book groups/discussions, and maintain reading records, I know my students' reading lives with flourish.

Sara Margaret West-December Blog-Routman Ch. 3-Share Your Reading Life

As a classroom teacher we cannot make reading be another thing students add to their to-do list.  We need to encourage them to be "real-world" readers and to show them what reading looks like. We can do this by sharing with them what our reading life looks like.

As adults, we read what we want to, when we want to, for as long as we want to do so.  Realistically speaking, we cannot let them read for as long as they want. (although I admit, I sometimes let independent reading last a little longer that needed). In the school world we have other things we have to do, other things we have to teach and cannot spend all day on literacy (although how nice would that be).   We can; however, model for students what our reading like looks like.

Each year I try and read as many "kid" books as possible.  The school year is the time I put my reading list to the side and focus on reading books I believe my students would enjoy.  I do this for two reasons: 1) I can make knowledgeable book recommendations 2) I can prove to my students that reading can be fun.  I try to do book talks with my students by pulling up Amazon and sharing with them some books that I have read.  I want students to know that I read for pleasure and read things that I am excited to share with them.

A few years ago I read The Book Whisper by Donalyn Miller.  She talked about how you need to encourage the love of reading in your students.  There are many things from her book that impacted me as a teacher and many things that I have implemented into my own classroom.  My favorite thing was The Book Lover's Book (BLB).  Each year I make it a  priority for me and my students to create their own BLB.  In this notebook, we keep track of mini-lessons, vocabulary, Book Club information, books we have read, and books we want to read.  Unfortunately, there are some years I do not do a great job with using this notebook, but there are other years, my students leave and it is packed full.  The one part I do emphasize is the list of books we have read.  This is our reading log where we can keep track of what we have read, refer back to it when people need recommendations, and use it to being book talks.  The BLB allows me to share reading life and encourages me to keep reading those books!

Christina Duvall, December Blog: Routman Chapter 6, Plan for and Monitor Independent Reading

This chapter was a great reminder of the value of independent reading. The biggest take away for me is the fact that if you want any child to improve in reading, allow for more independent reading opportunities. Routman maintains that her reading program was not simply a "take your book out and read" program, but that it involved more aspects such as keeping students accountable for using decoding strategies used in class and setting goals to further improve reading. It was key for me to read this. I tend to do too much multi-tasking during our morning independent reading time (such as assisting certain students who may have make-up work to complete, welcoming and situating a latecomer, briefly checking over spelling homework) on top of trying to observe and informally conference with students. So the quality of my assessing and helping students suffers.I want to make a better effort to devote that independent reading time to working indirectly (monitoring and listening) and directly (checking for comprehension, decoding assistance) with my students.

I also agree with what Routman says about fluency: "Fluency involves much more than smooth reading." This is something that I often overlook myself. She gives the example of bringing in a difficult textbook or manual to read aloud fluently to the class, allowing them to see that even though you can read words well, you can barely make meaning from the text. I have one student this year who struggles with comprehension. Her word calling fluency is usually very accurate, but her comprehension fluency is weak, even with pictures to support the text. She needs repeated vocabulary, question rephrasing, and constant re-reading of text to assist with this. So when envisioning myself reading a manual like the above example suggests, it allowed me to better understand how this student struggles and how to keep helping her.  I also like the idea of congratulating a student for acknowledging that a book is too difficult because it is not understood. More often in first grade I will get "this book is too hard for me, I can't read the words," (and often this could be for various reasons like a student who picked a book due to its appealing cover rather than checking for "just right" words, the book was based off a popular theme or movie, etc.)  but it does take some higher level awareness for students to admit when they can't understand a book.

Lynn Brady's January Blog Miller Section 2

January Blog 6 Lynn Brady Miller Section 2: Why Independent Reading Matters and the Best Practices to Support It

          As I read the first sentence of this section, I got very excited. The sentence was “Does Independent Reading Influence Students Achievements?”  In my heart I was saying yes because as a teacher you want to help your students be successful. As I continued to read, I saw where studies showed that independent reading was an essential practice. I provide lots of reading opportunities in my classroom and also ask students to read at home every night. I agree with the author when she stated that if our goal for students is to read independently then we have to make it a practice that happens during classroom time and outside of classroom time. Reading in class allows me the opportunity to conference and observe what and to see that students are actually reading. I was interested in the fact from a study that was mentioned about how different time allotments should be provided for students at different stages of development. I found that to be very interesting. I had never thought about that.  I might have to agree with that statement since I do notice how the better readers in my class will read the entire time versus the poorer readers tend to stop reading before time is over. One area I do have difficulties with is my class library. I am not sure how to set it up to be most effective and kid friendly in my room. I did like reading about the Genre Wheel that this article suggested. I might give that a try to see if that helps my students become better familiar with all the different genres and not just read fiction and non-fiction. This will help them to become more familiar with other terms like mysteries, fantasy and folktale. As I read over all the studies mentioned in this chapter, I was glad to see that I do some of the suggested strategies in my classroom. However, I also read about some strategies that I would like to implement into my Independent Reading time. I really enjoyed reading this chapter and made lots of notes. I hope to be able to improve my reading practices by using some of their ideas.