Saturday, December 11, 2010

McGraw Hill Offers Strategies for Success in Reading in the Content Areas


Check out this article Reading in the Content Areas: Strategies for Success.  It discusses that content area teachers have to tackle reading strategies of reading their text in order to see students success; the responsibility does not lie solely with the language arts teacher.  One valid point that made sense to me...someone with a Ph. D. in history may find a manual on building a car engine a difficult text for them.  But because they are a proficient reader they have the skills to read, reread, paraphrase, consider context of the words, infer, question, reflect and consult other authentic texts to reinforce learning that is occurring.  Struggling readers cannot read difficult texts because they do not have all the skills it took for the Ph. D. to make sense of the text.  Check this out! 

Be a Change Agent in Your School!

This article written by Jen Louden will motivate you to be that change agent in your school that will make the difference for your students!  We all want to do the best thing.  While it is not always easy, it is necessary.  Check out Being a Change Agent- An Inner Approach with Outer Impact.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Here is my motivation: Written by one of my most challenging students last year

Every year my principal asks our 5th graders to write letters to past teachers that have impacted them.  I get some each year and they are nice to read.  I get excited when I see the letters in the mail box and cannot wait to see who wrote to me.  This year was the changing year for those letters for me.  I got one letter that I will share with you that changed the way I thought about my students and how what I do can change them.  This student was the most frustrating student I have ever had.  She made me mad enough to cuss secretly inside my head.  She was one of those kids that could push your buttons in 5 seconds flat if you let her.  Here is her letter to me. I will include my thoughts in parenthesis for you.


"Dear Mrs. Engle,
            When I first found out I got you as a teacher I was happy (SWEET!).  After I spent the first week with you I hated you. You were gonna be like every teacher I already had (Oh my...I felt like throwing up as soon as I read the words.  I actually had to reread to make sure that is what she said.).  No one ever likes me so I might as well act like it (That she did.)  Then one day you were so mad at me that you started crying when I went out to recess.  I felt happy at first that I made you cry, but then I got sad when I got home (I didn't know that she knew she made me cry.)  I wanted you to like me and not give up on me.  I thought you cared enough to give me another chance so I decided I was going to try hard the next day (and she did).  I decided to like you and learning because you liked me and cared about your own learning.  You explored topics and learned just like we did.  You even wrote stories, poems, and persuasive letters.  By the way...did your husband ever get you a puppy yet?  He needs to cause that was a good letter.  You had nine reasons so it should have worked (she paid way more attention than I ever thought and no my husband didn't care about any of my reasons.)    You and I had our moments but you always treated me like a person and just because I acted up one minute you gave me another chance like ten minutes later.  You hardly ever kicked me out and I didn't get many detentions.  You did let me stay after school and work and that was nice.  You have good snacks.   Keep buying the chocolate animal crackers and your kids will be happy (glad she liked them).  Have a good summer.  Good luck next year.  I will miss the only teacher that ever cared about me enough to keep after me (I felt horrible that she did not feel that other teachers cared about her because I know that they did.  She was not easy to show attention and love towards though.  I struggled with it all year long.) 

Sincerely,
Your Student

P.S.
Thank you for working with me and believing in me.  You thought I could do anything if I tried enough times and now I do to."

This got me fired up to keep it up when it is hard to do.  Keeping yourself motivated will help keep your students motivated.  If you do not care then they will not either.

Barbara Gross Davis says what I NOW Know to be True!

"Unfortunately, there is no single magical formula for motivating students."  Isn't that the truth?  She offers much to say in her article, Motivating Students .   She provides information about general strategies, tailoring your instruction to engage students, changing your teaching style and demeanor to appeal to students and to motivate them, and other items like motivating students by simply responding to their work.  This lady makes sense.  You MUST read this article! 

Advice from Berkley University to its Professors

Berkley publishes on its website a list of links and pieces of advice that they give professors for motivating their college students.  I think that educators at any level can look at some of the advice and apply it to whatever age students that they have.  Most items make sense and would be something that all of us would want for our students no matter how old or young they are!  Below is the link for the website.  


Reach Every Student


The name of this website appealed to me right way.  My number one goal as an educator...the reason that I got into this business was to reach children and to make an impact on their lives.  This website offers strategies and insights to motivating students.  I will be be upfront in telling you that not all of the links work for the information presented, but the many that do and the articles they offer make up for the few that do not have an active link attached.  There are many great articles attached to links provided that can help you understand motivation a bit more so that you can offer the best to your students. 

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Wonderful, FREE resource to prep yourself to teach reading in the content areas!

I have found a link to one of my new favorite books, written by Judy S. Richardson, Raymond F. Morgan, and Charlene E. Fleener, Reading to Learn in the Content Areas.  This book is online in its most of its entirety for free!  I noticed like 3 or 4 pages missing.  The focus of the whole book is the role of literacy in across all areas of academics and non.  It focuses on writing to learn and vocabulary.  It encourages reflection and touches on technology and the concept as to why the textbook cannot stand alone!  You MUST check out this resources if you teach in one content area or across the board like I do.  You will have your eyes opened and your enthusiasm awakened!