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Final Impressions of Secondary Literacy Pedagogy
The sun was shining, and the birds were singing. Albion students scurried to their second day of classes. The day was August 22, 2006. The class for the next two hours was titled Secondary Literacy Pedagogy. Professor Henke asked if we could define literacy. She handed us the syllabus and a work sheet with numerous definitions. We split into groups, and wrote down our personal analysis to each quote. The first quote stated, "the ability to read and write." My group decided that literacy was much more than reading and writing, but at this point in time, we did not know how to form an accurate definition to literacy. Class ended all too fast, and I was left pondering the question: What is literacy?
The days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months. October arrived and the understanding of literacy was well within my reach. Over the first month and a half, I learned ten different comprehension strategies. I was assigned K-W-L. I had to create a music lesson of some sort using this strategy. At first, I was baffled. How was I going to teach a music lesson and use a strategy where the students formed questions about what they wanted to learn? I have observed many teachers, but I never experienced them asking the students what they wanted to learn in the subject area. Immediately, I wondered how the students were going to take this. How would I manage a classroom based around what the students want to learn and meet standards? I thought about this for a day or two and decided to take a plan of action. I was going to teach a music theory lesson. I used my theory book, and choose a few pages text from the first chapter. I created lesson with a specific goal in mind. I wanted to make sure the students would learn the first six basic terms of music theory. I moved on, typing up my plan, and decided I would do the K, then the W, followed by the L. The lesson plan was right in front of me, and it was not too hard. However, I did not like creating the lesson. I did not know how I would allow the students to choose the material and still meet the requirements of my lesson. I knew a lot of them did not know anything about music, but I had to teach a hypothetical high school lesson to them and it had to be based on music. Prepared and still uncomfortable, I presented my strategy. It was not too bad. The students really participated and the questions that they wanted to learn were all within the topic and goal that I presented. As the lesson came to a conclusion, I was able to informally assess each student and their comprehension of the theory terms. Each person in the class answered one of the questions, which they formed earlier. After the lesson, I reflected on the situation, and realized I had my first answer to the definition of literacy. Literacy is reading new material, forming and answering questions, and arriving at an in - depth understanding of the topic. I achieved one idea as to what literacy may be, but there's a whole half of semester left. I knew I could find a better answer.
It is nearing the middle of November, and our class has explored various readings, taught numerous lessons, and watched movies discussing numerous learning disabilities and how to make our classroom accommodating for struggling students. Fires in the Bathroom discussed the students point of view in the classroom. The readings gave me a new insight to the way I should be thinking about my teaching. One of the most important aspects I learned from the book is that the students need to see value and relevance in each assignment. The next book we read School's Out ,opened my mind to the idea that most students learn to read and write out of class. As a result, their comprehension and approach to reading and writing take an approach that will allow them to function in their individual home environments. The later readings included novels that we were to base our final teaching lesson off. the curious incident of the dog in the night - time not only gave me the opportunity to read a book and teach a possible lesson, but also read a book that was wrote in the mind frame of an autistic child. I began to understand how some children with autism may think and why they may react very drastically to non - threatening situations. In an essence, the book opened my mind to a whole new world of the learning and the education process. Afterwards, we viewed a movie that took everyday people, and put them in the position of a struggling learner. The entire time the movie played, I was in complete awe. I could see where the presenter was going, and I asked myself. How would I teach a disabled learner in my music class? I know I could teach a person with dyslexia or some form of reading disability, but not if they have severe forms of cerebral palsy, or some disability that inhibited breathing, or natural body movement that it take to play an instrument. Even worse, how would I teach a blind student music? I know I would have to help them develop their listening skills and sense of pitch, but where does a music teacher start? Would it be alright for me to refer the student to a specialist? I have done a bit of research on this topic. Before I set my final conclusions, I am going to meet with my coordinating teachers and discuss this topic in depth.
The class is just about over. I believe I have the appropriate knowledge to define literacy for my students. The entire website combined with this conclusion page is one big definition of literacy. When asked to answer the question: What is literacy? I will tell you that it comes in all shapes, forms, and sizes. Literacy develops in the home, and diffuses itself into the school system. Some students will show a large production of literacy with each lesson and others will show small amounts. The important matter is that they grasp the large concept and have a desire to keep seeking more information. Literacy is not only an act of students comprehending different topics, but also the teacher teaching the appropriate amount of information in the appropriate forms. A teacher must teach the students, not the material. As a future teacher, this class gave me countless comprehension tools to share with my students for their learning benefit. The class also opened my eyes to the idea that I will not have normal people in my classroom. I will have everyone from the above average learner to the disabled learner. Literacy is the act of receiving a students attention and allowing them to learn from you. Literacy both in and out of school is the act of teaching, learning, and functioning of our everyday lives.
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Bibliography
Chushman, Kathleen. Fires on the Bathroom. New York: New York, 2003.
Haddon, Mark. the curious case of the dog in the night - time. New York: Doubleday, 2003.
Hull, Glynda, and Katherine Schultz. School's Out. New York: New York, 2002.
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Home Philosophy Resume Content Knowledge Growth and Development Learners and Learning Planning and Instruction
Management and Motivation Communication Learner Assessment Reflection Collaboration Conclusion
Student Teaching Experiences Secondary Literacy Pedagogy Final
