Synthesis of Literacy Course

Honestly, I learned numerous techniques this semester that I look forward to using in my classroom to enrich my students' learning. The subject that we covered that I think will have the biggest impact on my teaching is digital literacy. I absolutely loved the day that we had to just play around with various websites. It introduced me to sources that I never knew were out there. I had no idea you could create your own comic or make your own animated movie. Before this class when I thought about using technology in the classroom I thought of using projectors, movies, and music. Now my view of digital literacy in the classroom has expanded greatly. I have learned that there are many resources out there. I have also learned that technology should only be used when it enriches your lesson and not as a nice little add-on. I plan to use technology in large variety of ways in my classroom for everything from book reports to writing assignments.

Another important thing I learned from this course are the variety of vocabulary and comprehension strategies that we learned. Throughout most of my education vocabulary involved reading the definitions from textbooks and dictionaries. I always knew that there were other types of vocabulary strategies but I never really knew what they were. As an English teacher, the strategies we learned in class will be immensely helpful in helping my students understand the technical terms of my subject. The same thing goes for the comprehension strategies that we discussed. Most my teachers have simply given me a book or story and told me to read. As a good reader, this wasn't much of a struggle for me. However, I could see that this was difficult for students who didn't enjoy reading or struggled with. Now that I have learned about specific comprehension strategies I plan to use them frequently in my own classroom. Every reading assignment will have a variety of before,during, and after strategies to build students comprehension and reach out to diverse learners.

Overall, I learned a lot from this class that will make me a better teacher than I would have been without it. I plan to use a large number of the strategies and subjects that we discussed this semester in my classroom.

Self Selected Project: Extended digital text

I designed a xtranormal.com movie for my project. The movie was a conversation based on the play "Raisin in the Sun". The scene is supposed to be a prediction of what happened just after one of the main characters Walter received a large sum of money from his mother. He goes to the bar to discuss plan with some friends that he is planning on going into business with. I learned several things from this process. I learned that Xtranormal has a lot of cool resources to make an animated movie. Students can choose stock characters to tell their story. They can add emotions to the characters, make them move, and make them move.  Before being introduced to this website in class, I really had no idea that a website like this existed. It was fairly easy to use and I think students would have lots of fun using it. There are several pitfalls to this website however. You have to have points to create a movie. You start off with three hundred points and then you have to buy more. There are some things that don't require points but in order to use a lot of resources you have to have points. Another pitfall to this website is the fact that at most only two character can be featured in the movie. This might make it hard for students to portray stories or plays that have more than two characters in them.  The final pitfall would be that fact that the voices are very generic. They sound like a computer voice. However, students do have the opportunity to record their own voices which is kind of cool.
       
         I see myself using this website in several different ways in my classroom. Students could use it to create a new and original story. This is a way to make students have fun with writing and would reach those students who are often reluctant to write. It could also be used in a similar way that I used it. I could ask students to make stories predicting what they think might happen next in a book or what might have happened in a situation that the author failed to cover in detail. One final way I would use this in my classroom is to help students give book reports. Students could choose their favorite seen from a book and create a movie to tell others about their book.

I think I will use many different kinds of digital texts in my classroom. I see myself using blogs for discussion purposes, I want to ask students to create movies using both Xtranormal and YouTube. I think the best way to support students in their endeavors to create digital text is to offer them choices and variety. I think with most of my digital assignments I will allow for a lot of creativity. While I will have certain requirements, the assignments will be open-ended as possible. I would probably evaluate students' projects mostly on effort and time spent. However, their will be some points for meeting the few requirements. I hope to make digital texts an integral part of my classroom.

Connecting School and Home

My early home experiences truly shaped how I view my discipline. I am not sure when I really started reading and enjoying it but I do know that it was largely due to my family. I definitely come from a family of readers. I remember that in his spare time my father was constantly reading Stephen King and Dean Koontz books. I remember that my grandmother was always reading similar things and also reading things such as V.C. Andrews and Mary Higgins Clark. Not only did I see my grandma reading a lot but she was always trying to get my to read new books. I feel like reading was really encouraged in my childhood. As a result of observing their reading and being introduced to lots of new books by my grandma, I became an avid reader. I was really interested in mystery novels similar to the ones my dad and grandmother were reading. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I really came to value reading and read constantly instead playing on the playground like other children. I definitely feel like reading was very positively represented in my family. Many kids come to view reading as boring and something school makes you do. I never felt like that. I always felt like reading was a hobby to be loved and enjoyed.

I feel like my view on reading could be extremely useful in the classroom. As I said before, there are many kids who come from homes where reading simply isn't valued. Many students only read when required to at school and as a result their reading skills suffer. However, what I think really got me into reading was being introduced to books that I was truly interested in. I think that introducing kids to books that they are interested in is the key to helping them become good readers. I would love to start my school year off with a book that students choose themselves. I would provide students with ideas and suggestions of what they could read. Letting students choose a book that they are truly interested in will not only get them reading but will introduce me to what they are interested in. This will allow me to get to know my students better and plan lessons and activities around their interest. When students feel a connection to the classroom, they learn better and enjoy their education more.

My Teaching Philosophy

In my years as a student I have come to value the power that literature and writing can have on every aspect of life. It has become apparent to me that both reading and writing allow us to extend and deepen our thinking and understanding of the world around us. As an English teacher I want to share that knowledge with my students and instill in them the value of writing and the application of literature in their every-day life. I believe that the way to bridge the gap that students often feel between the subject of English and their every-day lives is to present students with a wide variety of literature and opportunities for discussion and writing.

            I believe that, as Leslie Marman Silko says in Ceremony, “You don’t have anything if you don’t have the stories.” Stories do not just tell us about someone’s life, but can help us to learn more about our own identity. Stories can be found in all types of literature, fiction and non-fiction. For example, resumes can tells a story about experience and who a person really is. Writing is not just a collection of stories and essays, but a way to extend their thinking and understanding of the world. I plan to help students understand this by offering students numerous opportunities to write. Writing opportunities will be a core part of my instruction. I will give students the opportunity to learn effective ways to write about themselves, literature, and the world around them. The focus of these writing opportunities will not lie solely on the essay but also on forms such as poetry, narratives, and daily journals. There will be opportunities for creative writing as well as scholarly writing.

            In addition to covering a wide variety of genres, I believe that it is important to allow students some freedom in their writing. I will offer prompts that allow students several different options and topics to explore. Scholarly writing prompts will be open enough for students to explore several avenues. Most poetry and narratives will be open for students to explore their own ideas. I believe that when students are given freedom to write about what they want, they are more able to connect personally with writing. They are more able to find value in their writing. I think it is important to allow students freedom in the beginning. However, as students’ writing skills improve I think it is crucial to require students to focus in on assigned topics. Focus on a certain topic teaches students how to write for a defined purpose and audience.

            Grading strategies are also vital to fostering students’ interest in writing. I believe that when students first begin writing, it is important to grade solely on participation. On early drafts and writing projects it is simply important to give encouraging comments that will guide students to strengthen their writing skills and ideas. I believe that the end product is what is truly important. This approach gives students an opportunity to express opinions in non-threatening way and gives me an opportunity to see where they stand in their skill and understanding. As I teacher, I will require several drafts before a grade is given. I think that by allowing for drafts,  my students will be more able to improve their writing because they feel that they are not being judged for the early efforts. By grading only the final product, I think students will find grading to be fair and easier to understand.

            Writing has shaped my life in many ways. Throughout my schooling I have learned that words are powerful. I hope to instill in students this same idea. Through teaching many forms of writing,  I will give students the freedom to explore different topics and  through gradual grading students will be to see writing as a non-threatening and enjoyable experience. They will come to see that stories and words matter. 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Reading!

I have always been an avid reader. I don' t know where it started but from a very young age I have always enjoyed reading. When I was in elementary school I would read through recess instead of doing things that other normal kids did. At family parties I would read my books instead of playing with the other kids. Whenever I wanted to escape from the world I would turn to books and lose myself in imaginary worlds. Reading was my favorite hobby and I spent a lot of time doing it.

Am I "good reader"? I am not sure. I love to read and I feel like I read pretty fast but I don't know if that particularly classifies me as a "good reader". I feel like a "good reader" does more than just enjoy a book. A "good reader" should look for symbols, comprehend themes on a deep level, and those sort of things. I do that when I am required to for a college class but not very often when I am reading just to read. So I guess I can be a "good reader" but I am not a "good reader" when I am reading for my own enjoyment. I feel that is the case with most people though.

I read and enjoy several different genres of books. All throughout my life I have always enjoyed science-fiction and mystery books. Since starting college I have also really enjoyed reading "the classics". Some of my favorite books include The Hunger Games trilogy, Wuthering Heights, The Harry Potter series, and Pride and Prejudice. I always a enjoy a good murder mystery too by authors such as James Patterson and Iris Johansen.

The occasions when I really enjoy reading are when the book is interesting, I am reading for enjoyment, and when I actually have the time to do it (which is very rare these days). I almost always enjoy reading for pleasure and sometimes reading for school as well. Most of the time when I enjoy reading for school it is because I find the subject matter interesting and the words lively.

While I enjoy reading the majority of the time, there are also times when reading bores me to death. Reading text books and scholarly essays usually bores me to death, especially if they are really long. I have always felt there is little excitement in these kinds of reading. There is no suspense or surprise and the majority of these kinds of text are written with very dry and boring words. They never seem to hold my attention. I know that these kind of reading is key to learning but it is very hard to enjoy.

As I child I never really felt like my reading was discouraged. I come from a family who really loves reading. Whenever I was trying to find a book to read, my grandma was ready with a million suggestions. I remember my dad reading Stephen Kings books frequently. I feel like reading was really encouraged in my home. I may have been teased a little bit when I read at recess but I really didn't let it bother me much. Eventually I found friends who loved reading as much as I did and  we would would swap books frequently. So I feel like I never truly suffered because I loved to read.

I think in order to help students love reading it is truly important to offer choice and variety. I most enjoyed reading when I was able to choose a book that I truly enjoyed and I think that most students feel the same way. In my own classroom, I will offer students as much choice in reading as possible. I could do things such as book clubs where students choose books that interest them most and work with other classmates to form an understanding of their book. I will also avoid the sort of dry scholarly reading that I know most students abhor. I will use it very sparingly and when I do use it I will try to offer choices to students so that they can read something that interests them. I will make sure my students know that everyone can learn to be a "good reader" and learn to love writing.

Affective Dimensions of Writing

I have loved writing ever since I was a young child. I have always loved that writing has given me the opportunity to express my thoughts, opinions and feelings. It is the main way that I express my ideas. Whenever I need to think something through or have too many thoughts in my head, writing is always a huge help. While I enjoy writing and do it occasionally, I am not sure I would consider myself a writer. To me, a write is someone who writes very frequently. However, I do not think they you need be "a writer" to love and enjoy writing.

As a child I mostly wrote fictional stories that were assigned in school. I found lots of enjoyment in writing them. I remember that my stories always had a sense of drama or adventure such as my cat getting kidnapped and held for ransom. I always enjoyed writing but I started to do it more often on my own after some kind praise for my sixth grade elementary teacher. I wrote some silly story about leprechaun and some adventure with my friends. When I got my story back she expressed that she thought I had a talent for writing and could be really good if I kept at it. Maybe she was just being kind like most elementary teachers are but she truly sparked something in me. I believe that the was the beginning of my path on deciding to major in English, as silly as that may sound.

As I have grown older my writing preferences have definitely shifted. I now enjoy writing non-fiction pieces. In high school I took a creative writing class that really got me interested in poetry and that is still what I enjoy for personal writing today. I feel like poetry gives me the freedom to express myself in a more in depth way than simply writing a story. I also enjoy keeping a journal (although I have been a big slacker the last few months). I think journals are fun because they help us remember experience in our day to day life that we may not have remembered otherwise. I enjoy being able to read through a journal and reflect on how my life as changed. 

As I have stated above I really enjoy writing about personal experiences. So naturally I do not enjoy writing things such as formal essays and research papers. I have always had difficulty motivating myself to complete these kinds of assignments in school. They have always seemed tedious and boring. I also feel like while there is a lot of freedom in these kinds of writing, they are much more confining than the more personal forms.

I think my experiences with writing as a student have taught me that variety is important. Students enjoy different things so they need to be given the opportunity to write about different things. Some students are like me and really just enjoy expressing themselves. Other students enjoy doing research and learning new things. A classroom should provide students with the opportunity to learn all different types of writing and help them find a form they truly love.

Introduction

Hello! My name is Chelsie Staker. I am in my fifth year of school at USU and my major is English. I am also minoring in Psychology. I am from Clearfield which is about an hour south of Logan. I am the oldest of 7 (3 brothers and 3 sisters). I am really close with all of my siblings and love goofing around with them. My oldest brother is almost finished serving an LDS mission in Brazil and I CANNOT wait to see him. I got married a little over three months ago to my high school sweetheart. It has been fun getting used to married life and starting our lives together. My hobbies really consist of reading, listening to music, watching crime shows, and hanging out with family and friends. I really just love spending time with my husband and relaxing at home.

To me, English is the study and application of language. It isn't just reading or writing essays to please the teacher. English is the opportunity to explore universal themes and feelings. It is the opportunity to consider things in ways you might not have before. Through English classes, students should learn to relate literature that they read to "every-day" life. English classes should also to teach students how to express themselves in writing and how to use writing to serve their own purposes. Overall, I think the one thing that English really teaches is critical thinking.

What really drew me to English was my love for the written word and the power it has to move us. I loved that I could read a book about a fictional character and find ways in which their situation or feelings related to mine so deeply. I wanted to be able to show others just how powerful words can be. While not everyone enjoys reading, it is possible for everyone to find literature or words that they truly love. I was also drawn to English because I enjoy writing. I enjoy the freedom that writing gives us to express ourselves in ways that we cannot through speaking. Writing gives us the freedom to say things we normally wouldn't or to look at things in a different way than we would have before.

My current definition of literacy is the ability to read, comprehend and apply knowledge. Does this mean understanding everything perfectly and applying it right away? No. To me literacy is a process. In order to learn something you have to start at a very basic level and climb your way up. Everyone learns in different ways and on different levels. The tricky part of teaching is being able to help everyone gain the highest form of literacy possible when everyone is so different. I think that literacy definitely relates to the subject of English. It is the basic goal of English. In English classes students are expected to be able to read literature, apply it to many situations, comprehend what they have read, and write about it in such a way that they show they understand the key themes of the books. Literacy is key to success in an English classroom.