Adolescent Literacy

Mark Stirbens

READ 4035

Ms. Lara

Inquiry

Technology

Literacy

Goals & Learning Outcomes

Teaching Philosophy

Journal

Literacy Autobiobiography

Reflection of Blogs

Annotated Bibiography

Midterm & Final

Artifacts

“My educational philosophy is based upon my beliefs about the role of a teacher, teaching and learning, and expectations for students’ performance: conditions I advocate for are a productive learning environment: the types of learning experiences I advocate for my students: and the standards for learning I would establish for my own instructional program.”

“One theory I particularly follow is the constructivist style of learning: hands-on, student-directed learning in which the teacher acts as facilitator and not as all-knowing expert. Enhancing a student’s thought and thinking by giving them control can be powerful. They need to be involved to learn. Rows of classroom desks are a sterile, unproductive learning field. It’s best to get out of the status quo and think outside the box.”

Don’t forget about the creativity side of the brain. It can take you to places memorization can’t.

Philosophy

“To utilize teaching practices such as collaborative

learning, literacy circles, workshops, and research.”

“Exploring writing and reading assessments in their

purpose in accessing student’s performances.”

“Incorporate online resources as an instructional tool to

enhance middle school student’s literacy learning.”

This portfolio is setup to read like a book. After this page you will find

a table of contents with all the contents of the portfolio. The pages

are not numbered since this portfolio is always growing with new

resources and tools. I have included my goals, philosophy, journals,

and other reflections that I have learned. The end of the portfolio

includes artifacts that have been kept and displayed.

Setting up a blog for literacy circles

What a great way to incorporate technology into

traditional lit circles.

Technique: complete traditional lit circle, assign jobs,

but use a blog to interact and comment on book.

Reflection

I chose this artifact to be able to connect with

students in today’s times. The goals and outcomes are

for the students to be able to interact with each other

face to face and in a private setting. As well as

incorporating their technology experience and combine

that with their creativity. Being able to connect with

students is very important for me. By connecting I

intend to dig deep into the learning process with them. I

plan to use this resource early in the year to kick of a

specific unit.

Share a book

This is a great artifact to finish up a literacy circle. By having groups pick one of these accommodating

assignments all students can get a great feel for the book that group read.

WAYS TO SHARE BOOKS

1. Make a book jacket.

2. Prepare a one-page newspaper based on the book.

3. Make a diorama.

4. Do a pantomime or modern dance that tells part of the story.

5. Write a letter to the author, telling him how enjoyable his book was.

6. Dress up as a character from the book and dramatize a scene from it.

7. Create a “to tell the truth” panel.

8. Give an oral reading, with expression, of selections from the book.

9. Make a poster.

10. Pretend to b a salesman and “sell” the book.

11. Draw a picture illustrating part of the book.

12. Read a series of descriptive passages from the book.

13. Write a letter to a friend recommending the book.

14. Prepare a TV or radio broadcast of the story.

15. Write a business letter to a librarian stating why the book should be

purchased.

16. Keep a diary for a character from the book.

17. Make a comic strip telling the story.

18. Write a ballad or folk song telling the story.

19. Make a puppet of the main character in the story.

20. Make a mobile showing scenes about the story.

Contributed by Leslie Anne Sacks abcteach.com

Reflection

I chose this artifact because the sky is the limit when it

comes to creativity. A group has free reign over how

they want to share their book. The goal is to get the

other groups to find interest in a book they knew

nothing about and want to read it. The significance is to

let the student choose their own path and stimulate their

own critical thinking of a book. I would use this artifact

when the reading circle is completed and groups are to

present their books.

I am Poem Technique: Great opener to get to know your students

Web site to generate I am Poem: http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/iampoem.htm

Example:

"I Am"

I am honest and hard working

I wonder what the future holds

I hear Santa’s sleigh bells

I see the Death Star

I am honest and hard working

I pretend I am an actor

I feel the spring wind

I touch a tickle monster

I worry about children without homes

I cry for abused children

I am honest and hard working

I understand not everyone is perfect

I say you control your destiny

I dream of learning something new everyday

I try to inspire

I hope to be a role model

I am honest and hard working

Reflection

I chose this artifact in order to start that connection

process with my students. This artifact will ease the

pressures of first day gitters and help to break down the

wall so the learning can dig deeper. It’s personally

significant due to the fact that connecting with students

and knowing them is one important piece of the puzzle

for students to learn effectively. I plan to use this in the

beginning of the year, even perhaps the first day of class,

to get to know my students and to understand what is

important to them.

Current Events Lesson

Damond Moodie’s Current Events Lesson

Damond Moodie encourages his seventh-grade students to use multiple media avenues—television,

radio, newspapers, and the Internet—to access current events, develop opinions about them, and then

express and support those opinions in writing.

In Damond’s current events lesson, students bring in written summaries of news stories they’ve found

and share them with the class. The class selects three of the stories to research further, and students

ultimately write letters to the editor from topics that originated from these news stories.

Instructional Goals

Damond’s editorial lesson enables students to:

Connect with the current events and stories of the world around them.

Formulate opinions about current events.

Understand editorial writing.

Use the Internet and discussion boards to find stories that fit particular topics.

Materials

Current-event assignment sheet

Current-event rubric

Computer with Internet connection

Access to radio, television, newspapers, and Internet

Description of Lesson

Damond begins the lesson with a quick review of the guidelines—students must find a

newsworthy story and write at least a one-paragraph summary including two or more sentences

on why they chose the story. Students can use the Internet, newspaper, television, or radio as

the source for their story. They also must be prepared to share and discuss their summary in

class. The following day the students share the current events they have selected and summarized,

and then they engage in lengthy and lively discussions about the meaning and importance of

the stories. Each student also answers classmates’ questions about his or her topic. Following the

discussion, the students vote (anonymously) for their favorite stories. The three with the most votes

become the “stories of the week,” and the authors of the winning stories

identify the important facts from the story—who, what, when, where, why, and how—and record

them on the board for the whole class.

Damond uses the stories of the week to create the topics the students will use as a focus for the

next writing assignment—a broader variation on the themes addressed in the stories. For

example, in the classroom segment featured in Write in the Middle, one of the stories features a

study on the increase in trans-fatty acids in snack foods. Damond expands the topic to healthy

eating in general.Workshop 2, Moodie 2 Write in the Middle

Once the topics are determined, students working in groups move to the computer lab to find

stories based on their topic. They use a computer-based discussion board to post messages

describing the stories they’ve found, and each group decides on a story on which to focus the

individual letters to the editor they will be writing. Once the students have written drafts of their letters to the editor, they work in pairs to assist in

the editing and revision process. Damond has the students use a rubric to provide a focus for

the peer conferences. The students revise and edit based on the rubrics completed by their classmates, and Damond

will use the same rubric to assess the letters to the editor once they are in final draft form

Reflection

I chose this artifact because it lets the students find

events to write about that they can connect with.

The goal is to have the students find something that

interests them or that they are passionate about to

practice their writing skills. It’s significant because

not only do I get to know the students a little better

but having that connection to the assignment will

have the student take more ownership of the

assignment. I would use this lesson plan any time

to excite or reengage the student back into a more

focused state.