Module 2 Blog and Interviews

This week I got to go into a library and observe a guided reading program that was taking place.  The librarian was very helpful when talking to her about some questions I have with early literacy.  One of my first questions is how does she think the school is doing when it comes to promoting early literacy?  She replied by saying that she thinks that the school district has implemented many new techniques for working with all students and reading.  The new program has songs, books, and actions that relate the sounds of words and and letters together.  I then asked her how the reading program is within the school district.  She said that overall the reading program could use a little work but in a small school district getting the funding for new books every year and new programs can be difficult.  After interviewing her I watched her and a first grade teacher perform what they call a guided reading center.  

It was very exciting to see the children learning to read because their faces would light up when they could read and sound out new words.  During the guided reading the teacher and librarian would allow the child to sound out the words on their own before helping out.  I think that parents sometimes do not always allow for their child to do so because they do not want to see them struggling.  She stated that she has three young boys and sometimes has a hard time letting them read out loud by themselves because she wants to help them out as soon as she hears that they are having trouble, natural instinct she said! This is an important learn step when it comes to reading.  I know that in my classroom it can be hard for me and my assistant to not help the children sometimes and let them try to figure it out themselves.  After the guided reading I was able to interview the teacher of the classroom while the students were read to. I asked her what sort of problems she encounters with her students and reading levels.  One of the issues she brought up is that she feels like some of her students do not have the same amount of time at home to practice their reading or the same variety of books to read from as well.  This was a realization for me because I guess I never really thought about how many books children have at home before.  I also asked her what other ways she promotes literacy within her classroom and she showed me a sample book that she uses.  She also said that she reads at least three times a day to the children because she feels the need to expand the child’s vocabulary by reading.  Overall I had a great time interviewing and watching the children interact during their reading time.  

Blog 1 Interview

For my first interview I got to meet with a librarian of the local elementary school.  She had a lot of insights on what teachers and parents can do in order to help their child become a better reader.  I want to focus on early literacy because I feel like reading is at the top of things that children struggle with these days.  She was able to show me sets of books that the schools use in order to promote early literacy, some of which are from scholastic book company, which parents would be able to purchase as well.  I am excited to go back because she is letting me sit in on a small reading group of first graders.

                I also interviewed a first grade teacher who helped me get even more excited to research the topic of early literacy.  She described to me the differences she sees in her classroom when it comes to reading and writing.  She expressed her thoughts about why some children lack in reading and writing and some of it had to do with the parents not being as educated as others along with how culturally the students differ in skills.  I think this would be a good topic for in my paper, research how different cultures put more time into teaching children to read and write.  I also plan on focusing one topic on products that are available to parents to use at home to help their child if they are struggling in reading. 

                If anyone else knows of any good topics to focus on or products that would be helpful let me know. Thanks!

First Blog

This is my first blog post...hopefully I did this correctly!