Synthesis of my Literacy Course

Over the course of this fall semester of 2011, I have had the opportunity to take a Literacy course. In this course I have learned that literacy is important to all students, not just those who already have great skills. Here is an interesting side note.... Even the students doing the best in our classes don't necessarily have all the literacy tools they need to be the most successful. We determined that many of us didn't really learn how to write, study, or research until COLLEGE!! Yes, College!! I know I am included in some of that. There is so much we can add to our classes that will help our students since reading and writing are NOT really taught after 3rd grade. I find this a little overwhelming and have spent lots of time thinking about how I can change that in my FACS classes since I don't have to choose to have a lot of writing in my class. The following is what I have concluded.
Writing is important. Students need to know how to write for jobs, college, and communication. I feel that many students loose their like for writing in their early-middle school years because it becomes so technical. I can totally relate. Through writing assignments as a teacher I can encourage my students to write at their level. How? Well, first of all I think that students be graded for completion of the writing assignment no matter how big or small it may be. And second, it means I have to be willing to read each writing assignment and correct it so that words are spelled correctly and most grammar is corrected. Letting students turn in assignments until it is perfect, but still giving them the grade for completion. Encouraging students through something such as writing can be such a beneficial experience because they can build on skills they have to improve them in ways that will benefit their future. I also believe that giving students relevant writing assignments is also important. For instance writing a resume is a form of technical writing that they will use for the rest of their lives. I think that asking students to reflect on something done is class is a way get them to use the meta-cognitive skills because they have to think about what they did and why. I don't believe this has to be done alone all the time, but can be done as a group if a learning activity involved group work.

I really like cooperative based learning because again, this is a life skill. There are times in life where projects are done alone, but most often times in the work place we are working with other people. Learning to work as a team is important. One aspect of literacy that it encourages and builds is oral language, especially for students who are English Language Learners or have IEPS. Getting to hear students who already have those skills can help ELLs with their language development. This is not to mean that they never get to speak their first language or collaborate with others who speak their first language. Oral language doesn't not mean they have to give up their culture, but build skills to manipulate and be successful in the dominant culture. I believe we, as teachers, have the power to give all students this if it is our true desire.

Teaching vocabulary can be a difficult task. Using tools like KWL charts can helps students broaden their use of vocabulary. I feel that most words have multiple meanings based on the context they are used in. Helping students understand that words in the context that will be used in the class is very important. A teacher must decide which words are most important and this can be hard. The teacher must use the vocabulary for the students to caught on as well. I think giving students application and letting students apply the words is key in helping them comprehend and know new vocabulary. It may be just as important to let students reflect other circumstances the words may be used so they can learn to draw on other resources. In one lesson plan I have created, at the end of the week, students get to spend a day creating skits and role playing the definitions of vocabulary words for the week. I think doing learning experiences like this is a great way to let students bring their world into the classroom as they review and use vocabulary in a creative way.

Differentiation is something that was not only discussed in my literacy class, but also many other classes. Using differentiation in the classroom helps students access more content. Does this mean its not fair for students that caught on really quickly and are already so called "smart." No! This means you are giving all the students in the class a chance to have an equal opportunity at learning and hopefully at their level. This can be a daunting task and it is somewhat daunting to me as I prepare to student teach in a few short weeks. But I think the key for me is to provide a variety of different learning experiences throughout whatever unit I am teaching. Using informal assessment can help me see where I am lacking as a teacher to help improve my classroom and teaching techniques. I will also be reminding myself often that I DO NOT have to be "the perfect teacher" in one day or semester of student teaching. It will take time to truly use differentiation in the classroom so it helps the majority of my students.

The last topic of literacy I want to touch on is critical literacy. Critical Literacy is hard to define, but I think using many techniques and tools like the one discussed above can lead to critical literacy. Giving students the tools to be self-efficate in their learning, reading, writing, and life skills will lead to critical literacy.

I think to really sum things up, empowering students through skills they learn in the classroom to be applied outside in the real world is the key. Realizing that I can make a difference by empowering the students I will have has changed my view of what a teacher is. I truly believe with intentional effort all of this can be done. I know literacy doesn't happen by accident, but instead happens on purpose. And literacy leads to empowering students!

Digital Literacy

For one week I have charting my use of digital technologies including use of my cell, phone computers, and TV. While I don't spend much time actually watching TV, the TV is on a lot at my house to cartoons that entertain a toddler for short moments. I seem to be glued to a laptop or desktop computer a good portion of my day doing homework, research, writing lesson plans, checking facebook and pinterest every 5 minutes. I also spend time checking four email accounts that I have all for various purposes like school, personal, business, and one for junk. I also check various news websites to read and listen to local and national news. I use my cell phone a few times per day to text family, friends, and peers with questions or answers to questions. I do spend some time talking with my husband each day on the phone since we are away from each other during the day.

Using digital technology I can exchange texts with just about anyone. Pinterest is great because I get to pin ideas about cooking, crafting, homes, fashion, and other various things. I use facebook to connect with friends through sending messages, writing on walls, and commenting on posts and pictures. E-mail is such a handy tool in the digital technology world. I can submit assignments to professors. I can also do collaborative work with peers and colleagues through google docs.

So how does this relate to teaching? My students probably aren't spending quite as much time looking at a computer screen because they are in class each day, but they are sending text messages to their friends and maybe their family. Students also post everything to facebook. They are using digital technology in their each day. I know students are using other digital technologies like YouTube. Students know how to use digital technologies really well, and can even use some more efficiently and with more expertise than I can. Knowing this I can encourage my students to use these technologies to collaborate with their peers on assignments. I can encourage them to read about topics we are discussing in class so they can see practical application.

Other ways I can use digital technology in my classroom is to use digital technology to do my set inductions that get students excited about the topic for the day. When doing portfolios giving students a digital options that would meet the requirements gives them an opportunity to use technology. Teaching students how to find research articles they can use on projects and assignments gives them an opportunity gain skills they may not have. It took me a long time to be able to find and read research articles and actually understand them. This takes time and scaffolding, but students are smart and have the ability to do it.

I think there are so many ways to bring digital technologies into the classroom. I think that as a teacher it takes some trial an error for find what works for you and your students. It's not impossible and there is so much positive that can come from it. Best of all a teacher can connect with his/her students in less traditional ways and still get the same objectives and standards met!

Affective Dimensions of Reading

As I reflection my experiences as a reader some are good and some are rather BAD! My memory of learning to read isn't so great, but the good thing is that I learned to read and continue to enjoy reading today. I consider myself a good reader now, but I haven't always considered myself a good reader. I feel that I am a good reader now because I have learned how to read so that I can understand the text I am reading no matter what it is. I remember what I really started to like reading. It must have been right around the time I finally cracked the code of the English language in about 6th grade. I think it helped that I got into books that I enjoyed reading. Some of those books were part of the Babysitter Club series and the Pony Pals series. Being able to practice reading on text that I enjoyed helped me a lot. Over time I was able to start reading books and other text that were more challenging. Today I feel that I can read almost any text and comprehend it. It may take me some time. I will probably have to go really slow and look up many unfamiliar words, but I have the ability and tool to comprehend.

I can remember times I didn't like reading. I have never liked reading textbooks. I find myself reading them now because I have to as a college student. When I read them, however, I find myself looking at the pictures or the diagrams and just skimming the text. I realize I am not getting the full content out any textbook reading it this way, but is some small way it makes me feel somewhat accomplished because I can say I at least opened the textbook and attempted to read. Before college I remember times I didn't like reading. It was between 1st and 5th grades. I couldn't read fast enough and still comprehend. So I learned that reading fast was more acceptable than comprehending and that is exactly what I learned to do. To this day I can still read fast, but it doesn't mean I am taking in the words that I am supposedly reading.

I remember my mom encouraging me to read (her way). I think at first this turned me off from reading because her way, smooth and fast. I stumbled and always felt slow.  My elementary school teachers up to 3rd grade encouraged reading by assigning 20 minutes of reading at home each day. After 3rd grade I remember that it was required to read so many books and give book reports. I always hated giving book reports!! I always worried I couldn't answer the teacher's questions about the book. The worst part was when the teacher would read a line out the book and you had to say who quoted that line. I remember thinking in my mind, "How am I supposed to remember what every person in this book said." In high school we got smart!! We learned that some teachers only required that you tell them about the book. You only had to tell enough to convince the teacher you had read the book. This meant no more reading the full book!! Sounds exciting!! But really we were cheating. I never saw this as cheating because it was survival then and it seemed as if everyone else was doing it.

Nevertheless, through all of this I still learned to read. Now I read many types of text from comics, to religious book, to financial books, to novels, and books on topics that interest me. The great thing now is that I can take as long as I want to read a book and I can have as many going at one time as I want. If I get bored with one I can changed to another and come back to the boring one later.

I don't know that I know exactly how to foster a climate in my future classroom where students may be interested in FCS. What I do know is that helping my students understand the vocabulary they will come across, why they are reading, and help them to comprehend what they are reading are all things I hope I can learn to help my students with. I think discussing readings in class to help students comprehend and understand will help them feel confident and self-efficate in reading. My students probably know and understand more than they give themselves credit for. Helping them realize this may be a bit of a challenge. I feel that through journal writings, class discussions, and scaffolding students can overcome any literacy obstacle in my class.

Intro to FACS

Welcome to the world of Family and Comsumer Sciences!!!

This is where you can learn many skills and aquire so much knowledge about life.
FACS is for you if you do or have any of the following:

• You eat something every day.
• You have friends.
• You wear clothes.
• Like children.
• Like cooking.
• Want to learn how to cook.
• Like sewing.
• Want to learn how to sew.
• Live with a family.
• Like designing rooms.
• Like to paint houses.
• Buy clothes, music, shoes, or other items.

FACS is learning more about all of those things and helps you to apply your knowledge to real life situation. This means you will be equipped to live life much fuller and hopefully more successful. You can become involved in community issues and change lives through the student organization FCCLA! You can learn more about it here.

Here is a great video that covers each area of FCS.

My hope for literacy in my classroom

As I took the time to reflect on literacy in my life, I am amazed how many classes I sat through and jumped through the hoops to be a successful student. What I didn't realize is that I walked out of the class at the end of the semester and didn't take new learned skills or information with me. I can't entirely explain why. I can point out some classes that it was the teacher... That is the teacher I DO NOT want to be.

So what does this all mean for me as a future FACS (Family and Consumer Sciences) teacher. First off, I have some work to do. What work you may be asking? The work will include preparing meaningful learning experiences where my students don't just jump through my hoops just to pass that class. Instead I want to foster an environment where students have choice in projects and assignments. My hope is that they will take charge of their own learning as they do activities that interest them and still require learning.

This also means it is my job to help teach literacy in my content to my students as we learn. (I will be doing lots of learning with my students.) FACS classes is very applicable to every day life. It may not be in the language my students use, which is another challenge I will need to continually work on. Given my students practical application to their personal lives as well as have them brainstorm ways the concepts they learn have practical application can help them have a desire and interest in FACS. It will also scaffold literacy in FACS.

I understand may not be easy, but I think it is possible. I am excited to change the way I was educated to be more beneficial and enriching for my students.

About me

Interests/Hobbies/Interesting Facts

1. My family

• Husband: Cody


• Son: Hunter


• Animals: 2 dogs, Lightning and Cowboy; 3 calves, Siete, Jose, Walter; 1 friendly cat, no name; 5 new kittens; 1 wild cat, Fluffy.

2. Outdoors

• Camping


• Shooting guns


• Fly Fish with my husband


• Riding horses


• I love to travel.

3. Sewing, Cooking, and other fun projects

• I love sewing anything.


• Cooking is my favorite, especially yummy treats to take to neighbors and friends.


• I love taking pictures and hope to learn some great photography skills.


• Crafting... I don't spend much time doing this between school, wife, and mommy, but I love to. (Some day I might have a bigger house with some room to leave my mess out.)


• Scrapbooking is such a relaxing thing for me. I love to reminicse through pictures and laugh as I relive the fond memories they hold.


• Creating items out of food, fabric or other things is a favorite. I feel it helps to exercise the mind.

4. Interesting Facts

• I own my own shotgun.


• My husband and I met online.


• I am a small business owner.


• I have hiked/climbed the tallest mountain in Idaho, Mt. Borah.

My discipline to me

Family Consumer Sciences to me is:

1. Fun! I understand that many people have a passion for their discipline. While FCS is fun for me, I understand it may not be fun to others.

2. Opportunity to create. Like I mentioned before, I love to create. FCS gives me an opportunity to create many things includeing sewing projects, delicious food, a beautiful room through my use of skills and knowledge I have acquired in my study of FCS.

3. It is tool to teach life skills to students of any age. Whether I work in a middle school, high school, or a community setting of adults there are many life skills that can be taught and practiced throught the contents of FCS.

What drew me to FCS?

1. I was passionate FCS. I loved the subject content and skills available for students of all ages.

2. It is a tool to influence students.

3. Through FCCLA and my classroom courses, I can help students build skills that help them with life inluding problem solving, reading and following instructions, and prepare for careers, jobs, or furthuring their education.

Other Stuff...

I am passionate about all learning. I think no matter our age or stage of life there is learning that can take place. As a pre-service teacher, it is my responsiblity to find resources and aquire skills that will benefit my future students in my contents area, but that can but used over a number of courses and life situations.